Actuator with sealing assembly

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a rotary vane actuator device with sealing assembly. The device includes a housing and a sealing assembly. The housing has a center opening defining a chamber. The housing includes opposing end plates for surrounding a stator. The stator having an aligned center opening and a rotor within the chamber. Within the chamber there are two openings, one serving as an inlet, the other serving as an outlet for rotational fluid. The rotor includes a vane assembly fixedly connected thereto. When the fluid enters the chamber, the fluid contacts the vane and moves the rotationally in the same direction. Each of the stator and the vane include seal packs. The end plates include sealing members which contact the stator and vane seal packs whether in the static or dynamic condition of the rotor. The combination of the seal packs and the end plate seal form the sealing assembly.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A rotary actuator device, comprising: 
 a housing including: 
 the housing having at least one opening for allowing fluid into and out of the housing;  
 first and second end plates;  
 a stator housing between the end plates, the stator housing having a central opening and when assembled with the end plates defining a chamber, a stator fixedly located on the stator housing and being within the central opening; and  
 a rotor within the central opening and journaled by the housing for rotational movement relative to the stator, the rotor including a vane assembly for facilitating movement of rotor upon flow of fluid into and out of the chamber; and  
   a sealing assembly including: 
 a stator seal pack removably connected to the stator,  
 a rotor seal pack removably connected to the rotor vane assembly; and  
 each end plates having an end plate seal inside the central opening of the stator housing and between the end plates and the rotor,  
   whereby, upon assembly of the actuator device, at least a portion of the end plate seal is within the chamber.    
     
     
         2 . A sealing assembly for a high pressure, fluid rotary actuator device including a rotor, a stator housing having a central opening and a stator fixedly positioned thereto and end plates, the end plates journaling rotor in the central opening for rotational movement relative to the stator and the end plates enclosing the central opening to define a chamber, the sealing assembly comprising: 
 the rotor having a rotor seal pack preventing fluid by-pass to the ports or the environment;    the stator having a stator seal pack preventing fluid by-pass to the the ports or the environment; and    the end plates each having a seal, at least a portion of the seal extending into the chamber and being retained at the housing from failing into the chamber, the end caps seals pack preventing fluid by-pass to the the ports or the environment,    whereby, a three dimensional seal is provided throughout the chamber for preventing fluid leakage from the chamber.    
     
     
         3 . For use in a rotary actuator including a rotor within a chamber defined by a housing formed by end plates and a stator housing, a sealing assembly comprising: 
 at least two vane seal packs including a sealing member and a suspension system; and    an end seal on each end of the rotor, the end seal being at least partially within the housing and mating each vane seal to form a fluid tight seal both statically and through rotation of the rotor.