Abstract: A gear of a speed reducer of an actuator includes: an insert component; a center portion; an outer peripheral portion; a connecting portion; a gate mark; a weld-line portion; and a rib-shaped portion. The center portion surrounds the insert component. The outer peripheral portion includes a toothed portion and a toothless portion. The weld-line portion is formed in at least one of the center portion, the connecting portion and the outer peripheral portion at a location which is on a radially inner side of the toothless portion. The rib-shaped portion is formed in at least one of the center portion, the connecting portion and the outer peripheral portion at a location which includes the weld-line portion. The rib-shaped portion has a wall thickness that is larger than a wall thickness of another circumferential portion.

Abstract: An actuator includes an electric motor, an output shaft and a speed reducer. The speed reducer includes at least one metal gear which has a plurality of teeth made of metal. The speed reducer is configured to transmit rotation, which is outputted from the electric motor, to the output shaft after reducing a rotational speed of the rotation. The actuator includes a housing that receives the electric motor and the speed reducer. The actuator includes a plate member that is configured to limit scattering of a scattering object, which is generated in response to an operation of the speed reducer and is scattered from the at least one metal gear.

Abstract: A rotation stop shape is visually recognizable through an exposing hole. A relative angle between an output shaft and an actuator lever can be freely set while the rotation stop shape, which is visually recognizable through the exposing hole, is used as the reference angle of the output shaft. Therefore, it is possible to limit disadvantageous variations in a fixation angle of the actuator lever. The fixation angle of the actuator lever relative to the output shaft can be freely changed by using the rotation stop shape, which is visually recognizable through the exposing hole, as a reference angle of the output shaft.

Abstract: A housing includes an opening portion, which opens in one direction. At the time of assembling, the opening portion of the housing is placed to face an upper side. Then, a wave washer, an electric motor and screws for motor fixation are assembled from the upper side, and a first intermediate shaft and a second intermediate shaft are press-fitted, and a lower bearing, an output shaft, a second intermediate gear, a first intermediate gear are assembled. Thereafter, a cover is installed from the upper side to the housing. Next, an actuator lever is connected to a distal end part of the output shaft. As discussed above, the electric actuator can be assembled without inverting an orientation of the housing, and thereby productivity can be improved.

Abstract: Positioning of a cover relative to a housing is made at two locations. i.e., fitting between a first intermediate shaft and a first recess and fitting between a second intermediate shaft and a second recess. In this way, a load of the cover is not conducted to an output shaft through a cover-side bearing. Therefore, in a state where the cover is fixed to the housing, an excessively large load is not generated between a cover-side bearing and the output shaft and a housing-side bearing and the output shaft.

Abstract: A plurality of reinforcing ribs, which extend from a cover-side bearing in an outer radial direction, is formed at a portion of a cover, at which a reaction force generated in response to operation of an electric actuator is applied. The reinforcing ribs can improve strength of the portion of the cover, at which the reaction force is applied. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a damage, such as deformation, a crack, at the resin cover caused by the reaction force applied to the cover.

Abstract: Each of a first yoke and a second yoke has an intermediate portion between one end portion and the other end portion of the yoke. When the first and second yokes are viewed in an opposing direction, a width of the intermediate portion of each yoke, which is measured in a direction perpendicular to a rotational direction, is smaller than a width of the one end portion and a width of the other end portion of the yoke and is constant along an entire extent of the intermediate portion in the rotational direction.

Abstract: A position detector includes a magnet disposed between first ends of first and second magnetic flux transmission parts and a magnet disposed between second ends of the first and second magnetic flux transmission parts. The position detector also includes a Hall IC that is positioned within a gap and moves relative to a rotating body. The Hall IC detects a density of the magnetic flux from the first and second magnetic flux transmission parts and outputs a signal according to the density of the magnetic flux passing therethrough in order to detect a position of a detection object. A minimum magnetic flux density position within the gap may be shifted to a position having the highest detection accuracy such that the position detection accuracy of the detection object is improved.

Abstract: A rotation stop shape is visually recognizable through an exposing hole. A relative angle between an output shaft and an actuator lever can be freely set while the rotation stop shape, which is visually recognizable through the exposing hole, is used as the reference angle of the output shaft. Therefore, it is possible to limit disadvantageous variations in a fixation angle of the actuator lever. The fixation angle of the actuator lever relative to the output shaft can be freely changed by using the rotation stop shape, which is visually recognizable through the exposing hole, as a reference angle of the output shaft.

Abstract: A position detector has a Hall IC movably disposed on a mold within a gap between a first magnetic flux transmission part and a second magnetic flux transmission part for outputting a signal according to a density of a magnetic flux passing therethrough. Movement of the Hall IC relative to a rotating body is detected by the Hall IC. The Hall IC has a first flux collector and a second flux collector. A magnetic resistance of a first magnetic path between the first flux collector and a first flux transmission part and a magnetic resistance of a second magnetic path between the second flux collector and a second flux transmission part are configured so that the Hall IC is movable relative to the rotating body at a predetermined radial distance where the magnetic flux density decreases to a minimum.

Abstract: A plurality of reinforcing ribs, which extend from a cover-side bearing in an outer radial direction, is formed at a portion of a cover, at which a reaction force generated in response to operation of an electric actuator is applied. The reinforcing ribs can improve strength of the portion of the cover, at which the reaction force is applied. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a damage, such as deformation, a crack, at the resin cover caused by the reaction force applied to the cover.

Abstract: A housing includes an opening portion, which opens in one direction. At the time of assembling, the opening portion of the housing is placed to face an upper side. Then, a wave washer, an electric motor and screws for motor fixation are assembled from the upper side, and a first intermediate shaft and a second intermediate shaft are press-fitted, and a lower bearing, an output shaft, a second intermediate gear, a first intermediate gear are assembled. Thereafter, a cover is installed from the upper side to the housing. Next, an actuator lever is connected to a distal end part of the output shaft. As discussed above, the electric actuator can be assembled without inverting an orientation of the housing, and thereby productivity can be improved.

Abstract: Positioning of a cover relative to a housing is made at two locations. i.e., fitting between a first intermediate shaft and a first recess and fitting between a second intermediate shaft and a second recess. In this way, a load of the cover is not conducted to an output shaft through a cover-side bearing. Therefore, in a state where the cover is fixed to the housing, an excessively large load is not generated between a cover-side bearing and the output shaft and a housing-side bearing and the output shaft.

Abstract: A position detector includes a magnet disposed between first ends of first and second magnetic flux transmission parts and a magnet disposed between second ends of the first and second magnetic flux transmission parts. The position detector also includes a Hall IC that is positioned within a gap and moves relative to a rotating body. The Hall IC detects a density of the magnetic flux from the first and second magnetic flux transmission parts and outputs a signal according to the density of the magnetic flux passing therethrough in order to detect a position of a detection object. A minimum magnetic flux density position within the gap may be shifted to a position having the highest detection accuracy such that the position detection accuracy of the detection object is improved.

Abstract: A position detector includes a magnet disposed between first ends of first and second magnetic flux transmission parts and a magnet disposed between second ends of the first and second magnetic flux transmission parts. The position detector also includes a Hall IC that is positioned within a gap and moves relative to a rotating body. The Hall IC detects a density of the magnetic flux from the first and second magnetic flux transmission parts and outputs a signal according to the density of the magnetic flux passing therethrough in order to detect a position of a detection object. A minimum magnetic flux density position within the gap may be shifted to a position having the highest detection accuracy such that the position detection accuracy of the detection object is improved.

Abstract: A position detector has first and second magnets with a magnet width that is different from a gap width of a gap. As a result, the gap width and the magnet width are independent of each other. The gap width is minimized relative to a molding member that molds a Hall element. The first and second magnets have a specific magnet width that generates a required magnetic flux density without increasing the magnet width, which enables a volume reduction of the position detector.

Abstract: A position detector has a gap for providing a detection range. The gap has a gap width that is greater at the ends of the gap than at a center. Therefore, an amount of a spill magnetic flux and an amount of a direct magnetic flux respectively flowing through a position at and around an end portion of the gap are reduced when compared to a gap having a constant gap width along the direction of relative movement. Namely, the density of magnetic flux which passes through a Hall element that is positioned at each longitudinal end of the gap decreases. Therefore, at or around the ends of the gap, a rate of change of the magnetic flux density detected by the Hall element decreases and the linearity of an output signal from the Hall element is improved.

Abstract: Each of a first yoke and a second yoke has an intermediate portion between one end portion and the other end portion of the yoke. When the first and second yokes are viewed in an opposing direction, a width of the intermediate portion of each yoke, which is measured in a direction perpendicular to a rotational direction, is smaller than a width of the one end portion and a width of the other end portion of the yoke and is constant along an entire extent of the intermediate portion in the rotational direction.

Abstract: Each of a first yoke and a second yoke has an intermediate portion between one end portion and the other end portion of the yoke. When the first and second yokes are viewed in an opposing direction, a width of the intermediate portion of each yoke, which is measured in a direction perpendicular to a rotational direction, is smaller than a width of the one end portion and a width of the other end portion of the yoke and is constant along an entire extent of the intermediate portion in the rotational direction.

Abstract: A position detector includes a magnet disposed between first ends of first and second magnetic flux transmission parts and a magnet disposed between second ends of the first and second magnetic flux transmission parts. The position detector also includes a Hall IC that moves within a gap and relative to a rotating body. The Hall IC detects a density of the magnetic flux from the first and second magnetic flux transmission parts and outputs a signal according to the density of the magnetic flux passing therethrough in order to detect a position of a detection object. The position detector has third and fourth magnetic flux transmission parts disposed at ends of the first and second magnetic flux transmission parts in a non-contacting manner. As a result, the position detection accuracy of the position detector is improved.