Patent Application
20080098835
1. Technical Field
The present invention is related to linear actuators, and more particularly, to a torque controlling device provided between a motor shaft and a worm shaft of a linear actuator.
2. Description of Related Art
A linear actuator which works by implementing a motor to drive a worm shaft and in turn rotate a worm gear to accomplish linear propelling has been commonly used in industries of nowadays. A conventional worm gearing system, as shown in
However, during operation, once the distal portion of the linear actuator encounters excessive obstructive force, the obstructive force may pass return to interfere with the rotating of the worm gear 90 and worm shaft 80 and as a result, render the motor shaft 71 jammed or the worm gear 90 damaged. In prior art, an operator may use an electronic current controller to monitor the instant operational current and set an electric current limit to accomplish a normal load torque control. Thus, when the machine encounters excessive obstructive force, the instant operational current shall be sharply increased, and the motor can be shut when said electric current limit is reached. Therefore, the ill effects caused by motor over-loaded can be avoided.
However, said controlling means of electronic current controller may require expensive costs and yet have deficiency. As a motor and the peripheral devices of a linear actuator can get heated over operational time and the temperature change may cause influence on the instant operational current reads, the inaccuracy of instant operational current reads may in turn result in improper load torque control. Consequently, waste of kinetic energy and wear of devices can be caused. Thereupon, the useful life of the motor 70 may be undesirably shortened or the motor may burn out during operation to endanger the operators and peripheral devices.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view and provides a torque controlling device for being equipped around a motor shaft and providing warning to an operator of idle running of the motor and allowing the operator to adjust for proper torque control thereby. Said torque controlling device comprises a ball settled on the surface of the motor shaft, an elastic element arranged upon the ball and a screw provided upon the elastic element.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a torque controlling device, which dispenses with the need of an expensive electronic current controller and achieves load torque control economically and efficiently.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a torque controlling device, which provides warning to an operator when idle running of the motor occurs by the clank generated during the ball moving up and down against the surface of motor shaft, so that the operator can modify torque control by adjusting the disclosed torque controlling device immediately.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a torque controlling device, which implements uncomplex structure to accomplish torque adjustment without needs of additional space and device costs.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a torque controlling device, which allows an operator easily and promptly adjusting the resistance put onto the ball by screwing the screw to maintain normal operation of the linear actuator.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a torque controlling device, which eliminates the detrimental influence inaccuracy caused by temperature change over operational time and accomplish reliable load torque control.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a torque controlling device, which protects the motor and peripheral devices form damage caused by excessive load and in turn facilitates extending the useful life thereof.
The invention as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
As shown in
a motor 10,
a motor shaft 11 having a driving end,
a worm shaft 20 meshing sheathing said driving end of the motor shaft 11,
two relatively deeper ball seats 111 situated on the peripheral surface of the motor shaft 11 oppositely which are interconnected by a relatively shallower ball cannelure 112 encircling the motor shaft 11,
two through passages 21 provided radially through the worm shaft 20 and positioned correspondingly to said two ball seats 111 wherein each through passage 21 has internal threads at the end adjacent to the outer periphery of the worm shaft 20,
two balls 30, which according to the particular embodiment is are stainless round balls, each having one side thereof settled in one of said ball seats 111 on the motor shaft 11, while the other side thereof is received by the relevant through passage 21 at the end adjacent to the inner periphery of the worm shaft 20,
two elastic element 40 provided respectively in each said through passage 21 and sitting upon the ball 30, and
two screws 50, wherein each screw 50 is pierced into the through passage 21 from the external peripheral surface of the worm shaft 20 that has threads matching threads of the through passage 21 so that the screw 50 can be screwed into or back from the through passage 21.
By foregoing structure, each said screw 50 pushes the corresponding elastic element 40 to press on the surface of the corresponding ball 30 and successively makes the ball 30 presses tightly onto the surface of the ball seat 111.
Thus, during normal operation, the motor shaft 11 propels the worm shaft 20 to rotate, and said balls 30, elastic element 40 and screws 50 are synchronously drawn to move. Such motion of foresaid components further drives a worm gear 60 to impel a linear moving mechanism to perform linear reciprocation
However, as the linear moving mechanism encounters excessive obstructive force that is passed return to impede the rotations of the worm gear 60 and worm shaft 20, the incipient torque set of the disclosed torque controlling device can not afford current load, idle running of the motor shaft 11 is therefore rendered. At this time, since each said ball 30 is located between running motor shaft 11 and immobile worm shaft 20, the upper end thereof is retained by the through passage 21 of worm shaft 20, while the bottom thereof is forced to moves upward and compresses the elastic element 40 to depart the ball seats 111 and contact with the relatively shallower ball cannelure 112, as shown in
Accordingly, the torque of the motor 10 can be increased by screwing the screws 50 inward the through passages 21 equally, when the deepgoing screws 50 evenly compress the elastic elements 40 toward the motor shaft 11, as shown in
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that numerous variations will be possible to the disclosed embodiments without going outside the scope of the invention as disclosed in the claims.
