Drive mechanism

Abstract

A drive mechanism for driving a plurality of components arranged in a ring shape to move back and forth in a radial direction, the drive mechanism is disposed in an annular disk, each component has a shoulder, the drive mechanism includes: a circular body coaxial disposed on the annular disk; a drive wheel rotatably disposed coaxially with the circular body; a cam ring disposed coaxially with the drive wheel, having a diameter smaller than that of the drive wheel, and including at least one cam; a plurality of pushing elements provided for contacting the shoulder of the respective components and each having a driven portion abutted against the cam ring, so that the pushing elements are moved toward or away from the axis, and the pushing elements contact the shoulders to drive the components to move in the radial direction or in the direction of the axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drive mechanism for driving a plurality of strip members or transfer members arranged in a ring shape to move back and forth in a radial direction, the drive mechanism being disposed in an annular disk having a plurality of guide channels for accommodating the strip members or transfer members, each of the strip members or transfer members having a shoulder, the drive mechanism comprising:
 a circular body coaxial with and disposed on the annular disk;   a drive wheel rotatably disposed coaxially with the circular body;   a cam ring disposed coaxially with the drive wheel, having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the drive wheel, and including at least one cam;   a plurality of pushing elements provided for contacting the shoulders of the respective strip members or transfer members, each of the pushing elements being substantially in the form of a circle segment and able to move towards or away from an axis around which the annular disk, the circular body, the drive wheel and the cam ring are coaxially arranged;   wherein each of the pushing elements has a driven portion abutted against the at least one cam of the cam ring, so that the pushing elements are driven to move toward or away from the axis, the pushing elements are used to contact the shoulders to drive the strip members or transfer members that are arranged in a ring shape to move in the radial direction or in the direction of the axis.   
     
     
         2 . The drive mechanism as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of levers disposed at positions corresponding to the pushing elements, and each have one end pivotally connected to the cam ring and another end connected to the drive wheel in a controllable manner, and a portion between the two ends of each of the levers is abutted against a corresponding one of the pushing elements. 
     
     
         3 . The drive mechanism as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising a plurality of second levers disposed at positions corresponding to and spaced apart from the levers, and each of the second levers has one end pivotally connected to each of the pushing elements and another end pivotally coupled to the cam ring. 
     
     
         4 . The drive mechanism as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein there are more than two said cam rings, and there are more than two said driven portions. 
     
     
         5 . The drive mechanism as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cam ring further comprising a plurality of orientation slot, and each of the orientation slot is aligned with one said cam. 
     
     
         6 . The drive mechanism as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the drive wheel is provided with a plurality of angularly spaced drive grooves for accommodating one end of the respective levers to control the levers to pivot. 
     
     
         7 . The drive mechanism as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each of the pushing elements further includes a drive portion which comes into contact with the levers. 
     
     
         8 . A drive mechanism for driving a plurality of strip members or transfer members which are in the longitudinal form arranged in a ring shape to move back and forth in a radial direction, the drive mechanism being disposed in an annular disk having a plurality of guide channels for accommodating the strip members or transfer members, each of the strip members or transfer members having a shoulder, the drive mechanism comprising:
 a circular body coaxial with and disposed on the annular disk;   a drive wheel rotatably disposed coaxially with the circular body;   a second cam ring disposed coaxially with the drive wheel, and having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the drive wheel;   a plurality of drive members provided for contacting the shoulder of the respective strip members or transfer members, each of the drive members being substantially in the form of a circle segment and able to move towards or away from an axis around which the annular disk, the circular body, the drive wheel and the second cam ring are coaxially arranged;   a plurality of levers arranged corresponding to the drive members, and each have one end pivotally connected to the second cam ring and another end connected to the drive wheel in a controllable manner, and a portion between the two ends of each of the levers is abutted against a corresponding one of the drive members.   characterized in that: the drive members are driven to move toward or away from the axis, and the drive members are used to contact the shoulders to drive the strip members or transfer members to move in the radial direction or in the direction of the axis.   
     
     
         9 . The drive mechanism as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the drive members each have a link-rod pin and a second link-rod pin, the one end of each lever is rotatably coupled to the second cam ring, the levers are respectively connected to the link-rod pins, a plurality of second levers each have one end pivotally connected to each of the drive members through the second link-rod pins, the second levers are disposed at positions corresponding to and spaced apart from the levers, and each have another end pivotally coupled to the second cam ring.