Mechanical stored energy positioning actuator
US4113063A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 6, 1976 |
| Grant date | Sep 12, 1978 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 6, 1996 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T74/11
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A motor driven actuator, providing continuous positioning of an output shaft, and employing energy storage which allows the shaft to return to a predetermined position on failure of the input power source or other predetermined occurrence. Drive motor torque requirements are minimized through sequential application of input torque to the energy storage and actuator load. This arrangement insures that adequate energy storage for return of the output shaft is continuously available during normal actuator operation including alternate output shaft positioning. When utilized to operate a fluid control valve, the valve actuator combination provides a fail-safe valve which under emergency or other prescribed conditions provides return of the valve to a safe condition from any normal operating position throughout the limit of the valve travel. The above functions are provided through the use of a simple highly reliable structure utilizing a reduced number of relatively simple components and a drive motor which can be sized for the output torque alone without additional torque requirements due to the presence of a stored energy device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.