Balanced rotary helical Actuator

Abstract

This invention relates to a novel helical dual-center engagement converting mechanism and its applications in fluid-powered actuation system, more particularly to a highly reliable, simple, powerful and balanced and less expensive helical rotary actuator. This actuator comprises a self-balanced linear/rotary dual-center engagement converter, compact porting systems and easy manufacturing modules and various bodies and shaft interface with other components. This actuator also provides a rotary position control and backlash eliminating mechanism to meet various requirements with lighter weight, smaller size and higher accuracy of position and can be interfaced with different machines, such as subsea valves, earthmoving equipment, construction equipment, lifting equipment, landing gears, militarily equipment and medical devices, robotic and artificial leg and arm joints.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An actuation module comprising;
 (a) A body assembly having a body;   (b) A shaft assembly having a shaft;   (c) A conversion-transmission assembly having one of a plurality of configurations including;
 (c1) Said conversion-transmission assembly positioned between said shaft assembly and said body assembly having a helical movement converting mechanism and a movable piston, said helical movement converting mechanism including a helical engagement for providing conversions between reciprocal movements and rotary movements and a reactionary engagement for generating reactionary torques, said helical movement converting mechanism is defined by one of a plurality of arrangements inducing said helical engagement between said piston and said shaft, and said reactionary engagement between said piston and said body, said body has a front cylindrical bore defined by a fixed, centric axis and a back cylindrical bore defined by a fixed eccentric axis, parallel to said fixed centric axis, said piston has two mated cylindrical sections engaged respectively with said front centric bore and said back eccentric bore of said body for providing said reactionary engagement, said helical movement converting mechanism is defined by one of a plurality of structures including a helix spline/helix spline structure and a helix spline/non-helix spline structure, said shaft has helical splines, said piston has mated helical splines engaged with said helical splines of said shaft for providing said helical engagement, whereby said body, said piston and said shaft having a conversion means for providing conversions between reciprocal movements of said piston and rotatory movements of said shaft, and a non-friction reaction means for generating reactionary compression forces with said axises against said shaft; 
 (c2) Said conversion-transmission assembly positioned between said shaft assembly and said body assembly having helical movement converting mechanisms, a right movable piston and a left movable piston, said helical movement converting mechanism including a helical engagement for providing conversions between reciprocal movements and rotary movements and a reactionary engagement for generating reactionary torques, said helical movement mechanism is defined by one of a plurality of arrangements inducing said helical engagement between said pistons and said shaft, and said reactionary engagement between said pistons and said body, said body has a right, cylindrical bore and at least one middle cylindrical bore respectively defined by a fixed centric axis, a fixed eccentric axis parallel to said fixed centric axis and a left cylindrical bore and said middle cylindrical bore respectively defined by said fixed centric axis and said fixed eccentric axis, said right piston has two mated cylindrical sections engaged respectively with said right bore and said middle bore of said body for providing said reactionary engagement, said left piston has two mated cylindrical sections engaged respectively with said left bore and said middle bore of said body for providing said reactionary engagement, said helical movement converting mechanism is defined by one of a plurality of structures including a helix spline/helix spline structure, and a helix spline/non-helix spline structure, said shaft has right helical splines and left helical splines, said right piston has mated right helical splines engaged with said right helical splines of said shaft for providing said helical engagement, said left piston has mated left helical splines engaged with said left helical splines of said shaft for providing said helical engagement, whereby said body, said pistons and said shaft having a conversion means for providing conversions between reciprocal movements of said pistons and rotatory movements of said shaft, and a non-friction reaction means for generating reactionary compression forces with said axises against said shaft and a balance means for balancing side loads on said left helical splines of said shaft engaged with said right piston with side forces on said left helical splines on said shaft engaged with said right piston; 
   (d) A porting system including one of a plurality of arrangements having;
 (d1) said body porting including a port  1  and a port  2  and a right groove of said right bore and a left groove of said left bore on said body, said port  1  is expanding respectively to said right groove on said right bore and said left groove on said right bore of said body, said right groove connecting to a right chamber with an outward surface of said right piston, said left groove connecting to a left chamber with an outward surface of said left piston, said port  2  is through a wall of said body into a middle chamber with an inward surface of said left piston and an inward surface of said right piston; 
 (d2) said shaft porting including an axial port  3  and an axial port  4  on said shaft, said body having a right groove of said right bore and a left groove of said left bore, said port  3  is respectively expending to a right radial hole to connect to said right groove into a right chamber with an outward surface of said right piston and a left radial hole to connect to said left groove into a left chamber with an outward surface of said left piston, said port  4  of said shaft is expanding through a middle hole into a middle chamber with an inward surface of said left piston and an inward surface of said right piston; 
 (d3) said hybrid porting including a body porting and a shaft porting, said body porting including a port  1  and a port  2  and a right groove of said right bore and a left groove of said left bore on said body, said port  1  is expanding respectively to said right groove and said left groove, said right groove connecting to a right chamber with an outward surface of said right piston, said left groove connecting to a left chamber with an outward surface of said left piston, said port  2  is through a wall of said body into a middle chamber with an inward surface of said left piston and an inward surface of said right piston, said shaft porting including an axial port  3  and an axial port  4  on said shaft, said port  3  of said shaft is respectively expending to a right radial hole to connect to said right groove into said right chamber with said inward surface of said right piston and to a left radial hole to connect to said left groove into said left chamber with said outward surface of said left piston, said port  4  of said shaft is expanding through a middle hole into said middle chamber with said inward surface of said left piston and said inward surface of said right piston. 
   
     
     
         2 . The actuation module of  claim 1 , said body assembly further including at least one cover assembly, said cover assembly has a cover, at least one bearing, at least one vertical O-ring and at least one horizontal O-ring, said bearing having an extremal surface and an internal surface respectively defined by one of a plurality of profiles including a spherical profile and a conical prolife, said body having an edge on said right bore, said edge is defined by a mated external surface engaged with said conical internal surface of said bearing, said cover is defined by an internal mated surface engaged with said external conical surface of said bearing, a vertical O-ring groove and a horizontal O-ring groove are respectively defined between said edge and said cover, said vertical O-ring is disposed in said vertical groove, said horizontal O-ring is placed in said horizontal groove, whereby said cover assembly, and said body having a sealing means for providing seals between said body and said cover at any installed position, and a bearing means for supporting loads at any installed position. 
     
     
         3 . The actuation module of  claim 1 , wherein said piston is structured with one of a plurality of materials including a magnetic material, aluminum bronze, ductile iron, said bearing is structured with one of a plurality of materials including a magnetic material, aluminum, nylon, copper. 
     
     
         4 . The actuation module of  claim 1 , wherein said piston is structured with one of a plurality of materials including a magnetic material, aluminum bronze, ductile iron, said bearing is structured with one of a plurality of materials including a magnetic material, aluminum, nylon, copper. 
     
     
         5 . The actuation module of  claim 1 , said body assembly further including a position control assembly having a left screw threaded into a left side of said body assembly for controlling outward positions of said left piston, a right screw threaded into a right side of said body assembly for controlling outward positions of said right piston, at least one middle screw threaded in said body having a conical end to control inward positions of said left piston and inward positions of said right piston. 
     
     
         6 . The actuation module of  claim 1 , said body assembly further including a right set spring against said right piston and a left set spring against said left piston, whereby said body, said pistons and said shaft, said spring sets having a spring means for eliminating backlash between said pistons and said shaft, preventing hard hits between said shaft and said pistons at stop positions, respectively returning presetting positions of said pistons, controlling return speed without counter balance valves. 
     
     
         7 . The actuation module of  claim 1 , said body assembly further at least one vane assembly, said vane assembly having a vane having a land, vane cover and key, said vane cover having a link port, said land having an outward slot and an inward slot, said shaft has a keyway, said vane is disposed between a left side of said body and said left piston and covered by said vane cover, a first chamber and a second chamber are defined by said piston and said vane cover and said vane land, said first chamber is connected to said link port, a second chamber is connected to said center chamber through said inward slot and said axial port and said radial port and gaps between said shaft and said left piston, said vane is coupled with said shaft by said key and said keyway of said shaft for driving said shaft. 
     
     
         8 . An actuation module comprising;
 (a) At least one body assembly having a body;   (b) At least one shaft assembly having a shaft;   (c) A least one conversion-transmission assembly having one of configurations including;
 (c1) A conversion-transmission assembly positioned between said shaft assembly and said body assembly having a helical movement converting mechanism and a movable piston, said helical movement converting mechanism including a helical engagement for providing conversions between reciprocal movements and rotary movements and a reactionary engagement for generating reactionary torques, said helical movement converting mechanism is defined by one of a plurality of arrangements inducing said helical engagement between said piston and said shaft, and said reactionary engagement between said piston and said body, said body has a front cylindrical bore defined by a fixed, centric axis and a back cylindrical bore defined by a fixed eccentric axis, parallel to said fixed centric axis, said piston has two mated cylindrical sections engaged respectively with said front centric bore and said back eccentric bore of said body for providing said reactionary engagement, said helical movement converting mechanism is defined by one of a plurality of structures including a helix spline/helix spline structure and a helix spline/non-helix spline structure, said shaft has helical splines, said piston has mated helical splines engaged with said helical splines of said shaft for providing said helical engagement, whereby said body, said piston and said shaft having a conversion means for providing conversions between reciprocal movements of said piston and rotatory movements of said shaft, and a non-friction reaction means for generating reactionary compression forces with said axises against said shaft; 
 (c2) Said conversion-transmission assembly positioned between said shaft assembly and said body assembly having helical movement converting mechanisms, a right movable piston and a left movable piston, said helical movement converting mechanism including a helical engagement for providing conversions between reciprocal movements and rotary movements and a reactionary engagement for generating reactionary torques, said helical movement mechanism is defined by one of a plurality of arrangements inducing said helical engagement between said pistons and said shaft, and said reactionary engagement between said pistons and said body, said body has a right, cylindrical bore and at least one middle cylindrical bore respectively defined by a fixed centric axis, a fixed eccentric axis parallel to said fixed centric axis and a left cylindrical bore and said middle cylindrical bore respectively defined by said fixed centric axis and said fixed eccentric axis, said right piston has two mated cylindrical sections engaged respectively with said right bore and said middle bore of said body for providing said reactionary engagement, said left piston has two mated cylindrical sections engaged respectively with said left bore and said middle bore of said body for providing said reactionary engagement, said helical movement converting mechanism is defined by one of a plurality of structures including a helix spline/helix spline structure, and a helix spline/non-helix spline structure, said shaft has right helical splines and left helical splines, said right piston has mated right helical splines engaged with said right helical splines of said shaft for providing said helical engagement, said left piston has mated left helical splines engaged with said left helical splines of said shaft for providing said helical engagement, whereby said body, said pistons and said shaft having a conversion means for providing conversions between reciprocal movements of said pistons and rotatory movements of said shaft, and a non-friction reaction means for generating reactionary compression forces with said axises against said shaft and a balance means for balancing side loads on said left helical splines of said shaft engaged with said right piston, with side forces on said left helical splines on said shaft engaged with said right piston. 
   
     
     
         9 . The actuation module of  claim 9 , wherein said module having a porting system having one of a plurality of arrangements including (a) a body porting (b) a shaft porting (c) a hybrid porting;
 (a) Said body porting including a port  1  and a port  2  and a right groove of said right bore and a left groove of said left bore on said body, said port  1  is on an external surface of said body expanding respectively to said right groove on said right bore and said left groove on said right bore of said body, said right groove connecting to a right chamber with an outward surface of said right piston, said left groove connecting to a left chamber with an outward surface of said left piston, said port  2  is through a wall of said body into a middle chamber with an inward surface of said left piston and an inward surface of said right piston;   (b) Said shaft porting including an axial port  3  and an axial port  4  on said shaft, said body having a right groove of said right bore and a left groove of said left bore, said port  3  is expending to a right radial hole to connect to said right groove into a right chamber with an outward surface of said right piston and a left radial hole to connect to said left groove into a left chamber with an outward surface of said left piston, said port  4  of said shaft is expanding to a middle hole into a middle chamber with an inward surface of said left piston and an inward surface of said right piston;   (c) Said hybrid porting including a body porting and a shaft porting, said body porting including a port  1  and a port  2  and a right groove of said right bore and a left groove of said left bore on said body, said port  1  is on an external surface of said body expanding respectively to said right groove and said left groove on said right bore of said body, said right groove connecting to a right chamber with an outward surface of said right piston, said left groove connecting to a left chamber with an outward surface of said left piston, said port  2  is through a wall of said body into a middle chamber with an inward surface of said left piston and an inward surface of said right piston, said shaft porting having an axial port  3  and an axial port  4 , said port  3  of said shaft is expending to a right radial hole to connect to said right groove into said right chamber with said inward surface of said right piston and a left radial hole to connect to said left groove into said left chamber with said outward surface of said left piston, said port  4  of said shaft is expanding to a middle hole into said middle chamber with said inward surface of said left piston and said inward surface of said right piston.   
     
     
         10 . The actuation module of  claim 9 , where said body assembly including at least one cover assembly, said cover assembly has a cover, at least one bearing, at least one vertical O-ring and at least one horizontal O-ring, said bearing is defined by one of a plurality of profiles including a spherical profile and a conical prolife, said body having an edge on said right bore, said edge is defined by a mated external surface engaged with said conical bearing, said cover is defined by an internal mated surface engaged with said conical bearing, a vertical O-ring groove and a horizontal O-ring groove are respectively defined between said edge and said cover, said vertical O-ring and is disposed in said vertical groove, said horizontal O-ring is placed in said horizontal groove, whereby said cover assembly, said shaft and said body having a sealing means for providing seals between said body and said cover at any installed position under loads, and a bearing means for supporting loads at any installed position. 
     
     
         11 . An actuation module comprising;
 (a) A body assembly having a body;   (b) A shaft assembly having a shaft;   (c) A conversion-transmission assembly positioned between said shaft assembly and said body assembly having helical movement converting mechanisms, a right movable piston and a left movable piston, said helical movement converting mechanism including a helical engagement for providing conversions between reciprocal movements and rotary movements and a reactionary engagement for generating reactionary torques, said helical movement mechanism is defined by one of a plurality of arrangements inducing said helical engagement between said pistons and said shaft, and said reactionary engagement between said pistons and said body, said body has a right, cylindrical bore and at least one middle cylindrical bore respectively defined by a fixed centric axis, a fixed eccentric axis parallel to said fixed centric axis and a left cylindrical bore and said middle cylindrical bore respectively defined by said fixed centric axis and said fixed eccentric axis, said right piston has two mated cylindrical sections engaged respectively with said right bore and said middle bore of said body for providing said reactionary engagement, said left piston has two mated cylindrical sections engaged respectively with said left bore and said middle bore of said body for providing said reactionary engagement, said helical movement converting mechanism is defined by one of a plurality of structures including a helix spline/helix spline structure, and a helix spline/non-helix spline structure, said shaft has right helical splines and left helical splines, said right piston has mated right helical splines engaged with said right helical splines of said shaft for providing said helical engagement, said left piston has mated left helical splines engaged with said left helical splines of said shaft for providing said helical engagement, whereby said body, said pistons and said shaft having a conversion means for providing conversions between reciprocal movements of said pistons and rotatory movements of said shaft, and a non-friction reaction means for generating reactionary compression forces with said axises against said shaft and a balance means for balancing side loads on said left helical splines of said shaft engaged with said right piston, with side forces on said left helical splines on said shaft engaged with said right piston.   (d) A porting system including a port  1  and a port  2  and a right groove of said right bore and a left groove of said left bore on said body, said port  1  is expanding respectively to said right groove on said right bore and said left groove on said right bore of said body, said right groove connecting to a right chamber with an outward surface of said right piston, said left groove connecting to a left chamber with an outward surface of said left piston, said port  2  is through a wall of said body into a middle chamber with an inward surface of said left piston and an inward surface of said right piston;   (e) A spring assembly including a right set spring against said right piston and a left set spring against said left piston, whereby said body, said pistons and said shaft assembly, said spring assembly having a spring means for eliminating backlash between said pistons and said shaft, preventing hard hits between said shaft and said pistons at stop positions, respectively returning presetting positions of said pistons, controlling return speed without counter balance valves.   (f) A position control assembly having a left screw threaded into a left side of said body assembly for controlling outward positions of said left piston, a right screw threaded into a right side of said body assembly for controlling outward positions of said right piston, at least one middle screw threaded in said body having a conical end to control inward positions of said left piston and inward positions of said right piston.