Direct drive servovalve having redundant drive motors

摘要

A direct drive servovalve (10) includes redundant drive motors (14) coupled to a common valve drive shaft (22,24) by a connection device (26). The connection device (26) is configured to allow operation of the servovalve (10) in the case where one or more of the drive motors (14) becomes inoperable, such as caused by jamming or binding of a rotor associated with the drive motor. By use of the connection device (26), in the event that one of the drive motors (14) was to become jammed, the remaining operable motors (14) can continue to stroke or cause translation of a valve member (18) of the direct drive servovalve (10) to allow its continued operation.

主权项

1. A servovalve assembly, comprising:
a housing defining a fluid pathway; a valve member disposed within the fluid pathway the valve member having a common shaft; and a set of drive motors operatively coupled to the common shaft of the valve member with at least one drive motor of the set of motors coupled to the common shaft by a connection device, the connection device configured to allow positioning of the valve member within the fluid pathway by a subset of the drive motors when the at least one drive motor of the set of drive motors becomes inoperable; wherein the connection device comprises:
a connection device shaft coupled to the common shaft of the valve member;a motor coupling portion slidably disposed on the connection device shaft, the motor coupling portion configured to couple a rotor assembly of the at least one drive motor to the common shaft; anda relief assembly carried by the connection device shaft, the relief assembly configured to allow the remaining drive motor of the set of motors to position the valve member within the fluid pathway when the at least one drive motor of the set of drive motors becomes inoperable.