Patent ID: 7237473
Filing Date: 2007-07-03
Classification: B60T,F16K

Abstract:
1. A pneumatic valve comprising: a housing having an inlet port and an exhaust port and a delivery port; a valve element movable in the housing to control air flow between the inlet port and the delivery port and the exhaust port; and a rolling element actuator for converting a rotary actuation force to linear movement of the valve element; wherein the actuator includes a cam, a follower, and at least one rolling element interposed between the cam and the follower; the cam being rotatable about an axis without substantial movement along the axis, in response to rotary actuation force; the at least one rolling element transmitting force from the cam to the follower; and the follower being movable along the axis without substantial rotation along the axis, in response to force transmitted from the cam through the at least one rolling element; wherein the actuator includes a plurality of rolling elements that are engaged in respective grooves in the cam and the follower and that orbit about the axis and move in a direction parallel to the axis upon rotation of the cam about the axis, thereby to effect movement of the follower along the axis.