Actuator assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11660930-B2
Application number	US-202016836577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2020
Priority date	Oct 14, 2019
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

An actuator assembly for actuating actuatable members. The actuator assembly includes an upper cam mounted to an upper side of a center plate. The upper cam is rotatable by a motor. A lower cam is mounted to a lower side of the center plate. The lower cam is rotatable by the motor. The upper cam and the lower cam are configured to rotate at different speeds and are configured to actuate linkages for moving the actuatable members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An actuator assembly for actuating actuatable members, the actuator assembly comprising:
a center plate;
an upper cam mounted to an upper side of the center plate, the upper cam rotatable by a motor;
a lower cam mounted to a lower side of the center plate, the lower cam rotatable by the motor;
a center gear rotatable by the motor, the motor being a servo;
upper gears in cooperation with the center gear and the upper cam; and
lower gears in cooperation with the center gear and the lower cam;
wherein the upper cam and the lower cam are configured to rotate at different speeds and are configured to actuate linkages for moving the actuatable members; and
wherein the upper gears and the lower gears have different gear reductions.

2. The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper cam includes upper internal teeth configured to mesh with at least one of the upper gears, and the lower cam includes lower internal teeth configured to mesh with at least one of the lower gears.

3. The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper cam includes an upper groove configured to cooperate with the linkages for moving the actuatable members; and
wherein the actuatable members are doors of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

4. The actuator assembly of claim 3 , wherein the upper groove includes a plurality of different radii.

5. The actuator assembly of claim 4 , wherein the lower cam includes a lower groove configured to cooperate with the linkages for moving the doors.

6. The actuator assembly of claim 5 , wherein the lower groove includes a plurality of different radii.

7. An actuator assembly for actuating doors of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the actuator assembly comprising:
a center plate;
an upper cam mounted to an upper side of the center plate, the upper cam including an upper groove on an upper side of the upper cam and upper teeth extending about a lower side of the upper cam;
upper gears in cooperation with the upper teeth such that rotation of the upper gears rotates the upper cam;
a lower cam mounted to a lower side of the center plate, the lower cam including a lower groove on a lower side of the lower cam and lower teeth extending about an upper side of the lower cam;
lower gears in cooperation with the lower teeth such that rotation of the lower gears rotates the lower cam; and
a center shaft in cooperation with the upper gears and the lower gears to rotate the upper gears and the lower gears;
wherein the upper gears are configured differently from the lower gears such that rotation of the upper gears and lower gears rotates the upper cam and the lower cam at different speeds.

8. The actuator assembly of claim 7 , wherein the upper gears and the lower gears have different gear reductions.

9. The actuator assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a servo configured to rotate the center shaft.

10. The actuator assembly of claim 9 , wherein the center plate is mounted to a heater case of the HVAC system and the servo is mounted to the lower cam.

11. The actuator assembly of claim 7 , wherein the upper groove includes a plurality of different radii.

12. The actuator assembly of claim 11 , wherein the lower groove includes a plurality of different radii.

Assignees

• Denso Int America Inc

Inventors

• Brown Keniel
• Belanger Brian
• Rothenberg Mark
• Wilson Brett

Classifications

• B60H1/00664

  Construction or arrangement of damper doors (control systems or circuits for damper doors B60H1/00835) · CPC title

• B60H1/0065 Primary

  Control members, e.g. levers or knobs (B60H1/00985 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60H1/00857 Primary

  characterised by the means connecting the initiating means, e.g. control lever, to the damper door · CPC title