Actuator for active movement and damped counter movement and object assembly having an actuator

Abstract

An actuator producing an active movement between fastening elements of the actuator and damping a counter movement contains a main body having a first fastening element, an actuating body movable relative to the main body along an axial direction and having a second fastening element, and an electric motor for actively driving the actuating body exclusively in a driving direction along the axial direction and for passively damping a counter movement of the actuating body counter to the driving direction being brought about by external action on the fastening elements. An object assembly contains an object and the actuator in which the spring element is structurally separate from the rest of the actuator, and an interaction between the spring element and the rest of the actuator is achieved in an object to be operated by the actuator, at least in a correctly mounted state of the actuator.

Claims

1. An actuator, comprising: first and second fastening elements being actively movable relative to each other; a main body having said first fastening element; an actuating body being movable relative to said main body along an axial direction, said actuating body having said second fastening element; an electric motor configured to actively drive said actuating body exclusively in a driving direction along said axial direction, said electric motor being configured to passively damp a counter movement of said actuating body counter to said driving direction, and said counter movement being brought about by an external action on said fastening elements; and a spring element to be loaded by said movement of said actuating body in said driving direction to preload said actuating body in a counter direction of said counter movement; said electric motor retracting said actuating body and moving said first and second fastening elements towards one another in an opening movement in said driving direction; said spring element being compressed and storing mechanical energy in said opening movement and said spring element extending said actuating body and the actuator in a non-motorized return movement.

2. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein said motor is configured to set said damping of said counter movement.

3. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein said motor is an electric-motor brake for damping said counter movement.

4. The actuator according to claim 3, wherein said motor is a resistance brake for said counter movement.

5. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein said fastening elements, said main body, said actuating body and said electric motor form a remainder of the actuator being structurally separate from said spring element, and an interaction between said spring element and said remainder of said actuator is achieved in an object to be operated by said actuator, at least in a correctly mounted state of the actuator.

6. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein said fastening elements, said main body, said actuating body and said electric motor form a remainder of the actuator, and said spring element is integrated into said remainder of the actuator.

7. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein said spring element is configured to be subjected to compressive stress by a movement in said driving direction.

8. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein: said actuating body contains a threaded rod with a thread; a drive element has a mating thread being coupled by motion to said threaded rod and said motor; and said thread and said mating thread have a non-self-locking construction.

9. An object assembly, comprising: an actuator according to claim 1; and an object.

10. The object assembly according to claim 9, wherein said object contains a fixed part and a pivotable part being pivotable relative to said fixed part about a pivoting axis, one of said fastening elements is attached to said fixed part and another of said fastening elements is attached to said pivotable part.

11. The object assembly according to claim 10, wherein said spring element is mounted to engage said fixed part and said pivotable part for preloading said pivotable part in a pivoting direction corresponding to said counter direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, exploded, perspective view of an actuator according to the invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fully-assembled actuator of FIG. 1; and

(3) FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view of an assembly of objects with an alternative actuator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, there is seen an actuator 20 in an exploded illustration and in an assembled state for one possible concept of implementation of the invention.

(5) A housing 1 enables a motor 7, in this case a motor unit, a top cover 2 and a bottom cover 3 to be screwed together. Form-locking installation of a plain bearing 6b is furthermore enabled. In the housing 1 there is an output gearwheel 8 on the motor 7, a drive element 10, in this case a lead screw gearwheel, with an internal mating thread 36 for engagement in an external thread 34 on an actuating body 9, in this case a threaded rod 32, a thrust washer 11, a nut 12, a spring element 13, in this case a compression spring, and a spring pin 4. The housing 1 allows adequate transmission of the waste heat of the motor 7, in this case through the use of metallic materials. The thread 34 and the mating thread 36 are of non-self-locking construction.

(6) The top cover 2 enables a plain bearing 6a to be accommodated in a form-locking manner and is connected to the housing 1 by a screwed joint. The top cover 2 closes off the housing 1 from the environment.

(7) The bottom cover 3 enables the spring pin 4 and a first fastening element 5a, in this case an attachment point, to be accommodated. The bottom cover 3 closes off the housing 1 from the environment but allows through a connection cable 22 for the motor 7, that is to say enables the cable of the motor 7 to be passed out of the housing 1.

(8) The spring pin 4 enables the spring element 13, in this case a compression spring, to be guided. The spring pin 4 contains a thread (not shown specifically) and is screwed to the first fastening element 5a. This screwed joint allows attachment to the bottom cover 3.

(9) A second fastening element 5b, in this case likewise an attachment point, is a mechanical interface with the environment, e.g. a pivoted part, and allows a bolted joint. The second fastening element 5b is screwed to the actuating body 9, in this case the threaded rod 32 in the form of a steep-pitch lead screw. The actuating body 9 can be moved in the actuator 20 along an axial direction 24 (herein illustrated twice because of the exploded illustration).

(10) The second fastening element 5b is a mechanical interface with the environment, e.g. a fixed part, and allows a bolted joint. The fastening element 5a is screwed to the bottom cover 3 by using the spring pin 4.

(11) The plain bearing 6a enables the actuating body 9 to be supported in the radial direction relative to the axial direction 24. The plain bearing 6a enables the drive element 10 to be supported in the axial direction relative to the axial direction 24. The plain bearing 6a is connected form-lockingly to the top cover 2.

(12) The plain bearing 6b enables the actuating body 9 to be supported in the radial direction relative to the axial direction 24. The plain bearing 6b enables the drive element 10 to be supported in the axial direction relative to the axial direction 24. The plain bearing 6b is connected form-lockingly to the housing 1.

(13) The housing 1, the spring pin 4 and both covers 2, 3 form a main body 26, relative to which the actuating body 9 can be moved along the axial direction 24 in a driving direction 28 (along the axial direction 24) and an opposing counter direction 30.

(14) The motor 7 or motor unit includes an electric motor per se and can contain a transmission. The output gearwheel 8 is moved in rotation for motorized actuation of the actuator 20. In the case of spring-driven closure or return, the motor acts in generator mode as an electric-motor brake. The motor 7 damps the movement through the induction of a current, which drops across an electric resistance (not illustrated), e.g. an internal resistance. The motor 7 thus acts as a resistance brake. The cabling (connection cable 22) associated with the motor 7 leads out of the housing 1 and enables attachment to a control unit (not illustrated). The control unit controls the motor 7 and communicates therewith.

(15) The output gearwheel 8 allows power to be transmitted between the motor unit 7 and the drive element 10.

(16) The threaded rod 32, in interaction with the drive element 10, enables a rotary motion to be converted into a linear motion along the axial direction 24. The second fastening element 5b is screwed to the actuating body 9 by using a thread. Through the use of a further thread, the thrust washer 11 is secured on that thread by the nut 12. The threaded rod 32 is supported in the radial direction relative to the axial direction 24 by the plain bearings 6a, 6b. The corresponding axial degree of freedom is maintained. However, the mounted thrust washer 11 prevents the threaded rod 32 from falling out in the state where the threaded rod 32 has been extended.

(17) The drive element 10, in interaction with the threaded rod 32, enables a rotary motion to be converted into a linear motion. The drive element 10 has an internal thread in the form of the mating thread 36, which establishes a flow of force to the threaded rod 32. The drive element 10 is supported in the axial direction relative to the axial direction 24 by the plain bearings 6a, 6b. The rotary degree of freedom is maintained.

(18) The thrust washer 11 enables a flow of force between the threaded rod 32 and the spring element 13. The thrust washer 11 is secured on the threaded rod 32 by the nut 12. The nut 12 secures the thrust washer 11 to the threaded rod 32.

(19) The spring element 13 enables return without the motor. In the driving mode, energy is stored in the spring element 13. The spring element 13 transfers the force to the thrust washer 11. The spring element 13 is supported on the bottom cover 3. The spring element 13 is guided by the spring pin 4 and the housing 1 and prevents critical buckling.

(20) The non-self-locking mechanism is made possible by the threaded rod 32 in the form of a steep-pitch lead screw. The spring element 13 in the form of a return spring is embodied as a compression spring in the actuator 20.

(21) The opening movement in the driving direction 28, during which the actuator retracts, that is to say the fastening elements 5a, 5b move towards one another, is motor-driven by the motor 7, with the rotary motion of the motor being transmitted to the threaded rod 32 through gearwheels (output gearwheel 8) (drive element 10). The drive element 10 is mounted on the threaded rod 32 and moves the latter in a linear manner. Through the use of the thrust washer 11, the spring element 13 is compressed and mechanical energy is stored.

(22) The drive element 10 is retained axially in the axial direction 24 by using bearings or plain bearings 6a, 6b, and therefore there is only a rotary degree of freedom. The same plain bearings 6a, 6b support the threaded rod 9 in the radial direction, and therefore only an axial degree of freedom in the axial direction 24 is allowed.

(23) The non-motorized return is accomplished by using the integrated spring element 13. The spring element 13 transfers the (stored) energy to the steep-pitch lead screw 9 through a thrust washer 11. The nut 12 connects the thrust washer 11 to the threaded rod 32, thereby preventing the rod from being pulled completely out of the housing 1. By virtue of the sufficient thread pitch of the thread 34 and the mating thread 36, the gearwheels (output gearwheel 8) (drive element 10) are driven during the movement in the counter direction 30 by the spring force, which converts the stored energy into the movement of the actuating body 9. Furthermore, or during this process, the gearwheels (output gearwheel 8) (drive element 10) drive the motor 7.

(24) The motor 7 damps the return movement as an electric-motor brake or resistance brake, during which the actuator 20 or actuating body 9 is extended. A speed-dependent and force-dependent current is induced, causing a force which opposes the linear motion in the counter direction 30.

(25) The housing 1 ensures the maximum possible dissipation of waste heat from the motor 7 if thermally conductive materials, e.g. metals, are used. In this way, high-frequency use of the actuator 20 is made possible.

(26) By virtue of the return without the motor (or operating without an active motor drive), it is also possible for the movement to be performed by hand or, with the motor 7 switched off, manually. Thus, this function is of fail-safe construction. The reliability/availability of this function (touchless & manual) is maximized.

(27) The components are integrated within the smallest possible installation space. Existing fastening elements 5a, 5b of objects on which the actuator is mounted are used. By virtue of the modular construction, in particular the use of currently used fastening elements 5a, 5b and installation spaces, installation in a very wide variety of installation situations is possible.

(28) Control is performed by a control unit (not illustrated), which communicates with the motor 7.

(29) FIG. 3 shows an assembly of objects 40 with an alternative actuator 20 and an object 42, in this case part of a room of a building. The object 42 contains a fixed part 44 in the form of a building wall and a pivoted part 46 in the form of a door. The door is pivotable about a pivoting axis 48. The actuator 20 is supported on and connected to the fixed part 44 by the first fastening element 5a, and is supported on and connected to the pivoted part 46 by the second fastening element 5b.

(30) In this case, as a departure from the above-described embodiment (FIGS. 1 and 2), the actuator 20 does not contain a spring element 13 within the housing 1. The actuator 20 is a modularly distributed device, the spring element 13 of which is mounted externally, namely on the object 42. In this case, the spring element 13 is a return spring in the form of a helical spring with radially projecting ends, which engage on the fixed part 44 and the pivoted part 46.

(31) The actuator 20 (the spring element 13 and the rest of the actuator) is (are) situated on the object 42 in the correctly mounted state M.

(32) During an opening process of the pivoted part 46, the part 46 is pivoted about the pivoting axis 48 in the direction of an arrow 50, which in this case corresponds to the driving direction, starting from the dashed line indicated in the figure. This movement takes place in a motorized manner by operation of the motor 7 within the housing 1. During this process, the spring element 13 is subjected to stress.

(33) During a closing process of the pivoted part 46, the force of the motor 7 is absent. The stressed spring element 13 moves the pivoted part 46 back counter to the arrow 50. The actuating body 9 is pulled out of the housing 1 and, during this process, the motor 7 is driven. As explained above, the motor acts as a resistance brake in order to damp the movement of the pivoted part 46 counter to the arrow 50.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(34) 1 housing 2 cover (top) 3 cover (bottom) 4 spring pin 5a, b first, second fastening element 6a, b plain bearing 7 motor 8 output gearwheel 9 actuating body 10 drive element 11 thrust washer 12 nut 13 spring element 20 actuator 22 connection cable 24 axial direction 26 main body 28 driving direction 30 counter direction 32 threaded rod 34 thread 36 mating thread 40 assembly of objects 42 object 44 fixed part 46 pivoted part 48 pivoting axis 50 arrow