A rotary actuator includes a housing, a rotor assembly rotatably journaled in said housing and including a rotary output shaft, a central actuation assembly including a central mounting point formed in an external surface of the rotary output shaft, said central mounting point proximal to the longitudinal midpoint of the rotary output shaft, a mounting assembly adapted for attachment to an external mounting connector of a mounting surface of an aircraft structural member, and an actuation arm removably attached at a proximal end to the central mounting point, said actuation arm adapted at a distal end for attachment to an external mounting feature of an aircraft assembly to be actuated.

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a multi-axis rotary actuator that includes a first rotary piston actuator configured to controllably actuate a first pivotal joint between a first linkage to a second linkage about a first axis, and a second rotary piston actuator configured to controllably actuate a second pivotal joint connecting the second linkage to a third linkage about a second axis.

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a fluid actuator including a housing defining a first chamber having a first cavity and a first open end, a first piston assembly including a tubular first piston defining a second chamber having a second cavity and a second open end, disposed in said first housing for reciprocal movement in the first chamber through the first open end, wherein a first seal, the first cavity, and the first piston define a first pressure chamber, and a second piston assembly having an second piston disposed in said first piston assembly for reciprocal movement in the second chamber through the second open end, wherein a second seal, the second cavity, and the second piston define a second pressure chamber, and a first portion of the second piston contacts a first end effector.

A cylinder is installed within a case, and an output shaft and an arm that is integrated thereto and extends in a radial direction are installed within the cylinder. A piston extending in an arc slides and is displaced in a circumferential direction of the cylinder within the cylinder. One end portion of the piston is rotatably connected to the arm. The cylinder is internally provided with a first pressure chamber in which the arm is housed and a second pressure chamber in which the other end portion of the arm is slidably installed. A pressure medium is fed into one of the first and second pressure chambers and discharged from the other, and the output shaft pivots in a rotational direction.

A rotary actuator includes a housing having an interior boundary that defines a central bore and has interior recesses, a chamber housing assembly disposed in the central bore and having an arcuate chamber, the arcuate chamber comprising a cavity, an exterior boundary of the chamber housing assembly having exterior recesses, each of the exterior recesses aligned with a respective one of the interior recesses, pins residing between the interior boundary and the exterior boundary, each of the pins mated to one of the exterior recesses and a corresponding one of the interior recesses to maintain an orientation of the chamber housing assembly with respect to the housing, a rotor assembly rotatably journaled in the chamber housing assembly and comprising a rotary output shaft and a rotor arm, and an arcuate-shaped piston disposed in the chamber housing assembly for reciprocal movement in the arcuate chamber.

A rotary actuator includes a housing defining an arcuate chamber including a cavity, a fluid port in fluid communication with the cavity, and an open end. A rotor assembly includes an output shaft and a rotor arm extending outward. An arcuate-shaped piston is disposed in said housing for reciprocal movement in the arcuate chamber through the open end, wherein a seal, the cavity, and the piston define a pressure chamber, and a portion of the piston contacts the first rotor arm. A central actuation assembly includes a central mounting point formed in an external surface of the output shaft, said central mounting point proximal to the longitudinal midpoint of the shaft, and an actuation arm removably attached at a proximal end to the central mounting point, said actuation arm adapted at a distal end for attachment to an external mounting feature of a member to be actuated.

[Object] To provide a compact, high-output actuator device allowing force control.

[Solution] An actuator device 1000 includes an electromagnetic coil member 110 provided over a prescribed width on an outer circumference of a cylinder 100, and a movable element 200 slidable as a piston in the cylinder 100. The movable element 200 has a magnetic member 202, and is moved relatively by excitation of the electromagnetic coil member 110. Fluid is supplied to first and second chambers 106a and 106b such that when the movable element 200 is to be moved relatively, the movable element 200 is driven in the same direction.

A rotary actuator includes a housing having an interior boundary that defines a central bore and has interior recesses, a chamber housing assembly disposed in the central bore and having an arcuate chamber, the arcuate chamber comprising a cavity, an exterior boundary of the chamber housing assembly having exterior recesses, each of the exterior recesses aligned with a respective one of the interior recesses, pins residing between the interior boundary and the exterior boundary, each of the pins mated to one of the exterior recesses and a corresponding one of the interior recesses to maintain an orientation of the chamber housing assembly with respect to the housing, a rotor assembly rotatably journaled in the chamber housing assembly and comprising a rotary output shaft and a rotor arm, and an arcuate-shaped piston disposed in the chamber housing assembly for reciprocal movement in the arcuate chamber.

A rotary actuator includes a housing defining a first arcuate chamber comprising a cavity, a fluid port in fluid communication with the cavity, and an open end. A rotor assembly in the housing includes an output shaft and a rotor arm extending radially outward from the output shaft. An arcuate-shaped piston is disposed in the housing for movement in the arcuate chamber. The rotary actuator includes a fluid line is coupled to the fluid port, a high pressure fluid line, a low pressure fluid line, and a central pressure source coupled to the high pressure fluid line. A servo valve is positioned between the central pressure source and the hydraulic actuator and is controllable to selectively connect the fluid line to the high pressure fluid line and the low pressure fluid line to control movement of the hydraulic actuator.

Devices and systems for producing rotational actuation are described. More specifically, hydraulic and pneumatic actuators that can produce and control rotational or joint-like motion are described. An actuator may be configured to allow parallel coupling of multiple actuators, and thus increase the range of rotation of the actuators when considered collectively.