Actuator device

Abstract

An actuator device (1) is proposed, comprising several diaphragm actuators (2), each with an actuator housing (6) and an actuator diaphragm (17) movable by controlled fluid application. The actuator housings (6) each have a side wall (12) with a polygonal contour on the outside, resulting in several side wall outer surface sections (35) that merge into one another at corner regions (36). The side wall outer surface sections (35) are equipped with coupling interfaces (3) through which adjacent diaphragm actuators (2) can be assembled into a two-dimensional modular actuator assembly (4).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an actuator device comprising a plurality of fluid-operated diaphragm actuators each extending in an actuator height direction, each having a rigid actuator housing and an elastic actuator diaphragm associated with an actuator top side oriented in the actuator height direction and defining a drive chamber together with the actuator housing, wherein at least one drive fluid channel penetrating a housing wall of the actuator housing opens into the drive chamber, which allows a controlled fluid application to the drive chamber, by means of which a lifting movement of a diaphragm working section of the actuator diaphragm oriented in the actuator height direction can be brought about, wherein the housing wall of the actuator housing comprises a bottom wall associated with an actuator bottom side and a side wall extending in an actuator circumferential direction around an actuator vertical axis oriented in the actuator height direction,wherein the side wall is polygonally contoured on a side wall outer surface facing away from the drive chamber and has a plurality of side wall outer surface sections which follow one another in the circumferential direction of the actuator and merge into one another in corner regions.

[0002] An actuator device of this type described in DE 35 02 575 A1 contains several diaphragm actuators used as clamping elements, each with a rigid actuator housing and an actuator diaphragm with rubber-elastic properties fixed to the actuator housing. Together, the actuator housing and the actuator diaphragm define a drive chamber, which can be pressurized with fluid via a drive fluid channel referred to as a compressed air connection by selectively supplying or removing compressed air in order to induce a vertically oriented lifting movement of a diaphragm working section of the actuator diaphragm formed by a movable wall. The diaphragm actuators can be used, for example, to clamp workpieces to be machined.The actuator housings each have a strip-like longitudinal shape and a polygonally contoured side wall. The side wall outer surface consists of four side wall outer surface sections arranged at right angles to one another, which merge into one another in corner areas. In one possible embodiment of the known actuator device, several diaphragm actuators are stacked on top of one another with their side wall outer surface sections facing one another, in order to enable a large-area application of pressure to an object to be held with the diaphragm working sections also arranged next to one another. Alternatively, several diaphragm actuators can also be stacked vertically to achieve stroke addition.

[0003] DE 102 01 154 A1 discloses a diaphragm actuator known as a clamping module. This actuator also features an actuator diaphragm attached to an actuator housing and a diaphragm working section whose height can be adjusted by controlled fluid application to a drive chamber. A metallic stiffening plate is embedded in the diaphragm working section to improve stability.

[0004] DE 10 2012 006 610 B3 discloses a modular drive device consisting of several fluid-operated individual drives that can be three-dimensionally coupled mechanically and also fluidically networked with each other, whereby individually adapted drive units can be assembled on the basis of similar individual drives.

[0005] The invention is based on the object of providing a cost-effective actuator device having several membrane actuators, which is easy to handle with variable configuration options and high stability.

[0006] To achieve this object, the invention provides, in conjunction with the features mentioned at the outset, that each membrane actuator has a coupling interface designed for a positive mechanical coupling with another membrane actuator on at least several of the side wall outer surface sections of its actuator housing, wherein membrane actuators arranged next to one another with parallel actuator vertical axes transverse to the actuator vertical axes can be or are assembled in a positive mechanical manner via coupling interfaces facing one another in pairs to form a two-dimensional modular actuator assembly.

[0007] In this way, an actuator device is provided which has a plurality, and in particular any number, of originally individual diaphragm actuators which can be positively assembled in any combination to form a stable two-dimensional actuator assembly via coupling interfaces formed on them. Due to the large number of existing diaphragm actuators, the actuator assembly has a modular design, whereby in principle each diaphragm actuator can be referred to as an actuator module of the actuator assembly. The number of diaphragm actuators combined in the actuator assembly can advantageously be based on the intended application, whereby a basic number of individual diaphragm actuators is expediently provided in the actuator device, of which either all or only some are then combined to form the actuator assembly using the coupling interfaces, depending on the application.All diaphragm actuators in the actuator assembly are conveniently located with their actuator housings in a common plane that is orthogonal to the actuator height directions. The positive connection of the diaphragm actuators provides a firm hold for the actuator assembly, which can preferably be handled and used uniformly, comparable to a single overall actuator. Given that each diaphragm working section forms an exposure surface that can be used, for example, to act on an object, the two-dimensional combination of a plurality of diaphragm actuators can provide a correspondingly larger total exposure surface that is made up of the sum of the individual exposure surfaces. The actuator assembly is very compact, as the diaphragm actuators it contains are densely packed due to the polygonal contours of the side walls and can preferably be combined or arranged with one another in different directions transverse to the actuator height direction.can be attached to one another. For the controlled application of fluid, each diaphragm actuator has at least one drive fluid channel communicating with its drive chamber, whereby the control options can be influenced by selecting the number and positioning of the at least one drive fluid channel. For example, one, several or all diaphragm actuators can have a drive fluid channel formed in the bottom wall of the actuator housing, which enables individual control of the respective diaphragm actuators. However, one or more coupling interfaces of the diaphragm actuators can also be assigned a drive fluid channel, so that fluidic cross-connections within the actuator network between adjacent diaphragm actuators are possible, resulting in fluidic networking that enables simultaneous group-wise actuation of diaphragm actuators.Independent fluid application to individual or groups of diaphragm actuators offers, among other things, the advantageous possibility of dividing the available total application area into zones with different application forces, for example, to exert different application forces on sandpaper applied to the wooden panels when sanding wooden panels. According to the invention, a very flat structure with high force density can be realized. The controlled fluid application is preferably carried out using compressed air with the additional use of a suitable control valve device. Inverse diaphragm movements, for example, by applying a vacuum to the fluid, are also readily feasible.As far as the mechanical coupling options are concerned, the coupling interfaces can be designed for a direct mechanical coupling of actuator housings or, in particular alternatively, also for an indirect mechanical coupling with additional use of individual connecting elements that also belong to the actuator device.

[0008] Advantageous further developments of the invention emerge from the subclaims.

[0009] It may be provided that not all sidewall outer surface sections of the actuator housing are provided with a coupling interface. Nevertheless, it is advantageous and ensures optimal variability if several, and in particular all, of the diaphragm actuators have a coupling interface on each sidewall outer surface section of their actuator housing.

[0010] For each diaphragm actuator, the sidewall outer surface sections are components of a sidewall outer surface of the sidewall belonging to the actuator housing, to which the polygonal contour according to the invention refers. It is advantageous if the polygonal contour of the sidewall outer surface is a regular polygonal contour, as this ensures optimal variability in the two-dimensional connection of the individual diaphragm actuators. A polygonal contour with an even number of corner regions and sidewall outer surface sections is preferred, in particular a quadrangular or hexagonal polygonal contour, wherein a quadrangular polygonal contour is expediently square and a hexagonal polygonal contour is expediently honeycomb-shaped. A square polygonal contour favors the realization of the actuator assembly as a regular matrix assembly with parallel actuator rows.A honeycomb structure can be advantageously realized with a regular hexagonal polygon contour.

[0011] Preferably, for each diaphragm actuator, the actuator diaphragm has the same polygonal contour on its circumference as the associated side wall outer surface, with the resulting corner regions of the actuator diaphragm lying in the same circumferential area as the corner regions of the polygonal contour of the side wall outer surface, relative to the actuator circumferential direction. Identical polygonal contours are to be understood, in particular, as polygonal contours that are similar in a mathematical sense. Due to the design, the circumference of the actuator diaphragm will generally be somewhat smaller than that of the side wall outer surface. A major advantage of this design is that the actuator assembly is equipped with a very large total exposure area of ​​the actuator diaphragms. In principle, however, there are no fixed specifications regarding the selection of the circumferential contour of the actuator diaphragms, so that actuator diaphragms with a round outer contour can also be provided.

[0012] The assembled actuator assembly preferably contains at least one diaphragm actuator that is simultaneously mechanically coupled to several adjacent diaphragm actuators, wherein, for example, a simultaneous coupling with at least three further diaphragm actuators can be provided. The above information expediently refers to several diaphragm actuators, depending on the size of the actuator assembly. In an actuator assembly consisting of square-contoured actuator housings, at least one diaphragm actuator is expediently surrounded by eight further diaphragm actuators, four of which are connected via coupling interfaces to the diaphragm actuator surrounded by the several diaphragm actuators. In a hexagonal housing contour, at least one diaphragm actuator is expediently surrounded by six diaphragm actuators, each of which is positively coupled to the centrally arranged diaphragm actuator in the region of one of its six side wall outer surface sections.

[0013] The actuator diaphragms preferably have, on their upper side facing away from the respective actuator housing in the actuator height direction, a usable application surface for applying pressure to an object, which surface lies in a plane orthogonal to the actuator vertical axis. The application surface can be smooth or structured. In a fluidically deactivated state of all diaphragm actuators, all application surfaces are expediently located at the same height relative to the actuator height direction and thus in a common plane.

[0014] If a stiffening plate, preferably made of metal, is embedded in the membrane working section, the actuator membrane in question has a particularly high structural rigidity without restricting its elastic deformability which enables the stroke movement.

[0015] Conveniently, one, several, or all diaphragm actuators have a drive fluid channel usable for the controlled fluid supply to the associated drive chamber. This drive fluid channel is a bottom wall drive fluid channel penetrating the bottom wall. Each diaphragm actuator equipped with a bottom wall drive fluid channel can easily be supplied with fluid directly from below, regardless of the side wall outer surfaces occupied by other diaphragm actuators. It is advantageous if the actuator device, in addition to the diaphragm actuators, has separate, individual bottom wall closure elements with which the bottom wall drive fluid channels of those diaphragm actuators for which direct controlled fluid supply is not desired can be tightly closed as required.

[0016] For the controlled application of fluid to a drive chamber, at least one coupling interface of the associated diaphragm actuator can have a drive fluid channel, which is a sidewall drive fluid channel extending through the sidewall. Such a sidewall drive fluid channel is expediently provided to several, and preferably all, coupling interfaces of a respective diaphragm actuator. The at least one sidewall drive fluid channel enables direct, controlled application of fluid to the associated diaphragm actuator if the associated coupling interface is not occupied by another diaphragm actuator.However, if the coupling point is occupied by another attached diaphragm actuator, the sidewall drive fluid channel can be used by communicating with an associated sidewall drive fluid channel of the attached diaphragm actuator to establish a fluid connection between several drive chambers, which enables simultaneous fluidic control of several diaphragm actuators.

[0017] To utilize a sidewall drive fluid channel for direct fluidic control of the associated diaphragm actuator, it is advantageous if the actuator device, in addition to the diaphragm actuators, has at least one individual connection element, referred to as a sidewall fluid connection element for easier identification, which has a fastening interface via which it can be coupled or is coupled to a coupling interface provided with a sidewall drive fluid channel. The sidewall fluid connection element is equipped with a connection device that enables the detachable connection of a fluid line suitable for supplying and discharging a fluidic pressure medium and that communicates with the associated sidewall drive fluid channel when the sidewall fluid connection element is mounted.The connection device can, for example, be a thread enabling a screw connection or be designed as a plug-in connection device, for example in a so-called “push-pull” design.

[0018] If the actuator device has diaphragm actuators with sidewall drive fluid channels, it is advantageous if at least one individual closure element, referred to as a sidewall closure element for easier identification, is additionally present. This closure element has a fastening interface via which it can be attached or is attached to a coupling interface provided with a sidewall drive fluid channel, so that the associated sidewall drive fluid channel is tightly closed. In this way, sidewall drive fluid channels that are not required for the current application and are arranged at a coupling interface not occupied by a diaphragm actuator can be tightly closed, in a particularly detachable manner, if necessary.

[0019] It is considered advantageous if, in addition to the diaphragm actuators, the actuator device comprises at least one individual fastening element having a fastening interface via which it is attachable or attachable to one of the coupling points of a diaphragm actuator. Such a fastening element can be used to fix the associated diaphragm actuator and thus also the entire actuator assembly to a support structure, for example, to a workbench or to a processing machine, or even to a support plate belonging to the actuator device. The fastening element expediently has at least one fastening hole into which a fastening screw can be inserted in order to screw it to the support structure.

[0020] The above-mentioned at least one side wall closure element and / or at least one side wall fluid connection element can simultaneously be designed as a fastening element and, in addition to its specific features, have the at least one fastening hole.

[0021] In one possible embodiment of the actuator device, the coupling interfaces of the diaphragm actuators are at least partially designed as direct coupling interfaces, which enable a direct, positive-locking mechanical coupling between adjacent diaphragm actuators. This preferably applies to all coupling interfaces of the diaphragm actuators. To form the modular actuator assembly, coupled diaphragm actuators engage directly with each other in a positive-locking manner with their mutually facing direct coupling interfaces.

[0022] The diaphragm actuators are preferably equipped with direct coupling interfaces of a female structure and with direct coupling interfaces of a male structure complementary to the female structure. The female direct coupling interfaces are preferably recessed dovetail structures, and the male direct coupling interfaces are raised dovetail structures. For mutual coupling, the direct coupling interfaces can be inserted into one another, particularly in the actuator height direction. The direct coupling interfaces can be designed such that, in the coupled state, they are locked together or can be secured or secured in some other way, particularly in a releasable manner.

[0023] Preferably, each membrane actuator is equipped with both female and male direct coupling interfaces, which are preferably arranged alternately in the actuator circumferential direction.

[0024] The side wall closure elements mentioned above can, in connection with direct coupling interfaces, at least in part each have two different fastening interfaces, one of which is designed to match the female direct coupling interfaces and the other to match the male direct coupling interfaces in order to enable corresponding assembly.

[0025] In a likewise advantageous embodiment of the actuator device, the coupling interfaces are at least partially designed as indirect coupling interfaces, which enable an indirect, positive-locking mechanical coupling between adjacent diaphragm actuators, specifically with the additional use of an individual connecting element for connecting two indirect coupling interfaces. The actuator device contains a suitable number of such individual connecting elements, each equipped with two connection interfaces structurally adapted to the indirect coupling interfaces and each of which can be or is integrated between two diaphragm actuators to be coupled in such a way that, to form the modular actuator assembly, they positively engage via their two connection interfaces with the mutually facing indirect coupling interfaces of two adjacent diaphragm actuators.

[0026] If required, a combination of direct coupling interfaces and indirect coupling interfaces can be provided at least partially on the membrane actuators belonging to the actuator device, although a single-variety embodiment is preferred in which the membrane actuators belonging to the actuator device contain either exclusively direct coupling interfaces or exclusively indirect coupling interfaces.

[0027] With regard to indirect coupling interfaces, the connecting elements are expediently designed at least partially as through-connecting elements through which a through-channel passes. When the through-connecting element is installed, the through-channel establishes a fluidic connection between sidewall drive fluid channels, if present, that open out at the indirect coupling interfaces, and thus between the drive chambers of two diaphragm actuators.

[0028] In the same context, one or more connecting elements can be designed as closure connecting elements which, in their mounted position of use, not only effect a positive coupling of two membrane actuators, but at the same time fluid-tightly close sidewall drive fluid channels formed at the associated indirect coupling interfaces.

[0029] Thus, by alternatively using passage connecting elements and closure connecting elements in conjunction with diaphragm actuators that have sidewall drive fluid channels, it is possible to specify in a highly variable manner during assembly whether drive chambers of adjacent diaphragm actuators are fluidically communicating with each other or are fluidically separated from each other.

[0030] Preferably, the indirect coupling interfaces of the diaphragm actuators are female, and the connection interfaces of the connecting elements are male, whereby the connecting elements, with their male connection interfaces, can be inserted into the indirect coupling interfaces of the diaphragm actuators to be positively coupled. These are preferably complementary dovetail structures that can be inserted into one another for mutual coupling in the actuator height direction of the diaphragm actuators.

[0031] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a preferred first embodiment of the actuator device according to the invention with several membrane actuators assembled in a form-fitting manner to form a modular actuator assembly, wherein the membrane actuators are indirectly coupled to one another using additional connecting elements, Fig. 2 a detailed view of one of the membrane actuators from Fig. 1 with a dashed representation of an actuator membrane in an extended state, wherein two possible designs of connecting elements, one possible design of a fastening element and one possible design of a side wall fluid connection element are additionally illustrated, wherein the fastening element is preferably also designed as a side wall closure element, Fig. 3 a perspective view of a further advantageous embodiment of the actuator device according to the invention, in which several membrane actuators are assembled into a modular actuator assembly by direct form-fitting mechanical coupling, Fig. 4 a detailed view of a membrane actuator of the actuator device from Fig. 3, wherein the associated actuator membrane is illustrated in a dot-dash line in an extended state and wherein an arrow further indicates how the membrane actuator can be directly coupled to another membrane actuator which is only partially shown, Fig. 5 the membrane actuator Fig. 4 in combination with an attached side wall closure element and two side wall closure elements illustrated in the still disassembled state, and Fig. 6 shows a further embodiment of a membrane actuator for the actuator device of Fig. 3, which has no sidewall drive fluid channels.

[0032] Unless otherwise stated in individual cases, the following statements refer to both embodiments of an actuator device designated overall by reference number 1.

[0033] The actuator device 1 contains a plurality of membrane actuators 2, which are provided for use in the actuator device 1 as individually manageable units and which are each equipped with several mechanical coupling interfaces 3, via which they can be coupled to each other in pairs in a form-fitting manner, so that a Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, the modular actuator assembly 4 shown as an example results. Each membrane actuator 2 can be coupled with several other membrane actuators 2, resulting in an entire network of mechanically coupled membrane actuators 2.

[0034] First, preferred embodiments of the membrane actuator 2 will be described in more detail, with particular reference to the Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is referred to.

[0035] Each membrane actuator 2 extends along a central actuator vertical axis 5 indicated by dash-dotted lines, the axial direction of which is referred to as the actuator height direction 5a.

[0036] The membrane actuator 2 has a rigid actuator housing 6, which is preferably made of metal and in particular of an aluminum alloy, but which can also be made of another material and in particular of plastic.

[0037] The actuator housing 6 has an exemplary trough-shaped, in particular one-piece housing wall 8, which is composed of a bottom wall 11 and a side wall 12. The bottom wall 11 is located on an actuator bottom side 7 pointing downwards in the actuator height direction 5a and extends orthogonally to the actuator vertical axis 5. The side wall 12 extends as a ring-shaped, self-contained structure in an actuator circumferential direction 13 indicated by an arrow around the actuator vertical axis 5, wherein it is firmly connected by a lower edge to the circumferential edge of the bottom wall 11 and has an upper edge 14 opposite the bottom wall 11, which is located on an actuator top side 15 opposite the actuator bottom side 7 in the actuator height direction 5a.

[0038] The upper edge 14 of the side wall 12 defines a housing opening 16 of the actuator housing 6, opposite the bottom wall 11. This opening is sealed in a fluid-tight manner by an elastically deformable membrane element referred to as the actuator membrane 17. The actuator membrane 17 preferably has rubber-elastic properties. It is made, for example, of an elastomer material. Particularly when deformation during operation is very slight, the actuator membrane 17 can also be made of a thin, foil-like metal, for example.

[0039] The actuator membrane 17 has an uninterrupted wall section extending across the housing opening 16, which is referred to as the membrane working section 18 for ease of differentiation. The membrane working section 18 is attached in a fluid-tight manner to the side wall 12 via a fastening section 21 integrally adjoining the edge in the vicinity of the upper edge 14, in particular to an inner side wall surface 22 facing the central actuator vertical axis 5.

[0040] The actuator membrane 17 and the actuator housing 6 jointly define an actuator interior, referred to as the drive chamber 23 due to its intended use. The drive chamber 23 communicates with at least one fluid channel, referred to as the drive fluid channel 24, which passes through the housing wall 8, opening into the drive chamber 23 on the one hand and exiting at an outer channel opening 25 on the outside of the housing wall 8 on the other.

[0041] Each drive fluid channel 24 can be used for controlled fluid supply to the drive chamber 23. Controlled fluid supply refers to the optional supply or removal of a fluidic pressure medium, which can influence the internal pressure and the filling volume in the drive chamber 23. These processes are also referred to below as ventilation and venting. Compressed air is preferably provided as the fluidic pressure medium. The controlled fluid supply, which for simplicity is also referred to below as fluidic control, includes a possible active evacuation of the drive chamber 23, i.e., the application of a vacuum.

[0042] For the fluidic control, the actuator device 1 is expediently provided with a Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, which is connected to a drive fluid channel 24 via at least one fluid line 27, for example, a compressed air hose. For example, the control valve device 26 is connected to a pressure source P providing the fluid pressure medium and to a pressure sink R formed, for example, by the atmosphere, so that, depending on the operating state of the control valve device 26, each connected drive chamber 23 can be ventilated or vented. Conveniently, the control valve device 26 also has a neutral state in which it isolates the connected drive fluid channel 24 from both the pressure source P and the pressure sink R, thereby locking in the fluid volume contained in the drive chamber 23.

[0043] The fluidic control of the drive chamber 23 can induce a lifting movement 28 of the diaphragm working section 18 of the actuator diaphragm 17, oriented in the actuator height direction 5a and indicated by a double arrow. During this lifting movement 28, the fastening section 21 can elastically expand and / or unfold depending on its structure. The fastening section 21 is preferably structured like a bellows to enable a relatively large diaphragm stroke.

[0044] In a typical application, the diaphragm actuator 2 is attached with its actuator housing 6 to a suitable support structure 31, while an outer surface of the diaphragm working section 18 of the actuator diaphragm 17, referred to as the application surface 32 and facing away from the drive chamber 23, faces an object (not further illustrated) to which pressure is to be applied. The object is, for example, a workpiece to be clamped or a tool to be pressed against a workpiece to be machined. A preferred application of the actuator device 1 is that of a clamping device, in which the individual diaphragm actuators 2 function as fluid-actuated clamping units.

[0045] According to the dashed illustration in Fig. 1, a stiffening plate 33 can be embedded in the membrane working section 18, which stiffening plate is made in particular of metal and which imparts increased flexural rigidity to the membrane working section 18, regardless of its material-related rubber elasticity.

[0046] The side wall 12 of the actuator housing 6 is contoured in the manner of a polygon, in particular a convex polygon, on its side wall outer surface 34 facing away from the drive chamber 23 and accordingly has a plurality of side wall outer surface sections 35 arranged consecutively in the actuator circumferential direction 13, of which immediately successive side wall outer surface sections 35 merge into one another in one of a plurality of corner regions 36 of the polygon contour. The corner regions 36 are expediently rounded. The side wall outer surface sections 35 expediently have a rectilinear extension between two corner regions 36 in the actuator circumferential direction 13.

[0047] In the embodiment of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the drive housing 6 is square-shaped, i.e. designed according to a tetragon, while in the embodiment of the Fig. 3 to 6 have a hexagonal outer contour, i.e. a contour corresponding to a hexagon.

[0048] Instead of the two particularly advantageous polygon shapes mentioned above, other polygon shapes are also possible, for example, triangular, pentagonal, or octagonal. A polygon contour with an even number of corner regions 36 is preferred. In any case, it is advantageous if the polygon contour is a regular one, in which the sidewall outer surface sections 35 are of equal length to one another in the actuator circumferential direction 13, and the angle measured in the corner regions 36 between successive sidewall outer surface sections 35 is the same size for all corner regions 36.

[0049] Conveniently, the actuator membrane 17 has peripherally, i.e. at the edge region of the membrane working section 18 adjacent to the upper edge 14, the same or a mathematically similar polygonal contour as the side wall 12 of the actuator housing 6. Accordingly, in the two exemplary embodiments, the actuator membranes 17 are quadrangularly square in one case and regularly hexagonal in the other case.

[0050] The resulting corner regions 19 of the actuator membrane 17 or of the membrane working section 18 are each located in the same circumferential region as the corner regions 36 of the polygonal contour of the side wall outer surface 34, relative to the actuator circumferential direction 13.

[0051] Preferably, however, the edge regions of the actuator membrane 17 are slightly set back in the direction of the central actuator vertical axis 5 with respect to the side wall outer surface 34, so that during subsequent operation within an actuator assembly 4, undesired mutual contact is avoided as far as possible.

[0052] The side wall 12 is expediently also polygonal on its inner side wall surface 22, corresponding to the outer side wall surface 34, but here with a concave polygonal contour. In this way, the side wall 12 can be designed with relatively thin walls, which allows very small distances to be maintained between the adjacent actuator membranes 17 in the actuator assembly 4.

[0053] The actuator device 1 contains a plurality of the above-described membrane actuators 2, which can be assembled in a form-fitting manner to form the modular actuator assembly 4 using the coupling interfaces 3 mentioned above. The result is a two-dimensional modular actuator assembly 4, which is intended to express that the membrane actuators 2 mounted on one another lie together in an imaginary actuator plane that is aligned orthogonally to the vertical axes 5 of all membrane actuators 2. Within the actuator assembly 4, the base walls 11 therefore expediently lie in a plane parallel to the aforementioned actuator plane.

[0054] Conveniently, the application surfaces 32 of all membrane actuators 2 contained in the actuator assembly 4 are also at the same height and thus in one and the same plane parallel to the actuator plane when the drive chambers 23 are depressurized and accordingly the membrane actuators 2 are fluidically deactivated.

[0055] Conveniently, the diaphragm actuators 2 belonging to one and the same actuator device 1 are identically designed, at least with regard to the selected outer polygonal contour and, expediently, also with regard to the selected dimensions. The presence and distribution of the coupling interfaces 3 are also preferably uniform for all diaphragm actuators 2, but can also vary without further ado.

[0056] To cause a stroke movement 28 of the diaphragm working section 18 extending from the actuator housing 6, a pressurized fluid medium is supplied to the associated drive chamber 23. For an opposite retracting stroke movement 28, it is generally sufficient to relieve the pressure in the drive chamber 23 due to the rubber elasticity of the actuator diaphragm 17. If necessary, however, this retraction movement can be supported by additional return structures and / or by applying a vacuum to the drive chamber 23.

[0057] Each of the coupling interfaces 3 already mentioned above is located on one of the side wall outer surface sections 35 of the side wall 12. To ensure optimal variability in the configuration of the actuator assembly 4, in the illustrated embodiments, each diaphragm actuator 2 is provided with a coupling interface 3 on each of its multiple side wall outer surface sections 35. Within the actuator assembly 4 assembled using multiple diaphragm actuators 2, the diaphragm actuators 2 are arranged adjacent to one another in a two-dimensional distribution in the aforementioned actuator plane transversely to the actuator vertical axes 5 such that side wall outer surface sections 35 of immediately adjacent diaphragm actuators 2 provided with a coupling interface 3 are each located opposite one another in pairs. A positive mechanical coupling is then established via these coupling interfaces 3.

[0058] Depending on the number and distribution of the membrane actuators 2 within the actuator assembly 4, one or more membrane actuators 2 can be coupled to another membrane actuator 2 via all of the coupling interfaces 3 formed on them. For membrane actuators 2 placed at the edge of the actuator assembly 4, not all of the existing coupling interfaces 3 are generally used for coupling to another membrane actuator 2.

[0059] In order to enable individual fluidic control of the individual diaphragm actuators 2 within the actuator assembly 4, all diaphragm actuators 2 contain, for example, a drive fluid channel 24 passing through the bottom wall 11, which is referred to as a bottom wall drive fluid channel 24a for better differentiation. This bottom wall drive fluid channel 24a is shown in the drawing for the sake of clarity only for some of the diaphragm actuators 2. According to Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, one of these bottom wall drive fluid channels 24a is connected to the control valve device 26 via one of the fluid lines 27.

[0060] Further fluid lines 27 communicating with further bottom wall drive fluid channels 24a are also not shown in the drawing for the sake of better clarity.

[0061] At least some of the existing bottom wall drive fluid channels 24a of the diaphragm actuators 2 of the actuator assembly 4 are inactive, i.e., are not used for fluidic control. In order to ensure that the associated drive chamber 23 can nevertheless be controlled by fluid via at least one other located drive fluid channel 24, the inactive bottom wall drive fluid channel 24a is connected to a Fig. The bottom wall closure element 37, indicated in FIG. 1, can be closed or sealed in a fluid-tight manner. This is, in particular, a detachably screwable closure plug. The actuator device 1 is preferably equipped with several bottom wall closure elements 37, with which the bottom wall drive fluid channels 24a not used for fluidic control can be closed as needed.

[0062] The coupling interfaces 3 can be configured according to the embodiment of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 may be designed for indirect coupling of adjacent membrane actuators 2 and are referred to as indirect coupling interfaces 3a for better differentiation. Alternatively, the coupling interfaces 3 may be designed according to the embodiment of Fig. 3 to 6 may be designed for a direct mechanical coupling of adjacent membrane actuators 2 and in this case are also referred to below as direct coupling interfaces 3b.

[0063] For the indirect coupling, the actuator device 1 contains, in addition to the membrane actuators 2 to be coupled, a plurality of individual connecting elements 38 which can be handled independently of the membrane actuators 2 prior to their assembly and which can each be inserted between two membrane actuators 2 to be coupled together in such a way that they are in positive engagement with both mutually facing indirect coupling interfaces 3a of the membrane actuators to be coupled. The connecting elements 38 thus function as mechanical links between adjacent membrane actuators 2. In an actuator assembly 4 produced according to this coupling principle, Fig. 1 several membrane actuators 2 with mutually facing side wall outer surface sections 35 arranged next to one another, wherein a connecting element 38 is placed between each of the mutually facing side wall outer surface sections 35.

[0064] In accordance with Fig. 3 to 6 of the actuator assembly 4 assembled from membrane actuators 2 with direct coupling interfaces 3b, adjacent membrane actuators 2 with mutually facing direct coupling interfaces 3b are in direct positive engagement with one another.

[0065] Regardless of whether an indirect coupling principle or a direct coupling principle is used for the mechanical coupling, the interconnected membrane actuators 2 are expediently located directly against one another with the surface areas of the associated sidewall outer surface sections 35 adjacent to a respective coupling interface 3, resulting in an extremely stable and torsionally rigid actuator assembly 4. The coupling interfaces 3 therefore do not occupy the entire respective associated sidewall outer surface section 35 in terms of magnitude.

[0066] In the following, the actuator device 1 of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 will be examined in more detail. The connecting elements 38 comprised by this actuator device 1 each have two connecting interfaces 41, which are designed to match the indirect coupling interfaces 3a in such a way that a mutual positive engagement is possible. At least with regard to the structures required for coupling, all indirect coupling interfaces 3a are expediently designed to be identical to one another, and the connecting interfaces 41 are also designed to be identical to one another in this respect. In this way, each connecting element 38 can be paired with any of the indirect coupling interfaces 3a in a positive engagement.

[0067] Each of the connecting elements 38, which are preferably formed in one piece and are made of plastic or metal, for example, has a front side 42 and an opposite rear side 43. Of the two connecting interfaces 41, one is formed on the front side 42 and the other on the rear side 43. Preferably, the connecting elements 38 each have a plate-shaped base body 44 on which the two connecting interfaces 41 are formed on opposite plate surfaces.

[0068] By way of example, the indirect coupling interfaces 3a are structured as female and each contain one or more female coupling structures 45 recessed in the associated side wall outer surface section 35. The connection interfaces 41 are designed to complement the female indirect coupling interfaces 3a and are therefore configured as male connection interfaces 41, wherein they have, by way of example, one or more male coupling structures 46 raised on the associated front side 42 or rear side 43, which are shaped complementary to the female coupling structures 45. The female coupling structures 45 are preferably designed as groove-shaped recesses in the side wall, and the male coupling structures 46 are designed as rib-shaped projections on the plate-shaped base body 44.The female coupling structures 45 are expediently open toward the actuator underside 7, so that the connecting elements 38 can be attached by inserting them with their male coupling structures 46 from the actuator underside 7 into the female coupling structures 45. This creates a positive engagement orthogonal to the mutually facing side wall outer surface sections 35.

[0069] It is particularly expedient if the female coupling structures 45 are designed as female dovetail structures 45a and the male coupling structures 46 are designed as male dovetail structures 46a.

[0070] The female and male structuring of the indirect coupling interfaces 3a and the connection interfaces 41 can also be interchanged.

[0071] In both illustrated embodiments of the actuator device 1, at least several of the diaphragm actuators 2 have at least one drive fluid channel 24, which extends through the side wall 12 of the actuator housing 6 in the region of a coupling interface 3 and is referred to as a side wall drive fluid channel 24b for ease of differentiation. Each side wall drive fluid channel 24b opens into the associated drive chamber 23 on the one hand and exits via an outer channel opening 25 to the side wall outer surface 34 on the other hand.

[0072] In the embodiment of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, each coupling interface 3 of each membrane actuator 2 is provided with a side wall drive fluid channel 24b. This can also be the case in the embodiment of the Fig. 3 to 6. However, the example contains the Fig. 3 to 6, the actuator assembly 4 comprises at least one membrane actuator 2, whose coupling interfaces 3 are only partially equipped with a side wall drive fluid channel 24b, furthermore at least one corresponding Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 formed membrane actuator 2 with a side wall drive fluid channel 24b at each coupling interface 3 and at least one according to Fig. 6 formed membrane actuator 2 without any side wall drive fluid channel 24b.

[0073] The outer channel opening 25 is preferably located in a central region of the associated coupling interface 3 and preferably at a smaller distance from the bottom wall 11 than from the upper edge 14.

[0074] In all embodiments, each coupling interface 3 is arranged on the associated side wall outer surface section 35 centrally between and at a distance from the two adjacent corner regions 36.

[0075] Each sidewall drive fluid channel 24b allows controlled fluid supply to the associated drive chamber 23 through the sidewall 12 of the actuator housing 6. If a diaphragm actuator 2 is equipped with at least one sidewall drive fluid channel 24b and one bottom wall drive fluid channel 24a, depending on the application, it is possible to use both types of drive fluid channels 24b, 24a or only one of these drive fluid channel types. Unused drive fluid channels 24 can be closed.

[0076] Returning to the actuator device 1 of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, at least one of the connecting elements 38 is expediently penetrated by a fluid channel designated as a passage channel 47 and is therefore also referred to as a passage connecting element 38a for better differentiation. The passage channel 47 opens to the front side 42 and the rear side 43. If such a passage connecting element 38a is arranged according to the illustration in Fig. 1 is used as a connecting element 38, the passage channel 47 connects the sidewall drive fluid channels 24b of the two indirect coupling interfaces 3a engaging with the passage connecting element 38a. The passage channel 47 is then aligned with the outer channel openings 25 of the two associated sidewall drive fluid channels 24b. To prevent leakage, a sealing ring 48 is expediently arranged at each indirect coupling interface 3a, enclosing the outer channel opening 25 and expediently held in an annular groove of the sidewall outer surface section 35.

[0077] The coupling by means of a passage connecting element 38a makes it possible to fluidically network the drive chambers 23 of several or all membrane actuators 2 and thereby fluidically control the affected membrane actuators 2 in a uniform manner.

[0078] If no fluid connection is desired between two membrane actuators 2 placed against one another, a connecting element 38 designed as a closure connecting element 38b can be used for the indirect coupling instead of a passage connecting element 38a. This closure connecting element 38b is designed without any openings and covers the two outer channel openings 25 facing it to close the associated side wall drive fluid channel 24b. Such a closure connecting element 38b is made of Fig. 2 before assembly and in Fig. 1 is shown several times in the assembled state. Seal 48 also prevents unwanted fluid leakage in this case.

[0079] A connecting element 38 used to couple two indirect coupling interfaces 3a to which no sidewall drive fluid channel 24b is assigned may, for example, correspond in its design to the passage connecting element 38a or the closure connecting element 38b.

[0080] In the actuator device 1 of the Fig. 3 to 6, of the pairs of direct coupling interfaces 3b that can be positively coupled to one another, one is designed as a female direct coupling interface 51 and the other as a male direct coupling interface 52 complementary to the female direct coupling interface 51. The female direct coupling interface 51 is recessed, and the male direct coupling interface 52 is raised on the associated sidewall outer surface section 35.

[0081] By way of example, each female direct coupling interface 51 comprises two coupling recesses 53 formed opposite one another at the edge in a wall recess 59a of the side wall 12 and extending in the actuator height direction 5a, while the male direct coupling interface 52 has two rib-shaped coupling projections 54 facing away from one another, formed at the edge on a wall projection 59b and also extending in the actuator height direction 5a. Since the coupling recesses 53 are open towards the actuator underside 7, according to arrow 55 in Fig. 4 a coupling can be effected by inserting the male direct coupling interface 52 from the actuator bottom 7 into the female direct coupling interface 51.

[0082] Locking means or other securing means not further illustrated can secure the positive coupling produced, in particular in a releasable manner.

[0083] Preferably, the female direct coupling interfaces 51 are realized as recessed female dovetail structures 51a and the male direct coupling interfaces 52 are realized as raised male dovetail structures 52a.

[0084] The actuator device 1 based on a direct coupling principle can advantageously be realized with only a single type of diaphragm actuator 2 if the diaphragm actuator 2 according to the illustrated embodiment has both female direct coupling interfaces 51 and male direct coupling interfaces 52, wherein it is particularly favorable if the female and male direct coupling interfaces 51, 52 are arranged alternately one after the other in the actuator circumferential direction 13.

[0085] As already mentioned, a polygonal contour with an even number of side wall outer surface sections 35 is preferably selected for the actuator housing 6 of the membrane actuators 2. In the embodiment of the Fig. 3 to 6, this offers the advantage that an equal number of female direct coupling interfaces 51 and male direct coupling interfaces 52 can be provided on each membrane actuator 2.

[0086] If each of the directly coupling interfaces 3a is assigned a sidewall drive fluid channel 24b, their outer channel openings 25 are positioned such that they are aligned with each other in the coupled state and a continuous fluid channel connection is provided between the drive chambers 23 of the two coupled diaphragm actuators 2. In this case too, it is advantageous if, analogously to the embodiment of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 a sealing ring 48 is arranged in an annular groove around at least one of the outer channel openings 25.

[0087] If the direct coupling principle of the Fig. 3 to 6, no fluid connection between adjacent membrane actuators 2 is desired, at least one membrane actuator 2 is expediently used in which the direct coupling interface 3b used for coupling does not have a sidewall drive fluid channel 24b. An embodiment of such a design is shown in Fig. 6. The diaphragm actuator 2 shown there has exclusively channelless direct coupling interfaces 3b, which, when coupled with a channel-based direct coupling interface 3b, function as a channel closure structure. However, at least one diaphragm actuator 2 can also be provided that has direct coupling interfaces 3b both with and without a sidewall drive fluid channel 24b.

[0088] According to an optional feature not illustrated, the actuator device 1 contains a plurality of closure elements for side wall drive fluid channels 24b, which are designed analogously to the bottom wall closure element 37 described above and, if required, can be inserted and, in particular, screwed into the associated side wall drive fluid channel 24b through the outer channel opening 25.

[0089] In order to close unused sidewall drive fluid channels 24b when the associated coupling interface 3 is located at the edge of the actuator assembly 4 and is not used for coupling purposes, the actuator device 1 expediently contains, in all embodiments, at least one closure element 56 which can be attached to the relevant coupling interface 3 and which, for better differentiation, is referred to as sidewall closure element 56. Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 show some possible embodiments of side wall closure elements 56 by way of example.

[0090] Each side wall closure element 56 has at least one fastening interface 57 which is adapted to the design of the coupling interfaces 3 of the respective actuator device 1 and offers the possibility of attaching the side wall closure element 56 to a coupling interface 3, 3a, 3b provided with a side wall drive fluid channel 24b in such a way that the side wall drive fluid channel 24b opening out there is tightly closed.

[0091] In the embodiment of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the fastening interface 57 of the side wall closure element 56 is expediently designed corresponding to the connection interfaces 41 of the connection elements 38.

[0092] In the embodiment of the Fig. 3 to 6, the structure of the fastening interface 57 corresponds either to that of a female direct connection interface 51 or to that of a male direct connection interface 52. Particularly advantageous in the embodiment of the Fig. 3 to 6 such side wall closure elements 56, which according to Fig. 5 each have two types 57a, 57b of the fastening interface 57 at the same time, of which one type 57a is designed according to a female direct connection interface 51 and the other type 57 is designed according to a male direct connection interface 52. Such side wall closure elements 56 can be used for optional attachment to female and male direct connection interfaces 51, 52.

[0093] In order to be able to fasten the actuator assembly 4 to a support structure 31, the actuator device 1 expediently contains a plurality of individual fastening elements 58, each of which is equipped with a fastening interface 57 of the type described above with reference to the side wall closure elements 56 and which is each attachable or attached to a coupling interface 3 not occupied by a membrane actuator 2. The fastening elements 58 have a fastening hole 61 designed as a through-hole, which is expediently formed in an outwardly projecting fastening tab 63 of the fastening element 58 and which, according to the illustration in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 can be used to pass a schematically indicated fastening screw 63 in order to screw the fastening element 58 and thus the actuator assembly 4 to a supporting structure 31.

[0094] It consists of Fig.1 to 3, it is advantageous to design at least one fastening element 58 such that it simultaneously forms a sidewall closure element 56. Accordingly, one and the same element has a dual function for closing a sidewall drive fluid channel 24b and for fastening the actuator assembly 4.

[0095] Both illustrated embodiments of an actuator device 1 offer a particularly advantageous possibility for the controlled fluid supply to drive chambers 23 using one or more sidewall drive fluid channels 24b. For this purpose, the respective actuator device 1 contains at least one and preferably several individual connection elements 64, which enable a simple, detachable connection of a fluid line 27 and are referred to as sidewall fluid connection elements 64 for easier differentiation.

[0096] The sidewall fluid connection element 64 has a fastening interface 57, which is expediently designed analogously to the fastening interfaces 57 described above in connection with the sidewall closure elements 56 and the fastening elements 58. Furthermore, the sidewall fluid connection element 64 is equipped with a connection device 65 enabling the detachable connection of a fluid line 27. Each sidewall fluid connection element 64 can be mounted, using its fastening interface 57, on a coupling interface 3 equipped with a sidewall drive fluid channel 24b such that the connection device 65 fluidically communicates with the associated sidewall drive fluid channel 24b.In this way, a fluid line 27 attached to the connection device 65 is in fluid communication through the side wall fluid connection element 64 with a side wall drive fluid channel 24b and the drive chamber 23 communicating therewith.

[0097] Within an actuator assembly 4, several diaphragm actuators 2 can easily be equipped with a sidewall fluid connection element 64 to directly ventilate or vent different drive chambers 23. For rapid response, it is also possible to equip several coupling interfaces 3 of one and the same diaphragm actuator 2 with sidewall fluid connection elements 64 used in parallel for controlled fluid application.

[0098] Each sidewall closure element 56 and sidewall fluid connection element 64 present in an actuator device 1 based on an indirect coupling principle expediently contains, corresponding to the connecting elements 38, a plate-shaped base body 44 which has the fastening interface 57 on its rear side 43 and, in the case of the sidewall fluid connection element 64, the connection device 65 on its front side 42. In a configuration as a fastening element 58, the fastening tab 62 is also located on the front side 42.

Claims

[1] Actuator device, with a plurality of fluid-operated diaphragm actuators (2) each extending in an actuator height direction (5a), each having a rigid actuator housing (6) and an elastic actuator diaphragm (17) assigned to an actuator top side (15) oriented in the actuator height direction (5a) and defining a drive chamber (23) together with the actuator housing (6), wherein at least one drive fluid channel (24) passing through a housing wall (8) of the actuator housing (6) opens into the drive chamber (23), which drive fluid channel enables a controlled fluid loading of the drive chamber (23), by means of which a lifting movement (28) of a diaphragm working section (18) of the actuator diaphragm (17) oriented in the actuator height direction (5a) can be brought about,wherein the housing wall (8) of the actuator housing (6) comprises a bottom wall (11) associated with an actuator underside (7) and a side wall (12) extending in an actuator circumferential direction (13) around an actuator vertical axis (5) aligned in the actuator height direction (5a), wherein the side wall (12) is polygonally contoured on a side wall outer surface (34) facing away from the drive chamber (23) and has a plurality of side wall outer surface sections (35) which follow one another in the actuator circumferential direction (13) and merge into one another in corner regions (36), characterized bythat each membrane actuator (2) has, on at least several of the side wall outer surface sections (35) of its actuator housing (6), a coupling interface (3) designed for a positive mechanical coupling with a further membrane actuator (2), wherein membrane actuators (2) arranged next to one another with parallel actuator vertical axes (5) transverse to the actuator vertical axes (5) can be or are assembled in a positive mechanical manner via coupling interfaces (3) facing one another in pairs to form a two-dimensional modular actuator assembly (4). [2] Actuator device according to claim 1, characterized by that several or all of the membrane actuators (2) have a coupling interface (3) on each side wall outer surface section (35) of their actuator housing (6). [3] Actuator device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat a polygonal contour of the side wall outer surface (34) of all membrane actuators (2) is a regular polygonal contour and / or that a polygonal contour of the side wall outer surface (34) of all membrane actuators (2) is a contour having an even number of corner regions (36) and side wall outer surface sections (35), in particular a square or hexagonal contour. [4] Actuator device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that in each membrane actuator (2) the actuator membrane (17) has the same polygonal contour on the circumference as the associated side wall outer surface of the side wall (12) of the actuator housing (6), said side wall outer surface having the side wall outer surface sections (35), wherein the resulting corner regions (19) of the actuator membrane (17) are each located in the same circumferential region with respect to the actuator circumferential direction (13) as the corner regions (36) of a polygonal contour of the side wall outer surface (34). [5] Actuator device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the actuator assembly (4) contains one or more membrane actuators (2) which are simultaneously mechanically coupled to several adjacent membrane actuators (2), wherein expediently at least one membrane actuator (2) is simultaneously mechanically coupled to at least three or more further membrane actuators (2). [6] Actuator device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized bythat the actuator membranes (17) each have, on their membrane upper side facing away from the associated actuator housing (6) in the actuator height direction (5a), an application surface (32) lying in a plane orthogonal to the actuator vertical axis (5) and usable for applying pressure to an object, wherein the application surfaces (32) of all membrane actuators (2) contained in the actuator assembly (4) are expediently at the same height in a fluidically deactivated state of the membrane actuators (2) with respect to the actuator height direction (5a) of the membrane actuators (2). [7] Actuator device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that a stiffening plate (33), expediently made of metal, is embedded in the membrane working section (18) of each actuator membrane (17). [8] Actuator device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized bythat at least one and expediently each diaphragm actuator (2) has a drive fluid channel (24), which is a bottom wall drive fluid channel (24a) passing through the bottom wall (11) and which enables direct, controlled fluid admission to the drive chamber (23) of the associated diaphragm actuator (2), wherein the actuator device (1) expediently additionally has a plurality of individual bottom wall closure elements (37) by means of which bottom wall drive fluid channels (24a) which are not required for operation can be tightly closed. [9] Actuator device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized bythat at least one coupling interface (3) of several or all of the diaphragm actuators (2) has a drive fluid channel (24), which is a side wall drive fluid channel (24b) passing through the side wall (12), opening on the one hand into the drive chamber (23) and on the other hand to the associated side wall outer surface section (35). [10] Actuator device according to claim 9, characterized by in that the actuator device (1) has one or more individual side wall fluid connection elements (64) which are equipped with a connection device (65) which enables the in particular detachable connection of a fluid line (27) and which have a fastening interface (57) via which they can be attached or are attached to a coupling interface (3) provided with a side wall drive fluid channel (24b) in such a way that their connection device (65) communicates with the associated side wall drive fluid channel (24b). [11] Actuator device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by that the actuator device (1) has one or more individual side wall closure elements (56) which have at least one fastening interface (57) via which they can be attached or are attached to a coupling interface (3) provided with a side wall drive fluid channel (24b) in such a way that the associated side wall drive fluid channel (24b) is tightly closed. [12] Actuator device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized by in that the actuator device (1) has one or more individual fastening elements (58) which are equipped with at least one fastening hole (61) which can be used for screw fastening of the associated membrane actuator (2) to a supporting structure (31) and which have a fastening interface (57) via which they can be attached or are attached to a coupling interface (3) of a membrane actuator (2). [13] Actuator device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized by that the coupling interfaces (3) are at least partially designed as direct coupling interfaces (3b) enabling a direct, positive-locking mechanical coupling of adjacent membrane actuators (2), wherein membrane actuators (2) which can be coupled or are coupled to one another in the coupled state engage one another directly in a positive-locking manner with their mutually facing direct coupling interfaces (3b) to form the modular actuator assembly (4). [14] Actuator device according to claim 13, characterized bythat the membrane actuators (2) at least partially have female direct coupling interfaces (3b) and at least partially have male direct coupling interfaces (3b) which can be inserted into a female direct coupling interface (3b) of another membrane actuator for mechanical coupling, wherein the female direct coupling interfaces (3b) are expediently designed as female dovetail structures (45a) recessed in the side wall (12) of the actuator housing (6) and the male direct coupling interfaces (3b) are designed as male dovetail structures (45b) which are raised on the side wall (12) and can be inserted into the female dovetail structures (45a) for mechanical coupling in the actuator height direction (5a). [15] Actuator device according to claim 13 or 14, characterized bythat each membrane actuator (2) has both female direct coupling interfaces (3b) and male direct coupling interfaces (3b), which are expediently arranged alternately one after the other in the actuator circumferential direction (13). [16] Actuator device according to claim 14 or 15 in conjunction with claim 11, characterized by that the side wall closure elements (56) at least partially have two different types (57a, 57b) of fastening interfaces (57), of which one type (57a) is adapted to the male direct coupling interfaces (3b) and the other type (57b) is adapted to the female direct coupling interfaces (3b). [17] Actuator device according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized byin that the coupling interfaces (3) are at least partially designed as indirect coupling interfaces (3a) enabling an indirect, positive-locking mechanical coupling of adjacent membrane actuators (2), wherein the actuator device (1) additionally has a plurality of individual connecting elements (38), each with two connecting interfaces (41) adapted to the indirect coupling interfaces (3a), which are each insertable or inserted between two membrane actuators (2) to be coupled in such a way that they are in positive engagement with the mutually facing indirect coupling interfaces (3a) of adjacent membrane actuators (2) to form the modular actuator assembly (4). [18] Actuator device according to claim 17 in conjunction with claim 9, characterized byin that the connecting elements (38) are at least partially designed as passage connecting elements (38a) which are penetrated by a passage channel (47) through which side wall drive fluid channels (24b) of assembled diaphragm actuators (2) formed at the indirect coupling interfaces (3a) can be connected or are connected to one another in order to provide a fluid connection between the drive chambers (23) of assembled diaphragm actuators (2). [19] Actuator device according to claim 17 or 18 in conjunction with claim 9, characterized by in that the connecting elements (38) are at least partially designed as closure connecting elements (38b) by means of which the side wall drive fluid channels (24b) of assembled diaphragm actuators (2) formed at the indirect coupling interfaces (3a) can be closed or are closed in a fluid-tight manner in order to prevent a fluid connection between the drive chambers (23) of assembled diaphragm actuators (2). [20] Actuator device according to one of claims 17 to 19, characterized by in that the indirect coupling interfaces (3a) are designed as female indirect coupling interfaces (3a) and the connecting interfaces (41) of the connecting elements (38) are designed as male connecting interfaces (41) which can each be inserted into a female indirect coupling interface (3a) for the purpose of mechanical coupling, wherein the female indirect coupling interfaces (3a) are expediently designed as female dovetail structures (45a) recessed in the side wall (12) of the actuator housing (6) and the male connecting interfaces (41) are designed as male dovetail structures (52a) which are raised on the connecting element (38) and which can be inserted into the female dovetail structures (51a) for the purpose of mechanical coupling in the actuator height direction (5a) of the diaphragm actuators (2).

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