HARMONIC DRIVE LINEAR ACTUATOR

摘要

A harmonic drive linear actuator (36) includes a first annular member (64) defining a longitudinal axis (A) and lying on a plane, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A). The first member (64) is relatively flexible along a direction parallel to the plane. A second member (48) is substantially coaxially aligned with the first member (64) to define opposed substantially cylindrical surfaces (56, 90) and are fixed for non-relative rotation about the longitudinal axis (A). An actuator (62) is provided for flexing the first annular member (64) into at least two spaced-apart points of contact between the opposed surfaces (56, 90) and for sequentially flexing the first member (64) to rotate the at least two points of contact circumferentially about the axis (A). The first and second surfaces (56, 90) define cooperating thread-forms (58, 92) thereon, which selectively engage to effect controlled, bidirectional relative axial displacement between the members (64, 48) in response to sequential flexure of the first member (64). The linear actuator (36) can be conjoined with an actuator piston (32) of a vehicle brake caliper assembly (10).