Air cylinder locking mechanism

Abstract

The invention discloses an air cylinder locking mechanism, and relates to the technical field of air cylinders, the air cylinder locking mechanism comprises a shell, a guide ring is rotatably connected to the interior of the shell, a plurality of clamping plates which are circumferentially arranged at equal intervals are slidably connected to the inner wall of the guide ring, and a pressure applying unit is arranged between the shell and the clamping plates; the unlocking unit comprises an annular piston slidably connected into the shell, and a push plate is fixed to one side of the annular piston. The position switching unit comprises an elastic push rod installed on one side of the push plate in a sliding mode, through the position switching unit, the relative position of the clamping plate and the piston rod of the air cylinder can be changed after each time of unlocking, on one hand, air leakage at the position where the piston rod makes contact with the sealing ring during stretching and retracting due to local long-term abrasion can be avoided; the service life of the cylinder is prolonged; on the other hand, due to the design of switchable positions of the clamping plates, load acting points can be dispersed, single clamping plates are prevented from being damaged due to frequent bearing, the using effect of the device is further improved, and the service life of the device is further prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of cylinders, and in particular to a cylinder locking mechanism. Background Art

[0002] A cylinder is a pneumatic actuator that converts the pressure energy of compressed air into mechanical energy. It is mainly used to achieve linear reciprocating motion and is widely used in mechanical automation, industrial production, aerospace and other fields.

[0003] The cylinder is mainly composed of a cylinder barrel, a piston rod and a seal. According to the mode of action, the cylinder is divided into single-acting cylinder and double-acting cylinder. The single-acting cylinder is driven by unidirectional air pressure and resets by a spring or its own weight. It has a simple structure and low air consumption. The double-acting cylinder is driven by bidirectional air pressure, has stable output force, and is suitable for scenarios requiring bidirectional movement.

[0004] The cylinder locking mechanism is a key component to ensure the precise positioning of the mechanical system. It effectively resists external force impact, air pressure fluctuations and gravity by locking the position of the piston rod. Taking the double-acting cylinder as an example, in its internal structure, the piston rod extends from one end of the cylinder barrel, and the piston separates the cylinder barrel into a rod chamber and a rodless chamber. The air intake of the rodless chamber drives the piston rod to extend, and the air intake of the rod chamber causes it to retract. A sealing ring is provided at the connection between the piston rod and the cylinder barrel to prevent air leakage in the rod chamber.

[0005] However, traditional locking mechanisms have significant defects: first, because the piston rod is fixed by clamping force, frequent telescopic movement and clamping action will cause local excessive wear on the rod surface, destroying the sealing between the piston rod and the sealing ring, causing air leakage in the rod cavity, and accelerating cylinder failure; second, the existing locking mechanism needs to be controlled independently, which not only increases the complexity of the system and pushes up energy consumption and maintenance costs, but also easily causes time delays in the cylinder telescopic and locking actions, resulting in a decrease in positioning accuracy and affecting the overall operational stability of the equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to propose a cylinder locking mechanism to solve the problems that frequent clamping actions of the locking mechanism may cause local excessive wear on the rod surface, destroying the sealing between the piston rod and the sealing ring, and the locking mechanism needs to be independently controlled, which not only increases the complexity of the system but also easily causes time delays in the cylinder extension and locking actions.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technology: a cylinder locking mechanism comprising a housing, a guide ring rotatably connected to the interior of the housing, a plurality of circumferentially equidistantly arranged clamping plates slidably connected to the inner wall of the guide ring, a pressure unit provided between the housing and the clamping plates, and further comprising:

[0008] An unlocking unit, the unlocking unit comprising an annular piston slidably connected to the interior of the housing, with a push plate fixed to one side of the annular piston;

[0009] A position switching unit, the position switching unit comprising an elastic push rod slidably mounted on one side of the push plate, a ring member fixed on one side of the guide ring, and a convex strip fixed inside the ring member;

[0010] and airflow control components;

[0011] Each time the unlocking unit pushes the clamping plate to unlock, the position switching unit deflects the clamping plate to switch the contact position between the cylinder piston push rod and the clamping plate when locking again.

[0012] As a further description of the above technical solution: the pressure unit includes a pressure plate slidably connected to the inside of the shell, and a compression spring and a positioning rod are provided between the pressure plate and the inner wall of the shell.

[0013] As a further description of the above technical solution: the guide ring, the clamping plate, the pressure unit, the unlocking unit and the position switching unit are each provided in two groups and are symmetrically arranged inside the shell.

[0014] As a further description of the above technical solution: the airflow control component includes a gas tank, a partition is fixed inside the gas tank, which divides the internal space of the gas tank into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, a connecting pipe is fixed on the top of the gas tank, an air supply pipe is slidably connected to the inside of the connecting pipe, and an adjustment component is provided inside the gas tank.

[0015] As a further description of the above technical solution: a three-way pipe is fixed between the lower chamber of the gas tank and the cylinder barrel, a solenoid valve is installed at the connection between the three-way pipe and the cylinder barrel, and the upper chamber of the gas tank is connected to the interior of the shell through a pipeline.

[0016] As a further description of the above technical solution: the adjusting component includes a base frame fixed to the bottom of the partition, an electromagnet is fixed to the bottom of the base frame, a tension spring is fixed between the gas pipe and the inner wall of the gas tank, and a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the upper chamber of the gas tank is installed on one side of the gas tank.

[0017] As a further description of the above technical solution: an exhaust unit is provided on the connecting pipe, and the exhaust unit includes a sealing plug fixed inside the connecting pipe, and the interior of the connecting pipe is slidably connected to a slider that fits with the sealing plug, and the interior of the slider is slidably installed with a spring pin, and a return spring is provided between the slider and the connecting pipe.

[0018] As a further description of the above technical solution: a cover body is fixed to the outside of the connecting pipe, and a guide ring connected to the cover body through a pipeline is fixed to the bottom of the shell.

[0019] In summary, due to the adoption of the above-mentioned technology and the cylinder locking mechanism, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0020] First, the present application uses a position switching unit to change the relative position of the splint and the cylinder piston rod after each unlocking. On the one hand, this can prevent the piston rod from leaking at the contact point with the sealing ring during extension and contraction due to local long-term wear, thereby extending the service life of the cylinder; on the other hand, the radial load on the cylinder piston rod will be borne by the splint, and the design of the splint's switchable position can disperse the load application points, prevent a single splint from being damaged due to frequent load-bearing, and further improve the use effect and service life of the device.

[0021] Secondly, the airflow control component of the present application works in conjunction with the unlocking unit to automatically unlock and lock the piston push rod before and after each extension and retraction movement of the cylinder. This design not only simplifies the structural complexity of the cylinder system, but also enhances the coordination of the movements between the cylinder and the locking mechanism, effectively shortening the time delay between the cylinder's extension and retraction movement and the locking action, thereby significantly improving the positioning accuracy of the cylinder.

[0022] Third, after the cylinder is extended and retracted, when the piston push rod is automatically locked, the present application utilizes the cover body and the guide ring to guide the gas leaked from the gas tank to the surface of the piston push rod, and blows out the impurities between the piston push rod and the splint through the airflow, preventing the impurities from interfering with the locking, ensuring that the locking force is uniform and reliable, and reducing abnormal wear caused by impurities, protecting the surface of the piston push rod and the splint, and extending the life of key components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 Shows an overall schematic diagram provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 Shows an overall cross-sectional schematic diagram provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a gas tank provided according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0026] Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of a gas tank according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0027] Figure 5 The embodiment of the present invention provides Figure 4 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0028] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of an exhaust unit in an open state according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0029] Figure 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a housing provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 8 The embodiment of the present invention provides Figure 7 Enlarged view of point B in the middle;

[0031] Figure 9 An exploded view of a ring member according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0032] Figure 10 The embodiment of the present invention provides Figure 9 Enlarged view of point C in the middle.

[0033] Legend:

[0034] 10. Housing; 11. Guide ring; 12. Clamp; 13. Pressure unit; 131. Compression spring; 132. Pressure plate; 133. Positioning rod; 14. Unlocking unit; 141. Annular piston; 142. Push plate; 15. Position switching unit; 151. Elastic push rod; 152. Ring member; 153. Raised strip;

[0035] 20. Air flow control assembly; 21. Gas tank; 22. Partition; 23. Connecting pipe; 24. Gas pipe; 25. Adjusting component; 251. Base frame; 252. Electromagnet; 253. Tension spring; 254. Pressure sensor; 26. Exhaust unit; 261. Sealing plug; 262. Slider; 263. Spring pin; 264. Return spring; 27. Cover; 28. Guide ring; 29. ​​Tee pipe; 210. Solenoid valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] The following will provide a clear and complete description of a cylinder locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a portion of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. All other embodiments derived by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are intended to fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] like Figures 1-10 As shown, the present invention provides a cylinder locking mechanism: it includes a shell 10 fixed to the end of the cylinder and penetrated by the cylinder piston push rod, the shell 10 is rotatably connected to the inside of the guide ring 11, the inner wall of the guide ring 11 is funnel-shaped and is slidably connected to a plurality of clamps 12 arranged equidistantly around the circumference, a pressure unit 13 is provided between the shell 10 and the clamp 12, the pressure unit 13 includes a pressure plate 132 slidably connected to the inside of the shell 10, a compression spring 131 and a positioning rod 133 are provided between the pressure plate 132 and the inner wall of the shell 10, the compression spring 131 is always in a compressed state, the elastic force of the compression spring 131 causes the pressure plate 132 to squeeze the clamp 12, and the clamp 12 applies extrusion force to the cylinder piston push rod under the limit of the guide ring 11, so that the piston push rod is clamped by the clamp 12.

[0038] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 9 , and also includes an unlocking unit 14, which includes an annular piston 141 slidably connected to the inside of the shell 10, and a push plate 142 is fixed to one side of the annular piston 141. The annular piston 141 can slide inside the shell 10 through air pressure, driving the push plate 142 to push the clamping plate 12, so that the clamping plate 12 no longer clamps the piston push rod, thereby realizing the unlocking of the cylinder.

[0039] Reference Figure 4 In order to enhance the coordination of the movements between the cylinder and the locking mechanism, an airflow control assembly 20 is also included. The airflow control assembly 20 includes a gas tank 21 fixed to the end of the cylinder, and a partition 22 is fixed inside the gas tank 21 to divide the internal space of the gas tank 21 into an upper chamber and a lower chamber.

[0040] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 A three-way pipe 29 is fixed between the lower chamber of the gas tank 21 and the cylinder barrel. Solenoid valves 210 are installed at the connection points between the two interfaces of the three-way pipe 29 and the cylinder barrel. By controlling the opening and closing of the two solenoid valves 210, air can be ventilated to the rod chamber and the rodless chamber of the cylinder respectively, thereby realizing the contraction or extension of the cylinder.

[0041] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The upper chamber of the gas tank 21 is connected to the interior of the housing 10 through a pipeline. A connecting pipe 23 is fixed to the top of the gas tank 21 and is connected to the external compressor through the connecting pipe 23. The interior of the connecting pipe 23 is slidably connected to the gas pipe 24. The bottom end of the gas pipe 24 passes through the partition 22 and is sealed between the partition 22. An adjusting component 25 for switching the position of the gas pipe 24 is provided inside the gas tank 21;

[0042] When compressed air is used to control the extension and retraction of the cylinder, the compressed air first enters the upper chamber of the gas tank 21 through the connecting pipe 23 and the air supply pipe 24, and then enters the outer shell 10 through the pipeline, thereby cooperating with the unlocking unit 14 to realize automatic unlocking before the cylinder is extended and retracted.

[0043] Reference Figure 8 and Figure 9The guide groove and the inclined convex strip 153 of the annular member 152 drive the annular member 152, the guide ring 11 and the clamping plate 12 to deflect, so that the relative positions of the clamping plate 12 and the piston push rod are switched, and the contact position of the two when the clamping plate 12 locks the piston push rod again is changed, thereby avoiding local wear of the piston push rod.

[0044] Considering that when the cylinder is operating, the piston push rod will inevitably be subjected to radial loads and will be transferred to the clamping plate 12, this design of constantly switching the position of the clamping plate 12 can also make each clamping plate 12 evenly utilized, preventing a single clamping plate 12 from being damaged due to frequent load bearing, further improving the performance and service life of the device;

[0045] When the push plate 142 drives the elastic push rod 151 to reset, the elastic push rod 151 contacts the ridge 153 and contracts under the pressure of the inclined surface of the other ridge 153. After the elastic push rod 151 contracts and intersects with the ridge 153, it resets and pops out under its own elastic force, so as to push the ring member 152 to deflect again with the movement of the unlocking unit 14.

[0046] Reference Figure 4 The regulating component 25 includes a base frame 251 fixed to the bottom of the partition 22, an electromagnet 252 is fixed to the bottom of the base frame 251, a tension spring 253 is fixed between the gas pipe 24 and the inner wall of the gas tank 21, and a pressure sensor 254 for detecting the pressure of the upper chamber of the gas tank 21 is installed on one side of the gas tank 21. After the pressure sensor 254 detects that the pressure in the upper chamber increases, the electromagnet 252 is controlled to be energized. At this time, the electromagnet 252 drives the gas pipe 24 downward through magnetic force, so that the gas pipe 24 connects the connecting pipe 23 with the lower chamber of the gas tank 21. At this time, the tension spring 253 is stretched, and the external compressor passes compression control into the cylinder barrel through the connecting pipe 23, the gas pipe 24, the lower chamber and the three-way pipe 29 to control the operation of the cylinder.

[0047] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5In order to automatically lock the piston push rod after the cylinder is operated, an exhaust unit 26 is provided on the connecting pipe 23. The exhaust unit 26 includes a sealing plug 261 fixed to the inside of the connecting pipe 23. The inside of the connecting pipe 23 is slidably connected to a slider 262 that fits and seals the sealing plug 261. A spring pin 263 is slidably installed inside the slider 262. A return spring 264 is provided between the slider 262 and the connecting pipe 23.

[0048] When the gas pipe 24 moves downward, the top end of the gas pipe 24 applies a downward thrust to the spring pin 263. At this time, the slider 262 cannot move downward. Under the thrust, the spring pin 263 retracts into the slider 262, so that the gas pipe 24 and the spring pin 263 pass through each other, and the air hole on the sealing plug 261 is in a closed state.

[0049] Reference Figure 6 After the cylinder contracts, the control electromagnet 252 is de-energized, the tension spring 253 contracts, and the gas pipe 24 moves upward. At this time, the top end of the gas pipe 24 applies an upward thrust to the spring pin 263, and the spring pin 263 drives the slider 262 to move upward, so that the air hole of the sealing plug 261 is opened, and the compressed air in the upper chamber of the gas tank 21 and the shell 10 is discharged through the air hole of the sealing plug 261. After the internal pressure of the shell 10 drops, the push plate 142 no longer applies thrust to the splint 12. At this time, the elastic force of the compression spring 131 drives the pressure plate 132 to push the splint 12, so that the splint 12 locks the piston push rod again.

[0050] The air pipe 24 continues to move upward, driving the spring pin 263 and the slider 262 to move upward. The degree of compression of the return spring 264 gradually increases, so that the force between the spring pin 263 and the air pipe 24 gradually increases. After the air pipe 24 rises to the highest point, the spring pin 263 is squeezed back into the slider 262. At this time, the spring pin 263 loses the thrust of the air pipe 24 and returns to its original position along with the slider 262 under the elastic force of the return spring 264.

[0051] Reference Figure 7 There are two groups of guide rings 11, splints 12, pressure units 13, unlocking units 14 and position switching units 15, and they are symmetrically arranged inside the housing 10. When the splints 12 lock and unlock the piston push rod, the friction forces applied to the piston push rod by the two groups of splints 12 offset each other, preventing the piston push rod from moving due to locking or unlocking and affecting the cylinder telescopic accuracy.

[0052] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 7A cover body 27 is fixed to the outside of the connecting pipe 23, and a guide ring 28 is fixed to the bottom of the outer shell 10, which is connected to the cover body 27 through a pipeline. The cover body 27 and the guide ring 28 guide the compressed air leaked from the upper chamber of the gas tank 21 and the inside of the outer shell 10 to the space between the splint 12 and the piston push rod. The impurities between the piston push rod and the splint 12 are blown out by the airflow, preventing the impurities from interfering with the locking and ensuring that the locking force is uniform and reliable.

[0053] Working principle: In the initial state, the gas pipe 24 is connected to the upper chamber of the gas tank 21, the cylinder piston push rod passes through the shell 10, and the elastic force of the compression spring 131 applies pressure to the clamping plate 12 through the pressure plate 132, so that the clamping plate 12 is squeezed between the guide ring 11 and the piston push rod under the guidance of the inner wall of the guide ring 11, and the piston push rod is locked;

[0054] When the cylinder is in use, compressed air is introduced into the upper chamber of the gas tank 21 through the connecting pipe 23 and the air supply pipe 24 by an external compressor. At this time, the compressed air enters the interior of the housing 10 through the pipeline. The pressure inside the housing 10 increases, causing the annular piston 141 to drive the push plate 142 to push the clamping plate 12. The compression spring 131 is further compressed, and the clamping plate 12 no longer locks the piston push rod.

[0055] The push plate 142 continues to move, driving the elastic push rod 151 into the guide groove of the ring member 152. The ring member 152 drives the ring member 152, the guide ring 11 and the clamping plate 12 to deflect through the guiding effect of the guide groove and the inclined ridge 153, thereby switching the relative positions of the clamping plate 12 and the piston push rod.

[0056] After the pressure inside the housing 10 and the upper chamber increases, the pressure sensor 254 controls the electromagnet 252 to generate magnetic force by detecting the pressure. The electromagnet 252 drives the gas pipe 24 downward through the magnetic attraction, so that the gas pipe 24 connects the connecting pipe 23 with the lower chamber. At this time, the upper chamber is in a sealed state. The compressor continues to introduce compressed air. After the air enters the lower chamber through the connecting pipe 23 and the gas pipe 24, it enters the cylinder barrel through the tee pipe 29, pushing the piston push rod to extend or retract.

[0057] After the cylinder finishes its action, the compressor is controlled to stop and the electromagnet 252 is powered off. At this time, the tension spring 253 pulls the gas pipe 24 up and resets it by elastic force. During the upward movement of the gas pipe 24, the top end applies an upward thrust to the spring pin 263, so that the spring pin 263 drives the slider 262 to move upward. The air hole of the sealing plug 261 loses the seal of the slider 262 and opens. The compressed air in the upper chamber of the gas tank 21 and the shell 10 is discharged through the air hole of the sealing plug 261. After the internal pressure of the shell 10 drops, the push plate 142 no longer applies thrust to the splint 12. At this time, the elastic force of the compression spring 131 drives the pressure plate 132 to push the splint 12, so that the splint 12 locks the piston push rod again, and the push plate 142 drives the elastic push rod 151 to disengage from the guide groove.

[0058] The exhausted air is directed through the cover 27 and the guide ring 28 and sprayed between the clamping plate 12 and the piston push rod. The airflow blows out impurities between the piston push rod and the clamping plate 12 to prevent the impurities from interfering with the locking.

[0059] The above description is only a preferred specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field of the present invention, within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, can make equivalent replacements or changes to the cylinder locking mechanism and its inventive concept according to the technology of the present invention, which should be covered by the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cylinder locking mechanism, comprising a housing (10), wherein a guide ring (11) is rotatably connected to the interior of the housing (10), a plurality of circumferentially equidistantly arranged clamping plates (12) are slidably connected to the inner wall of the guide ring (11), and a pressure unit (13) is provided between the housing (10) and the clamping plates (12), characterized in that: Also includes: An unlocking unit (14), the unlocking unit (14) comprising an annular piston (141) slidably connected to the interior of the housing (10), a push plate (142) being fixed to one side of the annular piston (141); A position switching unit (15), the position switching unit (15) comprising an elastic push rod (151) slidably mounted on one side of the push plate (142), a ring member (152) being fixed on one side of the guide ring (11), and a convex strip (153) being fixed inside the ring member (152); and an airflow control assembly (20); Each time the unlocking unit (14) pushes the clamping plate (12) to unlock, the position switching unit (15) deflects the clamping plate (12) to switch the contact position between the cylinder piston push rod and the clamping plate (12) when locking again.

2. A cylinder locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure unit (13) comprises a pressure plate (132) slidably connected to the interior of the housing (10), and a compression spring (131) and a positioning rod (133) are provided between the pressure plate (132) and the inner wall of the housing (10).

3. The cylinder locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide ring (11), the clamping plate (12), the pressure unit (13), the unlocking unit (14) and the position switching unit (15) are each provided in two groups and are symmetrically arranged inside the housing (10).

4. The cylinder locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The airflow control assembly (20) includes a gas tank (21), a partition (22) is fixed inside the gas tank (21) for dividing the internal space of the gas tank (21) into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, a connecting pipe (23) is fixed on the top of the gas tank (21), an air delivery pipe (24) is slidably connected to the inside of the connecting pipe (23), and an adjusting component (25) is provided inside the gas tank (21).

5. The cylinder locking mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: A three-way pipe (29) is fixed between the lower chamber of the gas tank (21) and the cylinder barrel, and a solenoid valve (210) is installed at the connection between the three-way pipe (29) and the cylinder barrel. The upper chamber of the gas tank (21) is connected to the interior of the housing (10) through a pipeline.

6. The cylinder locking mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The regulating component (25) includes a base frame (251) fixed to the bottom of the partition (22), an electromagnet (252) fixed to the bottom of the base frame (251), a tension spring (253) fixed between the gas pipe (24) and the inner wall of the gas tank (21), and a pressure sensor (254) for detecting the pressure of the upper chamber of the gas tank (21) installed on one side of the gas tank (21).

7. The cylinder locking mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The connecting tube (23) is provided with an exhaust unit (26), the exhaust unit (26) comprising a sealing plug (261) fixed inside the connecting tube (23), a slider (262) in sliding connection with the sealing plug (261) inside the connecting tube (23), a spring pin (263) being slidably mounted inside the slider (262), and a return spring (264) being provided between the slider (262) and the connecting tube (23).

8. The cylinder locking mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that: A cover body (27) is fixed to the outside of the connecting pipe (23), and a guide ring (28) connected to the cover body (27) through a pipeline is fixed to the bottom of the housing (10).

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