Compact Rotary Actuator With Single-End Cover and Internal Plugs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rack and pinion type rotary actuators have a large total length due to end covers on opposite end surfaces of the cylinder main body, making them less compact.
Innovation Solution
A rotary actuator design where end covers are positioned on one end surface, with plugs engaging with the cylinder body walls to form separate chambers, reducing the overall length and eliminating the need for fastening members and seals, allowing for a more compact structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If end covers are provided on opposite end surfaces of the cylinder main body, then the structural integrity and sealing are ensured, but the total length of the rotary actuator becomes comparatively large
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sealing function from the traditional end cover structure and relocates it to plugs positioned within the cylinder main body. This removes the need for end covers on both ends, thereby reducing the total length while maintaining sealing integrity through the strategically positioned plugs that close off the cylinder chambers from the interior.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-end cover structure to a single-end cover structure with interior plugs, effectively changing the dimensional arrangement of sealing components. The plugs are positioned at different locations within the cylinder holes, creating a new spatial configuration that achieves sealing without requiring full end cover placement on both sides.
2Reliability
If end covers are provided on opposite end surfaces, then complete sealing is achieved, but the number of parts and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the sealing function into fewer components by using plugs that are integrated into the cylinder main body structure rather than requiring separate end covers on both ends. This consolidation reduces the total number of parts while maintaining the sealing function through the combined action of the single end cover and the interior plugs.
Solution Approach 2:
The plugs are designed to engage with the cylinder main body in a self-contained manner, where the plugs themselves provide the sealing interface without requiring additional fastening members or complex assembly mechanisms. The plugs utilize the existing cylinder hole geometry to achieve secure engagement and sealing.
3Length of moving object
If plugs are positioned inside the cylinder holes without projecting outside, then the actuator size is minimized, but the engagement reliability must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The plugs are designed with localized engagement features that concentrate the sealing and engagement functions at specific points within the cylinder holes. By optimizing the local geometry of the plugs and their engagement surfaces, the invention achieves reliable engagement without requiring the plugs to extend beyond the cylinder hole openings, thus minimizing overall size while maintaining reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves a smaller scale rotary actuator with reliable engagement and sealing, reducing the number of parts and maintaining operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a first plug engaged with a wall surface that constitutes an opening on another end side of the first cylinder hole, and forming a third cylinder chamber between the first plug and the first piston, and a second plug engaged with a wall surface that constitutes an opening on another end side of the second cylinder hole
Implementation Method 2
a first port and a second port through which a working fluid flows are formed in one of the end covers. In addition, by an action of the working fluid, the first piston and the second piston are displaced in opposite directions to each other
Implementation Method 3
A first rack is provided on the first piston and a second rack is provided on the second piston. In a state of facing one another mutually, the first rack and the second rack are enmeshed with a pinion, which is provided on a rotary shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A rotary actuator is equipped with an end cover disposed on one end surface of a cylinder main body, a first plug that is engaged with a wall surface constituting an opening on another end side of a first cylinder hole, and a second plug that is engaged with a wall surface constituting an opening on another end side of a second cylinder hole. A first port communicating with a first front cylinder chamber and a second rear cylinder chamber, and a second port communicating with a second front cylinder chamber and a first rear cylinder chamber are formed in the end cover.