Actuator for a flap for opening and closing an air passage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9379592-B2
Application number	US-201213981701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2012
Priority date	Jan 25, 2011
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to an actuator for a flap for opening and closing an air passage in an air conditioner, ventilator, and/or heater, comprising a housing ( 1 ) shaped to accommodate a motor as well as a gearing arrangement. The actuator is characterized in that the housing ( 1 ) includes at least one abutment element ( 5 ) for limiting the movement of a rotational shaft ( 3 ) with respect to the casing of the motor, as well as a means ( 6 ) for compensating for a space between the abutment element ( 5 ) and a free end of the rotational shaft ( 3 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An actuator for a flap for opening and closing an air passage included in an air-conditioning, ventilating and/or heating device, the actuator comprising a housing ( 1 ) shaped to receive a motor ( 2 ) as well as a gearing device ( 4 ), wherein the housing ( 1 ) includes at least one stop element ( 5 ) for limiting the movement of a rotating shaft ( 3 ) with respect to the casing of the motor ( 2 ), as well as an element ( 6 ) of compensating for a space between the stop element ( 5 ) and a free end of the rotating shaft ( 3 ).

2. The actuator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the element ( 6 ) of compensating for a space between the stop element ( 5 ) and a free end of the rotating shaft ( 3 ) includes a deformable element placed on one of the faces of the stop element ( 5 ) extending opposite a free end of the rotating shaft ( 3 ) of the motor ( 2 ).

3. The actuator as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising at least one damping element ( 7 ) placed between the stop element ( 5 ) and the housing ( 1 ) for suppressing the noise generated by the movement of the rotating shaft ( 3 ) with respect to the casing of the motor ( 2 ).

4. The actuator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stop element ( 5 ) for limiting the axial movement of the rotating shaft ( 3 ) is a wall which is moveable in relation to a peripheral wall ( 10 ) of the housing ( 1 ).

5. The actuator as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the damping element ( 7 ) is mechanically a spring and is produced from a deformable plastic.

6. The actuator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stop element ( 5 ) is made of plastic.

7. The actuator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stop element ( 5 ) is a piece attached to the housing ( 1 ), which piece is mounted in a sliding manner along at least one guide rib ( 11 ) arranged on the housing ( 1 ) extending parallel to the axis for axial movement of the rotating shaft ( 3 ) of the motor ( 2 ).

8. The actuator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the element ( 6 ) of compensating for a space between the stop element ( 5 ) and a free end of the rotating shaft ( 3 ) is a block made from elastomer.

9. The actuator as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the plastic used for manufacturing the damping element ( 7 ) has a hardness that is greater than plastic the element ( 6 ) of compensating for a space between the stop element ( 5 ) and the free end of the rotating shaft ( 3 ).

10. The actuator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the free end of the rotating shaft ( 3 ) is permanently placed in a pressing manner on the means ( 6 ) of compensating for a space between the stop element ( 5 ) and the free end of the rotating shaft ( 3 ).

11. The actuator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the means ( 6 ) of compensating for a space between the stop element ( 5 ) and a free end of the rotating shaft ( 3 ) is covered with a layer for reducing the coefficient of adhesion for facilitating the rotating movement of the rotating shaft ( 3 ) of the motor ( 2 ) in relation to the stop element ( 5 ).

12. The actuator as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising at least one damping element ( 7 ) placed between the stop element ( 5 ) and the housing ( 1 ) for suppressing the noise generated by the movement of the rotating shaft ( 3 ) with respect to the casing of the motor ( 2 ).

13. The actuator as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the damping element ( 7 ) is produced from the deformable plastic using an operation of overmolding the housing.

14. The actuator as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the block made from elastomer is obtained using an operation of overmolding the stop element ( 5 ).

15. The actuator as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the plastic used for manufacturing the damping element ( 7 ) has a hardness that is greater than the plastic used for manufacturing the block acting as the element ( 6 ) of compensating for a space between the stop element ( 5 ) and the free end of the rotating shaft ( 3 ).

16. The actuator as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the damping element ( 7 ) is a deformable metal strip.

Assignees

• Dion Nathalie
• Barbeau Romain
• Valeo Systemes Thermiques

Inventors

• Dion Nathalie
• Barbeau Romain

Classifications

• H02K7/081

  specially adapted for worm gear drives (H02K7/09 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

• H02K7/116 Primary

  with gears · CPC title