Woodward Governor Company

Woodward, Inc.

Arthur C Pintauro

Henri A Siedow

Donald R Samuelson

A continuously variable electrical actuator rotationally coupled to and thermally isolated from a butterfly valve. The butterfly valve may be used to modulate high temperature exhaust gas flow through an engine turbocharger. An electrical actuator provides a continuously variable output to an output shaft. The butterfly valve has its rotary position controlled by an input shaft. The input shaft and output shaft are rotationally coupled through minimum contact points to reduce heat transfer. The connection between input and output shafts also minimizes vibration transfer therebetween. An coupling tube coaxially interposed between the input and output shafts provides a thermal block to further reduce heat transfer. The input and outputs shafts are rotationally coupled to the intermediate shaft by torsion spring mechanisms to allow a limited range of axial translation for the input shaft. The torsion spring mechanisms are preloaded to prevent rotational hysteresis in the butterfly valve.

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Fort Collins, CO, United States of America

Arthur C Pintauro