Compact-actuator gear set
AssigneeCameron International Corporation
InventorsJesse Morin, Tom West, Alberto Dequarti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gearbox assembly for an actuator is provided. The gearbox assembly includes a rack, a spur pinion, a bevel pinion, and a bevel gear. Vertical translation of the rack causes rotation of the spur pinion and bevel pinion around a horizontal axis. The rotation of the bevel pinion causes rotation of the bevel gear around a vertical axis. The gearbox assembly may be coupled to a movable member of a valve so that actuation of the gearbox assembly moves the movable member. Systems including the gearbox assembly and methods of operation are also disclosed.
Claims26
A system, comprising:
- a gearbox assembly, comprising:
- a rack comprising first teeth arranged along a curved profile along a length of the rack;
- a first pinion comprising second teeth engaged with the first teeth of the rack, wherein the second teeth are configured to rotate around a first axis, the second teeth are disposed along an eccentric profile about the first axis, and a torque curve of the gearbox assembly is selected entirely based on the curved profile and the eccentric profile;
- a second pinion coupled to the first pinion by a shaft and configured to rotate around the first axis;
- a bevel gear coupled to the second pinion and configured to rotate around a second axis perpendicular to the first axis;
- wherein the bevel gear rotates around the second axis in response to translation of the rack.
A system, comprising:
- a valve comprising a movable member;
- a gearbox coupled to the valve and configured to move the movable member between a first position and a second position, wherein the gearbox comprises:
- a rack having first teeth engaged with second teeth of a first pinion, wherein the first teeth are arranged along a curved profile along a length of the rack, the curved profile curves across a central portion of the length having the first teeth, the second teeth are arranged along a variable profile about a first axis of the first pinion, the variable profile has a variable distance relative to the first axis, and a torque curve of the gearbox is selected based on the curved profile and the variable profile;
- and
- a bevel gear coupled to the first pinion,
- wherein the gearbox is configured to convert translation of the rack into rotary motion of the bevel gear.
A system, comprising:
- an actuator gearbox, comprising:
- a bevel gear disposed and configured to rotate around a first axis;
- a plurality of rack and pinion assemblies, wherein each rack and pinion assembly of the plurality of rack and pinion assemblies comprises:
- a rack comprising first teeth arranged along a curved profile along a length of the rack, wherein the curved profile has a variable curvature along the length of the rack, and the rack is disposed radially inward of the bevel gear in a radial inward direction relative to the first axis;
- a first pinion coupled to the rack and configured to rotate around a second axis in response to translation of the rack;
- a second pinion coupled to the first pinion and configured to rotate around the second axis with the first pinion;
- wherein the second pinion of each rack and pinion assembly is coupled to the bevel gear such that the bevel gear rotates around the first axis in response to the rotation of each of the second pinions around the second axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.