The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a rotary actuator that includes a housing defining a first arcuate chamber portion and comprising a first cavity, a first open end, a first seal carrier assembly defining a second arcuate chamber portion and comprising a second cavity in fluid communication with the first cavity, a first piston seal, a second open end, and a third open end opposite the second open end, a first face seal in sealing contact with the housing proximal to the first open end and the second open end, a rotary output assembly, and an arcuate-shaped first piston disposed in said housing for reciprocal movement in the first arcuate chamber portion and in the second arcuate chamber portion.

[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 flexible pneumatic actuator assembly includes a front base, a rear base, a length of flexible tubing having a front end secured to the front base and a rear end secured to the rear base, a flexible piston rod extending through an aperture in the front base and into an internal volume of the length of flexible tubing, and a piston secured to the piston rod within the internal volume of the length of flexible tubing. The piston is configured to maintain an air tight seal against an inner wall of the tubing upon bending of the tubing in a region including the piston.

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, 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.

There is disclosed a rotary actuator apparatus for hydraulically or pneumatically rotating a robotic joint. In an embodiment the apparatus comprises: a curved piston rotatably coupled to an axel shaft, and positioned within a curved piston chamber; resilient barrier modules are adapted to separate the curved piston within the curved piston chamber from first and second hydraulic or pneumatic chambers on either side of the curved piston chamber; whereby, in use, the curved piston is configured to rotate about the axel shaft upon hydraulic or pneumatic pressure being applied to at least one of the first and second hydraulic or pneumatic chambers.

A rotary actuator is provided. The rotary actuator includes a stator assembly centered along a longitudinal axis of the rotary actuator. The rotary actuator also includes a rotor assembly surrounding the stator assembly. The rotor assembly is rotatable about the longitudinal axis relative to the stator assembly. The rotary actuator also includes first and second bearing assemblies mounted at adjacent opposed axial ends of the stator assembly and connected between the stator assembly and rotor assembly to allow for the rotation of the rotor assembly about the longitudinal axis relative to the stator assembly. A hydraulic actuation arrangement is formed between the rotor assembly and the stator assembly. The hydraulic actuation arrangement includes at least one first pressure chamber and at least one second pressure chamber. At least one of the at least one first pressure chamber and the at least one second pressure chamber has a variable volume.

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.

An engine includes a housing and a combustion assembly. The combustion assembly includes an annular bore and a combustion piston assembly disposed within the annular bore. The combustion piston assembly includes a set of pistons, a first sealing ring connected to each piston and a second sealing ring connected to each piston. The second sealing ring is configured to provide selective access between the annular bore and at least one fluid conduit carried by the engine. The engine includes at least one valve configured to move between a first position within the annular bore to allow the combustion piston assembly to travel within the annular bore from a first location proximate to the at least one valve to a second location distal to the at least one valve and a second position within the annular bore to define a combustion chamber.

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a rotary actuator that includes a first rotary actuator assembly having a first housing, a first mounting assembly radially projecting from a first longitudinal end of the first housing and defining a first axial aperture, and a first output shaft extending into the first axial aperture, a second rotary actuator assembly having a second housing, a second mounting assembly radially projecting from a second longitudinal end of the second housing and defining a second axial aperture, and a second output shaft extending into the second axial aperture, and a bearing assembly having an outer surface in contact with at least one of the first mounting assembly and the second mounting assembly, and an inner surface in contact with at least one of the first rotor assembly and the second rotor assembly.