US 12,270,459 B2
Cable actuator with improved force sensitivity
Philippe Garrec, Gif sur Yvette (FR); and Alexandre Verney, Les Echelles (FR)
Assigned to COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUXENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, Paris (FR)
Filed by COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUXENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, Paris (FR)
Filed on Dec. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/074,240.
Claims priority of application No. 2112897 (FR), filed on Dec. 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0175575 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. F16H 25/24 (2006.01); F16H 19/06 (2006.01); F16H 25/20 (2006.01)
CPC F16H 19/0622 (2013.01) [F16H 25/2015 (2013.01); F16H 25/24 (2013.01); F16H 2019/0686 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cable actuator (100) comprising:
a frame (10);
a screw (2) rotatably mounted on the frame (10) and extending along a first axis (Ox);
a nut (4) cooperating with the screw (2);
a first cable (6) coupled to the nut (4) and functionally connected to an outlet (16, 17, 22.4) of the actuator (100);
a second cable (9) coupled to the nut (4) and functionally connected to the outlet (22.4) of the actuator (100); and
a motor (3) arranged to drive the screw (2) in rotation;
the first cable (6) being arranged to exert forces that oppose the nut (4) being driven in rotation by the screw (2) so as to constitute anti-rotation means such that turning of the screw (2) under drive from the motor (3) causes the nut (4) to move along the screw (2) between a first extreme position (E1) and a second extreme position (E2) that define a stroke (C) for the nut (4); and
the cable actuator (100) also comprising:
means (30) for estimating the angular movement of the nut (4) about the first axis (Lx) relative to the frame (10); and
a control unit that estimates the force being applied to the outlet (22.4) of the cable actuator (100) as a function of the angular movement of the nut (4) about the first axis (Ox);
wherein the means (30) for estimating the angular movement of the nut (4) comprise a distance sensor (30) secured to the frame (10) and using a thread (32) to sense distance, one end (32.1) of the thread (32) being connected to the nut (4) at a connection point (4.1); and
wherein the distance sensor (30) is arranged in such a manner that the thread (32) changes curvature at a first point (34) situated in a first plane (P1) orthogonal to the first axis (Ox), the first plane (P1) being situated at a first distance (d1) from the first extreme position (E1) that lies in the range 30% to 70% of the stroke (C); and
wherein the thread has at least a portion extending between the first point and the end of the thread connected to the nut, said portion extending orthogonally or at an incline relative to the first axis.