Patent ID: 7105801

Claim:
An actuator comprising: a motor for rotating an input shaft connected to an output device via a gear train; an interrupter vane connected to the output device and adapted to travel in a path corresponding to the movement of the output device; at least two interrupter switches spaced apart from one another along the path of the interrupter vane at locations corresponding to travel limits of the output device, each interrupter switch comprising a source, a detector spaced from the source, and an interrupter channel aligned with the travel path of the interrupter vane and located between the source and the detector, the interrupter vane adapted to be positioned within the interrupter channel when the output device is positioned at the corresponding travel limit, wherein the interrupter vane is in no more than one interrupter channel at any time, each interrupter switch adapted to indicate whether the detector detects an emission from the source; and a controller connected to a power supply and to the interrupter switches for energizing the motor in response to a command signal and for de-energizing the motor in response to an indication from one of the interrupter switches that the interrupter vane is at or approaching one of the travel limits.