THRUST EXPANSION DEVICE, EXPANSION UNIT, CONNECTING UNIT, AND THRUST EXPANSION SYSTEM

• US 20200132089A1
• Filed: 10/25/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: ARAI, Shigehiro
• Application Number:
  US16/664,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20200132089A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 11/032 by means of fluid-pressure converters
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 11/0725 with the driving energy being derived from a pneumatic system, a subsequent hydraulic system displacing or controlling the output element
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/003 Systems with different interchangeable components, e.g. using preassembled kits
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/216 the pressure sources being pneumatic-to-hydraulic converters
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 3/00 Intensifiers or fluid-pressure converters, e.g. pressure exchangers; Conveying pressure from one fluid system to another, without contact between the fluids fluid-driven pumps F04B9/08

Abstract

In a thrust expansion device, an opposite surface to be opposite to an output surface, on which an output-side lid and a stop lid through which an output rod enters and exits, are disposed, and a plurality of orthogonal surfaces orthogonal to the output surface are capable of being sealed by a sealing lid. A hydraulic chamber transmitting a thrust to a piston portion so as to communicate with an orthogonal surface side and an opposite surface side. In addition, a thrust expansion device includes an output unit having an output surface on which a piston portion and an output rod are disposed, an expansion unit having no output surface, and connecting unit connecting the output unit and the expansion unit.

Claims

1. A thrust expansion device that expands and outputs a thrust input from an input actuator by connecting the input actuator to an input side, the device comprising:

a cylinder including an output surface portion having a predetermined output surface, an opposite surface portion disposed to be opposite to the output surface portion, and a plurality of side surface portions disposed on a side of the output surface portion;

an output recessed portion constituting a part of a fluid chamber and being formed on the output surface portion;

a fluid piston including a piston portion disposed in the output recessed portion and moving in a thrust direction in the cylinder, and an output rod connected to the piston portion and outputting the thrust;

an output-side lid portion connected to the output recessed portion and having a through-hole in which the output rod moves in the thrust direction;

an input recessed portion constituting a part of the fluid chamber, communicating with the fluid chamber of the output recessed portion, and being formed at at least two locations of the opposite surface portion and the plurality of side surface portions; and

an input-side lid disposed at at least one location of an open end of the input recessed portion and having a through-hole formed at a center.

2. The thrust expansion device according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing lid which is disposed on an open end side where the input-side lid is not disposed in the open end and seals an open surface.

3. The thrust expansion device according to claim 2, wherein the input recessed portion includes one opposite input recessed portion formed on the opposite surface portion, and a side surface input recessed portion formed at at least one location of the plurality of side surface portions.

4. The thrust expansion device according to claim 1, wherein inner circumferential surfaces of the plurality of input recessed portions on an open end side are formed in the same shape at at least two locations.

5. The thrust expansion device according to claim 1, further comprising an adaptor which is disposed at at least one location of the input-side lid and to which the input actuator is connected, or which is disposed at at least one location of the input-side lid or the cylinder and to which another device such as a robot is connected.

6. The thrust expansion device according to claim 1, wherein the input recessed portion of the side surface portion is formed in a direction orthogonal to or inclined with respect to the output surface portion.

7. The thrust expansion device according to claim 1, further comprising fluid supply means for supplying fluid into the fluid chamber partitioned by inner circumferential surfaces of the output recessed portion and the input recessed portion communicating with each other, the piston portion, the input-side lid, and the sealing lid.

8. The thrust expansion device according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder includes a plurality of side surface portions orthogonal to the output surface portion, and

wherein the plurality of input recessed portions are formed only on the side surface portion.

9. The thrust expansion device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of input recessed portions are formed at at least one same surface portion in the opposite surface portion or the side surface portion.

10. The thrust expansion device according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder includes an expansion fluid chamber formed by expanding at least one surface portion of the opposite surface portion and the side surface portion further from the other surface portion, and communicating with the fluid chamber in the cylinder, and

wherein the input recessed portion is formed on the expanded surface portion.

11. The thrust expansion device according to claim 1, wherein the input-side lid is disposed at two or more locations.

12. The thrust expansion device according to claim 11, wherein the opposite surface portion or/and the side surface portion on which the input-side lid is disposed are formed with a length with which interference does not occur or at a position at which interference does not occur between input rods of the input actuators that enter the cylinder from the input-side lid, and between the input rod and the fluid piston.

13. The thrust expansion device according to claim 12, wherein the input actuator connected to the input-side lid is an air cylinder or an electric cylinder.

14. The thrust expansion device according to claim 13, wherein the input rod of the input actuator has a circular cross section with no step on an outer circumferential surface.

15. The thrust expansion device according to claim 1, further comprising output fixing means disposed at at least one location of the cylinder, the output-side lid portion, and the input-side lid for fixing an output attachment that receives an expanded thrust output from the output rod,

wherein the output attachment is a replaceable working jig corresponding to a working step or a replaceable assembling jig corresponding to an assembling step.

16. A thrust expansion unit that is connected to the input-side lid disposed at the open end of the thrust expansion device according to claim 1, and transmits a thrust from an input actuator, the thrust expansion unit comprising:

an expansion cylinder which includes a bottom surface portion having a bottom portion, an expansion opposite surface portion disposed to be opposite to the bottom surface portion, and a plurality of expansion side surface portions disposed on a side of the bottom surface portion, and in which one location of the expansion opposite surface portion or the expansion side surface portion and the input-side lid are connected;

an expansion input recessed portion constituting a part of the fluid chamber, communicating with the fluid chamber of the thrust expansion device, and being formed at at least two locations of the expansion opposite surface portion and the plurality of expansion side surface portions;

an expansion input-side lid which is not connected to the input-side lid of the thrust expansion device, is disposed at at least one location of an open end of the expansion input recessed portion, and has a through-hole formed at a center; and

an expansion sealing lid which is disposed on an open end side where the expansion input-side lid is not disposed in the open end and seals an open surface.

17. The expansion unit according to claim 16, wherein the expansion input recessed portion constituting a part of the fluid chamber is formed on the bottom surface portion.

18. The expansion unit according to claim 16, further comprising an adaptor disposed at at least one location of the expansion input-side lid, and connected to any one of the input actuator, the thrust expansion device, and another expansion unit, or is disposed at at least one location of the expansion input-side lid or the expansion cylinder, and connected to another device such as a robot.

19. The expansion unit according to claim 16, wherein inner circumferential surfaces of the plurality of expansion input recessed portions on the open end side are formed in the same shape as the input recessed portion of the thrust expansion device.

20. A connecting unit which is connected to two input recessed portions opposite to each other of which inner circumferential surfaces on an open end side are the same so as to connect two thrust expansion devices according to claim 4, the connecting unit comprising a through-hole through which both of the fluid chambers connected to each other communicate with each other.

21. A thrust expansion system comprising at least one thrust expansion device that expands and outputs a thrust input from an input actuator by connecting the input actuator to an input side,

the device comprising:

a cylinder including an output surface portion having a predetermined output surface, an opposite surface portion disposed to be opposite to the output surface portion, and a plurality of side surface portions disposed on a side of the output surface portion;

an output recessed portion constituting a part of a fluid chamber and being formed on the output surface portion;

a fluid piston including a piston portion disposed in the output recessed portion and moving in a thrust direction in the cylinder, and an output rod connected to the piston portion and outputting the thrust;

an output-side lid portion connected to the output recessed portion and having a through-hole in which the output rod moves in the thrust direction,

an input recessed portion constituting a part of the fluid chamber, communicating with the fluid chamber of the output recessed portion, and being formed at at least two locations of the opposite surface portion and the plurality of side surface portions; and

an input-side lid disposed at at least one location of an open end of the input recessed portion and having a through-hole formed at a center,

wherein at least one expansion unit that is connected to the input-side lid disposed at the open end of the thrust expansion device, and transmits a thrust from an input actuator,

the thrust expansion unit comprising;

an expansion cylinder which includes a bottom surface portion having a bottom portion, an expansion opposite surface portion disposed to be opposite to the bottom surface portion, and a plurality of expansion side surface portions disposed on a side of the bottom surface portion, and in which one location of the expansion opposite surface portion or the expansion side surface portion and the input-side lid are connected;

an expansion input recessed portion constituting a part of the fluid chamber, communicating with the fluid chamber of the thrust expansion device, and being formed at at least two locations of the expansion opposite surface portion and the plurality of expansion side surface portions;

an expansion input-side lid which is not connected to the input-side lid of the thrust expansion device, is disposed at at least one location of an open end of the expansion input recessed portion, and has a through-hole formed at a center; and

an expansion sealing lid which is disposed on an open end side where the expansion input-side lid is not disposed in the open end and seals an open surface,

wherein inner circumferential surfaces of the plurality of expansion input recessed portions on the open end side are formed in the same shape as the input recessed portion of the thrust expansion device, and

the connecting unit according to claim 20 which is disposed between two thrust expansion devices, which are opposite to each other, and connects both respectively.

22. The thrust expansion system according to claim 21, further comprising an adaptor which is disposed at at least one location of the input-side lid, and to which the input actuator, the thrust expansion device, another expansion unit, and another device such as a robot are connected.

23. A thrust expansion system comprising:

a plurality of thrust expansion devices that expands and outputs a thrust input from an input actuator by connecting the input actuator to an input side,

the device comprising;

a cylinder including an output surface portion having a predetermined output surface, an opposite surface portion disposed to be opposite to the output surface portion, and a plurality of side surface portions disposed on a side of the output surface portion;

an output recessed portion constituting a part of a fluid chamber and being formed on the output surface portion;

a fluid piston including a piston portion disposed in the output recessed portion and moving in a thrust direction in the cylinder, and an output rod connected to the piston portion and outputting the thrust;

an output-side lid portion connected to the output recessed portion and having a through-hole in which the output rod moves in the thrust direction;

an input recessed portion constituting a part of the fluid chamber, communicating with the fluid chamber of the output recessed portion, and being formed at at least two locations of the opposite surface portion and the plurality of side surface portions;

an input-side lid disposed at at least one location of an open end of the input recessed portion and having a through-hole formed at a center; and

output fixing means disposed at at least one location of the cylinder, the output-side lid portion, and the input-side lid for fixing an output attachment that receives an expanded thrust output from the output rod,

wherein the output attachment is a replaceable working jig corresponding to a working step or a replaceable assembling jig corresponding to an assembling step, and

the connecting unit according to claim 20, which connects the plurality of thrust expansion devices to each other,

wherein the output fixing means for fixing the output attachment that receives an expanded thrust output from the output rod is individually provided in the plurality of thrust expansion devices, and

wherein each of the output attachments is a replaceable working jig corresponding to a working step or a replaceable assembling jig corresponding to an assembling step.

24. A connecting unit which is connected to two expansion input recessed portions opposite to each other of which inner circumferential surfaces on an open end side are the same so as to connect two expansion units according to claim 19,

the connecting unit comprising a through-hole through which both of the fluid chambers connected to each other communicate with each other.

26. A thrust expansion system comprising at least one thrust expansion device that expands and outputs a thrust input from an input actuator by connecting the input actuator to an input side,

the device comprising:

a cylinder including an output surface portion having a predetermined output surface, an opposite surface portion disposed to be opposite to the output surface portion, and a plurality of side surface portions disposed on a side of the output surface portion;

an output recessed portion constituting a part of a fluid chamber and being formed on the output surface portion;

a fluid piston including a piston portion disposed in the output recessed portion and moving in a thrust direction in the cylinder, and an output rod connected to the piston portion and outputting the thrust;

an output-side lid portion connected to the output recessed portion and having a through-hole in which the output rod moves in the thrust direction;

an input recessed portion constituting a part of the fluid chamber, communicating with the fluid chamber of the output recessed portion, and being formed at at least two locations of the opposite surface portion and the plurality of side surface portions; and

an input-side lid disposed at at least one location of an open end of the input recessed portion and having a through-hole formed at a center,

wherein at least one expansion unit that is connected to the input-side lid disposed at the open end of the thrust expansion device, and transmits a thrust from an input actuator,

the thrust expansion unit comprising;

an expansion cylinder which includes a bottom surface portion having a bottom portion, an expansion opposite surface portion disposed to be opposite to the bottom surface portion, and a plurality of expansion side surface portions disposed on a side of the bottom surface portion, and in which one location of the expansion opposite surface portion or the expansion side surface portion and the input-side lid are connected;

an expansion input recessed portion constituting a part of the fluid chamber, communicating with the fluid chamber of the thrust expansion device, and being formed at at least two locations of the expansion opposite surface portion and the plurality of expansion side surface portions;

an expansion input-side lid which is not connected to the input-side lid of the thrust expansion device, is disposed at at least one location of an open end of the expansion input recessed portion, and has a through-hole formed at a center; and

an expansion sealing lid which is disposed on an open end side where the expansion input-side lid is not disposed in the open end and seals an open surface,

wherein inner circumferential surfaces of the plurality of expansion input recessed portions on the open end side are formed in the same shape as the input recessed portion of the thrust expansion device; and

the connecting unit according to claim 24 which is disposed between two expansion units, which are opposite to each other, and connects both respectively.

25. A connecting unit which is connected to a thrust expansion device and an expansion unit, wherein the thrust expansion device that expands and outputs a thrust input from an input actuator by connecting the input actuator to an input side,

the device comprising:

a cylinder including an output surface portion having a predetermined output surface, an opposite surface portion disposed to be opposite to the output surface portion, and a plurality of side surface portions disposed on a side of the output surface portion;

an output recessed portion constituting a part of a fluid chamber and being formed on the output surface portion;

a fluid piston including a piston portion disposed in the output recessed portion and moving in a thrust direction in the cylinder, and an output rod connected to the piston portion and outputting the thrust;

an output-side lid portion connected to the output recessed portion and having a through-hole in which the output rod moves in the thrust direction;

an input recessed portion constituting a part of the fluid chamber, communicating with the fluid chamber of the output recessed portion, and being formed at at least two locations of the opposite surface portion and the plurality of side surface portions; and

an input-side lid disposed at at least one location of an open end of the input recessed portion and having a through-hole formed at a center,

wherein inner circumferential surfaces of the plurality of input recessed portions on an open end side are formed in the same shape at at least two locations, and

wherein the expansion unit that is connected to the input-side lid disposed at the open end of the thrust expansion device, and transmits a thrust from an input actuator,

the thrust expansion unit comprising;

an expansion cylinder which includes a bottom surface portion having a bottom portion, an expansion opposite surface portion disposed to be opposite to the bottom surface portion, and a plurality of expansion side surface portions disposed on a side of the bottom surface portion, and in which one location of the expansion opposite surface portion or the expansion side surface portion and the input-side lid are connected;

an expansion input recessed portion constituting a part of the fluid chamber, communicating with the fluid chamber of the thrust expansion device, and being formed at at least two locations of the expansion opposite surface portion and the plurality of expansion side surface portions;

an expansion input-side lid which is not connected to the input-side lid of the thrust expansion device, is disposed at at least one location of an open end of the expansion input recessed portion, and has a through-hole formed at a center; and

an expansion sealing lid which is disposed on an open end side where the expansion input-side lid is not disposed in the open end and seals an open surface,

wherein inner circumferential surfaces of the plurality of expansion input recessed portions on the open end side are formed in the same shape as the input recessed portion of the thrust expansion device, and

wherein the connecting unit which is connected to the input recessed portion and the expansion input recessed portion opposite to each other of which inner circumferential surfaces on an open end side are the same so as to connect the thrust expansion and the expansion unit to each other,

the connecting unit comprising a through-hole through which both of the fluid chambers connected to each other communicate with each other.

27. A thrust expansion system comprising:

at least one thrust expansion device that expands and outputs a thrust input from an input actuator by connecting the input actuator to an input side,

the device comprising;

a cylinder including an output surface portion having a predetermined output surface, an opposite surface portion disposed to be opposite to the output surface portion, and a plurality of side surface portions disposed on a side of the output surface portion;

an output recessed portion constituting a part of a fluid chamber and being formed on the output surface portion;

a fluid piston including a piston portion disposed in the output recessed portion and moving in a thrust direction in the cylinder, and an output rod connected to the piston portion and outputting the thrust;

an output-side lid portion connected to the output recessed portion and having a through-hole in which the output rod moves in the thrust direction;

an input recessed portion constituting a part of the fluid chamber, communicating with the fluid chamber of the output recessed portion, and being formed at at least two locations of the opposite surface portion and the plurality of side surface portions; and

an input-side lid disposed at at least one location of an open end of the input recessed portion and having a through-hole formed at a center,

wherein at least one expansion unit that is connected to the input-side lid disposed at the open end of the thrust expansion device, and transmits a thrust from an input actuator,

the thrust expansion unit comprising;

an expansion cylinder which includes a bottom surface portion having a bottom portion, an expansion opposite surface portion disposed to be opposite to the bottom surface portion, and a plurality of expansion side surface portions disposed on a side of the bottom surface portion, and in which one location of the expansion opposite surface portion or the expansion side surface portion and the input-side lid are connected;

an expansion input recessed portion constituting a part of the fluid chamber, communicating with the fluid chamber of the thrust expansion device, and being formed at at least two locations of the expansion opposite surface portion and the plurality of expansion side surface portions;

an expansion input-side lid which is not connected to the input-side lid of the thrust expansion device, is disposed at at least one location of an open end of the expansion input recessed portion, and has a through-hole formed at a center; and

an expansion sealing lid which is disposed on an open end side where the expansion input-side lid is not disposed in the open end and seals an open surface,

wherein inner circumferential surfaces of the plurality of expansion input recessed portions on the open end side are formed in the same shape as the input recessed portion of the thrust expansion device; and

the connecting unit according to claim 25 which is disposed between the thrust expansion device and the expansion unit, which are opposite to each other, and connects both respectively.