Patent ID: 8201467

Claim:
An actuator, comprising: a first motor adapted to be energized and operable, upon being energized, to generate a first torque about a first axis; a second motor adapted to be energized and operable, upon being energized, to generate a second torque about the first axis; a first guide including a sliding face adapted to engage an alignment surface; a second guide including a sliding face adapted to engage the alignment surface; an output shaft coupled to the first motor and the second motor, and aligned along the first axis, the output shaft rotating about the first axis in response to the first torque and the second torque; first threads formed on a first section of the output shaft; second threads formed on a second section of the output shaft, the second section symmetrically and oppositely disposed relative to the first section; and an output mechanism disposed between the first motor and the second motor and responsive to the first torque and to the second torque to translate along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, the output mechanism comprising: a first translation device disposed on the output shaft and having threads disposed thereon that mate with the first threads, the first translation device configured, upon rotation of the output shaft in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction, to translate along the first axis in a first direction and a second direction, respectively; a second translation device disposed on the output shaft and having threads disposed thereon that mate with the second threads, the second translation device configured, upon rotation of the output shaft in the first rotational direction and the second rotational direction, to translate along the first axis in the second direction and first second direction, respectively; a first linkage including a first end and a second end; and a second linkage including a first end and a second end; wherein: the first and second linkage first ends are pivotally coupled together at least proximate their respective first ends, the first linkage second end is directly coupled to the first guide, the second linkage second end is directly coupled to the second guide, the first linkage is directly coupled to the first translation device intermediate its first and second ends, and the second linkage is directly coupled to the second translation device intermediate its first and second ends.