US 11,927,249 B2
Compact linear to rotary actuator
Craig D. Mawle, Red Feather Lakes, CO (US); Mark A. Spickard, Carr, CO (US); and Barry T. Brinks, Fort Collins, CO (US)
Assigned to Woodward, Inc., Fort Collins, CO (US)
Filed by Woodward, Inc., Fort Collins, CO (US)
Filed on Dec. 3, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/457,560.
Application 17/457,560 is a continuation of application No. 16/399,557, filed on Apr. 30, 2019, granted, now 11,199,248.
Prior Publication US 2022/0090657 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. F16H 21/34 (2006.01); B64C 13/26 (2006.01); F15B 15/06 (2006.01); F16C 7/02 (2006.01); F16H 21/22 (2006.01)
CPC F16H 21/34 (2013.01) [B64C 13/26 (2013.01); F15B 15/06 (2013.01); F16C 7/023 (2013.01); F16H 21/22 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A linear-to-rotary motion apparatus comprising:
a first linear actuator comprising:
a first actuator housing comprising a first piston chamber; and
a first piston shaft disposed at least partially within the first piston chamber and configured to translate within the first piston chamber along a first translation axis, the first piston shaft comprising a first piston shaft end configured to selectively extend and retract linearly along the first translation axis relative to the first actuator housing; and
a rotor apparatus comprising:
a first rotary joint defining a first rotational axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first translation axis;
a rotor arm extending radially from the first rotary joint and configured to pivot about the first rotary joint, the rotor arm having a rotor arm end positioned away from the first rotary joint;
a first torque linkage having a first torque linkage end pivotably connected to the rotor arm end of the rotor arm, and a second torque linkage end opposite the first torque linkage end and pivotably connected to the first piston shaft end of the first piston shaft at a first pivot connection joint, the first pivot connection joint defining a first pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first translation axis of the first piston shaft, wherein the rotor arm at least partially overlaps the piston shaft in a two dimensional viewing plane, the first pivot axis and the first rotational axis being normal to the two dimensional viewing plane; and
a guide structure directly connected to the first pivot connection joint and configured to at least partially guide movement of the first pivot connection joint.