HVAC actuator assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10288122-B2
Application number	US-201615333036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2016
Priority date	Feb 19, 2016
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

A low profile shaft adaptor for coupling an output drive member of an HVAC actuator with an input drive member of a valve. The shaft adaptor may include a clamp for selectively clamping onto the input drive member of the valve, a drive interface configured to form an interference fit with an output drive member of the HVAC actuator, and a bracket configured to mechanically couple the drive interface and the clamp such that rotational movement of the drive interface by way of the interference fit with the output drive member of the HVAC actuator causes corresponding rotational movement of the clamp and thus the input drive member of the valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shaft adaptor configured to mechanically couple an output drive member of an actuator with an input drive member of a component, the shaft adaptor comprising:
a housing comprising:
a first plate, wherein the first plate includes an aperture;
a second plate spaced from the first plate; and
a third plate interconnecting the first plate and the second plate, wherein the third plate includes an aperture;

an inner jaw releasably coupled to the housing, the inner jaw comprising:
a first plate including a side arm;
a second plate spaced from the first plate, wherein the second plate of the inner jaw extends through the aperture in the third plate of the housing and between the first plate and the second plate of the housing, and wherein the first plate of the inner jaw extends along an outer side of the first plate of the housing;
a third plate interconnecting the first plate and the second plate of the inner jaw, the third plate of the inner jaw includes an aperture;
wherein the side arm of the first plate of the inner jaw extends toward the first plate of the inner jaw and into the aperture in the first plate of the housing;

an outer jaw comprising:
a ring;
an elongate member extending from the ring, wherein the elongate member is configured to extend through the aperture in the third plate of the inner jaw and through the aperture in the third plate of the housing; and

a clamping mechanism configured to move the outer jaw relative to the inner jaw when manipulated by a user.

2. The shaft adaptor of claim 1 , wherein the first plate and the second plate of the housing each define a receiving aperture, wherein the receiving aperture of the first plate of the housing is configured to receive the input drive member of the component, and the receiving aperture of the second plate is configured to receive the output drive member of the actuator.

3. The shaft adaptor of claim 2 , wherein the receiving aperture in the second plate of the housing comprises a plurality of splines configured to engage a plurality of splines on an output drive member of the actuator.

4. The shaft adaptor of claim 2 , further comprising a removable clip configured to releasably secure the output drive member of the actuator to the shaft adaptor.

5. The shaft adaptor of claim 1 , wherein the ring of the outer jaw is positioned between the first and second plates of the housing.

6. The shaft adaptor of claim 5 , wherein at least part of the outer jaw is positioned between the second plate of the inner jaw and the second plate of the housing.

7. The shaft adaptor of claim 6 , wherein when the elongate member of the outer jaw extends through the apertures in the third plates of the housing and the inner jaw, the inner jaw is held in place relative to the housing.

8. The shaft adaptor of claim 1 , wherein the clamping mechanism is threadably engaged with the elongate member of the outer jaw.

9. The shaft adaptor of claim 8 , wherein the elongate member of the outer jaw comprises a threaded region and the clamping mechanism is threadably engaged with the threaded region of the elongate member.

10. A shaft adaptor configured to couple an output drive member of an HVAC actuator with an input drive member of an HVAC component, the shaft adaptor comprising:
a clamp for selectively clamping onto the input drive member of a HVAC component;
a drive interface configured to form an interference fit with the output drive member of a HVAC actuator, wherein the drive interface comprises an aperture defined by an aperture defining wall, wherein the aperture defining wall comprises splines that are configured to mate with splines on an outer surface of the output drive member of an HVAC actuator; and
a bracket configured to mechanically couple the drive interface and the clamp such that rotational movement of the drive interface by way of the interference fit with the output drive member of the HVAC actuator causes corresponding rotational movement of the clamp and thus the input drive member of the HVAC component.

11. The shaft adaptor of claim 10 , wherein the clamp is configured to receive the input drive member of the HVAC component along a clamp axis, and the drive interface is configured to receive the output drive member of the HVAC actuator along a drive interface axis, wherein the clamp axis and the drive interface axis are parallel to one another.

12. The shaft adaptor of claim 11 , wherein the clamp axis and the drive interface axis are co-axial.

13. A shaft adaptor configured to couple an output drive member of an HVAC actuator with an input drive member of an HVAC component, the shaft adaptor comprising:
a clamp for selectively clamping onto the input drive member of a HVAC component;
a drive interface configured to form an interference fit with the output drive member of a HVAC actuator;
a bracket configured to mechanically couple the drive interface and the clamp such that rotational movement of the drive interface by way of the interference fit with the output drive member of the HVAC actuator causes corresponding rotational movement of the clamp and thus the input drive member of the HVAC component;
wherein the bracket is configured to hold the clamp and the drive interface in a spaced apart relationship resulting in a gap between the clamp and the drive interface;
wherein, when connected, the output drive member of the HVAC actuator is configured to extend into the gap between the clamp and the drive interface but not to the clamp, and when connected, the input drive member of the HVAC component is configured to extend into the gap between the clamp and the drive interface but not to the drive interface; and
a clip that is positioned in the gap to engage the output drive member of the HVAC actuator to hold the output drive member of the HVAC actuator in place relative to the drive interface.

14. A shaft adaptor configured to couple an output drive member of an HVAC actuator with an input drive member of an HVAC component, the shaft adaptor comprising:
a clamp for selectively clamping onto the input drive member of a HVAC component;
a drive interface configured to form an interference fit with the output drive member of a HVAC actuator;
a bracket configured to mechanically couple the drive interface and the clamp such that rotational movement of the drive interface by way of the interference fit with the output drive member of the HVAC actuator causes corresponding rotational movement of the clamp and thus the input drive member of the HVAC component;
wherein the bracket comprises a U-shaped bracket with two spaced legs, wherein a first one of the two spaced legs mechanically supports the clamp and a second one of the two spaced legs mechanically supports the drive interface; and
wherein the drive interface comprises an aperture in the second one of the two spaced legs, wherein the aperture is defined by an aperture defining wall, wherein the aperture defining wall comprises splines that are configured to mate with splines on an outer surface of the output drive member of an HVAC actuator.

15. A shaft adaptor configured to couple an output drive member of an actuator with an input drive member of a component, the shaft adaptor comprising:
a clamp for selectively clamping onto the input drive member of a component;
a drive interface configured to form an interference fit with the output drive member of an actuator; and
a housing configured to mechanically couple the drive interface and the clamp, wherein the housing comprises a U shaped bracket with two spaced legs connected by a support, wherein a

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Bakken Tom
• Decker Matthew

Classifications

• F16K31/055

  for rotating valves · CPC title

• F16K31/041

  for rotating valves (F16K31/055 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16D1/10

  Quick-acting couplings in which the parts are connected by simply bringing them together axially · CPC title

• F16D1/087

  due to other loading elements in the hub or shaft · CPC title

• F16D1/02 Primary

  for connecting two abutting shafts or the like · CPC title