By David Ponce

When we talk about innovation, it’s stuff like this we mean.  Danish company Kataka makes some crazy slim linear actuators (for those of you who don’t know what a linear actuator is, a simple definition would be “something that pushes another in a straight line”). The mechanism is based on segmented spindle technology, and was conceived by the Danish mechanical engineer Jens Joerren Soerensen during the mid 1990s (also the Kataka CTO). From Wikipedia:

The basic idea was that if a solid conventional spindle is broken up in smaller segments (in a way so it can be assembled and disassembed), it is possible to make compact spindles. The implication is that linear electromechanical actuators (the product is often just called a linear actuator) based on the Segmented Spindle technology can be made more compact as the spindle segments can be packed in a layer perpendicular to the linear movement of the spindle.

In other words, they take the push rod and break it up, store it in a box and assemble it whenever they need to extend it.

I know, none of this makes much sense (including the title of this article).  But just watch the videos, and all will be clear. 

After the jump.

Kataka Linear Actuator

Kataka Actuator Used In A Lift

Kataka Actuator Mode of Operation