Multi-stroke cylinder
First Claim
1. A multi-stroke fluid cylinder comprising:
- a) a first positioning system comprising a cylindrical housing having a plurality of fluid openings and containing a plurality of moveable pistons for moving a positioning member a preselected distance, each said moveable piston comprising at least one slot extending in the direction of movement of the pistons and a channel along its face for delivering fluid from said fluid openings in said cylindrical housing to between adjacent pistons, and a plurality of fluid channels for delivering a fluid between respective adjacent pistons of said first positioning system; and
b) a second positioning system including;
i) at least one moveable piston for moving the positioning member a preselected distance, said at least one moveable piston of said second positioning system being independently moveable relative to said pistons of said first positioning system; and
ii) at least one fluid supply member for introducing a fluid at a first pressure against said at least one piston of said second positioning system, said at least one fluid supply member of said second positioning system extending through at least one piston of said first positioning system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-stroke air cylinder providing a precisely directed and controlled stroke in the face of lateral, torsional and tilting loads on a tooling plate. The multi-stroke cylinder utilizes a plurality of mechanically linked pneumatic or hydraulic pistons having different stroke lengths that can be added together in any combination, allowing the user to select any stroke length up to a predetermined, total combined stroke length, in increments equal to the stroke length of the smallest cylinder. The multi-stroke cylinder includes a head assembly having a fluid inlet for introducing fluid to the cylinder at a first pressure. The cylinder also includes a first positioning system having a plurality of pistons capable of moving a piston rod away from the first positioning system, and a second positioning system located between the head assembly and the first positioning system. The second positioning system comprises a plurality of movable pistons for displacing the piston rod a preselected distance and at least one elongated fluid supply member secured to a respective one of the pistons of the second positioning system for introducing a fluid between adjacent pistons. When a plurality of fluid supply members are used in the second positioning system, they are concentrically arranged and are at least partially coextensive with one another.
30 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A multi-stroke fluid cylinder comprising:
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a) a first positioning system comprising a cylindrical housing having a plurality of fluid openings and containing a plurality of moveable pistons for moving a positioning member a preselected distance, each said moveable piston comprising at least one slot extending in the direction of movement of the pistons and a channel along its face for delivering fluid from said fluid openings in said cylindrical housing to between adjacent pistons, and a plurality of fluid channels for delivering a fluid between respective adjacent pistons of said first positioning system; and
b) a second positioning system including;
i) at least one moveable piston for moving the positioning member a preselected distance, said at least one moveable piston of said second positioning system being independently moveable relative to said pistons of said first positioning system; and
ii) at least one fluid supply member for introducing a fluid at a first pressure against said at least one piston of said second positioning system, said at least one fluid supply member of said second positioning system extending through at least one piston of said first positioning system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A multi-stroke fluid cylinder comprising:
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a) a cylindrical housing having an inner wall including a plurality of spaced openings for delivering fluid at predetermined locations within said housing;
b) a fluid introduction plate positioned at a first end of said housing, said fluid introduction plate comprising a plurality of fluid introduction openings through which fluid can enter said multi-stroke cylinder, each said fluid introduction opening of said plate being in fluid communication with a respective one of said openings in said inner wall of said housing; and
c) a positioning system comprising;
i) a plurality of movable pistons located within said housing for moving a piston rod a preselected distance, said pistons each having a length that extends substantially parallel to the length of the cylindrical housing; and
ii) a fluid supply and tethering member including a hollow cylindrical portion extending within said housing and through a center of a plurality of said moveable pistons within said housing for delivering the fluid between two of said pistons. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A multi-stroke fluid cylinder comprising:
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a) a housing comprising an inner elongated wall including a plurality of spaced openings for delivering fluid at predetermined locations within said housing;
b) a fluid introduction plate positioned at a first end of said housing, said fluid introduction plate comprising a plurality of fluid introduction openings through which fluid can enter said multi-stroke cylinder, each said fluid introduction opening of said plate being in fluid communication with a respective one of said openings in said inner wall of said housing; and
c) a positioning system comprising a plurality of moveable pistons located within said housing for moving an elongated member at a second end of said housing a preselected distance, and a plurality of tethering members securing together respective adjacent ones of said moveable pistons to limit movement between the respective adjacent ones of said pistons. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification