IP Library Granted Patent US 7,841,320
Granted Patent B2
US 7,841,320 · App. 10/596,694 · Granted Nov 30, 2010

Actuator unit and method for manufacturing an actuator unit

Assignee: Continental Automotive Italy S.p.A.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,841,320
App. No.
10/596,694
Granted
Nov 30, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

An actuator unit has a tube spring ( 32 ), a piezoelectric actuator ( 31 ), that is inserted into the tube spring ( 32 ), a first cap ( 33 ), that is connected to the tube spring ( 32 ) at a first free end of the tube spring ( 32 ) and which is adjoined by the piezoelectric actuator ( 31 ), a tube-shaped body 38 , that is connected to the tube spring ( 32 ) by joining and is arranged in the area of a second free end ( 35 ) of the tube spring ( 32 ), and a device for pretensioning, that is supported by the tube-shaped body ( 38 ) and pretensions the piezoelectric actuator ( 31 ). The actuator unit is simple and cheap to manufacture.

Claims (12)

1. An actuator unit comprising: a tube spring, a piezoelectric actuator, that is inserted into the tube spring, a first cap, that is connected to the tube spring at a first free end of the tube spring and which is adjoined by the piezoelectric actuator, a tube-shaped body, that is connected to the tube spring by joining and is arranged in the area of a second free end of the tube spring, a means for pretensioning the piezoelectric actuator after the tube spring is connected to the first cap and the tube-shaped body, the means for pretensioning being supported by the tube-shaped body and pretensions the piezoelectric actuator by physically compressing the piezoelectric actuator but not the tube spring and comprising a thread in the tube-shape body, wherein the pretensioning means is a screw that is screwed into the thread.

2. An actuator unit according to claim 1 , comprising a body, that comprises a disc-shaped part, which is inserted into the tube spring between the piezoelectric actuator and the tube-shaped body and which is influenced by the means for pretensioning.

3. An actuator unit according to claim 2 , wherein the body is a bolt-shaped body.

4. An actuator unit according to claim 3 , wherein the bolt-shaped body is spherically shaped on its shaft side.

5. An actuator unit according to claim 1 , wherein the tube-shaped body has a jump in its diameter on its outer circumference.

6. An actuator unit according to claim 1 , wherein the tube-shaped body is joined to the tube spring by welding.

7. An actuator unit comprising: a tube spring comprising a piezoelectric actuator, a first cap connected to the tube spring at a first free end of the tube spring, a tube-shaped body, that is connected to the tube spring and is arranged in the area of a second free end of the tube spring, a piezoelectric actuator pretensioning device supported by the tube shaped body, the piezoelectric actuator pretensioning device configured to pretension the piezoelectric actuator, after the tube spring is connected to the first cap and the tube-shaped body, by physically compressing the piezoelectric actuator but not the tube spring and comprising a thread in the tube-shape body, wherein the pretensioning means is a screw that is screwed into the thread.

8. An actuator unit according to claim 7 , comprising a body, that comprises a disc-shaped part, which is inserted into the tube spring between the piezoelectric actuator and the tube-shaped body and which is influenced by the piezoelectric actuator pretensioning device.

9. An actuator unit according to claim 8 , wherein the body is a bolt-shaped body.

10. An actuator unit according to claim 9 , wherein the bolt-shaped body is spherically shaped on its shaft side.

11. An actuator unit according to claim 7 , wherein the tube-shaped body has a jump in its diameter on its outer circumference.

12. An actuator unit according to claim 7 , wherein the tube-shaped body is joined to the tube spring by welding.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 8, 2010
From: SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE SPA
To: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE ITALY S.P.A.
Reel/Frame 023751/0105 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 2, 2007
From: D'ARRIGO, ANGELO
To: SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE SPA
Reel/Frame 019635/0764 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 03029640 · Dec 22, 2003 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20070252474A1 · Nov 1, 2007