Actuating device for actuating a cable

Abstract

The invention provides an actuating device for actuating a cable. The actuating device comprises a housing defining an interior and a motor assembly including a shaft. The actuating device also comprises at least two planetary gears and a flex gear having an inner surface and an outer surface with the inner surface partially engaged with the planetary gears. The actuating device additionally comprises an output member having a drive portion and a mounting interface with the drive portion engaged with a section such that the output member is rotatable relative to the housing when the shaft rotates. The actuating device additionally comprises a connector coupled to the mounting interface for securing the cable to the mounting interface. The connector moves relative to the housing and in unison with the output member during the rotation of the output member for activating the cable during operation of the actuating device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An actuating device for actuating a cable, said actuating device comprising:
 a housing defining an interior; 
 a motor assembly including a shaft with said motor assembly disposed within said interior of said housing; 
 at least two planetary gears disposed within said interior of said housing with said at least two planetary gears coupled to said motor assembly; 
 a flex gear disposed within said interior of said housing with said flex gear having an inner surface and an outer surface with said inner surface partially engaged with said planetary gears; 
 an output member at least partially disposed within said interior of said housing with said output member having a drive portion and a mounting interface with said drive portion engaged with a section of said outer surface of said flex gear such that said output member is rotatable relative to said housing when said shaft of said motor assembly rotates; and 
 a connector coupled to said mounting interface of said output member for securing the cable to said mounting interface with said connector moving relative to said housing and said mounting interface while moving in unison with said output member during said rotation of said output member for activating the cable during operation of the actuating device. 
 
     
     
       2. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said flex gear comprises an elastically deformable material. 
     
     
       3. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said flex gear has a base and a gear wall with said base rigidly fixed to said housing. 
     
     
       4. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said flex gear defines a plurality of voids. 
     
     
       5. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said gear wall of said flex gear has a rest state with said gear wall disengaged with said planetary gears, and an engaged state with said gear wall engaged with said planetary gears with said rest state having a first diameter and said engaged state having a second diameter with said second diameter greater than said first diameter. 
     
     
       6. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a gear retainer rotatably coupled to said housing with each of said planetary gears mounted to said gear retainer such that said planetary gears are rotatable relative to said housing about said inner surface of said flex gear when said shaft of said motor assembly rotates. 
     
     
       7. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said inner surface of said flex gear is further defined as a first area and a second area approximately 180 degrees from said first area along said inner surface with one of said planetary gears engaged with said first area and the other one of said planetary gears engaged with said second area, and wherein said section of said outer surface of said flex gear is further defined as a first section and a second section approximately 180 degrees from said first section along said outer surface with said first area corresponding to said first section and said second area corresponding to said second section with said first and second sections of said outer surface engaged with said drive portion of said output member, thereby defining said second diameter such that said gear wall of said flex gear remains in said engaged state during said operation of said actuating device. 
     
     
       8. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said planetary gears have first plurality of teeth, said outer surface of said flex gear has a second plurality of teeth, and said drive portion of said output member has a third plurality of teeth with said second plurality of teeth being greater than said first plurality of teeth and said third plurality of teeth being greater than said second plurality of teeth. 
     
     
       9. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a sensor disposed within said interior of said housing for determining rotation of said output member. 
     
     
       10. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said sensor is a magnetic activated sensor. 
     
     
       11. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said output member has a finger extending from said drive portion toward said sensor with said finger being disposed between said housing and said flex gear. 
     
     
       12. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said motor assembly is a pancake motor comprising a casing defining an interior, and a flux plate, a printed circuit board, and a rotor disposed within said interior of said casing with said printed circuit board disposed between said rotor and said flux plate. 
     
     
       13. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said shaft is coupled to said rotor of said pancake motor. 
     
     
       14. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 13  wherein said pancake motor further comprising a coupler disposed within the interior of said casing of said pancake motor with said coupler mounted to said rotor and said shaft such that rotation of said rotor transmits rotation to said shaft. 
     
     
       15. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said printed circuit board has a platform extending outwardly and disposed between said flex gear with said actuating device further comprising a sensor disposed on said platform for determining rotation of said output member. 
     
     
       16. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said mounting interface of said output member has a segment elevated toward said housing with said connector coupled to said segment of said mounting interface. 
     
     
       17. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said housing has a first half adjacent the output member and a second half adjacent the flex gear with said second half having a shelf and said first half having a protrusion extending toward said shelf and wherein said output member has a ledge disposed between said shelf and said protrusion. 
     
     
       18. The actuating device as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said movement of said connector relative to said mounting interface is further defined as pivoting relative to said mounting interface as said connector moves in unison with said output member relative to said housing.