WO1991007767A1 - Actionneurs thermiques pour deconnecteurs mecaniques ou similaires - Google Patents

Actionneurs thermiques pour deconnecteurs mecaniques ou similaires Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1991007767A1
WO1991007767A1 PCT/US1990/005715 US9005715W WO9107767A1 WO 1991007767 A1 WO1991007767 A1 WO 1991007767A1 US 9005715 W US9005715 W US 9005715W WO 9107767 A1 WO9107767 A1 WO 9107767A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
pin
housing
operator
piston
cavity
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.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/US1990/005715
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Gregory G. Johnson
Henry R. Vanderzyden
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.)
Sundstrand Corp
Original Assignee
Sundstrand Corp
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 Sundstrand Corp filed Critical Sundstrand Corp
Publication of WO1991007767A1 publication Critical patent/WO1991007767A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased 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
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D11/00—Clutches in which the members have interengaging parts
    • F16D11/02—Clutches in which the members have interengaging parts disengaged by a contact of a part mounted on the clutch with a stationarily-mounted member
    • F16D11/04—Clutches in which the members have interengaging parts disengaged by a contact of a part mounted on the clutch with a stationarily-mounted member with clutching members movable only axially
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H37/00—Thermally-actuated switches
    • H01H37/02—Details
    • H01H37/32—Thermally-sensitive members
    • H01H37/36—Thermally-sensitive members actuated due to expansion or contraction of a fluid with or without vaporisation

Definitions

  • This invention relates to thermal operators, that is, operators which produce mechanical movement in response to a change of temperature, as, for example, may be used in a mechanical disconnect mechanism.
  • the present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the above problems.
  • an operator including a pin mounted for generally axial movement and having opposed ends, a ' housing mounting the pin for the axial movement such that at least one end of the pin extends from the housing, and a cavity within the housing and containing a material .that undergoes a sudden, substantial volumetric increase in response to increasing temperature accompanied by a solid to liquid phase change.
  • a piston is disposed in the housing and is subject to the material so as to be moved thereby upon volumetric increase thereof. The piston is located to act upon the pin remote from the end that extends from the housing.
  • movement of the pin will occur in response to the sudden, substantial volumetric increase in response to increasing temperature and the movement of the accompanying phase change may be utilized to produce any desired mechanical action.
  • the pin includes a head at the end thereof opposite the end that extends from the housing and the piston includes a finger that is movable with the piston and toward the head.
  • the invention also contemplates the provision of a washer about the pin adjacent the head such that the finger is engageable with the washer.
  • Another aspect of the invention contemplates a combined electric and thermal operator which includes the pin as aforesaid along with a solenoid having a coil and an armature adjacent one end of the pin with the armature connected to that end of the pin.
  • the housing includes a cavity containing material that undergoes sudden, substantial volumetric increase in response to increasing temperature accompanied by a solid to liquid phase change and a movable element is in non-connected but abutting relation with one of the armature and the corresponding end of the pin and extends toward the cav ' ity in contact with the material so as to respond to expansion of the material to drive the pin, either directly or via the armature.
  • the pin may be driven either in response to an increase in temperature or in response to an electrical signal applied to the solenoid coil.
  • the arrangement is such that the pin can still be moved as a result of thermal expansion of the material contained in the cavity.
  • such a mechanism may be included in a mechanical disconnect system which further includes a pair of aligned, relatively axially movable, rotatable shafts having interengaging teeth, an exterior thread on one of the shafts, a radially movable pawl aligned with the thread and movable into engagement therewith such that rotation of the shafts will cause relative axial movement thereof to disengage the teeth, and a plunger mounting the pawl and biased toward the shafts.
  • the pin of the operator is employed to normally latchingly engage the plunger to prevent the pawl from engaging the thread but will release the plunger upon receipt of a signal to the solenoid or in response to increasing temperature.
  • the pin extends through the housing and the cavity is an annular cavity located about the pin.
  • the housing further contains a cylinder in fluid communication with the cavity and the movable element or piston is located within the cylinder.
  • a shear pin is provided to normally interconnect the piston and the housing radially to position the piston as well as provide a measure of restraint against movement until the temperature of the apparatus is such that a disconnect should be made.
  • a thermal operator including a housing as mentioned previously with opposed faces with one end of the pin extending from one of the faces. Such face is configured for mounting to a disconnect mechanism or the like.
  • the other of the faces of the housing is configured to mount a solenoid or the like and means are provided for mounting the housing one face with a solenoid mounted on the other face, to a disconnect mechanism or the like.
  • a thermal disconnect feature can be added to existing power trains having solenoid operator disconnects as an in-the-field retrofit.
  • Fig. 1 is a view of a mechanical disconnect mechanism made according to the prior art
  • Fig. 2 is a view of the mechanical disconnect system with the addition of a thermal operator made according to the invention
  • Fig. 3 is a view of a thermal operator made according to the invention with an electrical solenoid attached thereto showing the configuration of the components in the non-energized state;
  • Fig. 4 is a view of the thermal operator after being tripped in response to an increase in temperature
  • Fig. 5 is a view of the thermal actuator showing the relation of the components after having been tripped in response to an electrical signal
  • Fig. 6 is an end view of a piston utilized in the thermal actuator
  • Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing a modified embodiment of such a piston.
  • FIG. 1 A typical prior art construction in which an operator made according to the invention may find utility is illustrated in Fig. 1 in the form of part of a conventional drive train between, for example, the gear box associated with an aircraft turbine engine, and a constant speed drive or integrated drive generator forming part of the electrical system for such aircraft.
  • the invention may be employed with efficacy in other environments as well and that no limitation in any particular environment is intended except insofar as stated in the claims.
  • an input spline shaft 10 is shown and will typically be connected to the gear box (not shown) of a aircraft turbine engine (also not shown) .
  • the input spline shaft 10 is journaled as by bearings 12 and at one end 14 includes axially facing teeth 16.
  • a so-called "worm shaft” 18 having an external thread 20 is mounted in alignment with the input spline shaft 10 and has axially facing teeth 22 which may interengage with the teeth 16 to couple the shafts 10 and 18 together so that rotary input applied to the former will result in driving the latter.
  • the worm shaft 18 will be axially movable on a driven shaft 24 which serves as the input to the constant speed drive or integrated drive generator while being splined thereto so that rotation of the shaft 18 will be conveyed to the shaft 24.
  • a reset spring 26 may be disposed between a shoulder 28 on the shaft 24 and an end 30 of the worm shaft 18 so as to bias the latter such that the teeth 22 will engage with the teeth 16 on the input spline shaft.
  • the system includes a housing which is partially shown at 32 and within such housing is a plunger 34 which is mounted for reciprocal movement in the radial direction, that is, toward and away from the shafts 10 and 18.
  • the plunger 34 On its radially inner end, the plunger 34 includes a pawl 36 with a thread surface 38 in alignment with the thread 20 on the worm shaft 18.
  • a spring 40 operates against the plunger 34 so as to bias the same toward the shafts 10 and 18 while a. latch pin 42 normally latchingly engages the plunger 34 to hold the same in the position shown, that is, with the pawl 36 spaced from the external thread 20.
  • the latch pin 42 may be withdrawn by electrical operation of a solenoid 44 and when such occurs, the spfing 40 will drive the plunger and the pawl 36 radially inward such that the thread surface 38 will engage the thread 20 on the worm shaft 18.
  • the thread 20 is pitched such that continued rotation of the worm shaft 18 while engaged with the thread surface 38 will result in the worm shaft 18 axially moving to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 and against the bias of the spring 26.
  • the teeth 22 will be disengaged from the teeth 16 and the driving connection between the shafts 10 and 18 quickly broken to ultimately terminate the rotary input on the shaft 24 to the constant speed drive or integrated drive generator.
  • sensors are employed along with appropriate circuitry to indicate manual activation of the solenoid 44 when it is determined that the input of further power to the mechanism connected to the shaft 24 could result in damage thereto.
  • this type of mechanism may be subject to problems as a result of circuit failure, human error and/or corrosion that limits movement between movable parts within the solenoid 44.
  • a prior art apparatus such as shown in Fig. 1 be retrofitted with a thermal operator made according to the invention which provides increased fail-safe ability insofar as the disconnect operation described previously can result from the determination of an undesirably high temperature in the environment of the mechanism apart from any sensors, human input or electrical circuitry associated with the solenoid 44.
  • a thermal operator generally designated 50 is interposed between the solenoid 44 and the plunger 34.
  • a latching pin 52 normally restrains the plunger 34 as described previously but may be operated in response to either energization of the solenoid 44 or the determination of an undesirably high temperature by the thermal operator 50; and such movement of the pin 52 may occur in response to either such occurrence independently of the other.
  • the solenoid 44 is seen to include a housing 60 terminating in an ear 62 provided with an aperture 64 for receipt of the bolt 58. Within the housing 60 is a coil 66 which may be connected to known electrical circuitry to receive signals, directing operation of the disconnect mechanism.
  • armature 68 Conventionally ovably received within the coil 66 is an armature 68.
  • the armature 68 will move to the left and the components will occupy the position illustrated in Fig. 5.
  • One end 78 of the armature 68 remote from the end piece 74 includes a T-slot 80 to receive a T-shaped head 82 or end of the pin 52; Thus, movement of the armature 68 will move the pin 52 axially.
  • the housing 60 for the solenoid 44 is fitted to a first housing component 90 of the thermal actuator 50.
  • the housing component 90 is, for the most part, received within a bore 92 in a second housing component 94 forming part of the thermal actuator 50.
  • the arrangement is such that an annular cavity 96 is formed intermediate the ends of the pin 52 and in surrounding relation thereto.
  • the housing component 90 includes an integral sleeve 98 which extends through an opening 100 in the housing component 94 and which essentially mounts the pin 52 for movement along its longitudinal axis such that an end 102 of the pin 52 normally extends out of the housing defined by the housing components 90 and 94.
  • the end 102 is utilized to engage the plunger 34 to normally hold the same in the position illustrated in Fig. 2.
  • the interface of the housing components 90 and 94 is sealed by O-ring seals 104 and the annular chamber 96 is filled with a material that undergoes sudden, substantial volumetric increase in response to increasing temperature accompanied by a solid to liquid phase change.
  • this material is any one of a number of conventional waxes as, for example, para- terphenyl.
  • the housing component 90 includes a cylinder 110.
  • a piston 112 is reciprocally received within the cylinder 110 and has an end 114 that extends toward the cavity 96 to be in contact with the material therein.
  • expansion of the material in the chamber 96 will act against the surface 114 and will drive the piston 112 to the left within the cylinder 110. from the position illustrated in Fig. 3 to that illustrated in Fig. 4.
  • a shear pin 116 extends between the piston 112 and the housing component 90 to normally restrain movement of and radially position the piston 112.
  • the material within the cavity 96 will be confined to the volume thereof but the pressure will increase.
  • the pressure will be sufficient to rupture the shear pin 116 allowing movement of the piston 112 from the position illustrated in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4 in but a single increment.
  • the pin 116 may be sized to shear at an internal pressure within the chamber 96 of about 615 psi.
  • the piston 112 On its end 120 opposite the end 114, the piston 112 carries an axially directed finger 122 which extends toward the head 82 of the pin 52.
  • a washer 124 may be optionally slideably disposed on the pin 52 so as to abut the end 78 of the armature 68 as well as being located as to be engaged by the finger 122. It is to be specifically noted that the finger 122 is not connected to the armature 68 nor to the washer 124 but merely contacts the same. Positioning of the finger 122 to abut the washer 124 is assured by the positioning feature of the shear pin 116.
  • Fig. 5 also illustrates that the armature 68 may be moved to the left from the position illustrated in Fig. 3 solely in response to an electrical signal applied to the coil 66. In this case, the piston 112 remains in the same position as in Fig. 3, retained by the shear pin 116, but the end 102 of the pin 52 is nonetheless withdrawn from latching engagement with the plunger 34 (Fig. 2) . While Fig. 5 illustrates the washer
  • the housing component 94 includes an interior bore 130 that aligns with the bore 64 in the solenoid housing 60.
  • the bolt 58 may extend through both of the bores 64 and 130 to be received in the bore 54 in the mechanism housing 32 as mentioned previously.
  • Fig. 6 illustrates one configuration of the finger 122.
  • the finger 122 is simply a cylindrically shaped finger that is offset from the center line of the piston 112.
  • FIG. 7 An optional configuration for the finger 122 is shown at 122 'in Fig. 7.
  • the cross-section of the finger appears as a common area of two intersecting circles defined by arcs 132 and 134.
  • the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 7 may be preferable in that it may permit one to dispense with the washer 124.
  • the housing part 94 has a face 140 which is configured so as to mate with a face 142 on the housing 32 just as the solenoid 44 had a similar mating face.
  • the housing part 90 is provided with a face 146 to which the solenoid 44 may mate. the face 146 being opposite the face 140.
  • prior art devices such as shown in Fig. 1 may be readily retrofitted with the thermal operator 50 in-the-field simply by removing and partially disassembling the solenoid 44 and fitting the same to the housing part 94 on the face 146. All that need be provided is, of course, the thermal operator 50, a new pin 52 of greater length than the pin 42 and an bolt 58 of increased length. The resulting assembly, by reason of the mating nature of the face 140 to the face 142 may be readily . installed on the mechanism.
  • the- invention provides a means whereby the additional fail-safe capability that attends the use of a thermal operator in addition to a solenoid operator is achieved. It will likewise be appreciated that when used in a mechanical disconnect system, difficulty ' associated with inadvertent disconnect is essentially eliminated as is the problem of clean up where eutectic materials are utilized as thermally responsive devices.
  • Still another advantage provided by the invention resides in the fact that after there has been a disconnect due to overheating, the coupling cannot be manually reset without disassembly of the operator. This feature virtually assures inspection to determine the cause of overheating and in any event, prevents inadvertant improper resetting.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Actuator (AREA)

Abstract

Le non fonctionnement d'un système déconnecteur mécanique dû à la congélation du solénoïde, à une panne électrique ou à une erreur humaine est évité par un actionneur électrique et thermique qui comprend une broche (52) axialement mobile avec des extrémités opposées (82, 102), un solénoïde (44) avec une bobine (66) et un induit (68) adjacent à une extrémité (82) de la broche (52), à laquelle il est connecté, un logement (90, 94) avec une cavité (96) qui contient un matériau qui subit une augmentation considérable et soudaine de volume en réponse à une augmentation de la température en même temps qu'un changement de la phase solide à la phase liquide, et un élément mobile (112) non connecté mais aboutissant à l'induit (68) et à l'extrémité (82) de la broche (52), qui s'étend vers la cavité (96) de manière à entrer en contact avec le matériau qu'elle contient. La broche (52) peut se déplacer pour déclencher la déconnexion en réponse à un déplacement de l'induit (68) ou de l'élément mobile (112).
PCT/US1990/005715 1989-11-21 1990-10-04 Actionneurs thermiques pour deconnecteurs mecaniques ou similaires Ceased WO1991007767A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US43978389A 1989-11-21 1989-11-21
US439,783 1989-11-21

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1991007767A1 true WO1991007767A1 (fr) 1991-05-30

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN110686115A (zh) * 2018-07-05 2020-01-14 三花亚威科电器设备（芜湖）有限公司 电磁阀和电磁阀的运作方法

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1571182A (en) * 1922-02-25 1926-02-02 Cutler Hammer Mfg Co Protective device for electric circuits
US2127319A (en) * 1936-02-05 1938-08-16 Zahradnik Eustach Reclosable automatic overload cut-out
US3609635A (en) * 1968-08-21 1971-09-28 Prod Design & Mfg Self-ejecting electric plug
US3712052A (en) * 1971-04-01 1973-01-23 Thermal Hydraulics Corp Thermal actuator with captive piston shaft and special seal
US3805528A (en) * 1972-10-02 1974-04-23 Gould Inc Thermal actuator
US4016722A (en) * 1975-05-02 1977-04-12 Gould Inc. Safety blow-out protection for fluid actuators
US4235304A (en) * 1976-08-31 1980-11-25 Nihon Radiator Co., Ltd. Muffler
US4288770A (en) * 1979-11-28 1981-09-08 General Electric Company Thermal override for static trip circuit breakers

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1571182A (en) * 1922-02-25 1926-02-02 Cutler Hammer Mfg Co Protective device for electric circuits
US2127319A (en) * 1936-02-05 1938-08-16 Zahradnik Eustach Reclosable automatic overload cut-out
US3609635A (en) * 1968-08-21 1971-09-28 Prod Design & Mfg Self-ejecting electric plug
US3712052A (en) * 1971-04-01 1973-01-23 Thermal Hydraulics Corp Thermal actuator with captive piston shaft and special seal
US3805528A (en) * 1972-10-02 1974-04-23 Gould Inc Thermal actuator
US4016722A (en) * 1975-05-02 1977-04-12 Gould Inc. Safety blow-out protection for fluid actuators
US4235304A (en) * 1976-08-31 1980-11-25 Nihon Radiator Co., Ltd. Muffler
US4288770A (en) * 1979-11-28 1981-09-08 General Electric Company Thermal override for static trip circuit breakers

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN110686115A (zh) * 2018-07-05 2020-01-14 三花亚威科电器设备（芜湖）有限公司 电磁阀和电磁阀的运作方法
CN110686115B (zh) * 2018-07-05 2023-10-17 三花亚威科电器设备（芜湖）有限公司 电磁阀和电磁阀的运作方法

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