A flexible locking cylinder

Abstract

This utility model discloses a flexible locking cylinder, comprising: a cylinder wall, with a cylinder head and a cylinder cover fixedly connected to its upper and lower ends respectively; a lifting ring slidably connected inside the cylinder wall; two symmetrically distributed limiting holes opened inside the lifting ring; limiting rods slidably connected inside the two limiting holes; the two limiting rods slidably connected to the cylinder wall; and magnetic plates fixedly connected to the ends of the two limiting rods respectively. This utility model, by setting up components such as limiting holes and limiting rods, allows the elastic rod to push the magnetic plate closer to the lifting ring when the electromagnetic plate is de-energized, and the limiting rods to engage with the limiting holes, forming a mechanical-magnetic double locking mechanism. No continuous air or power supply is required. In the event of a sudden power outage or interruption of the air supply, the piston rod immediately self-locks, preventing the equipment from falling or malfunctioning. It is suitable for high-altitude operations and hazardous environments, with zero energy consumption during the locking phase and extremely low energy consumption.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of cylinder technology, specifically a flexible locking cylinder. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of industrial automation, cylinders are widely used as actuators in material handling, positioning and clamping, and robotic arm driving. Traditional cylinders are generally divided into two types: single-acting and double-acting. Single-acting cylinders rely on spring force or self-resetting, have a simple structure but weak locking ability, and are prone to displacement due to external forces when power or air supply is interrupted, failing to meet high-precision positioning requirements. Double-acting cylinders control movement through bidirectional air pressure, but locking requires continuous air supply or additional braking devices (such as pneumatic brakes), resulting in high energy consumption, slow response, and safety hazards when the air supply is interrupted.

[0003] In existing devices, the locking mechanism relies heavily on mechanical friction (such as brake shoes and pawls). After long-term use, wear can easily lead to a decrease in locking force, requiring frequent maintenance and making it difficult to adapt to high-frequency and high-load operating conditions. Therefore, we need to propose a flexible locking cylinder. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a flexible locking cylinder that achieves reliable bidirectional locking by setting components such as limit holes and limit rods, thereby solving the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A flexible locking cylinder, comprising:

[0007] A cylinder wall has a cylinder head and a cylinder head fixedly connected to its upper and lower ends, respectively. A lifting ring is slidably connected inside the cylinder wall. Two symmetrically distributed limiting holes are opened inside the lifting ring. Limiting rods are slidably connected inside the two limiting holes. The two limiting rods are slidably connected to the cylinder wall. Magnetic plates are fixedly connected to the ends of the two limiting rods. Elastic rods are fixedly connected to the side walls of the magnetic plates. Electromagnetic plates are fixedly connected to the side walls of the elastic rods. Sealing shells are fixedly connected to the side walls of the electromagnetic plates.

[0008] Preferably, the sealing shell is fixedly connected to the cylinder wall, and the sealing shell is slidably connected to the magnetic plate.

[0009] Preferably, the upper and lower ends of the lifting ring are fixedly connected to a sealing piston, and the sealing piston is slidably connected to the cylinder wall.

[0010] Preferably, the cylinder head and cylinder head are respectively fixedly connected to air pipe joints, and each air pipe joint is provided with a connecting pipe inside.

[0011] Preferably, the end of the connecting pipe is provided with a two-position five-way solenoid valve.

[0012] Preferably, a plurality of fixing rods are symmetrically distributed between the cylinder head and the cylinder head.

[0013] Preferably, both the cylinder head and the cylinder head are fixedly connected to a buffer sealing ring, and one of the buffer sealing rings is in contact with the sealing buffer piston.

[0014] Preferably, a piston rod is fixedly connected inside the lifting ring, and the piston rod is fixedly connected to a sealing piston and a buffer piston respectively.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0016] This utility model, by setting up components such as limit holes and limit rods, allows the elastic rod to push the magnetic plate close to the lifting ring when the electromagnetic plate is de-energized, and the limit rod to engage with the limit hole, forming a mechanical-magnetic double lock. It does not require continuous air or power supply. In the event of a sudden power outage or interruption of the air supply, the piston rod immediately locks itself to prevent the equipment from falling or malfunctioning. It is suitable for high-altitude operations and hazardous environments, with zero energy consumption during the locking phase and extremely low energy consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the sealing shell of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the lifting ring of this utility model.

[0021] In the diagram: 1. Cylinder wall; 2. Cylinder head; 3. Cylinder head; 4. Fixing rod; 5. Air pipe connector; 6. Connecting pipe; 7. Two-position five-way solenoid valve; 8. Lifting ring; 9. Sealing piston; 10. Buffer piston; 11. Limiting hole; 12. Limiting rod; 13. Magnetic plate; 14. Elastic rod; 15. Electromagnetic plate; 16. Sealing shell; 17. Buffer sealing ring; 18. Piston rod. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0023] Please see Figure 1-4 This utility model provides a technical solution:

[0024] A flexible locking cylinder, comprising:

[0025] The cylinder wall 1 has a cylinder head 2 and a cylinder head 3 fixedly connected to its upper and lower ends, respectively. A lifting ring 8 is slidably connected inside the cylinder wall 1. Two symmetrically distributed limiting holes 11 are opened inside the lifting ring 8. Limiting rods 12 are slidably connected inside the two limiting holes 11. The two limiting rods 12 are slidably connected to the cylinder wall 1. Magnetic plates 13 are fixedly connected to the ends of the two limiting rods 12. Elastic rods 14 are fixedly connected to the side walls of the magnetic plates 13. Electromagnetic plates 15 are fixedly connected to the side walls of the elastic rods 14. Sealing shells 16 are fixedly connected to the side walls of the electromagnetic plates 15. Sealing shells 16 are fixedly connected to the cylinder wall 1 and slidably connected to the magnetic plates 13.

[0026] For example, the cylinder wall 1 is made of high-strength aluminum alloy or stainless steel and is formed into a cylindrical cavity through precision machining. Its upper and lower ends are fixedly connected to the cylinder head 2 and cylinder head 3 respectively by threaded fasteners to ensure airtightness and structural rigidity. The lifting ring 8 is the core moving part. Its outer circumference and the inner wall of the cylinder wall 1 are slidably sealed by a composite material with a low coefficient of friction (such as polytetrafluoroethylene). The limiting rods 12 are slidably connected in the two limiting holes 11. The limiting rods 12 limit the axial movement trajectory of the lifting ring 8 and prevent rotational deviation. The magnetic plate 13 is made of permanent magnet material (such as neodymium iron boron) and forms a magnetic force pair with the electromagnetic plate 15. The elastic rod 14 is a helical spring or rubber elastomer, which is used to absorb vibration and provide preload. When the electromagnetic plate 15 is energized, it generates a magnetic field force that attracts or repels the magnetic plate 13. The sealing shell 16 forms a closed electromagnetic cavity to prevent dust and lubricating oil from entering.

[0027] The upper and lower ends of the lifting ring 8 are fixedly connected to the sealing piston 9, which is slidably connected to the cylinder wall 1.

[0028] For example, the sealing piston 9 adopts a double-acting sealing structure: a combined sealing ring (such as Step seal + Glyd ring) is provided on the outer circumference, and a guide ring is provided on the inner circumference to ensure that a low leakage rate and low friction can still be maintained under the action of high pressure gas. The sliding connection surface between the sealing piston 9 and the cylinder wall 1 is hard anodized and the surface roughness Ra≤0.4μm to reduce wear and extend service life.

[0029] The cylinder head 2 and cylinder head 3 are respectively fixedly connected to the air pipe connector 5. The air pipe connector 5 is provided with a connecting pipe 6 inside. The end of the connecting pipe 6 is provided with a two-position five-way solenoid valve 7.

[0030] For example, the air pipe connector 5 is made of 316L stainless steel with a pressure rating of ≥1.5MPa. The air pipe connector 5 integrates a one-way valve and a filter screen to prevent impurities from entering the cylinder. The connecting pipe 6 is made of polyurethane hose with a temperature range of -40℃ to +80℃. The end is connected to the two-position five-way solenoid valve 7 via a quick connector. The two-position five-way solenoid valve 7 is a pilot-operated structure with a response time of ≤50ms. It supports PWM speed control and can adjust the cylinder movement speed by changing the duty cycle. The exhaust port of the two-position five-way solenoid valve 7 is equipped with a muffler to reduce the operating noise to ≤65dB(A).

[0031] Multiple fixed rods 4 are symmetrically distributed between the cylinder head 2 and the cylinder head 3. Buffer sealing rings 17 are fixedly connected inside both the cylinder head 2 and the cylinder head 3, and one of the buffer sealing rings 17 contacts the sealing buffer piston 10.

[0032] For example, the fixing rod 4 is made of high-strength carbon steel with a galvanized surface and is locked at both ends with nuts to ensure the overall rigidity of the cylinder. The cylinder head 2 and cylinder head 3 are fixed with a buffer sealing ring 17 by a pressing process. The ring is made of polyurethane material with a Shore hardness of 90±5A and has both sealing and buffering functions. When the sealing and buffering piston 10 moves to the end of its stroke, the buffer sealing ring 17 absorbs the impact energy through elastic deformation, reducing mechanical vibration. In addition, the buffer sealing ring 17 has a throttling hole inside to form an air cushion buffering effect, further slowing down the piston movement speed and preventing hard collisions.

[0033] The lifting ring 8 is internally fixedly connected to a piston rod 18, which is fixedly connected to the sealing piston 9 and the buffer piston 10 respectively.

[0034] For example, the piston rod 18 is a hollow structure, made of 45# steel with heat treatment, and the surface is plated with hard chrome, with a wear resistance of ≥500HV.

[0035] Working principle: When the electromagnetic plate 15 is not energized, there is no electromagnetic force between the magnetic plate 13 and the electromagnetic plate 15. The elastic rod 14 is in a pre-compressed state, which pushes the magnetic plate 13 to move towards the lifting ring 8, so that the limiting rod 12 is stuck inside the limiting hole 11, forming a passive lock.

[0036] When the piston rod 18 moves, the electromagnetic plate 15 is energized first, generating a magnetic field that repels the polarity of the magnetic plate 13. The electromagnetic force overcomes the preload of the elastic rod 14, pushing the magnetic plate 13 away from the lifting ring 8 and releasing the locking of the limit rod 12. Gas is then injected into the cylinder head 2 or cylinder head 3 through the two-position five-way solenoid valve 7 to facilitate the movement of the piston rod 18. When the sealing buffer piston 10 approaches the cylinder head 2 or cylinder head 3, the buffer sealing ring 17 absorbs the impact energy through elastic deformation. When the movement reaches the position, the two-position five-way solenoid valve 7 is de-energized, the air passage is closed, the piston rod 18 stops moving, the electromagnetic plate 15 is de-energized, the electromagnetic force disappears, the elastic rod 14 returns to the pre-compression state, and pushes the magnetic plate 13 to re-adhere to the lifting ring 8, achieving instant locking.

[0037] The control method of the two-position five-way solenoid valve 7 and solenoid plate 15 in this application is automatic control by a controller. The control circuit of the controller can be implemented by simple programming by those skilled in the art and is common knowledge in the field. Furthermore, this application is mainly used to protect the structure, shape and their combination, so this application will not explain the control method and circuit connection in detail. The device is powered by a built-in power supply or an external power supply.

[0038] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A flexible locking cylinder, characterized in that, include: A cylinder wall (1) is fixedly connected to a cylinder head (2) and a cylinder head (3) at its upper and lower ends, respectively. A lifting ring (8) is slidably connected inside the cylinder wall (1). Two symmetrically distributed limiting holes (11) are opened inside the lifting ring (8). Limiting rods (12) are slidably connected inside the two limiting holes (11). The two limiting rods (12) are slidably connected to the cylinder wall (1). Magnetic plates (13) are fixedly connected to the ends of the two limiting rods (12). Elastic rods (14) are fixedly connected to the side wall of the magnetic plate (13). Electromagnetic plates (15) are fixedly connected to the side wall of the elastic rods (14). A sealing shell (16) is fixedly connected to the side wall of the electromagnetic plate (15).

2. The flexible locking cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing shell (16) is fixedly connected to the cylinder wall (1), and the sealing shell (16) is slidably connected to the magnetic plate (13).

3. A flexible locking cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper and lower ends of the lifting ring (8) are fixedly connected to sealing pistons (9), and the sealing pistons (9) are slidably connected to the cylinder wall (1).

4. A flexible locking cylinder according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cylinder head (2) and cylinder head (3) are respectively fixedly connected to air pipe connectors (5), and each air pipe connector (5) is provided with a connecting pipe (6).

5. A flexible locking cylinder according to claim 4, characterized in that, The end of the connecting pipe (6) is provided with a two-position five-way solenoid valve (7).

6. A flexible locking cylinder according to claim 4, characterized in that, A plurality of fixed rods (4) are symmetrically distributed between the cylinder head (2) and the cylinder head (3).

7. A flexible locking cylinder according to claim 6, characterized in that, Both the cylinder head (2) and the cylinder head (3) are fixedly connected to a buffer sealing ring (17), one of which is in contact with the sealing buffer piston (10).

8. A flexible locking cylinder according to claim 3, characterized in that, The lifting ring (8) is internally fixedly connected to a piston rod (18), which is fixedly connected to a sealing piston (9) and a buffer piston (10) respectively.

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