ACTUATORS AND USE OF A TOLERANCE RING AND/OR A TOLERANCE BUSHING

Abstract

The invention relates to improvements in the technical sector of actuators. To this end, the actuator, inter alia, is proposed, the actuator housing of which has at least one stage, on which at least one functional surface is formed with at least one access to the actuator housing.

Claims

1. An actuator with an actuator housing, in which an actuator motor is arranged, wherein the actuator housing has at least one stage with at least one functional surface, on which at least one access to the actuator housing can be formed and/or is formed.

2. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the actuator housing comprises at least two housing parts, which are arranged offset to one another, particularly transversely as relates to an axis of rotation of the actuator motor, in order to form the at least one stage.

3. The actuator according to claim 2, wherein at least one functional surface is aligned transversely, particularly at a right angle, as relates to a direction of the offset and/or wherein at least one functional surface is aligned in a direction of the offset.

4. The actuator, particularly according to claim 1, wherein the actuator has a handwheel which is arranged, preferably eccentrically, on a or the at least one functional surface of an actuator housing, wherein the handwheel has a diameter which is at most as large as, but preferably smaller than, a maximum measurable distance between two opposite outer sides, between which a center of rotation of the handwheel is arranged, particularly wherein the handwheel protrudes over one of the outer sides.

5. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the actuator motor is arranged in one of at least two housing parts of the actuator housing and/or wherein an actuator output shaft is arranged on a housing part offset thereto.

6. The actuator according to claim 5, wherein the actuator motor is connected to the actuator output shaft via an actuator gear, preferably wherein the actuator gear extends from the housing part with the actuator motor to the housing part with the actuator output shaft.

7. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein at least one functional surface of the at least one functional surface is formed between an upper side and a lower side of the actuator housing.

8. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein a functional surface of the at least one functional surface is formed on a side of the actuator housing which is facing away from an upper side of the actuator housing, preferably with at least one feedthrough for an electrical connection, and/or wherein a functional surface of the at least one functional surface is formed on a side of the actuator housing which is facing away from a lower side of the actuator housing, preferably with at least one feedthrough for an electrical connection, and/or wherein a functional surface of the at least one functional surface is formed on a side of the actuator housing which is facing away from a side of the actuator housing, from which a or the actuator output shaft exits, and/or which is arranged in an axial extension of the actuator output shaft, preferably is formed with at least one display and/or at least one end stop screw and/or at least one operating element, and/or wherein a functional surface is arranged in an axial extension of the actuator motor.

9. The actuator, particularly according to claim 1, with an actuator housing with at least one communication hole as a passage for Bluetooth signals, wherein the communication hole has a maximum diameter of 30 mm, preferably of 25 mm, and is closed with a viewing window, and wherein an LED is arranged in the actuator housing, the LED signal of which can be perceived through the viewing window.

10. The actuator according to claim 9, wherein a Bluetooth module is provided in the actuator housing, behind the viewing window.

11. The actuator according to claim 10, wherein the Bluetooth module is arranged in a central spot of a projection of the communication hole onto a circuit board with the Bluetooth module, particularly at a distance between 0 mm and 15 mm, especially preferably at a distance between 5 mm and 10 mm.

12. The actuator according to claim 11, wherein the LED is arranged outside the central spot of the projection.

13. The actuator according to claim 9, wherein the viewing window consists of a diffuse material, particularly plastic.

14. The actuator according to claim 9, wherein the Bluetooth module is arranged on the or a circuit board in SMD technology, and/or an integrated antenna of the Bluetooth module is arranged in the or a central spot of a projection of the communication hole onto the or a circuit board with the Bluetooth module.

15. The actuator according claim 9, wherein a distance between the Bluetooth module and the communication hole is selected to be less than an axial length of the communication hole.

16. The actuator according to claim 9, wherein the actuator has a control unit, which is configured for reading out and for processing status messages of the actuator, wherein the LED can be actuated with the control unit to output status information.

17. The actuator according to claim 1, with an actuator housing having at least one adjustable end stop screw as an end stop for an actuating movement of the actuator, wherein the end stop screw is secured, in a force-fitting manner, with a screw lock in the form of a lock bushing.

18. The actuator according to claim 17, wherein the lock bushing is arranged in its locking position between an outer circumference of a screw head of the end stop screw and an inner circumferential wall of a screw hole of the actuator housing, into which the end stop screw is screwed, preferably with pressing.

19. The actuator according to claim 17, wherein the lock bushing is a tolerance ring and/or a tolerance bushing, particularly of a shaft-hub connection.

20. The actuator of claim 17, wherein the screw lock is a tolerance ring and/or a tolerance bushing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] The following is shown, sometimes represented by diagram:

[0045] FIG. 1: an isometric representation of an actuator, the actuator housing of which has a stage with at least one functional surface formed thereon;

[0046] FIGS. 2 to 4: different views of the actuator shown in FIG. 1;

[0047] FIG. 5: an exploded view of the actuator housing of the actuator shown in the previous figures in a front view, wherein a communication hole as a passage for Bluetooth signals is easy to see here;

[0048] FIG. 6: an exploded view of the actuator housing shown in the previous figures in a side view;

[0049] FIG. 7: an isometric view of the actuator housing shown in the previous figures in an exploded view;

[0050] FIG. 8: a detailed view of the actuator housing depicted in the previous figures with the communication hole, a Bluetooth module behind it, an antenna, and an LED of the actuator are shown; as well as

[0051] FIG. 9: a sectional view of the actuator shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and 8 to illustrate an end stop screw as well as its screw lock in the form of a lock bushing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0052] All the figures show at least components of an actuator designated overall as 1. The actuator 1 has an actuator housing 2, in which an actuator motor 3 is arranged. The actuator housing 2 has at least one stage 4, on which a functional surface 5 is formed. In the exemplary embodiment shown of the actuator 1, a total of two accesses, 6 and 7, to the actuator housing 2 are formed on the functional surface 5.

[0053] The actuator housing 2 of the actuator 1 comprises three housing parts 8, 9, 10, wherein the two outer housing parts, 8 and 10, are arranged offset to one another in order to form the stage 4 of the actuator housing 2 transversely as relates to an axis of rotation of the actuator motor 3. In this case, the offset of the two housing parts, 8 and 10, with respect to one another can be considered the cause of the formation of the stage 4, on the one hand, and the functional surface 5, on the other.

[0054] The functional surface 5 is formed on the middle housing part 9 of the actuator housing 2 and is aligned transversely as relates to a direction of the offset of the two remaining housing parts, 8 and 10, with respect to one another.

[0055] The offset of the two housing parts, 8 and 10, with respect to one another in this case means that longitudinal center lines of the housing parts, 8 and 10, are not identical but instead are offset as relates to each other.

[0056] FIGS. 1 to 4 show that the actuator 1 furthermore has a handwheel 11, with which the actuator 1 can be manually actuated as needed. The handwheel 11 is arranged eccentrically on a further functional surface 12 formed on the lower housing part 10 of the actuator housing 2. The handwheel 11 in this case has a diameter which is smaller than a maximum measurable distance between two outer sides, 13 and 14, opposite each other, between which a center of rotation of the handwheel 11 is arranged. FIG. 4 shows that the hand wheel 11 protrudes laterally over the right outer side 14 of the actuator housing 2 and is arranged on a front side or end face of the lower housing part 10.

[0057] Functional elements and/or accesses to the actuator housing 2 are not formed on the left outer side 13 or on the right outer side 14.

[0058] The actuator motor 3 of the actuator 1 is arranged in the upper housing part 8 and the middle housing part 9 of the actuator housing 2, wherein an actuator output shaft 15 is arranged on the lower housing part 10 which is offset thereto.

[0059] The actuator motor 3 is connected to the actuator output shaft 15 via an actuator gear 16. In this case, the actuator gear 16 extends, at least partially, within the middle housing part 9 of the actuator housing 2 and thus connects the actuator 3 in the upper housing part 8 to the actuator output shaft 15 in/on the lower housing part 10.

[0060] The functional surface 5 formed on the stage 4 is formed between an upper side 17 and a lower side 18 of the actuator housing 2. The actuator housing 2 has a further functional surface 19, which is formed on a side of the actuator housing 2 which is facing away from the previously mentioned upper side 17 of the actuator housing 2. This further functional surface 19 is situated on a lower back side of the middle housing part 9, i.e., is facing away from the stage 4. This further functional surface 19 on the middle housing part 9 of the actuator housing 2 is ultimately only obtained in that the upper housing part 8 is arranged, offset to the lower housing part 10, on the middle housing part 9 of the actuator housing 2.

[0061] The functional surface 5 on the stage 4 of the actuator housing 2 and the further functional surface 19 are facing away from one another. The functional surface 5 can additionally be characterized as a functional surface which is arranged on a side of the actuator housing 3 which, for its part, is facing away from the lower side 18 of the actuator housing 2. Accesses to the actuator housing 2 are formed on each of the two functional surfaces, 5 and 19.

[0062] A feedthrough 20, inter alia, for an electrical connection of the actuator 1 is available on the functional surface 19 as an access to the actuator housing 2. In this case, the functional surface 19 is arranged in an axial extension of the actuator motor 3 and below the actuator motor 3.

[0063] The functional surface 5 formed on the stage 4 is arranged in an axial extension of the actuator output shaft 15. A display 21 of the actuator 1, in the form of a position indicator, is formed, inter alia, on said output shaft.

[0064] The actuator housing 2 of the actuator 1 additionally has a communication hole 23 as a passage for Bluetooth signals which are to be exchanged with a Bluetooth module 27 of the actuator 1 in order to operate the actuator 1.

[0065] The communication hole 23 has a maximum diameter of 30 mm, preferably of 25 mm, and is closed with a viewing window 25. An LED 26, the LED signal of which can be perceived through the viewing window 25, is furthermore arranged in the actuator housing 2. The previously mentioned Bluetooth module 27 of the actuator 1 is arranged within the actuator housing 2 and behind the viewing window 25. The Bluetooth module 27 is situated in a central spot 24 of a projection of the communication hole 23 onto a circuit board 28 with the Bluetooth module 27. This can be seen especially well from the representation according to FIG. 8.

[0066] The distance between the Bluetooth module 27 and the communication hole 23 in this case is between 0 mm and 15 mm, preferably between 5 mm and 10 mm. The LED 26 is arranged outside of the central spot 24 of the projection of the communication hole 23 onto the circuit board 28. The viewing window 25 consists of a diffuse material, whereby the LED 26 and its LED signal can still be easily perceived when the LED 26 is arranged outside of the central spot 24 of the projection of the communication hole 23 onto the circuit board 28. The viewing window 25 is preferably produced from plastic.

[0067] The Bluetooth module 27 is arranged on the circuit board 28 in SMD technology. It further comprises an integrated antenna 29, which is arranged in the central spot 24 of the projection of the communication hole 23 onto the circuit board 28 with the Bluetooth module 27. This facilitates communication with the Bluetooth module 27 via Bluetooth. The distance between the Bluetooth module 27 and the communication hole 23 in this case is less than an axial length of the communication hole 23.

[0068] The actuator 1 further comprises a control unit 34. The control unit 34 is configured to read out and process status messages related to the actuator 1. In order to output corresponding status information to a user of the actuator 1, the LED 26 can be accordingly actuated with the control unit 34. Thus, it is conceivable that the LED 26 generates a green light signal when the actuator 1 is in a state ready for operation. When there is a fault in the actuator, the LED 26 can be actuated with the control unit 34, for example, such that it flashes and/or generates a differently colored light signal, for example a red light signal.

[0069] FIG. 9 shows a previously mentioned end stop screw 22, which serves as an end stop for an actuating movement of the actuator 1 and can be adjusted accordingly. The end stop screw 22 is secured, in a force-fitting manner, with a screw lock in the form of a lock bushing 30. The lock bushing 30 is arranged in its locking position, as shown in FIG. 8, between an outer circumference of a screw head 31 of the end stop screw 22 and an inner circumferential wall 32 of a screw hole 33 of the actuator housing 2, into which the end stop screw 22 is screwed with pressing.

[0070] A tolerance ring and/or a tolerance bushing, as they particularly are used with shaft-hub connections, is used as the lock bushing 30.

[0071] The invention relates to improvements in the technical sector of actuators. To this end, the actuator 1, inter alia, is proposed, the actuator housing 2 of which has at least one stage 4, on which at least one functional surface 5 is formed with at least one access 6, 7 to the actuator housing 2.