ACTUATOR

Abstract

 An actuator comprises a cylinder (5) with a member fixing the cylinder to a bracket (6) which is a fixed part of a structure whose movable part is controlled by the actuator. The actuator (2) comprises a movable piston rod (4) with a member fixing the piston rod (4) to a movable part of a structure. The cylinder (5) comprises a clamp (7) tightened around the cylinder (5), wherein the clamp (7) is equipped with a connector (8). The clamp (7) is a fitting with a hole (13) with the inner cross-section corresponding to the external cross-section of the cylinder (5). The clamp comprises on one side a slot (14) with holes (15) for clamping screws (16). On the opposite side to the slot (14) the clamp (7) comprises a member fixing (17) to the clamp (7) the connector (8) which connects the clamp (7) with a fixed part of a structure in the form of a bracket (6). The fixing member (17) comprises a projection of the clamp (7) connected with the bracket (6) by means of the connector (8). The connector (8) comprises a segment of a channel section which is attached from one side to the clamp (7), and from the other the connector (8) is attached to the bracket (6).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an actuator, especially an electric actuator, used as a transmission actuator in devices, in particular in window opening control devices in industrial window systems of smoke ventilation systems. The actuator is used in passive and active smoke ventilation systems, where various sizes of window openings are used, closed and opened by window sashes of various sizes. The actuator is usually fixed to a window sash and a window frame using a bracket, optionally on one or the other side of a window.

[0002] The actuator will be described based on the solution used to control the opening of windows in the walls and/or the roof of a building, in particular an industrial, residential or commercial building. In such a building a gravitational smoke ventilation system is commonly used as a smoke ventilation system, which enables the gravitational removal of smoke and hot fire gases from the inside of a building, especially from the area of escape routes. Gravitational smoke ventilation systems consist of smoke vents, air supply vents and possibly smoke curtains. A window gravitational smoke ventilation system consists of smoke ventilation windows in the walls and/or in the roof of a building, in particular in higher parts of the building, and air supply windows located in lower parts of the building. Smoke ventilation windows are aimed at expelling smoke, fire gases and heat generated in the event of a fire out of a building. The advantage of this kind of smoke ventilation systems is the possibility to design, at the design stage of a building, high values of flow rate, up to a value of 0.7, by designing large active smoke ventilation areas. In a gravitational system after the opening of upper windows and roof hatches, hot air and smoke is removed using the phenomenon of convection. The condition for the operation of such a system is the expeditious opening of both hatches and windows in the upper part of a building, and in the lower part of a building. Sashes of these windows are usually actuated by means of actuators where an actuator cylinder is typically fixed to a frame, and a piston rod is fixed to the window sash frame.

[0003] Electric actuators are usually used for this purpose. A system of such gravitational fire protection comprises said electric actuators, mounting brackets and beams, a control unit, smoke detectors and smoke and/or ventilation buttons, if the system has the building ventilation function.

[0004] As mentioned above, the system actuator is actuators fixed to a window frame from one side and to a window sash from the other. Actuators, fixed individually or in pairs, enable the simultaneous opening of more windows. Both electric actuators as well as pneumatic and hydraulic actuators can be used here.

[0005] A solution disclosed in patent specification No. PL 162154 is known. The solution relates to a double-acting actuator in a reciprocating motion comprising a cylinder and two piston-piston rod pairs fixed in the opposite direction thereto. The cylinder has two different working diameters selected according to external loads and combined with the piston-piston rod pairs, wherein three channels are arranged on a cylinder cover directly supplying pressurised working medium to the working space of the cylinder throughout the range of movements of the piston-piston rod pairs. On the actuator there are retaining pins connecting the actuator with the structure of a carrying device.

[0006] Another solution is disclosed in the patent specification of the Polish invention with application No. P 303799. The solution according to this invention relates to a pneumatic and hydraulic actuator performing the slow approaching movement and the fast working movement. The internal diameter of a part of a working chamber of a hydraulic cylinder above a piston is enlarged to include the working chamber partially filled with a working fluid.

[0007] Another known solution is disclosed in the German patent specification with application No. DE 100 03 961. The invention relates to a clamp assembly having a control valve integrated into the clamp, coupled to control electronics for the clamp. The system registers at least one swing position of the clamping arm and also works with the position monitor at the clamp. The toggle lever clamp has a clamping arm linked by a toggle lever mechanism to the linear drive, for the arm movements. The control valve has one or more electrically operated control valves, integrated into the housing of the clamp operating section.

[0008] Another known solution is disclosed in the patent specification of American invention No. US 2010071265. The invention relates to a door opener containing a mechanism comprising: a body, a door opening arm pivotally connected to the body at a first end and a roller for engaging the surface of the door at a second end. The mechanism also comprises an actuator for rotating the door opening arm with respect to the body, from a ready position in which the roller is forced against the surface of the door. The actuator is remotely and manually operable. The device further includes a support for bracing the whole mechanism. In this solution, the support is a cylindrical telescopic member enabling the adjustment of its length to the current needs by a system of openings in an internal member and an external member.

[0009] The present specification discloses an actuator as a part of a gravitational smoke ventilation system of a building. However, the actuator according to the invention can also be used in control systems of other devices.

[0010] The described smoke ventilation systems of buildings comprise window sashes and roof hatches of different sizes and different designed opening ranges. These dimensions are arranged in a dimensional series of types, where for the handling of a series of types of windows or roof hatches, actuators with various sizes are needed, including with various attachment points for a cylinder. This makes it necessary for manufacturers to make a series of types of sizes of actuators which increases the cost of the final system.

[0011] The purpose of the invention is to develop the structure of one size of an actuator that can be used to handle a series of types of windows and roof hatches, where the existing solutions resulted in the need to make a series of types of various sizes of actuators. The purpose of the structure of the actuator according to the invention is also a fast and easy change of an attachment point for an actuator cylinder to the window frame, and thus a change in the opening range of a window depending on the size, including the size of the opening of windows and on the needs in this respect in a building.

[0012] The invention is disclosed in claim 1 and in the subsequent claims.

[0013] According to the invention, the actuator comprises a cylinder with a member fixing the cylinder to a fixed part of a structure by means of used brackets, in particular to a frame, and comprises a movable piston rod with a member fixing the piston rod to a movable part of a structure. The actuator also comprises cables connecting it with the electric power supply of the actuator. The actuator according to the invention is characterised in that the actuator cylinder comprises a clamp tightened around the cylinder, wherein the claim is equipped with a connector.

[0014] According to the invention, the clamp is a fitting with a hole with the inner cross-section corresponding to the external cross-section of the cylinder. The clamp comprises on one side a slot with holes for clamping screws. On the opposite side to the slot the clamp comprises a fixing member for the connector. The connector connects the clamp with a fixed part of a structure. The clamp can be fixed by being tightened, in principle, at any point along the actuator cylinder.

[0015] The fixing member for the clamp can comprise a projection on the clamp, wherein the projection contains at least two holes for screws connecting the connector with the fixing member. The projection of the clamp is connected with a fixed part of a structure, for example, with the bracket fixed to the frame, by means of said connector.

[0016] In the solution according to the invention, the connector can be a segment of a section, preferably a channel section, whose arms are attached from one side to said projection of the clamp attached to the cylinder, and from the other the connector is attached to a fixed part of a structure, for example, to the bracket fixed to the frame, or directly to the frame.

[0017] In the solution according to the invention, the actuator is proposed equipped with the additional connector which is a part coupling the actuator cylinder with a fixed part of a structure. The term a fixed part of a structure is understood in this patent specification as that part of a structure with respect to which a movable part is to be moved. The use of the connector which, in the solution according to the invention, is a member connecting the actuator cylinder with a fixed part of a structure has made that instead of the actuator cylinder eye, which is in a constant minimum distance to the piston rod eye, a fixing member is the connector. The connector can be shorter than the described minimum length of the cylinder eye from the piston rod eye. To attach the described connector on the cylinder, substantially parallel to the actuator cylinder, the clamp is proposed with an inner hole corresponding to the outer dimensions of the cross-section of the actuator cylinder. The clamp can be tightened by means of clamping screws substantially at any point of the actuator cylinder which also makes it possible to adjust the distance of the point at which it is to be tightened on the cylinder with respect to the piston rod eye.

[0018] At the same time, what is important, in all these cases, by keeping the basic length of the cylinder, the basic parameter relevant to the opening range of the window sash is maintained, namely the piston rod's extension range. If the length of the cylinder is reduced, at the same time the length of the piston rod extension would be reduced. This phenomenon does not occur in the actuator according to the invention.

[0019] The subject of the invention is shown in the embodiments in the accompanying drawings in which the individual figures show:

Fig. 1

- the window provided with the actuator in the closed position.

Fig. 2

- the window provided with the actuator in the open position.

Fig. 3

- the actuator in the first embodiment in the closed position.

Fig. 4

- the actuator in the first embodiment in the open position.

Fig. 5

- the actuator in the second embodiment in the closed position.

Fig. 6

- the actuator in the second embodiment in the open position.

Fig. 7

- the perspective view of the clamp.

Fig. 8

- the cross-section of the clamp.

Fig. 9

- the first embodiment of the connector.

Fig. 10

- the second embodiment of the connector.

Fig. 11

- a view of the window in the closed position.

Fig. 12

- a side view of the window, according to Fig. 11, showing the outward opening sash in two positions.

Fig. 13

- a side view of the window showing the inward opening sash in two positions.

[0020] Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show an example of use of the actuator according to the invention to control the opening and closing of the window. The actuator 2 is used in controlling the opening and closing of windows in commercial and industrial buildings for ventilation purposes, but primarily for safety in case of fire and/or smoke. The electrically controlled actuator 2 makes it possible to quickly open the window. If there are more windows in side walls, or roof windows in a building, the electrical system enables the simultaneous opening of more windows. The actuator comprises connected electrical power cables, hydraulic or pneumatic power lines known to those skilled in the art, which are not shown in the accompanying drawing, depending on the type of power supply. In the described embodiment, the actuator has electrical power supply.

[0021] It should be emphasised that Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are merely illustrative drawings which show one actuator 2. Typically, a window sash 1 is opened and closed using two actuators 2 arranged on both sides, as shown in Fig. 11.

[0022] Fig. 1 shows a window in the closed position, where the window sash 1 adheres to a frame 3. However, Fig. 2 shows that the extension of a piston rod from the actuator 2 moves the window sash 1 away from the frame 3 and opens the window.

[0023] Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show a side view of the actuator 2. The actuator 2 comprises a cylinder 5 and a piston rod 4. In this embodiment, the actuator 2 is an electric screw actuator, but the use of the design according to the invention to hydraulic or pneumatic actuators is not excluded in other embodiments. It is possible because the actuator according to the invention is only equipped with external members, namely a clamp 7 and a connector 8, which means that there was no interference in the internal design of the actuator 2.

[0024] Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 as well as Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 also show for illustrative purposes a bracket 6 which is a support fixed to the frame 3 and, therefore, a member fixedly connected with the frame 3.

[0025] Fig. 3 shows the actuator in the stowed position with the piston rod 4 inside the cylinder 5. On the cylinder 5 the clamp 7 with the connector 8 is attached. The connector 8 is a member connecting the cylinder 5 with the bracket 6. As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the clamp 7 in this embodiment is attached at the distance a from the cylinder 5 eye. The distance of the clamp 7 from the attachment point at the end of the piston rod 4 is b1. As can be seen in this embodiment, the actuator 2 with the cylinder length a+b1, using the solution according to the invention, can be used where it is necessary to use a shorter actuator, with the cylinder length b1. This makes it unnecessary to manufacture an actuator with the piston rod length b1, because the actuator 2 with the cylinder 5 with the length a+b1 can be used.

[0026] Fig. 4 shows the actuator from Fig. 3 in the extended position, with the extended piston rod 4. As can be seen, the piston rod 4 end is extended to the distance b2 from the attachment point of the bracket 6 to the clamp 7. As is clear from Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the size of the opening of the window in this embodiment may not exceed b2-b1.

[0027] Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show the connector 8 in the first embodiment. The same connector 8 is shown in Fig. 9. This figure shows that the connector 8 has the shape of a short channel section and in each arm has two screw holes 9,10 connecting it with the clamp 7 and one bracket 6 connection screw hole 11.

[0028] Fig. 5 shows the same actuator 2 with the clamp 7 which is shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. The clamp 7 is tightened at the same distance a from the actuator 2 cylinder 5 eye. However, in this embodiment the much longer connector 8 than shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 is attached to the clamp 7. The bracket 6 is attached to the end of the connector 8. As shown in Fig. 5, the same actuator, with the same length of the cylinder 5, as in the previous embodiment in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, can be used when due to the dimensions of the window sash 1 and the frame 3, the possible length of the actuator cylinder 5 is b1.

[0029] Fig. 6 shows the actuator from Fig. 5 in the extended position, with the extended piston rod 4. As can be seen, the piston rod 4 end is extended to the distance b2 from the attachment point of the bracket 6 to the clamp 7. As is clear from Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the size of the opening of the window in this embodiment may not exceed b2 - b1.

[0030] Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 show the connector 8 in the second embodiment. The same connector 8 is shown in Fig. 10. This figure shows that the connector 8 has the shape of a long channel section and in each arm at one end has two screw holes 9,10 connecting it with the clamp 7 and at the other end one bracket 6 connection screw 12 hole 11.

[0031] Fig. 3- Fig. 6 show in two embodiments that due to varying lengths of the connector 8 attached to the clamp 7, the actuator 2 cylinder 5 can be of varying effective length required for the attachment of the cylinder 5 to the frame 3 bracket 6. In the design of the actuator 2 according to the invention, varying lengths of the connector 8 make it possible to use the same actuator with the same length of the cylinder 5 in place of the series of types of actuators with varying lengths of the cylinder 5, depending on the required distance of the attachment point of the actuator 2 cylinder 5 from the frame 3.

[0032] Various effective attachment points of the cylinder 5 to the bracket 6 can be obtained by using the connectors 8 with varying lengths, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3-Fig. 6, which show two lengths of the connectors 8. This does not exclude the use of the connectors 8 with different lengths to obtain other effective lengths of the attachment point of the cylinder 5 to the bracket 6. An additional possibility of adjusting the attachment point of the bracket 6 to the connector 8 is provided by the clamp 7 which can be tightened substantially at any point over the length of the actuator 2 cylinder 5.

[0033] An essential component of the actuator 2 design is the clamp 7 which is shown in the embodiment in Fig. 7 in a perspective view and in Fig. 8 in a cross-section with the plane perpendicular to the longitudinal symmetry axis of a hole 13 in the clamp 7. Said figures show that the clamp 7 is a fitting comprising the inner hole 13 with a diameter slightly larger than the external diameter of the actuator 2 cylinder 5. The hole 13 is sufficiently bigger to be able to slide the fitting 13 onto the actuator 2 cylinder 5. The clamp 13 comprises on one side a slot 14 with clamping screw 16 holes 15. The clamping screws 16 are shown in Fig. 3- Fig. 6. On the side opposite to the slot 14 the clamp comprises fixing members 17 for the connector 8. In this embodiment, the fixing members 17 for the connector 8 comprise the clamp 7 projections on the side of the clamp opposite to the slot 14. The members' 17 size and shape correspond to the internal cross-section of the connector 8 channel section, and comprise holes 18 for screws 19 fixing the connector 8 to the clamp 7. The connector 8 by means of the screws 19 is attached to the clamp 7 and connects the clamp 7 with a fixed part of a structure which is the bracket 6 in the accompanying drawings. In other embodiments, the connector 8 is connected with another fixed part of a structure. The clamp 7 can be attached by being tightened substantially at any point over the length of the actuator 2 cylinder 5.

[0034] Fig. 11 shows in another embodiment the window with two actuators, according to the invention, whose cylinders 5 are attached to the brackets 6 mounted in the side edges of the window frame 3, and the piston rods 4 are attached to the side edges of the window sash 1. In this embodiment the window sash 1 is opened outwards. The same window is shown in Fig. 12 in the side view, but this figure shows the window sash 1 in two positions: in the closed position and in the open position. In the closed position where the window sash 1 is in the frame 3, it is clear that a known actuator without additional members, according to the invention, cannot be used here because of the length of the piston rod which extends far beyond the outline of the frame 3 and the reach of the bracket 6.

[0035] Fig. 13 shows another example of use of the actuator according to the invention, wherein in this embodiment the window sash 1 is opened into the room. Similarly as in Fig. 12, one figure here shows a window both in the closed position and in the open position. In this embodiment, the window sash 1 comprises the bracket 6 attached to the edge which is connected with the cylinder 5 by means of the connector 8. However, the piston rod 4 is fixed to the frame 3. In the previous embodiments the bracket 6 was attached to the frame 3, and the piston rod 4 was attached to the window sash 1. As is shown in Fig. 13, in this embodiment, unlike the previous embodiments, the bracket 6 with the actuator cylinder 5 moves together with the window sash 1, from the closed position to the open position and back again.

[0036] The most important result of the solution according to the invention, as illustrated in Fig. 1- Fig. 4, is the fact that the actuator with the total length of the cylinder 5 in the dimension b1+a can also be used in conditions where the required length of the cylinder is b1. Therefore, there is no need to manufacture the actuator 2 in a different size with the total length of the cylinder b1, if in specific installation conditions it turns out that the actuator with the cylinder length b1+a has a too long cylinder, which excludes its use. According to the invention, the attached connector 8 can be of different lengths in other embodiments, which makes it unnecessary to manufacture a series of types of the actuators 2 with shorter cylinders 5 than shown in the embodiments. At the same time, what is important, in all these cases, by keeping the basic length of the cylinder 5, the basic parameter relevant to the opening range of the window sash is maintained, namely the piston rod's extension range. If the length of the cylinder 5 is reduced, the length of the piston rod 4 extension would be reduced, so the degree of the opening of the window would be unfavourably limited. This phenomenon does not occur in the actuator 2 according to the invention.

List of designations in the figures

[0037] 

1. Window sash.

2. Actuator.

3. Frame.

4. Piston rod.

5. Cylinder.

6. Bracket.

7. Clamp.

8. Connector.

9. Screw hole.

10. Screw hole.

11. Bracket connection hole.

12. Bracket connection screw.

13.Clamp hole.

14.Clamp slot.

15.Clamping screw hole.

16.Clamping screw.

17. Fixing member for the connector.

18. Hole for the screw fixing the connector.

19.Screw fixing the connector.

a. Distance of the clamp from the cylinder eye.

b1. Distance of the bracket from the piston rod eye with the piston rod stowed.

b2. Distance of the bracket from the piston rod eye with the piston rod extended.

Claims

1. Actuator comprising a cylinder with a member fixing the cylinder to a fixed part of a structure and comprising a movable piston rod with a member fixing the piston rod to a movable part of the structure, and comprising cables connecting it with the power supply of the actuator, characterised in that the member fixing the actuator (2) cylinder (5) to a fixed part of a structure comprises a clamp (7) mounted on the cylinder (5), wherein the clamp (7) is equipped with a connector (8).

2. Actuator, according to claim 1, characterised in that the clamp (7) is a fitting with a hole (13) with the inner cross-section of the hole (13) corresponding to the external cross-section of the cylinder (5), where the clamp (7) comprises on one side a slot (14) with holes (15) for clamping screws (16), and on the opposite side to the slot (14) comprises a fixing member (17) to which the connector (8) is attached.

3. Actuator, according to claim 2, characterised in that the fixing member (17) comprises at least one projection of the clamp (7) with at least two fixing holes (18) for screws (19) connecting the connector (8) with the fixing member (17).

4. Actuator, according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterised in that the connector (8) is a segment of a section, preferably a channel section, whose arms are attached from one side to the clamp (7) fixing member (17), and from the other the connector (8) is attached to a fixed part of a structure (6).

Drawing