Rotary actuation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9964189-B2
Application number	US-201615007770-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2016
Priority date	Jan 27, 2016
Publication date	May 8, 2018
Grant date	May 8, 2018

Abstract

This disclosure relates to various embodiments of rotary actuation devices that may be utilized in a variety of applications. In one embodiment, a rotary actuation device is configured to transition between a first position and a second position in response to each of a manual adjustment, an activation of an electrical actuator, and a force generated by a deck device. The rotary actuation device may be at least one deck device configured to exert a force in response to a condition. The force may cause the rotary actuation device to transition between the first position and the second position. The rotary actuation device may further include an electrical actuator configured to generate a motion upon activation. A rotary latch mechanism coupled to the electrical actuator and may cause the rotary actuation device to transition from the first position to the second position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rotary actuation device configured to transition between a first position and a second position in response to each of a manual adjustment, an activation of an electrical actuator, and an action of a deck device, the rotary actuation device comprising:
a manual actuator configured to permit a manual transition of the rotary actuation device between the first position and the second position;
an electrical actuator configured to generate a motion upon electrical activation;
a rotary latch mechanism configured to translate the motion of the electrical actuator to cause the rotary actuation device to transition from the first position to the second position, the rotary latch mechanism comprising:
a rocker;
a rocker housing coupled to the rocker, the rocker housing comprising:
a rocker pin configured to couple to the rocker and to permit the rocker to pivot with respect to the rocker pin in a direction;
a biasing mechanism configured to exert a restoring force on the rocker in response to the rocker pivoting in the direction, the biasing mechanism exerting the restoring force opposite to the direction;

a rotary plate supported by the rocker and configured to limit a range of rotation of the manual actuator between the first position and the second position by interaction with the biasing mechanism;

wherein the motion causes the rocker to pivot and to displace the biasing mechanism, and the motion further causes the rotary plate to rotate beyond the range of rotation of the manual actuator.

2. The rotary actuation device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotary shaft coupled to the manual actuator, the rotary latch mechanism, and at least one deck device.

3. The rotary actuation device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one deck device is configured to cause the rotary actuation device to transition between the first position and the second position in response to a condition.

4. The rotary actuation device of claim 3 , where in the at least one deck device comprises an overcurrent protection device, and the condition comprises an overcurrent event.

5. The rotary actuation device of claim 3 , wherein the first position corresponds to a closed position of the at least one deck device and wherein the second position corresponds to an open position of the at least one deck device.

6. The rotary actuation device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical actuator comprises a linear actuator.

7. The rotary actuation device of claim 1 , wherein the rotary plate comprises a rotary plate aperture configured to receive a rotary plate pin coupled to the rocker.

8. The rotary actuation device of claim 7 , wherein the rotary plate aperture comprises a substantially “V” shaped configuration.

9. The rotary actuation device of claim 1 , wherein the rocker comprises a rocker aperture and the rotary shaft passes through the rocker aperture.

10. The rotary actuation device of claim 1 , wherein the rotary latch mechanism is further configured to cause the rotary actuation device to transition from the second position to the first position in response to the motion of the electrical actuator.

11. The rotary actuation device of claim 1 , further comprising a stabilizing rod in contact with the rocker;
wherein in the rocker is comprises a first sloped section and a second sloped section, the first sloped section and the second sloped section defining a valley at a midline of the rocker, and the stabilizing rod is configured to be received within the valley.

12. The rotary actuation device of claim 1 , wherein the biasing mechanism further comprises:
a first channel configured to receive a first pin
a second channel configured to receive a second pin;
a spring connecting the first pin and the second pin, and
wherein the biasing force is created by the spring configured and the default position comprises an orientation of the rocker that is substantially perpendicular to the first channel and the second channel.

13. A rotary actuation device configured to transition between a first position and a second position in response to each of a manual adjustment, an activation of an electrical actuator, and an action of a deck device, the rotary actuation device comprising:
a rotary shaft;
at least one deck device in contact with the rotary shaft and configured to exert a force on the rotary shaft in response to a condition and the force causes the rotary actuation device to transition between the first position and the second position;
a manual actuator configured to permit a user to manually transition the rotary actuation device between the first position and the second position;
an electrical actuator configured to generate a motion upon activation;
a rotary latch mechanism configured to couple to the electrical actuator and the rotary shaft and configured to translate the motion of the electrical actuator to rotate the rotary shaft and to cause the rotary actuation device to transition from the first position to the second position.

14. The rotary actuation device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical actuator comprises a linear actuator.

15. The rotary actuation device of claim 14 , wherein the electrical actuator comprises a linear actuator and an actuation shaft coupled to the rotary latch mechanism, such that the motion comprises a linear motion of at least a portion of the rotary latch mechanism.

16. The rotary actuation device of claim 1 , where in the at least one deck device comprises an overcurrent protection device, and the condition comprises an overcurrent event.

17. The rotary actuation device of claim 1 , where in the rotary latch mechanism comprises:
a rotary plate in contact with the rotary shaft, the rotary plate configured to limit the rotation of the manual actuator between the first position and the second position.

18. The rotary actuation device of claim 17 , further comprising:
a first pin disposed within a first channel;
a second pin disposed within a second channel;
wherein the rotary plate is configured to contact the first pin in the first position and configured to contact the second pin in the second position.

19. The rotary actuation device of claim 17 , wherein the rotary latch mechanism further comprises:
a rocker configured to support the rotary plate on a rotary plate pin, the rocker being disposed between the first pin and the second pin;
a spring connecting the first pin and the second pin, the spring configured to exert a biasing force on the rocker to restore the rocker to an orientation that is substantially perpendicular to the first channel and the second channel.

20. The rotary actuation device of claim 19 , further comprising a rocker housing comprising rocker pin configured to couple to the rocker and to permit the rocker to pivot with respect to the rocker pin, wherein the rocker housing further comprises the first channel and the second channel.

21. The rotary actuation device of claim 19 , wherein the rotary plate further comprises a rotary plate aperture configured to receive the rotary plate pin.

Assignees

• Schweitzer Engineering Lab Inc

Inventors

• Rodríguez Nájera Gerardo
• Castro Maciel Carlos Baltazar
• Esquivel Álvarez Sergio David

Classifications

• H01H71/56 Primary

  actuated by rotatable knob or wheel · CPC title

• F16H21/44 Primary

  for conveying or interconverting oscillating or reciprocating motions · CPC title

• H01H71/00

  Details of the protective switches or relays covered by groups H01H73/00 - H01H83/00 · CPC title

• H01H2071/042

  with different indications for different conditions, e.g. contact position, overload, short circuit or earth leakage · CPC title