Self-locking pneumatic execution device
By designing a self-locking pneumatic actuator, the output shaft and moving piston are connected using the principle of force-saving levers and a self-locking mechanism, which solves the problem of unstable valve closure in pneumatic actuators and improves the safety and reliability of the system.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202520641013.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-04-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-03
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-04-07
AI Technical Summary
Existing pneumatic actuators suffer from unstable gas pressure, which leads to valves failing to close stably, increasing energy consumption and compromising safety. In particular, the valves are prone to actuation when the cylinder loses pressure, affecting system stability and safety.
A self-locking pneumatic actuator is adopted, which separates the output shaft from the moving piston through the principle of labor-saving lever and connects them through a self-locking mechanism. The mechanical structure locks the output shaft at a specific position to ensure stable valve closure.
It achieves precise valve positioning and secure locking, prevents accidental unlocking, improves the safety and reliability of the control system, reduces energy consumption, and enhances equipment safety.
Smart Images
Figure CN223868657U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of valve actuator technology, and in particular to a self-locking pneumatic actuator. Background Technology
[0002] Pneumatic actuators are drive devices that use gas as power to open and close valves or other equipment. After the gas enters the gas actuator, it pushes the internal piston to move, which in turn drives components such as multi-link rods to move, thereby driving the corresponding valve or regulating mechanism to open or close, so as to control and regulate the flow of fluid in the pipeline.
[0003] Currently, the existing method for maintaining stable closure of control valves is to keep the gas pressure within the pneumatic actuator constant. However, gas is a transmission medium with poor motion stability and is easily affected by the external environment, causing changes in volume. These gas pressure changes cause the piston to actuate the valve, preventing it from achieving a stable closed state. Therefore, continuous dynamic adjustment of the gas pressure balance within the cylinder is required, increasing the overall energy consumption of the actuator. Furthermore, if the gas in the cylinder loses pressure, the piston will move, and the valve will also actuate, compromising the safety and stability of the valve system. Utility Model Content
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a self-locking pneumatic actuator to improve the safety and stability of the valve pneumatic control process.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:
[0006] A self-locking pneumatic actuator, comprising:
[0007] A cylinder, wherein the cylinder has a chamber;
[0008] A movable piston is slidably mounted inside the cylinder, dividing the chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber.
[0009] A self-locking mechanism is installed below the cylinder. The self-locking mechanism includes a first connecting end plate, a second connecting end plate, an internal connecting component, and a pair of single-arm connecting components. The first connecting end plate is fixedly connected to the cylinder.
[0010] The single-arm connection assembly includes a support arm connector and a single-arm connector. There are two support arm connectors, which are arranged in parallel and whose two ends are respectively rotatably connected to the first connecting end plate and the single-arm connector. The single-arm connector is rotatably connected to the second connecting end plate.
[0011] The internal connection assembly includes a connecting seat and an inner connecting rod. The connecting seat is connected to the output end of the moving piston. One end of the inner connecting rod is rotatably connected to the connecting seat, and the other end is rotatably connected to the rotation point of the support arm connector and the single arm connector.
[0012] An output shaft is used to connect to a valve, and the output shaft is mounted on the second connection end plate.
[0013] Optionally, the self-locking mechanism further includes a first locking nut, a second locking nut, a first end face bearing, and a second end face bearing; the second end face bearing, the second connecting end plate, and the first end face bearing are fitted onto the second locking nut, one end of the output shaft is threadedly connected to the first locking nut and the second locking nut, and the other end of the output shaft serves as a connecting end for connection with the valve.
[0014] Optionally, the single-arm connection assembly further includes a first connecting base and a second connecting base. The first connecting base is fixedly connected to the first connecting end plate, and the arm connector is rotatably connected to the first connecting end plate via the first connecting base. The second connecting base is fixedly connected to the second connecting end plate, and the single-arm connector is rotatably connected to the second connecting end plate via the second connecting base.
[0015] Optionally, the movable piston includes a piston and a rod. The piston is slidably mounted in the cylinder. One end of the rod is connected to the piston, and the other end is connected to the connecting seat. A first buffer is provided on both the upper and lower surfaces of the piston.
[0016] Optionally, the piston is provided with a sealing ring in the circumferential direction.
[0017] Optionally, the rod body has a threaded hole on the side facing the connecting seat, and a fastener passes through the connecting seat and is threadedly connected to the rod body.
[0018] Optionally, the self-locking pneumatic actuator further includes a housing and a housing end cover. The housing covers the self-locking mechanism, and the housing end cover is connected to the housing. The housing end cover has a through hole for the output shaft to extend out.
[0019] Optionally, a viewing window is provided on the outer casing.
[0020] Optionally, a window body is rotatably connected to the window, and the window body is made of transparent material.
[0021] Optionally, the first locking nut and / or the second locking nut have process holes on their outer periphery.
[0022] The technical solution provided by this utility model has the following advantages compared with the prior art:
[0023] This self-locking pneumatic actuator adopts the principle of lever saving, connecting the output shaft and the moving piston through a self-locking mechanism. The separate design of the output shaft and the moving piston effectively buffers the pressure load on the moving piston, extends its service life, and maintains precise valve positioning. At the same time, when the output shaft is in a specific position, the self-locking mechanism can lock it using its internal mechanical structure, keeping the output shaft position unchanged and ensuring the valve is firmly locked. This prevents equipment loss of control or safety accidents caused by accidental unlocking, providing additional safety for operators and the production environment, and significantly improving the safety and reliability of the entire control system. Attached Figure Description
[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments of this utility model will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative effort.
[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the self-locking pneumatic actuator described in the disclosed embodiment of the present utility model;
[0026] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the AA direction;
[0027] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged schematic diagram of the local structure at point B;
[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the self-locking mechanism described in the embodiments of this utility model. Figure 1 ;
[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the self-locking mechanism described in the embodiments of this utility model. Figure 2 ;
[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the self-locking mechanism described in the embodiments of this utility model. Figure 3 .
[0031] in:
[0032] 1. Cylinder; 11. Chamber; 111. First chamber; 112. Second chamber; 12. Upper end cover; 13. Peripheral wall; 14. Lower end cover;
[0033] 2. Moving piston; 21. Piston; 211. First buffer component; 22. Rod;
[0034] 3. Self-locking mechanism; 31. First connecting end plate; 32. Second connecting end plate; 33. Single arm connecting assembly; 331. First connecting base; 332. Support arm connector; 333. Single arm connector; 334. Second connecting base; 34. Internal connecting assembly; 341. Connecting seat; 342. Inner connecting rod; 35. First locking nut; 36. Second locking nut; 37. First end face bearing; 38. Second end face bearing;
[0035] 4. Output shaft; 5. Housing; 51. Viewing window; 6. Housing end cap; 61. Through hole. Detailed Implementation
[0036] To better understand the aforementioned objectives, features, and advantages of this utility model, the disclosed solutions will be further described below. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described herein can be combined with each other.
[0037] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the present invention, but the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein; obviously, the embodiments in the specification are only a part of the embodiments disclosed in the present invention, and not all of them.
[0038] Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment provides a self-locking pneumatic actuator, which includes a cylinder 1, a moving piston 2, a self-locking mechanism 3, and an output shaft 4. The cylinder 1 has a chamber 11, and the moving piston 2 is slidably mounted within the cylinder 1, dividing the chamber 11 into a first chamber 111 and a second chamber 112. The self-locking mechanism 3 is installed below the cylinder 1, as shown... Figures 4-6As shown, the self-locking mechanism 3 includes a first connecting end plate 31, a second connecting end plate 32, an internal connecting assembly 34, and a pair of single-arm connecting assemblies 33. The first connecting end plate 31 is fixedly connected to the cylinder 1. The single-arm connecting assembly 33 includes a support arm connector 332 and a single-arm connector 333. There are two support arm connectors 332, which are arranged in parallel and whose two ends are respectively rotatably connected to the first connecting end plate 31 and the single-arm connector 333. The single-arm connector 333 is rotatably connected to the second connecting end plate 32. The internal connecting assembly 34 includes a connecting seat 341 and an inner connecting rod 342. The connecting seat 341 is connected to the output end of the moving piston 2. One end of the inner connecting rod 342 is rotatably connected to the connecting seat 341, and the other end is rotatably connected to the rotation points of the support arm connector 332 and the single-arm connector 333. In this embodiment, the output shaft 4 is used to connect to the valve. One end of the shaft is connected to the second connecting end plate 32, and the other end (i.e., the end) is connected to the valve component. The first chamber 111 and the second chamber 112 are respectively connected to the gas source device. When the valve is closed by the self-locking pneumatic actuator, high-pressure gas is injected into the first chamber 111 so that the gas pressure in the first chamber 111 is greater than the pressure in the second chamber 112. At this time, the moving piston 2 moves downward. At this time, the output end of the moving piston 2 drives the connecting seat 341 to move downward synchronously. The connecting seat 341 pushes the support arm connecting piece 332 and the single arm connecting piece 333 to rotate synchronously in the outward direction. When the moving piston 2 moves downward to the position, the connecting seat 341 is in a horizontal position, and the support arm connecting piece 332 and the single arm connecting piece 333 are in the same vertical direction. At this time, the valve moves downward to the closed position under the push of the output shaft 4. Existing technologies often use a direct connection between the output shaft 4 and the moving piston 2. When the cylinder 1 experiences gas depressurization (i.e., a sudden interruption of the gas supply to the first chamber 111 and the second chamber 112), the axial force output by the output shaft 4 weakens due to the depressurization within the cylinder 1. This causes the output shaft 4 to easily move upwards, leading to the valve at the end of the output shaft 4 moving upwards and opening. However, in this embodiment, the output shaft 4 and the moving piston 2 are connected via a self-locking mechanism 3. When the moving piston 2 moves downwards into position, even if the cylinder 1 experiences gas depressurization, because the connecting seat 341 is in a horizontal position and the support arm connector 332 and the single arm connector 333 are in the same vertical direction, the output shaft 4 will not move upwards due to the weakened downward pressure. The position of the output shaft 4 and the valve at its end will not change, and the valve will always remain in the closed position, achieving self-locking.
[0039] Conversely, when the valve needs to be opened, high-pressure gas is injected into the second chamber 112 so that the gas pressure in the second chamber 112 is greater than that in the first chamber 111. The moving piston 2 moves upward. At this time, the output end of the moving piston 2 drives the connecting seat 341 to move upward synchronously. The connecting seat 341 drives the push arm connecting piece 332 and the single arm connecting piece 333 to rotate inward synchronously. When the moving piston 2 moves upward into position, the connecting seat 341 is in a horizontal position. At this time, the push arm connecting piece 332 and the single arm connecting piece 333 are set at an angle. The valve moves upward to the opening position under the drive of the output shaft 4, thereby opening the valve. The self-locking pneumatic actuator in this embodiment adopts the lever principle of saving effort, which stabilizes and enhances the output force of cylinder 1, making it easier to reduce the selection of cylinder 1 diameter and thus reduce the overall space ratio of the mechanism. Furthermore, the output shaft 4 is connected to the moving piston 2 through the self-locking mechanism 3. The separate design of the output shaft 4 and the moving piston 2 can effectively buffer the pressure load on the moving piston 2, extend the service life of the moving piston 2, and maintain the precise positioning of the valve. At the same time, when the output shaft 4 is in a specific position, the self-locking mechanism 3 can lock it by relying on its internal mechanical structure, maintain the valve firmly locked, and prevent equipment loss of control or safety accidents caused by accidental unlocking. This provides additional safety protection for operators and the production environment, and greatly improves the safety and reliability of the entire control system.
[0040] Optionally, such as Figure 3 As shown, the self-locking mechanism 3 in this embodiment further includes a first locking nut 35, a second locking nut 36, a first end face bearing 37, and a second end face bearing 38. The second end face bearing 38, the second connecting end plate 32, and the first end face bearing 37 are fitted onto the second locking nut 36. One end of the output shaft 4 is threadedly connected to the first locking nut 35 and the second locking nut 36, and the other end of the output shaft 4 serves as a connection end for connecting to the valve. In this embodiment, the structure of the output shaft 4 and the second connecting end plate 32 is improved. Specifically, an external thread is provided on the outer circumference of one end of the output shaft 4, which is threadedly connected to the first locking nut 35 and the second locking nut 36. The output shaft 4 can rotate circumferentially relative to the second connecting end plate 32, so that the output shaft 4 combines the functions of axial movement and rotational movement, increasing the degree of freedom of the output shaft 4, and enabling the output shaft 4 to be adapted to valve bodies such as forced sealing ball valves and track ball valves, thus improving the assembly adaptability to various valve bodies.
[0041] Optionally, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the single-arm connecting assembly 33 also includes a first connecting base 331 and a second connecting base 334 to improve rotational stability. Specifically, the first connecting base 331 is fixedly connected to the first connecting end plate 31, and the arm connector 332 is rotatably connected to the first connecting end plate 31 via the first connecting base 331; the second connecting base 334 is fixedly connected to the second connecting end plate 32, and the single-arm connector 333 is rotatably connected to the second connecting end plate 32 via the second connecting base 334.
[0042] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, the movable piston 2 includes a piston 21 and a rod 22. The piston 21 is slidably mounted inside the cylinder 1. One end of the rod 22 is connected to the piston 21, and the other end is connected to the connecting seat 341. First buffer members 211 are provided on both the upper and lower surfaces of the piston 21. Specifically, the first buffer member 211 is a buffer material such as a rubber pad, and is fixed by fasteners such as bolts to reduce the impact phenomenon of the piston 21 at the end of its stroke, ensuring the efficient operation and service life of the cylinder 1.
[0043] Optionally, the piston 21 is provided with a sealing ring in the circumferential direction to further prevent air leakage between the first chamber 111 and the second chamber 112, and ensure that the moving piston 2 moves stably.
[0044] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, the rod body 22 has a threaded hole on the side facing the connecting seat 341. Fasteners pass through the connecting seat 341 and are threadedly connected to the rod body 22 to realize the disassembly and connection of the rod body 22 and the connecting seat 341, which facilitates maintenance and replacement.
[0045] Optionally, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, cylinder 1 includes an upper end cover 12, a peripheral wall 13, and a lower end cover 14. The upper end cover 12, the peripheral wall 13, and the lower end cover 14 form a chamber 11. A second buffer is provided on the inner wall of the upper end cover 12 and / or the lower end cover 14. Preferably, in this embodiment, a second buffer is provided on the inner wall of both the upper end cover 12 and the lower end cover 14. The second buffer can be a buffer layer made of buffering material, which further buffers the impact of the piston 21 at the end of its stroke and improves its service life.
[0046] Optionally, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in order to protect the normal operation of the self-locking mechanism 3, prevent foreign objects from interfering with the movement of the self-locking mechanism 3, and also prevent personnel injury, the self-locking pneumatic actuator of this embodiment also includes a housing 5 and a housing end cover 6. The housing 5 is connected to the lower end cover 14 and covers the outer periphery of the self-locking mechanism 3 for protection. The housing end cover 6 is connected to the housing 5. The housing end cover 6 has a through hole 61 for the output shaft 4 to extend out. The end of the output shaft 4 extends out of the through hole 61 and connects to the corresponding valve component.
[0047] Optionally, such as Figure 1 As shown, a viewing window 51 can also be provided on the outer casing 5 to facilitate the staff to observe the movement and execution of the self-locking mechanism 3 at any time. Furthermore, a window body is rotatably connected to the viewing window 51. The window body is made of transparent material, such as resin or glass. If the self-locking mechanism 3 malfunctions, the operator can rotate and open the window body to inspect the inside of the self-locking mechanism 3. After the inspection is completed, the window body can be rotated and closed. Specifically, the window body can be locked to the outer casing 5 by a locking device. The specific structure of the locking device can be found in the prior art. This embodiment will not elaborate on the specific structure of the locking device.
[0048] Optionally, in this embodiment, process holes are provided on the outer periphery of both the first locking nut 35 and the second locking nut 36. It can be understood that, since the first locking nut 35 and the second locking nut 36 are installed in a narrow space, in order to facilitate the screwing and assembly of the first locking nut 35 and the second locking nut 36, process holes are provided on the outer periphery of both the first locking nut 35 and the second locking nut 36 in this embodiment. Workers can use tools to insert into the process holes for screwing and assembly.
[0049] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.
[0050] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments described herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
Claims
1. A self-locking pneumatic actuator, characterized in that, include: Cylinder (1), wherein the cylinder (1) is provided with a chamber (11); The movable piston (2) is slidably installed in the cylinder (1) and divides the chamber (11) into a first chamber (111) and a second chamber (112); A self-locking mechanism (3) is installed below the cylinder (1). The self-locking mechanism (3) includes a first connecting end plate (31), a second connecting end plate (32), an internal connecting component (34), and a pair of single-arm connecting components (33). The first connecting end plate (31) is fixedly connected to the cylinder (1). The single-arm connection assembly (33) includes a support arm connector (332) and a single-arm connector (333). There are two support arm connectors (332), which are arranged in parallel and whose two ends are respectively rotatably connected to the first connecting end plate (31) and the single-arm connector (333). The single-arm connector (333) is rotatably connected to the second connecting end plate (32). The internal connection assembly (34) includes a connecting seat (341) and an inner connecting rod (342). The connecting seat (341) is connected to the output end of the moving piston (2). One end of the inner connecting rod (342) is rotatably connected to the connecting seat (341), and the other end is rotatably connected to the rotation points of the support arm connector (332) and the single arm connector (333). An output shaft (4) is used to connect to a valve, and the output shaft (4) is mounted on the second connection end plate (32).
2. The self-locking pneumatic actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The self-locking mechanism (3) further includes a first locking nut (35), a second locking nut (36), a first end face bearing (37), and a second end face bearing (38); the second end face bearing (38), the second connecting end plate (32), and the first end face bearing (37) are fitted onto the second locking nut (36), one end of the output shaft (4) is threadedly connected to the first locking nut (35) and the second locking nut (36), and the other end of the output shaft (4) serves as a connecting end for connection with the valve.
3. The self-locking pneumatic actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The single-arm connecting assembly (33) further includes a first connecting base (331) and a second connecting base (334). The first connecting base (331) is fixedly connected to the first connecting end plate (31), and the arm connector (332) is rotatably connected to the first connecting end plate (31) through the first connecting base (331). The second connecting base (334) is fixedly connected to the second connecting end plate (32), and the single-arm connector (333) is rotatably connected to the second connecting end plate (32) through the second connecting base (334).
4. The self-locking pneumatic actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The movable piston (2) includes a piston (21) and a rod (22). The piston (21) is slidably installed in the cylinder (1). One end of the rod (22) is connected to the piston (21), and the other end is connected to the connecting seat (341). The piston (21) is provided with a first buffer (211) on both the upper and lower surfaces.
5. The self-locking pneumatic actuator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The piston (21) is provided with a sealing ring in the circumferential direction.
6. The self-locking pneumatic actuator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The rod (22) has a threaded hole on the side facing the connecting seat (341), and the fastener passes through the connecting seat (341) and is threadedly connected to the rod (22).
7. The self-locking pneumatic actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The self-locking pneumatic actuator further includes a housing (5) and a housing end cover (6). The housing (5) covers the self-locking mechanism (3). The housing end cover (6) is connected to the housing (5). The housing end cover (6) has a through hole (61) for the output shaft (4) to extend out.
8. The self-locking pneumatic actuator according to claim 7, characterized in that, A viewing window (51) is provided on the outer shell (5).
9. The self-locking pneumatic actuator according to claim 8, characterized in that, A window body is rotatably connected to the window (51), and the window body is made of transparent material.
10. The self-locking pneumatic actuator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first locking nut (35) and / or the second locking nut (36) have process holes on their outer periphery.