Breakaway drive system

摘要

Certain embodiments provide a breakaway drive system that includes an actuator, an actuator breakaway, a shaft breakaway and a drive shaft. The actuator breakaway is operably connected to the actuator and is configured to rotate when the actuator is displaced. The shaft breakaway includes a breakaway mechanism for disengagingly connecting the actuator breakaway to the shaft breakaway. The shaft breakaway rotates in unison with the actuator breakaway when the shafts are operably engaged and does not rotate in unison with the actuator breakaway when the shafts are disengaged. The drive shaft is operably connected to the shaft breakaway such that rotation of the shaft breakaway causes rotation of the drive shaft. An external force on the drive shaft that exceeds a threshold causes rotation of the shaft breakaway such that the breakaway mechanism disengages the shaft breakaway and the actuator breakaway.

主权项

1. A breakaway drive system comprising:
an actuator; an actuator breakaway operably connected to the actuator, the actuator breakaway configured to be rotated when the actuator is displaced; a shaft breakaway comprising a breakaway mechanism providing a first connection of the actuator breakaway to the shaft breakaway, wherein the first connection is a disengageable connection, the shaft breakaway rotating in unison with the actuator breakaway when operably engaged, the shaft breakaway not rotating in unison with the actuator breakaway when disengaged; and a drive shaft operably connected to the shaft breakaway such that rotation of the shaft breakaway causes rotation of the drive shaft, wherein an external force on the drive shaft that exceeds a threshold causes rotation of the shaft breakaway such that the breakaway mechanism disengages the shaft breakaway and the actuator breakaway, and a return spring providing a second connection of the actuator breakaway to the shaft breakaway, wherein the return spring is configured to bias a surface of the shaft breakaway toward a surface of the actuator breakaway.