Patent ID: 6843356
Filing Date: 2005-01-18
Classification: G01D,G05G,H01H

Abstract:
1. A rotating actuator comprising: a shaft rotatable in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions of rotation; a stop device having an annular element, a bending member, and a stop member, the annular element concentrically envelops the shaft, the bending member connects the annular element to the shaft such that the annular element is rotatable to rotate as the shaft rotates, the bending member being bendable to permit a relative rotation of the shaft with respect to the annular element when rotation of the annular element is blocked, the stop member having a free end and a connecting end, the connecting end of the stop member is connected to the shaft; the annular element having a pocket facing the shaft, the free end of the stop member engages the pocket, the pocket having first and second stops which form a slip range for the free end of the stop member to move within as the shaft rotates when the rotation of the annular element is blocked; and an activation device fixed in place relative to rotation of the shaft, the activation device being operable with the stop device to block rotation of the annular element upon activation such that the free end of the stop member moves within the slip range as the shaft rotates in the clockwise direction and then abuts the first stop thereby blocking further rotation of the shaft in the clockwise direction; wherein, while the rotation of the annular element is blocked and the free end of the stop member abuts the first stop such that further rotation of the shaft in the clockwise direction is blocked, the shaft is rotatable in the counter-clockwise direction as the free end of the stop member moves within the slip range from the first stop toward the second stop until the free end of the stop member abuts the second stop.