A soft-bodied actuator can be configured to be in a pinched or contracted configuration when power is not supplied to the actuator. Thus, a supply of electrical energy is not needed to maintain the actuator in the pinched or contracted configuration. The actuator can include a central bladder. The central bladder can include a flexible casing that defines a central fluid chamber. The central fluid chamber can include a dielectric fluid. A first conductor and a second conductor can be operatively connected to opposite portions of the central bladder. The actuator can be configured such that, in the activated mode, the first and second conductors receive electrical energy from a power source such that they are like charged, causing the first and second conductors to repel each other. The central fluid chamber can include a particulate material to help maintain the central bladder in the pinched configuration.

An electrohydraulic drive unit of a machine tool having a tool that can be moved up and down is provided and comprises a double-acting hydraulic cylinder-piston arrangement oriented in upright manner and having a piston projecting downwardly from the cylinder and being coupled with the tool, a valve block flanged to the cylinder at the upper end region thereof and having a servo suction valve, a hydraulic-fluid reservoir flanged to the valve block at a first hydraulic interface and a motor-pump unit having an electric motor and a hydraulic pump driven thereby and flanged to the valve block at a second hydraulic interface. A suction line, extends from the first hydraulic interface to the second hydraulic interface through the valve block.

An electromechanically drivable brake pressure generator for a hydraulic braking system of a vehicle, including an electric motor unit, which is activatable with the aid of an electronic control unit in accordance with a brake pressure to be applied and whose rotary motion generated thereby is converted by a reducing gearbox unit including an output-side spindle drive unit into a translatory motion for actuating a piston of a hydraulic piston/cylinder unit. A hydraulic block of the piston/cylinder unit also at least partially accommodates the electric motor unit in such a way that a motor shaft of the electric motor unit extending at least predominantly in the area of the hydraulic block is situated axially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the piston of the piston/cylinder unit which is movable in the hydraulic block.

This driving apparatus includes a motor drive capable of moving a movable portion toward a predetermined direction by an output of a servo motor, an air cylinder drive capable of moving the movable portion toward the predetermined direction by an output of an air cylinder, and a controller which controls the motor drive and the air cylinder drive, and the controller moves the movable portion toward the predetermined direction by using the air cylinder drive and the motor drive.

A piezohydraulic actuator system includes four chambers: a first chamber defined by a drive bellows filled with a hydraulic fluid and movable by a piezo actuator, a second chamber defined by a hydraulic cylinder filled with the hydraulic fluid, which defines a first output; a third chamber defined by an output bellows filled with the hydraulic fluid, which defines a second output; and a fourth chamber defining a reservoir of the hydraulic fluid. The drive bellows is hydraulically connected via a first check valve to the second chamber. A hydraulic piston in the hydraulic cylinder is coupled mechanically to the output bellows. The drive bellows is hydraulically connected via a second check valve to the fourth chamber. The hydraulic fluid reservoir is hydraulically connected via a third check valve to the output bellows, and the hydraulic cylinder is hydraulically connected via a fourth check valve to the output bellows.

An actuator assembly includes an actuation member, a release member, and a source of pressurized gas, wherein during a normal mode of operation, the actuation member and the release member are engaged to move in unison, and wherein during an emergency mode of operation, pressurized gas automatically decouples the actuation member from the release member to move separately. In accordance with yet other aspects of the disclosure, an electro-mechanical actuator includes an electro-mechanical drive system and an integrated backup system operated by a gas generator, wherein when the backup system is activated, the electro-mechanical drive system is decoupled and the actuator moves to a predetermined position and mechanically locks in place.

The present invention addresses the technical problem of providing an actuator which is provided to prevent leakage through a rod in a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder-type actuator, and in which an existing sealing member may be used, and in particular, a cable (wire) may be used as a rod for solving the problem regardless of surface roughness thereof. An actuator for solving the above-mentioned problem in accordance with the present invention includes: a cylinder having an inner portion filled with a fluid and a front cover for closing a front end portion thereof; a piston displaced inside the cylinder by the fluid; a sealing member having one end portion fixed to the piston and the other end portion fixed to the front cover; and an operation member inserted in the sealing member and having one end portion fixed to the piston and the other end portion extending out of the front cover. In the present invention, due to the above-mentioned configuration, the sealing of a fluid (f) is already achieved by the sealing member, and thus, the operation member serves a moving function if only slipping relative to the sealing member in the sealing member. Accordingly, a rod or a cable does not need to move while being in close contact with the sealing member. Therefore, as in conventional arts, the present invention has merits in that a remarkable improvement is achieved in terms of wear of the sealing member, and it is not necessary to smoothly and precisely process the rod and to smoothly and hardly coat the cable.

A soft-bodied actuator can be configured to be in a pinched or contracted configuration when power is not supplied to the actuator. Thus, a supply of electrical energy is not needed to maintain the actuator in the pinched or contracted configuration. The actuator can include a central bladder. The central bladder can include a flexible casing that defines a central fluid chamber. The central fluid chamber can include a dielectric fluid. A first conductor and a second conductor can be operatively connected to opposite portions of the central bladder. The actuator can be configured such that, in the activated mode, the first and second conductors receive electrical energy from a power source such that they are like charged, causing the first and second conductors to repel each other. The central fluid chamber can include a particulate material to help maintain the central bladder in the pinched configuration.

An electric motor-driven, rolling element screw linear actuator is presented which work in cooperation with an hydraulic actuator and share several components. This is achieved through the integration of a screw-driven integrated nut piston assembly. Combining the use of an electric screw driven actuator can also reduce the need for a redundant hydraulic system, resulting in the elimination of 50% of connections, valves, piping, pumps, filters etc., while still being 100% redundant. An additional advantage is that the two drive systems are technologically independent, and therefore will not both fail because of an identical component flaw or failure point. The systems may also be used at the same time if conditions require force in excess of that generated by the hydraulic actuator alone.

A braking system including a brake actuator, a control valve, a control assembly, and at least one pressure sensor. The control valve is disposed to direct hydraulic fluid to the brake actuator at a rate corresponding to a magnitude of a control signal. The control assembly includes a mixed-mode control system. The at least one pressure sensor is configured to measure a pressure of the hydraulic fluid to the brake actuator. The control assembly is configured to determine a position of the brake actuator. The mixed-mode control system is configured to determine a position command and a pressure command. The mixed-mode control system is configured to adjust the magnitude of the control signal based on at least one of the position command and the pressure command so as to reposition the brake actuator from a first position to a second position.