Actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11654584-B2
Application number	US-202117402104-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2021
Priority date	Jun 18, 2021
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

Abstract

An actuator includes a casing, an output disc, a transmission component, a cable, a power source, and a tension adjustment assembly. The output disc and the transmission component are rotatably disposed on the casing. The cable is disposed through the transmission component and connected to the output disc. The power source can drive the transmission component. The tension adjustment assembly includes a lever, an elastic component, and a slidable component. The lever has a first end and a second end opposite to each other. The first end is connected to the cable. The elastic component is connected to the casing and the second end of the lever. The slidable component is in contact with a portion of the lever located between the first end and the second end, and is slidable along the lever to change its position to adjust a tension of the cable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An actuator, comprising:
a casing;
an output disc, rotatably disposed on the casing;
a transmission component, rotatably disposed on the casing;
a cable, disposed through the transmission component and having an end connected to the output disc;
a first power source, disposed on the casing and connected to the transmission component, wherein the first power source is configured to drive the transmission component to rotate relative to the casing; and
a tension adjustment assembly, comprising:
a lever, having a first end and a second end opposite to each other, wherein the first end is connected to another end of the cable;
an elastic component, connected to the casing and the second end of the lever; and
a slidable component, slidably disposed on the casing and in contact with a portion of the lever located between the first end and the second end of the lever, wherein the slidable component is slidable along the lever to change a position thereof relative to the first end and the second end so as to adjust a tension of the cable.

2. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the tension adjustment assembly further comprises a second power source, the second power source is disposed on the casing and connected to the slidable component, and the second power source is configured to drive the slidable component to linearly slide relative to the lever.

3. The actuator according to claim 2 , wherein the second power source comprises a motor, an eccentric shaft, a link, and a pillar, the link has a first hole and a second hole, the link is pivotably disposed on the casing via the pillar, the first hole is located between the pillar and the second hole, the eccentric shaft is slidably disposed in the first hole, the slidable component is slidably disposed in the second hole, the motor is disposed on the casing and connected to the eccentric shaft, and the motor is configured to drive the eccentric shaft to pivot the link relative to the casing to linearly slide the slidable component relative to the lever.

4. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the lever has teeth, the slidable component comprises a pillar part and a gear part, the gear part is rotatably disposed on the pillar part, and a part of the teeth are engaged with the gear part.

5. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the cable comprises a first part, a second part, and a bearing, the first part is connected to the second part via the bearing, the first part is rotatable relative to the second part, the first part is disposed through the transmission component and connected to the output disc from a periphery of the transmission component, and the second part is connected to the first end of the lever.

6. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the transmission component comprises two rollers, and the cable is disposed through an area between the rollers and connected to the output disc.

7. The actuator according to claim 6 , further comprising a first roller, wherein the transmission component comprises a shaft and a ring body, the ring body surrounds the shaft, the rollers are disposed on the ring body, the shaft is rotatably disposed on the casing, the output disc is rotatably disposed on the shaft, the first roller is disposed in the shaft, the cable is partially located in the shaft and redirected by the first roller, and the cable is disposed through the shaft and the area between the rollers and connected to the output disc.

8. The actuator according to claim 7 , further comprising a second roller, wherein the casing comprises a base and an stand, the stand is disposed on the base, the first power source, the tension adjustment assembly, and the second roller are disposed on the base, the second roller is located between the base and the stand, the shaft is rotatably disposed on the stand, the cable is disposed through the shaft and redirected by the second roller, and the cable is connected to the first end of the lever.

9. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the first power source comprises a motor, a worm shaft, and a worm wheel, the motor is disposed on the casing, the worm shaft is connected to the motor, the worm wheel is rotatably disposed on the casing, the transmission component is fixed to the worm wheel, the worm shaft and the worm wheel are engaged with each other, and the motor is configured to rotate the worm shaft so as to rotate the worm wheel and the transmission component relative to the casing.

10. The actuator according to claim 1 , further comprising a first encoder and a second encoder, wherein the first encoder is disposed on the casing for measuring an output of the first power source, and the second encoder is disposed on the casing for measuring a rotation angle of the output disc relative to the casing.

Assignees

• Ind Tech Res Inst

Inventors

• Huang Cheng-Kai
• Chen zhi-xiang
• Lin Chi-Ying
• Wu Chien-Ping

Classifications

• B25J19/00 Primary

  Accessories fitted to manipulators, e.g. for monitoring, for viewing; Safety devices combined with or specially adapted for use in connection with manipulators (safety-devices in general F16P; protection against radiation in general G21F) · CPC title

• B25J18/00

  Arms · CPC title

• F16D3/62

  the links or their attachments being elastic · CPC title

• B25J19/068 Primary

  Actuating means with variable stiffness · CPC title

• B25J17/0241

  One-dimensional joints · CPC title