Electric cylinder with automatic grease injection function

Abstract

The utility model provides an electric cylinder with an automatic grease injection function. The electric cylinder comprises a cylinder body; a piston rod, a lead screw, a lead screw nut, an oil storage bag and an oil filling piston are arranged in the cylinder body. The oil storage bag, the oil filling piston and the lead screw nut are sequentially arranged on the lead screw from back to front, and the oil filling piston is installed on the oil storage bag. The other end of the piston rod extends out of the cylinder body; a first oil guide channel is arranged on the refueling piston and is communicated with the oil storage cavity of the oil storage bag; an oil inlet is formed in the lead screw nut; when the lead screw nut moves backwards to extrude the oiling piston, lubricating grease stored in the oil storage cavity enters the oil inlet through the first oil guide channel and flows to the lead screw through the oil inlet. The electric cylinder can automatically inject grease into the lead screw, and the maintenance efficiency of the lead screw is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electric cylinder technology, and more specifically, to an electric cylinder with an automatic grease injection function. Background Technology

[0002] Electric cylinders are efficient and reliable mechanical devices widely used in various industrial fields. They convert linear motion into working force by driving a piston rod with an electric motor, used for pushing, pulling, lifting, clamping, and other operations. Electric cylinders have advantages such as simple structure, small size, light weight, high power, fast response speed, high precision, and programmable control, making them an indispensable component of modern industrial automation.

[0003] During the operation of an electric cylinder, the lead screw drives the piston rod to achieve precise movement. However, with the use of the electric cylinder, the continuous friction between the lead screw nut and the lead screw may damage the lead screw structure. To ensure the stable operation of the electric cylinder, it is necessary to apply grease to the lead screw regularly. In related technologies, it is usually necessary to remove the lead screw from the electric cylinder to apply grease. This application method is time-consuming and labor-intensive, seriously affecting the maintenance efficiency of the electric cylinder.

[0004] In view of the above, this application is hereby submitted. Utility Model Content

[0005] This application is made in view of the above problems. According to one aspect of this application, an electric cylinder with automatic grease injection function is provided, comprising: a cylinder body; wherein a piston rod, a lead screw, a lead screw nut, an oil reservoir and a grease injection piston are disposed in the cylinder body;

[0006] The oil reservoir, the refueling piston, and the lead screw nut are sequentially arranged on the lead screw from back to front, and the refueling piston is mounted on the oil reservoir; one end of the piston rod is sleeved on the lead screw nut, and the other end extends out of the cylinder body;

[0007] The refueling piston is provided with a first oil guide channel, which is connected to the oil storage chamber of the oil reservoir.

[0008] The lead screw nut is provided with an oil inlet; when the lead screw nut moves backward to press the oil filling piston, the grease stored in the oil storage chamber enters the oil inlet through the first oil guide channel and flows to the lead screw through the oil inlet.

[0009] For example, an anti-collision pad is fitted on the lead screw, and the anti-collision pad is fixed to the side of the lead screw nut near the oil filling piston; a second oil guiding channel is provided on the anti-collision pad; the second oil guiding channel is connected to the oil inlet through an oil guiding pipe.

[0010] For example, a sealing ring is provided at the opening of the first oil guide channel near the lead screw nut.

[0011] For example, the piston rod is provided with a third oil guide channel; the third oil guide channel is connected to the oil inlet, and the lubricating grease enters the oil inlet through the third oil guide channel.

[0012] For example, the diameter of the oil inlet gradually increases along the direction close to the lead screw.

[0013] For example, the cylinder body is provided with an oil replenishment port, which is connected to the oil storage chamber of the oil reservoir; a sealing plug is installed on the oil replenishment port.

[0014] For example, the cylinder body has an end cap at the front end, the end cap has an opening, and the end of the piston rod away from the lead screw nut extends out of the cylinder body from the opening.

[0015] For example, a flange is installed on the side of the end cap away from the cylinder body.

[0016] Exemplarily, it also includes a drive motor and a transmission component; the drive motor is connected to the lead screw via the transmission component.

[0017] For example, a bearing housing is provided at the rear end of the cylinder; the end of the lead screw away from the piston rod passes through the bearing housing and is connected to the transmission component.

[0018] Compared to existing technologies, the present application's solution cleverly incorporates an oil reservoir inside the electric cylinder. When grease replenishment is required, pressure is applied to the reservoir via the lead screw nut (specifically, by squeezing the filling piston, which indirectly pressurizes the reservoir), thus achieving automatic grease injection without disassembling the lead screw. Furthermore, after grease injection, the relative movement between the lead screw nut and the lead screw allows for even application of grease to the lead screw surface. In summary, this solution not only achieves automatic grease injection and even application, significantly improving the maintenance efficiency of the electric cylinder, but also eliminates the need for manual intervention, effectively reducing maintenance costs. Moreover, the pre-filled reservoir with an appropriate amount of grease ensures that incorrect grease selection does not occur during application, thus avoiding the risk of reduced lubrication and ensuring reliable and effective maintenance of the lead screw.

[0019] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an electric cylinder with automatic grease injection function according to an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the electric cylinder shown.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the internal structure of the electric cylinder portion in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the oil reservoir in an embodiment of this application.

[0025] In the diagram: 1. Piston rod; 101. Third oil guide channel; 2. Flange; 3. End cover; 4. Cylinder body; 5. Bearing seat; 6. Transmission component; 7. Drive motor; 8. Lead screw; 9. Oil reservoir; 901. Oil reservoir chamber; 10. Filling piston; 1001. First oil guide channel; 11. Sealing ring; 12. Anti-collision pad; 1201. Second oil guide channel; 13. Lead screw nut; 1301. Oil inlet; 14. Oil guide pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0026] In the following description, numerous details are provided to enable a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the following description pertains only to preferred embodiments of the present invention, which may be practiced without one or more of these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion with the present invention, some technical features well-known in the art have not been described.

[0027] As mentioned above, in related technologies, the lead screw typically needs to be removed from the electric cylinder for grease application. Specifically, in these technologies, the cylinder end cap must first be removed, then the lead screw removed from the cylinder, and finally the grease applied to the removed lead screw before reinstalling it. This application method is time-consuming and labor-intensive, severely impacting the maintenance efficiency of the electric cylinder. Furthermore, electric cylinders have strict requirements for grease selection during maintenance; different types of electric cylinders may require specific grease formulations to ensure optimal performance. However, during manual grease application, due to various reasons, the wrong type of grease may be used. Such mixing of greases not only fails to achieve the desired lubrication effect but may also cause chemical reactions, leading to grease performance degradation, thereby accelerating the wear of internal parts of the electric cylinder and shortening the equipment's lifespan. To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides an electric cylinder with an automatic grease-applying function. This electric cylinder is equipped with an oil reservoir. When grease needs to be applied, it can be applied by squeezing the reservoir. This automatic application method eliminates the need to disassemble the lead screw, thus improving the maintenance efficiency of the electric cylinder. The specific structure of this electric cylinder is described in detail below.

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution in this application, the following will combine... Figure 1-4 A specific embodiment of this application will be described.

[0029] See also Figure 1-4 This embodiment provides an electric cylinder with an automatic grease injection function. The electric cylinder includes: a cylinder body 4; a piston rod 1, a lead screw 8, a lead screw nut 13, an oil reservoir 9, and a grease injection piston 10 are disposed inside the cylinder body 4; the oil reservoir 9, the grease injection piston 10, and the lead screw nut 13 are arranged sequentially on the lead screw 8 from back to front, and the grease injection piston 10 is mounted on the oil reservoir 9; one end of the piston rod 1 is sleeved on the lead screw nut 13, and the other end extends out of the cylinder body 4; the grease injection piston 10 is provided with a first oil guide channel 1001, which communicates with the oil storage chamber 901 of the oil reservoir 9; the lead screw nut 13 is provided with an oil inlet 1301; when the lead screw nut 13 moves backward to compress the grease injection piston 10, the grease stored in the oil storage chamber 901 enters the oil inlet 1301 through the first oil guide channel 1001 and flows to the lead screw 8 through the oil inlet 1301.

[0030] It is understood that grease itself has high viscosity. When the oil reservoir 9 is not compressed, the grease will not automatically flow out from the first oil channel 1001 due to its viscosity. In this embodiment, when it is necessary to apply grease to the lead screw 8, the lead screw 8 can be controlled to rotate, causing the lead screw nut 13 to move backward. During the movement, the lead screw nut 13 gradually approaches the filling piston 10. When the lead screw nut 13 contacts the filling piston 10, the oil inlet 1301 connects with the first oil channel 1001 (it can be a direct or indirect connection). The lead screw nut 13 continues to move backward, compressing the filling piston 10. After being compressed, the filling piston 10 moves backward, compressing the oil reservoir 9, so that the grease stored in the oil reservoir 901 is squeezed out and flows to the lead screw 8 through the first oil channel 1001 and the oil inlet 1301. At this point, the grease injection is completed. During the subsequent operation of the electric cylinder, the lead screw nut 13 moves back and forth relative to the lead screw 8. Under these circumstances, the grease on the lead screw 8 can be evenly applied to the surface of the lead screw 8 through the movement of the lead screw nut 13.

[0031] In some implementations of this embodiment, the oil inlet 1301 can be directly connected to the first oil guide channel 1001. Of course, the oil inlet 1301 can also be indirectly connected to the first oil guide channel 1001, for example, through a channel provided on an intermediate component (e.g., the piston rod).

[0032] According to the solution in this embodiment, an oil reservoir 9 is cleverly designed inside the electric cylinder. When grease replenishment is required, pressure can be applied to the oil reservoir 9 via the lead screw nut 13 (specifically, by squeezing the filling piston 10, thereby indirectly pressurizing the oil reservoir 9), thus achieving automatic grease injection without disassembling the lead screw 8. Furthermore, after the grease injection operation is completed, the relative movement between the lead screw nut 13 and the lead screw 8 can be used to evenly coat the surface of the lead screw 8. In summary, this solution not only achieves automatic grease injection and even coating, significantly improving the maintenance efficiency of the electric cylinder, but also eliminates the need for manual intervention, effectively reducing maintenance costs. Moreover, the oil reservoir 9 is pre-filled with an appropriate amount of grease; this design ensures that the wrong grease is selected during coating, thereby avoiding the risk of reduced lubrication effect and ensuring reliable and effective maintenance of the lead screw 8.

[0033] For example, in conjunction with reference Figure 2 , 3 An anti-collision pad 12 is fitted on the lead screw 8. The anti-collision pad 12 is fixed on the side of the lead screw nut 13 near the oil filling piston 10. A second oil guide channel 1201 is provided on the anti-collision pad 12. The second oil guide channel 1201 is connected to the oil inlet 1301 through an oil guide pipe 14.

[0034] As described above regarding the grease injection process, during grease injection, the lead screw nut 13 moves backward, contacting (in this embodiment, indirectly contacting via the anti-collision pad 12) and squeezing the filling piston 10 to compress the oil reservoir 9, thereby achieving automatic grease injection. In this example, when the lead screw nut 13 indirectly contacts the filling piston 10 via the anti-collision pad 12, the first oil guide channel 1001 and the second oil guide channel 1201 are connected. The grease can sequentially enter the oil inlet 1301 via the first oil guide channel 1001, the second oil guide channel 1201, and the oil guide pipe 14.

[0035] In the above technical solution, the anti-collision pad 12 can play a shock absorption and buffering role, reduce the impact on the oil filling piston 10 when the lead screw nut 13 moves backward and squeezes the oil filling piston 10, avoid the scratches that may be caused by direct contact between the lead screw nut 13 and the oil filling piston 10, and thus help extend the service life of the lead screw nut 13 and the oil filling piston 10.

[0036] For example, in conjunction with reference Figure 2 , 4 A sealing ring 11 is provided at the opening of the first oil guide channel 1001 near the lead screw nut 13.

[0037] In such Figure 2 In the illustrated scheme, during grease injection, the opening of the first oil guide channel 1001 near the lead screw nut 13 contacts and connects with the opening of the second oil guide channel 1201 near the oil reservoir 9. In this example scheme, by setting the sealing ring 11, the sealing between the two openings can be ensured, thereby preventing grease from leaking into the cylinder 4 from between the two openings.

[0038] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, a third oil guide channel 101 is provided on the piston rod; the third oil guide channel 101 is connected to the oil inlet 1301, and the grease enters the oil inlet 1301 through the third oil guide channel 101.

[0039] In such Figure 3 In the illustrated scheme, the second oil guide channel 1201 is connected to the third oil guide channel 101 via the oil guide pipe 14. Grease can sequentially enter the oil inlet 1301 via the first oil guide channel 1001, the second oil guide channel 1201, the oil guide pipe 14, and the third oil guide channel 101, and then flow onto the lead screw 8 through the oil inlet 1301. This channel arrangement ensures precise injection of grease into the lead screw 8, thereby ensuring effective maintenance of the lead screw 8.

[0040] For example, such as Figure 3As shown, the diameter of the oil inlet 1301 gradually increases towards the lead screw 8. In this design, the larger lower diameter of the oil inlet 1301 creates a pressure difference after injection, preventing grease from flowing back under gravity. The smaller upper diameter helps maintain pressure during injection, ensuring the grease is effectively pushed onto the lead screw 8. In summary, this structural design allows for more efficient grease injection and improves lubrication.

[0041] In some implementations of this embodiment, the initial amount of grease stored in the oil reservoir 901 can be determined based on the return-to-factory maintenance cycle of the electric cylinder. That is, the entire amount of grease allowed to be replenished in the electric cylinder can be added to the oil reservoir 9 at once. When the grease in the oil reservoir 9 is used up, the electric cylinder is due for return-to-factory maintenance. In other implementations of this embodiment, the initial amount of grease stored in the oil reservoir 901 can also be less than the amount of grease required during the return-to-factory maintenance cycle of the electric cylinder. In this embodiment, the cylinder body 4 is provided with an oil replenishment port, which is connected to the oil reservoir 901 of the oil reservoir 9; a sealing plug is installed on the oil replenishment port. When the grease in the oil reservoir 9 is used up, grease can be replenished into the oil reservoir 9 through the oil replenishment port to ensure that the grease in the oil reservoir 9 can meet the maintenance requirements of the lead screw 8.

[0042] For example, in conjunction with reference Figure 1 , 2 An end cap 3 is provided at the front end of the cylinder body 4, and an opening is provided on the end cap 3. The end of the piston rod 1 away from the lead screw nut 13 extends out of the cylinder body 4 through the opening. In this design, by providing the end cap 3, the piston rod 1, lead screw nut 13 and other components inside the cylinder body 4 can be protected from the intrusion of external dust, moisture and other contaminants, thus extending the service life of the equipment.

[0043] For example, in conjunction with reference Figure 1 , 2 A flange 2 is installed on the side of the end cap 3 away from the cylinder body 4. In this design, the flange 2 provides a standard interface, allowing the electric cylinder to be easily connected to other mechanical components or equipment. Connecting the flange 2 of the electric cylinder to the equipment with bolts ensures the stability of the electric cylinder during operation.

[0044] For example, such as Figure 1As shown, the electric cylinder also includes a drive motor 7 and a transmission component 6; the drive motor 7 is connected to the lead screw 8 via the transmission component 6. In some embodiments, the transmission component 6 may include a meshing drive gear and a driven gear, with the drive gear mounted on the drive shaft of the drive motor 7 and the driven gear mounted on the end of the lead screw 8 that extends into the transmission component 6. Of course, in addition to gear transmission, the transmission component 6 can also be designed using belt transmission, chain transmission, etc., which will not be elaborated further. The electric cylinder of this scheme has a simple overall structure and can stably drive the piston rod 1 to work.

[0045] For example, a bearing seat 5 is provided at the rear end of the cylinder body 4; the end of the lead screw 8 away from the piston rod 1 passes through the bearing seat 5 and is connected to the transmission component 6. The bearing seat 5 not only provides support for the lead screw 8, but also reduces wear during the rotation of the lead screw 8 and improves the service life of the lead screw 8.

[0046] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front", "back", "up", "down", "left", "right", "horizontal", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", and "bottom" is usually based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this application; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0047] For ease of description, relative terms such as "above," "over," "on the upper surface of," and "above" are used here to describe the regional positional relationship of one or more components or features shown in the figures to other components or features. It should be understood that relative terms include not only the orientation of the component as depicted in the figure but also different orientations during use or operation. For example, if the components in the figures are inverted as a whole, "above" or "above other components or features" will include cases where the component is "below" or "under" other components or features. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." Furthermore, these components or features may also be positioned at other different angles (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other angles), and this document intends to include all such cases.

[0048] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to this application. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, components, parts, and / or combinations thereof.

[0049] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein.

[0050] This application has been described through the above embodiments. However, it should be understood that the above embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit this application to the scope of the described embodiments. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that this application is not limited to the above embodiments, and many more variations and modifications can be made based on the teachings of this application, all of which fall within the scope of protection claimed in this application. The scope of protection of this application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An electric cylinder with automatic grease injection function, characterized in that, include: Cylinder block; The cylinder body is equipped with a piston rod, a lead screw, a lead screw nut, an oil reservoir, and a refueling piston; The oil reservoir, the refueling piston, and the lead screw nut are sequentially arranged on the lead screw from back to front, and the refueling piston is mounted on the oil reservoir; one end of the piston rod is sleeved on the lead screw nut, and the other end extends out of the cylinder body; The refueling piston is provided with a first oil guide channel, which is connected to the oil storage chamber of the oil reservoir. The lead screw nut is provided with an oil inlet; when the lead screw nut moves backward to press the oil filling piston, the grease stored in the oil storage chamber enters the oil inlet through the first oil guide channel and flows to the lead screw through the oil inlet.

2. The electric cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that, An anti-collision pad is fitted on the lead screw, and the anti-collision pad is fixed to the side of the lead screw nut near the oil filling piston; a second oil guide channel is provided on the anti-collision pad; the second oil guide channel is connected to the oil inlet through an oil guide pipe.

3. The electric cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that, A sealing ring is provided at the opening of the first oil guide channel near the lead screw nut.

4. The electric cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The piston rod is provided with a third oil guide channel; the third oil guide channel is connected to the oil inlet, and the lubricating grease enters the oil inlet through the third oil guide channel.

5. The electric cylinder according to claim 4, characterized in that, The diameter of the oil inlet gradually increases along the direction close to the lead screw.

6. The electric cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cylinder body is provided with an oil filler port, which is connected to the oil storage chamber of the oil reservoir; a sealing plug is installed on the oil filler port.

7. The electric cylinder according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The cylinder body is provided with an end cap at the front end, and the end cap is provided with an opening. The end of the piston rod away from the lead screw nut extends out of the cylinder body from the opening.

8. The electric cylinder according to claim 7, characterized in that, A flange is installed on the side of the end cap away from the cylinder body.

9. The electric cylinder according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, It also includes a drive motor and a transmission component; the drive motor is connected to the lead screw via the transmission component.

10. The electric cylinder according to claim 9, characterized in that, A bearing housing is provided at the rear end of the cylinder; the end of the lead screw away from the piston rod passes through the bearing housing and is connected to the transmission component.

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