GB2334758A - Rotary actuator for use in active roll control system for vehicle suspension. - Google Patents

Rotary actuator for use in active roll control system for vehicle suspension. Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2334758A
GB2334758A GB9804202A GB9804202A GB2334758A GB 2334758 A GB2334758 A GB 2334758A GB 9804202 A GB9804202 A GB 9804202A GB 9804202 A GB9804202 A GB 9804202A GB 2334758 A GB2334758 A GB 2334758A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
housing
rotary member
vanes
rotary
bladder
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9804202A
Other versions
GB9804202D0 (en
Inventor
Mark Pask
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
MG Rover Group Ltd
Original Assignee
MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by MG Rover Group Ltd filed Critical MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority to GB9804202A priority Critical patent/GB2334758A/en
Publication of GB9804202D0 publication Critical patent/GB9804202D0/en
Publication of GB2334758A publication Critical patent/GB2334758A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16F—SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION
    • F16F9/00—Springs, vibration-dampers, shock-absorbers, or similarly-constructed movement-dampers using a fluid or the equivalent as damping medium
    • F16F9/32—Details
    • F16F9/36—Special sealings, including sealings or guides for piston-rods
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G21/00—Interconnection systems for two or more resiliently-suspended wheels, e.g. for stabilising a vehicle body with respect to acceleration, deceleration or centrifugal forces
    • B60G21/02—Interconnection systems for two or more resiliently-suspended wheels, e.g. for stabilising a vehicle body with respect to acceleration, deceleration or centrifugal forces permanently interconnected
    • B60G21/04—Interconnection systems for two or more resiliently-suspended wheels, e.g. for stabilising a vehicle body with respect to acceleration, deceleration or centrifugal forces permanently interconnected mechanically
    • B60G21/05—Interconnection systems for two or more resiliently-suspended wheels, e.g. for stabilising a vehicle body with respect to acceleration, deceleration or centrifugal forces permanently interconnected mechanically between wheels on the same axle but on different sides of the vehicle, i.e. the left and right wheel suspensions being interconnected
    • B60G21/055—Stabiliser bars
    • B60G21/0551—Mounting means therefor
    • B60G21/0553—Mounting means therefor adjustable
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F15—FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS; HYDRAULICS OR PNEUMATICS IN GENERAL
    • F15B—SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F15B15/00—Fluid-actuated devices for displacing a member from one position to another; Gearing associated therewith
    • F15B15/08—Characterised by the construction of the motor unit
    • F15B15/10—Characterised by the construction of the motor unit the motor being of diaphragm type
    • F15B15/103—Characterised by the construction of the motor unit the motor being of diaphragm type using inflatable bodies that contract when fluid pressure is applied, e.g. pneumatic artificial muscles or McKibben-type actuators
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F15—FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS; HYDRAULICS OR PNEUMATICS IN GENERAL
    • F15B—SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F15B15/00—Fluid-actuated devices for displacing a member from one position to another; Gearing associated therewith
    • F15B15/08—Characterised by the construction of the motor unit
    • F15B15/12—Characterised by the construction of the motor unit of the oscillating-vane or curved-cylinder type
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16F—SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION
    • F16F9/00—Springs, vibration-dampers, shock-absorbers, or similarly-constructed movement-dampers using a fluid or the equivalent as damping medium
    • F16F9/10—Springs, vibration-dampers, shock-absorbers, or similarly-constructed movement-dampers using a fluid or the equivalent as damping medium using liquid only; using a fluid of which the nature is immaterial
    • F16F9/12—Devices with one or more rotary vanes turning in the fluid any throttling effect being immaterial, i.e. damping by viscous shear effect only
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2202/00—Indexing codes relating to the type of spring, damper or actuator
    • B60G2202/10—Type of spring
    • B60G2202/13—Torsion spring
    • B60G2202/135—Stabiliser bar and/or tube
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2202/00—Indexing codes relating to the type of spring, damper or actuator
    • B60G2202/20—Type of damper
    • B60G2202/22—Rotary Damper
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2202/00—Indexing codes relating to the type of spring, damper or actuator
    • B60G2202/40—Type of actuator
    • B60G2202/41—Fluid actuator
    • B60G2202/413—Hydraulic actuator
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2202/00—Indexing codes relating to the type of spring, damper or actuator
    • B60G2202/40—Type of actuator
    • B60G2202/442—Rotary actuator
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2500/00—Indexing codes relating to the regulated action or device
    • B60G2500/20—Spring action or springs
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2800/00—Indexing codes relating to the type of movement or to the condition of the vehicle and to the end result to be achieved by the control action
    • B60G2800/01—Attitude or posture control
    • B60G2800/012—Rolling condition

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)

Abstract

A rotary actuator has vanes 12, 16 mounted inside a cylindrical housing 10, the vanes dividing the internal region of the housing into four chambers, 24. Each chamber contains an elastomeric bladder 26, connected to an external hydraulic circuit via holes in the housing. When used in a vehicle suspension, the rotor 12 and housing 10 are attached to different sides of an anti-roll bar. Controlling the hydraulic fluid pressure supplied to the bladders, e.g. via pumps, in turn allows the relative motion of the parts of the anti-roll bar to be controlled. A second embodiment of the invention (Figure 2) has two independently rotatable vanes 34 that are attached to a central shaft 32, and define two regions 36, again lined by bladders, 38. Pressurising the fluid in one side rotates the vanes in opposite directions, again allowing active control of a roll bar connected to the vanes.

Description

Rotarv Actuators The present invention relates to rotary actuators and in particular for such actuators for use in active roll control systems for vehicle suspensions.
It is known, for example from US 5492051 and US 5632502 to provide a hydraulically operated rotary actuator in which the working chambers are defined in the gap between an outer cylindrical housing and an inner rotor each of which has radial blades or vanes on it extending across the gap and sealing against the other so that hydraulic fluid can be introduced into the chambers under pressure to cause rotation of the rotor relative to the housing.
It is a problem with this type of rotary actuator that effective sealing, especially against the end faces of the housing, is hard to achieve.
The present invention provides a rotary actuator comprising a housing and a rotary member mounted in the housing, the rotary member and the housing at least partly defining a chamber, the rotary member being rotatable relative to the housing to change the volume of the chamber, and a bladder located in the chamber and having at least one port for allowing hydraulic fluid into and out of it and being arranged to expand and contract in response to changes in fluid pressure inside it to cause relative movement of the rotary member and the housing.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a section through a rotary actuator according to a first embodiment of the invention, and Figure 2 is a section through a rotary actuator according to a second embodiment of the invention.
Referring to Figure 1, a rotary actuator comprises a housing 10 which is generally cylindrical having a curved side wall 10a and two flat end walls (not shown) and a rotary member in the form of a rotor 12 mounted in the housing and comprising a central spindle 14 supported at each end in the centre of the end walls of the housing so that it lies on the central longitudinal axis X of the housing and can rotate about that axis, and a pair of rectangular vanes 16 extending radially from opposite sides of the spindle 14 out to the inner surface 18 of the side wall 10a of the housing and along the whole length of the housing. The vanes are of sufficient width and length to be in sliding contact with the side and end walls of the housing and are rigidly attached to the spindle 14 so that they rotate with it.
A pair of dividing walls 20 extend radially inwards from the side wall of the housing 10 on opposite sides of the axis X and parallel to it, their inner ends 22 being just in sliding contact with the spindle 14.
The dividing walls 20 therefore divide the cylindrical volume inside the housing into two equal halves, each of which is further divided by the vanes 16 into two adjacent chambers 24. Rotation of the rotor 12 about its axis in either direction will cause two of the chambers which are opposite each other and in opposite sides of the dividing walls to increase in volume and the two other adjacent chambers, which are also opposite each other and in opposite sides of the dividing walls, to decrease in volume.
A bladder 26 of elastomeric material is contained in each chamber and is completely sealed except for one opening or port 28 in the form of a tube 30 which connects the bladder to an external hydraulic circuit through a hole in the housing 10. The circuit includes a source of hydraulic fluid pressure, such as a pump and a valve block which can control the pressure of fluid supplied to or released from each of the chambers 24 to cause rotation of the rotor 12 relative to the housing 10.
In a roll control system for a vehicle suspension the rotor 12 is rigidly attached to one side of an anti-roll bar and the housing is rigidly attached to the other side of the anti-roll bar. This enables the two sides of the anti-roll bar to be rotated relative to each other in a controlled manner thereby to control actively the roll of the vehicle.
Referring to Figure 2, in a second embodiment of the invention a rotary actuator comprises a cylindrical housing 31 with a fixed bar 32 mounted on its axis and extending along its length. The housing 31 has no fixed end walls but its ends fit over the ends of two shafts which are to be rotated relative to each other, the shafts being slidingly rotatable relative to the housing. Each shaft has a rotary member in the form of a paddle or vane 34 extending from its end through the housing which is wide enough to extend radially from the bar 32 to the housing 31 and long enough to reach the end of the other shaft. The two vanes 34 therefore divide the volume in the housing into two chambers 36 and each of the vanes 34 together with its associated shaft can rotate about the central axis of the housing to increase the size of one of the chambers 36 and decrease the size of the other.
As with the first embodiment each of the chambers is filled by a bladder 38 which is sealed except for a port 40 which communicates with an external hydraulic circuit. Introduction of fluid under pressure into one of the bladders 38 therefore tends to make both of the vanes 34 rotate relative to the housing in opposite directions about the housing axis i.e. in one direction relative to each other, and introduction of fluid into the other bladder causes the two vanes to rotate relative to the housing, in the opposite direction relative to each other.

Claims (7)

  1. CLMMS CLAIMS 1. A rotary actuator comprising a housing and a rotary member mounted in the housing, the rotary member and the housing at least partly defining a chamber, the rotary member being rotatable relative to the housing to change the volume of the chamber, and a bladder located in the chamber and having at least one port for allowing hydraulic fluid into and out of it and being arranged to expand and contract in response to changes in fluid pressure inside it to cause relative movement of the rotary member and the housing.
  2. 2. An actuator according to claim 1 wherein the housing is cylindrical and the rotary member is mounted so as to rotate about the central longitudinal axis of the housing.
  3. 3. An actuator according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the housing includes a radially extending wall which partly defines the chamber and which part of the rotary member can move towards and away from to change the volume of the chamber.
  4. 4. An actuator according to claim 3 wherein the housing includes a further radially extending wall, the rotary member dividing the space between the walls into two chambers each of which has a bladder therein so that increasing the pressure of the fluid in one of the bladders can cause movement of the rotary member in one direction and increasing the pressure in the other bladder can cause movement of the rotary member in the other direction.
  5. 5. An actuator according to claim 4 wherein the two walls divide the space inside the housing into two halves and the rotary member has two vanes each extending into one of said two halves to divide it into two chambers each of the chambers having a bladder therein.
  6. 6. An actuator according to claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising a further rotary member, the two rotary members being rotatable independently about a common axis and dividing the space inside the housing into two chambers, each chamber having a bladder therein into which hydraulic fluid can be introduced so that increasing the pressure of fluid in one of the bladders will cause movement of both of the rotary members relative to housing and in one direction relative to each other, and increasing the pressure of fluid in the other bladder will cause movement of the rotary members relative to the housing and in the opposite direction relative to each other.
  7. 7. A rotary actuator substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB9804202A 1998-02-28 1998-02-28 Rotary actuator for use in active roll control system for vehicle suspension. Withdrawn GB2334758A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9804202A GB2334758A (en) 1998-02-28 1998-02-28 Rotary actuator for use in active roll control system for vehicle suspension.

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9804202A GB2334758A (en) 1998-02-28 1998-02-28 Rotary actuator for use in active roll control system for vehicle suspension.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9804202D0 GB9804202D0 (en) 1998-04-22
GB2334758A true GB2334758A (en) 1999-09-01

Family

ID=10827708

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9804202A Withdrawn GB2334758A (en) 1998-02-28 1998-02-28 Rotary actuator for use in active roll control system for vehicle suspension.

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2334758A (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102006051682A1 (en) * 2006-08-01 2008-02-14 Benteler Automobiltechnik Gmbh Arrangement for chassis stabilization
EP2033819A1 (en) 2007-09-04 2009-03-11 Renault s.a.s. Device for disconnecting and connecting two stabiliser half-bars for an automobile
US10267342B2 (en) 2014-06-30 2019-04-23 Interventek Subsea Engineering Limited Rotary actuator

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB465473A (en) * 1935-11-05 1937-05-05 Automotive Prod Co Ltd Improvements relating to liquid pressure operating systems
GB1317706A (en) * 1971-03-03 1973-05-23 Greer Hydraulics Inc Rotary actuator
US3977648A (en) * 1973-05-07 1976-08-31 Sigmon Corporation Rotary motion valve and actuator
GB1520119A (en) * 1974-09-27 1978-08-02 Autage R F A Rotary fluid-pressure actuator
EP0143908A2 (en) * 1983-09-07 1985-06-12 Gebrüder Bode & Co. GmbH Actuating device of a rotatable column, especially for moving a pivoting door wing of a motor vehicle

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB465473A (en) * 1935-11-05 1937-05-05 Automotive Prod Co Ltd Improvements relating to liquid pressure operating systems
GB1317706A (en) * 1971-03-03 1973-05-23 Greer Hydraulics Inc Rotary actuator
US3977648A (en) * 1973-05-07 1976-08-31 Sigmon Corporation Rotary motion valve and actuator
GB1520119A (en) * 1974-09-27 1978-08-02 Autage R F A Rotary fluid-pressure actuator
EP0143908A2 (en) * 1983-09-07 1985-06-12 Gebrüder Bode & Co. GmbH Actuating device of a rotatable column, especially for moving a pivoting door wing of a motor vehicle

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102006051682A1 (en) * 2006-08-01 2008-02-14 Benteler Automobiltechnik Gmbh Arrangement for chassis stabilization
EP2033819A1 (en) 2007-09-04 2009-03-11 Renault s.a.s. Device for disconnecting and connecting two stabiliser half-bars for an automobile
US10267342B2 (en) 2014-06-30 2019-04-23 Interventek Subsea Engineering Limited Rotary actuator
EP3161329B1 (en) * 2014-06-30 2019-09-04 Interventek Subsea Engineering Limited Rotary actuator

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9804202D0 (en) 1998-04-22

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Legal Events

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)