Vibration-tolerant multi-position, multi-pole continuous-rotation stepper relay

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12431303-B2
Application number	US-202318169173-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2023
Priority date	Feb 14, 2023
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

Apparatus and associated methods relate to sequentially opening and/or closing a plurality of switches. A rotational securing assembly sequentially secures and releases a plurality of indexing members evenly distributed along a circular path centered on an axis of rotation of the rotatable disk, thereby sequentially securing and releasing the rotatable disk to and from a sequence of rotational positions. A ratcheting assembly sequentially engages a plurality of advancing members of the rotatable disk, thereby sequentially rotating the rotatable disk to a next one of the sequence of rotatable positions. A cam coupled to the rotatable disk sequentially either opens or closes a plurality of switches attached to an annular frame and distributed along a second circular path centered on the axis of rotation. Operations of the rotational securing assembly are coordinated with those of the ratcheting assembly so as to advance rotation of the rotatable disk in a stepwise fashion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for sequentially opening and/or closing a sequence of switches, the method comprising the steps of:
retracting a ratcheting pawl as one of a circular sequence of indexing members attached to a rotatable disk along a circular path centered on an axis of rotation is secured, thereby positioning the ratcheting pawl in a ready-to-advance-rotation position;
releasing the one of the circular sequence of indexing members attached to the rotatable disk so that the rotatable disk can be freely rotated;
advancing, as the one of the circular sequence of indexing members is released, the ratcheting pawl so as to engage an engagement-ready one of a circular sequence of advancing members attached to the rotatable disk, thereby rotating the rotatable disk to a next one of a sequence of rotational positions;
blocking a path of the next one of the circular sequence of indexing members after the rotatable disk is rotated a fraction of a rotation;
securing the next one of the circular sequence of indexing members after the next one of the circular sequence of indexing members engages an index-stop member; and
securing the next one of the circular sequence of indexing members after the next one of the circular sequence of indexing members engages the index-stop member, thereby preventing rotation of the rotatable disk from a secured one of the sequence of rotational positions, wherein when the rotatable disk is secured in one of the sequence of rotational positions, an aligned one of a plurality of switches is opened or closed;
repeating the above steps, thereby sequentially opening and/or closing the the plurality of switches.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein securing the one of the circular sequence of indexing members attached to the rotatable disk comprises:
blocking, via the index-stop member, a forward path of the one of the circular sequence of indexing members after the rotatable disk is rotated the fraction of the rotation, thereby causing the rotational disk to stop rotating when the one of the circular sequence of indexing members engages the index-stop member; and
blocking, via an index-hold member, a reverse path of the one of the circular sequence of indexing members after the one of the circular sequence of indexing members engages the index-stop member, thereby restricting reverse rotation of the rotational disk.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein releasing the one of the circular sequence of indexing members attached to the rotatable disk comprises:
disengaging the index-stop member and the index-hold member from the one of the circular sequence of indexing members coupled to the rotatable disk, thereby permitting free rotation of the rotatable disk.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein advancing the ratcheting pawl so as to engage one of the circular sequence of advancing members comprises:
alternately moving, via a reciprocating actuator, the ratcheting pawl in the first and second directions, thereby performing cycles of actuation, in each of which the ratcheting pawl engages and rotates an engagement-ready one of the circular sequence of indexing members thereby rotating the rotatable disk to a next one of the plurality of angular positions.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the reciprocating actuator is a rotary solenoid, and wherein advancing the ratcheting pawl in a first direction comprises:
rotating from a first angular position through a predetermined angle to a second angular position in a forward angular direction a rotatable shaft to which the ratcheting pawl is connected, wherein rotating the rotatable shaft is in response to a forward operation of the rotary solenoid.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
synchronizing the index-stop member with the angular position of the ratcheting pawl; and
synchronizing the index-hold member with the angular position of the ratcheting pawl.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein synchronizing the index-stop and index-hold members comprises:
actuating the plurality of switches in response to a rotational position of the ratcheting pawl.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein disengaging the index-stop member and the index hold member from a last one of the plurality of indexing members is controlled by a first electrical switch of the plurality of switches activating in response to the rotational position of the ratcheting pawl being greater than a first predetermined rotational angle.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein blocking, via the index-stop member, the forward path of the next one of the plurality of indexing members is controlled by a second electrical switch of the plurality of switches activating in response to the rotational position of the ratcheting pawl being greater than a second predetermined rotational angle.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein blocking, via the index-hold member, the reverse path of the next one of the plurality of indexing members is controlled by a third electrical switch of the plurality of switches activating in response to the rotational position of the ratcheting pawl being greater than a third predetermined rotational angle.

11. A system for sequentially opening and/or closing a plurality of switches, the system comprising:
a rotatable disk having a plurality of indexing members attached thereto, the plurality of indexing members evenly distributed along a circular path centered on an axis of rotation of the rotatable disk;
a cam coupled to or part of the rotatable disk so as to rotate with the rotatable disk;
a rotational securing assembly attached to a fixed frame at a fixed rotational position about the axis of rotation and configured to sequentially secure and release the plurality of indexing members attached to the rotatable disk, thereby sequentially securing and releasing the rotatable disk to and from a sequence of rotational positions;
a ratcheting assembly having a ratcheting pawl configured to sequentially engage and move a plurality of advancing members attached to the rotatable disk, thereby sequentially rotating the rotatable disk to a next one of the sequence of rotational positions;
a plurality of switches attached to the fixed frame and distributed along a second circular path centered on the axis of rotation and axially aligned with the cam, each of the plurality of switches corresponding to one of the sequence of rotational positions and having a spring-loaded contact configured to either open or close the switch in response to the cam being rotationally aligned with the spring-loaded contact; and
a control system configured to coordinate operations of the rotational securing assembly with the ratcheting assembly so as to advance rotation of the rotatable disk in a stepwise fashion to the next one in the sequence of rotational positions, such that:
i) the ratcheting pawl is retracted as one of the circular sequence of indexing members is secured by the rotational securing assembly, thereby positioning the ratcheting pawl in a ready-to-advance-rotation position;
ii) the rotational securing assembly releases the one of the circular sequence of indexing members so that the rotatable disk can be freely rotated;
iii) as the one of the circular sequence of indexing members is released, the ratcheting pawl begins advancing so as to engage and move an engagement-ready one of the plurality of advancing members, thereby beginning rotation of the rotatable disk;
iv) the rotational securing assembly blocks the path of a next one of the circular sequence of indexing members after the rotatable disk is rotated a fraction of a rotation;
v) the rotational securing assembly secures the next one of the circular sequence of indexing members a

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Winer Gordon E

Classifications

• H01H9/20

  Interlocking, locking, or latching mechanisms · CPC title

• B64D15/12

  by electric heating (heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas H05B3/84) · CPC title

• B64C27/04

  Helicopters · CPC title

• H01H19/11

  with indexing means · CPC title

• H01H19/62

  Contacts actuated by radial cams · CPC title