Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Multiple controlled elements
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-29
2002-01-08
Herrmann, Allan D. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Multiple controlled elements
C074S098000, C074S473210, C074S48300R, C074S526000, C192S220400, C310S036000, C335S272000, C403S357000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06336373
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary electromagnetic actuator for rotating a first operating member and a second operating member in association with each other through an electromagnetic driving source.
2. Description of Related Art
FIGS. 11A and 11B
show a prior art electromagnetic actuator A used in a shift lock device for limiting the movement of a select lever for an automatic transmission of an automobile.
The electromagnetic actuator A includes an on-off solenoid
2
for driving a plunger
1
in advancing and retracting movements by an electromagnetic force, a first link
4
rotatably supported on a first stationary shaft
3
fixed to a housing, and a second link
6
rotatably supported on a second stationary shaft
5
fixed to the housing. A pin
4
1
provided on the first link
4
is engaged in an elongated bore
1
1
defined at a tip end of the plunger
1
, and a pin
6
1
provided on the second link
6
is engaged in an elongated bore
4
2
defined in the first link
4
.
Therefore, when the on-off solenoid
2
is in its non-excited state in which the plunger
1
has been advanced, as shown in
FIG. 11A
, the first link
4
having the pin
4
1
pushed in the elongated bore
1
1
in the plunger
1
is rotated clockwise about the first stationary shaft
3
, and in association with this rotation, the second link
6
having the pin
6
1
pushed in the elongated bore
4
2
in the first link
4
is rotated counterclockwise about the second stationary shaft
5
. As a result, locking surfaces
7
and
8
provided at tip ends of the first and second links
4
and
6
are moved toward each other, whereby the locking surface
7
of the first link
4
blocks a path of movement of a locked member
9
of a select lever from a neutral range, or the locking surface
8
of the second link
6
blocks a path of movement of the locked member
9
of the select lever from a parking range, thereby inhibiting the operation of the select lever.
When the on-off solenoid
2
is brought into its excited state to retract the plunger
1
, as shown in
FIG. 11B
, the first link
4
having the pin
4
1
pulled in the elongated bore
1
1
in the plunger
1
is rotated counterclockwise about the first stationary shaft
3
, and in association with this rotation, the second link
6
having the pin
6
1
pulled in the elongated bore
4
2
in the first link
4
is rotated clockwise about the second stationary shaft
5
. As a result, the locking surfaces
7
and
8
provided at tip ends of the first and second links
4
and
6
, respectively, are moved away from each other, whereby the locking surface
7
of the first link
4
and the locking surface
8
of the second link
6
are retracted from the path of movement of the locked member
9
of the select lever, thereby permitting the operation of the select lever.
The above-described prior art electromagnetic actuator A suffers from the following problem: The plunger
1
and the first link
4
are engaged with each other by the elongated bore
1
1
and the pin
4
1
, and the first link
4
and the second link
6
are engaged with each other by the elongated bore
4
2
and the pin
6
1
. For this reason, not only the number of parts and the number of assembling steps are increased, but also looseness is produced in the engaged portions, whereby a smooth operation is obstructed.
Moreover, the prior art electromagnetic actuator A suffers from another problem. That is, it has slide areas at four points (1), (2), (3) and (4) which will be described below, and for this reason, the sliding resistance is increased and the burden of the on-off solenoid
2
is increased:
(1) a slide area between the elongated bore
1
1
of the plunger
1
and the pin
4
1
of the first link
4
;
(2) a slide area between the first stationary shaft
3
and the first link
4
;
(3) a slide area between the elongated bore
4
2
in the first link
4
and the pin
6
1
of the second link
6
; and
(4) a slide area between the second stationary shaft
5
and the second link
6
.
To reduce the sliding resistance, it is necessary to apply a lubricant such as silicone grease to each of the slide areas. However, this is accompanied by the following problem: The viscosity of the lubricant increases with the dropping of the temperature. For this reason, if the size of the on-off solenoid
2
is increased in order to overcome the sliding resistance even at a very low temperature to ensure a smooth operation, the driving force of the on-off solenoid becomes excessive at ambient temperature at which the viscosity of the lubricant decreases to make the sliding resistance decreased. This causes the plunger
1
to strike strong a stopper at the end of its stroke, thereby making a noise. Especially, the on-off solenoid
2
has such a characteristic that the driving force is changed largely relative to the stroke of the plunger
1
. For this reason, when the driving force of the on-off solenoid
2
is increased in the vicinity of the end of the stroke, there is a possibility that the noise may grow further larger.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rotary electromagnetic actuator for rotating a first operating member and a second operating member in association with each other through an electromagnetic driving source, wherein the structure of the rotary electromagnetic actuator is simplified, leading to reductions in number of parts and number of assembling steps.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a rotary electromagnetic actuator for rotating a first operating member and a second operating member in association with each other through an electromagnetic driving source, wherein the application of a lubricant is not required, and the noise is reduced.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a rotary electromagnetic actuator for rotating a first operating member and a second operating member in association with each other through an electromagnetic driving source, wherein the driving force is prevented from being changed largely even in the vicinity of the end of the stroke to reduce the noise.
To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect and feature of the present invention, there is provided a rotary electromagnetic actuator comprising an electromagnetic driving source including a driving rotary shaft rotatably carried in a housing and driven in rotation by an electromagnetic force, a follower rotary shaft rotatably carried in the housing, a first operating member carried on and rotated in unison with the driving rotary shaft, a second operating member carried on and rotated in unison with the follower rotary shaft, and an operatively connecting means for permitting the first operating member and the second operating member to be rotated in association with each other.
With the above arrangement, when the electromagnetic driving source is driven to rotate the driving rotary shaft, the first operating member is rotated in unison with the driving rotary shaft. This rotation of the first operating member is transmitted through the operatively connecting means to the second operating member to rotate the second operating member in unison with the follower rotary shaft. Therefore, the first and second operating members can be rotated in unison with each other. In addition, it is unnecessary to provide a pin and an elongated bore, or means for converting a rectilinear motion to a rotational motion such as a stationary shaft and a link in a path of transmitting the driving force from the electromagnetic driving source to the first and second operating members. Therefore, not only the number of parts and the number of assembling steps are reduced, but also the number of slide areas where a friction resistance or looseness is liable to be produced, is reduced, thereby enabling a noiseless smooth operation. Especially, the first and second operating members are carried on the rotary shafts rather than on stationary shafts as in the prior art an
Murai Masakazu
Ryuen Shigeto
Arent Fox Kintner & Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC
Herrmann Allan D.
Keihin Corporation
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