A device for regulating speed and buffer of pneumatic hand claw

Abstract

The utility model relates to a kind of speed and buffer adjusting device of pneumatic hand claw, including cylinder, electromagnetic valve for cylinder control, the two gas outlets of electromagnetic valve are connected cylinder rod retracting control gas path and cylinder rod extension control gas path respectively;Cylinder rod retracting control gas path includes gas control valve A for cylinder retracting buffer control, cylinder rod extension control gas path includes gas control valve B for cylinder extension buffer control, the gas inlet of gas control valve A and gas control valve B is respectively connected the two gas outlets of electromagnetic valve, the gas outlet of gas control valve A and gas control valve B is respectively connected the two interfaces of cylinder by cylinder speed regulating throttle valve and cylinder buffer adjusting throttle valve.This application realizes that cylinder speed is adjustable, gas buffer intensity is adjustable, gas buffer intervention time is adjustable;At the same time, the combination of pure pneumatic control of gas control valve and throttle valve is adopted, effectively reduces impact and vibration, prolongs the service life of pneumatic hand claw and improves precision, and does not need to rely on control part or additional sensor, and the reform method is simple, low in cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of pneumatic technology, specifically to a device for adjusting the speed and buffer of a pneumatic gripper. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, with rising labor costs, automated devices are being used more and more widely in production, and the most commonly used robotic arms for adsorption, handling, and grasping of objects have become widespread. In the context of cost reduction and efficiency improvement, pneumatic grippers, compared to motor-driven electric grippers, have almost become the standard for robotic arms due to their greater cost-effectiveness. However, the following drawbacks of existing pneumatic grippers cannot be ignored: 1. Significant impact results in a shorter lifespan for the pneumatic gripper.

[0003] 2. Excessive vibration leads to low precision of the pneumatic gripper, making it unable to complete actions requiring high precision.

[0004] 3. Modifying existing pneumatic grippers into models with buffer functions involves too many interconnected parts, resulting in high technical barriers and difficulties in modification.

[0005] How to achieve a buffering function without making major modifications to the existing mechanical structure and without relying on adjustments to the control system, so as to reduce impact, extend service life, reduce vibration, and improve accuracy during operation, has become a technical problem that needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0006] This utility model addresses the technical problems existing in the prior art by providing a device for adjusting the speed and buffer of a pneumatic gripper.

[0007] The technical solution of this utility model to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: A device for adjusting the speed and buffer of a pneumatic gripper includes a cylinder and a solenoid valve for cylinder control. The two outlets of the solenoid valve are respectively connected to a cylinder rod retraction control air path and a cylinder rod extension control air path. The cylinder rod retraction control air path includes a cylinder retraction buffer control air valve A, the inlet of which is connected to the outlet A of the solenoid valve, and the outlet of the air valve A is connected to one side of the cylinder via a speed adjustment air path and a buffer adjustment air path. The cylinder rod extension control air path includes a cylinder extension buffer control air valve B, the inlet of which is connected to the outlet B of the solenoid valve, and the outlet of the air valve B is connected to the other side of the cylinder via a speed adjustment air path and a buffer adjustment air path. The speed adjustment air path and the buffer adjustment air path each include a cylinder speed adjustment throttle valve and a cylinder buffer adjustment throttle valve, respectively.

[0008] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: By setting up throttle valves for cylinder speed regulation and cylinder buffer adjustment, the cylinder speed and air buffer strength can be adjusted. By setting up external pilot-operated single air control valves and throttle valves for buffer intervention time adjustment, cylinder buffer adjustment and air buffer intervention time can be adjusted. At the same time, the pure pneumatic control combination of air control valves and throttle valves effectively reduces impact and vibration, extends the service life of pneumatic grippers and improves accuracy. Moreover, the modification method is simple and low-cost. When modifying existing pneumatic grippers to have a buffer function, it is only necessary to cut the air pipe (the section of air pipe between the solenoid valve outlet and the cylinder interface) and add an air control valve and connector in the middle. It does not require modification of the control part or modification of existing mechanical parts. In addition, the independent design of the control air circuit for cylinder rod retraction and extension avoids the problem of one-way buffering and reverse impact of traditional pneumatic grippers, realizing bidirectional symmetrical speed regulation and buffering, and expanding the application scope from one-way gripping scenarios to bidirectional handling and assembly scenarios.

[0009] Furthermore, a filter and pressure regulating valve is connected between the air inlet of the solenoid valve and the air source. The solenoid valve, the filter and pressure regulating valve, and the air source form the main air supply link; at the same time, the filter and pressure regulating valve can prevent impurities from entering the solenoid valve or cylinder, which could cause valve core jamming or cylinder inner wall wear.

[0010] Furthermore, both exhaust ports of the solenoid valve are equipped with silencers. The silencers effectively improve the workshop working environment, reduce exhaust noise from the solenoid valve, and decrease the risk of hearing damage to operators.

[0011] Furthermore, both pneumatic control valves A and B are externally piloted single-pneumatic control valves. The externally piloted valve core has a shorter response time, and compared to internally piloted pneumatic control valves, the buffer switching speed is significantly improved, allowing for precise matching of high-speed grasping scenarios. Moreover, its design without an electromagnetic coil avoids electromagnetic interference affecting surrounding precision equipment.

[0012] Furthermore, pilot air paths are respectively connected in parallel at the air inlets of pneumatic control valves A and B via tee connectors. Through the pressure accumulation effect of the pilot air paths, the limitations of traditional instantaneous buffering are overcome, allowing for flexible setting of the buffer intervention timing based on the workpiece weight.

[0013] Furthermore, the pilot air path includes an air tank, and the air tank's inlet end is equipped with a throttle valve for adjusting the buffer intervention time. This further optimizes the buffer control accuracy. By adjusting the size of the throttle valve opening, the buffer intervention delay can be continuously adjusted, adapting to pneumatic grippers with different stroke lengths.

[0014] Furthermore, in the cylinder rod retraction control air circuit and the cylinder rod extension control air circuit, the respective cylinder speed regulating throttle valve and cylinder buffer regulating throttle valve are connected in parallel via a three-way connector. The parallel connection of the two throttle valves via the three-way connector achieves synergistic optimization of speed regulation and buffering functions. The parallel structure ensures that the airflow in the speed regulating air circuit and the buffer regulating air circuit is uninterrupted, avoiding displacement or damage to the workpiece caused by sudden speed changes. Moreover, the two throttle valves can be adjusted independently, allowing for separate setting of the high-speed segment speed and the buffer segment speed. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a pneumatic circuit diagram of the high-speed movement stage of the pneumatic gripper in an embodiment of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a pneumatic circuit diagram of the buffer stage of the pneumatic gripper in an embodiment of this utility model; The attached diagram lists the components represented by each number as follows: 1. Air source, 2. Filter and pressure regulating valve, 3. Silencer, 4. Solenoid valve, 5. T-connector, 6. Throttle valve for adjusting buffer intervention time, 7. Air tank, 8. Air control valve A, 9. Air control valve B, 10. Throttle valve for cylinder speed regulation, 11. Throttle valve for cylinder buffer adjustment, 12. Cylinder. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0017] In the description of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0018] In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this technology based on the specific circumstances.

[0019] In the description of this application, spatial relation terms such as "below," "under," "below," "below," "above," "over," etc., are used herein to describe the relationship between one element or feature shown in the figures and other elements or features. It should be understood that, in addition to the orientation shown in the figures, spatial relation terms also include different orientations of the device in use and operation. For example, if the device in the figures is flipped, an element or feature described as "below" or "under" or "below" of other elements or features will be oriented "above" other elements or features. Therefore, the exemplary terms "below" and "under" can include both upper and lower orientations. Furthermore, the device may also include other orientations (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other orientations), and the spatial descriptive terms used herein are interpreted accordingly.

[0020] In the description of this application, the term "for example" is used to mean "used as an example, illustration, or description." Any embodiment described as "for example" in this application is not necessarily to be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments. The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to implement and use the present invention. Details are set forth in the following description for purposes of explanation. It should be understood that those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention can be implemented without using these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and processes will not be described in detail to avoid obscuring the description of the present invention with unnecessary detail. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is consistent with the broadest scope of the principles and features disclosed in this application.

[0021] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment provides a device for adjusting the speed and buffer of a pneumatic gripper, including a cylinder 12 and a solenoid valve 4 for cylinder control. The two air outlets of the solenoid valve 4 are respectively connected to the cylinder rod retraction control air circuit and the cylinder rod extension control air circuit. The cylinder rod retraction control air circuit includes a cylinder retraction buffer control air control valve A8. The air inlet of the air control valve A8 is connected to the air outlet A of the solenoid valve 4. The air outlet of the air control valve A8 is connected to one side interface of the cylinder 12 through the speed regulation air circuit and the buffer regulation air circuit. The cylinder rod extension control air circuit includes a cylinder extension buffer control air control valve B9. The air inlet of the air control valve B9 is connected to the air outlet B of the solenoid valve 4. The air outlet of the air control valve B9 is connected to the other side interface of the cylinder 12 through the speed regulation air circuit and the buffer regulation air circuit. The speed regulating air circuit and the buffer regulating air circuit respectively include a cylinder speed regulating throttle valve 10 and a cylinder buffer regulating throttle valve 11.

[0022] The purpose of this embodiment is to achieve adjustable cylinder speed, adjustable air buffer strength, and adjustable air buffer intervention time, while reducing impact and vibration, extending the service life of the pneumatic gripper and improving accuracy, and simplifying the modification method and reducing the modification cost.

[0023] Specifically: The air inlet of the solenoid valve 4 is connected to the air source 1 via the filter and pressure regulating valve 2 (the air inlet of the filter and pressure regulating valve 2 is connected to the air source 1, and the air outlet of the filter and pressure regulating valve 2 is connected to the air inlet of the solenoid valve 4). Both exhaust ports of the solenoid valve 4 are equipped with silencers 3. The solenoid valve 4, filter and pressure regulating valve 2, and air source 1 form the main air supply link, establishing a clear starting point for the main air supply link and avoiding air pressure fluctuations caused by chaotic air source connections. Simultaneously, the filter and pressure regulating valve 2 can filter moisture, oil mist, dust, and other impurities in the air, preventing impurities from entering the solenoid valve 4 or cylinder 12 and causing valve core jamming or wear on the inner wall of cylinder 12. The silencers 3 effectively improve the workshop working environment, reduce solenoid valve exhaust noise, and reduce the risk of hearing damage to operators.

[0024] Both pneumatic control valves A8 and B9 are externally piloted single-pneumatic control valves. These valves use compressed air for operation and do not require a PLC control coil for actuation. Single-pneumatic control means the valve core moves to open when air is supplied, and automatically closes via a spring when air is not supplied. External pilot control means the valve has a pilot port outside the inlet, through which compressed air is supplied separately. The valve core only moves when the pilot port reaches the pressure required for pneumatic actuation; otherwise, it does not move. The externally piloted valve structure has a shorter response time, significantly improving the buffer switching speed compared to internally piloted pneumatic control valves, allowing for precise matching of high-speed grasping scenarios. Furthermore, its coil-free design avoids electromagnetic interference affecting surrounding precision equipment.

[0025] In this embodiment, pilot air paths are respectively connected in parallel at the air inlets of pneumatic control valves A8 and B9 via tee connectors 5. Each pilot air path includes an air tank 7, with a buffer intervention time adjustment throttle valve 6 at the air inlet. When the pressure in the air tank 7 does not reach the pilot port starting pressure of the pneumatic control valves (pneumatic control valves A8 and B9), the valve core does not move, and the speed regulation air path is open. When the pressure in the air tank 7 reaches the pilot port starting pressure, the valve core of the pneumatic control valve begins to move and opens the buffer air path. The size of the opening of the buffer intervention time adjustment throttle valve 6 determines the speed at which the pilot pressure is reached in the air tank 7, thus determining the valve core switching time of the pilot-operated pneumatic control valve. By leveraging the pressure accumulation effect of the pilot air path, the limitations of traditional instantaneous buffering are overcome, allowing for flexible setting of the buffer intervention timing based on the workpiece weight. The throttle valve 6 used for adjusting the buffer intervention time further optimizes the buffer control accuracy. By adjusting the size of the throttle valve opening, the buffer intervention delay can be continuously adjusted, adapting to pneumatic grippers with different motion strokes. Compared to fixed delay solutions, the scenario adaptability is significantly improved.

[0026] In the cylinder rod retraction control air circuit and the cylinder rod extension control air circuit, the respective cylinder speed regulating throttle valve 10 and cylinder buffer regulating throttle valve 11 are connected in parallel via a three-way connector 5. By adjusting the opening size of the cylinder speed regulating throttle valve 10, the speed of cylinder retraction and extension can be adjusted; by adjusting the opening size of the cylinder buffer regulating throttle valve 11, the air buffering strength can be adjusted. Moreover, the parallel connection of the two throttle valves via the three-way connector 5 achieves synergistic optimization of speed regulation and buffering functions. The parallel structure ensures that the airflow in the speed regulating air circuit and the buffer regulating air circuit is uninterrupted, avoiding displacement or damage to the workpiece due to sudden speed changes. Furthermore, the two throttle valves can be adjusted independently, allowing for separate setting of high-speed and buffering speeds. Compared to the series throttle valve scheme, the speed adjustment range is doubled, adapting to diverse needs from precision assembly (low speed) to rapid handling (high speed). At the same time, the integration of the two air circuits via the three-way connector 5 eliminates the need for additional complex piping. Compared to the multi-connector series scheme, the complexity of the air circuit is reduced, and the risk of air leakage is also reduced.

[0027] The working principle of the above structure: Cylinder rod retraction and extension switching control: When the right coil (outlet A) of solenoid valve 4 is energized, the valve core moves the cylinder rod to retract, controlling the air circuit to open; when the left coil (outlet B) of solenoid valve 4 is energized, the valve core moves the cylinder rod to extend, controlling the air circuit to open; that is, the retraction or extension of the cylinder rod is controlled by the energization and de-energization of the coil of solenoid valve 4.

[0028] Cylinder rod speed and damping control: When the cylinder rod retracts, the pneumatic control valve A8 connects to the speed regulating air circuit throttle valve (cylinder speed regulating throttle valve 10), and is connected to the cylinder 12 through the speed regulating throttle valve 10 (e.g., Figure 1As shown), adjusting the opening size of the cylinder speed regulating throttle valve 10 at this time can regulate the flow rate of compressed air entering the cylinder 12, thereby regulating the retraction speed of the cylinder rod; when the cylinder rod is about to retract to its position (at this time, the air pressure of the pneumatic control valve A8 reaches the pilot port air pressure, such as 0.4MPa), the pneumatic control valve A8 switches to connect to the regulating buffer air circuit throttle valve (cylinder regulating buffer throttle valve 11), and is connected to the cylinder 12 through the cylinder regulating buffer throttle valve 11 (such as... Figure 2 As shown in the diagram, to achieve the buffering purpose, the buffering intensity can be adjusted by changing the opening size of the throttle valve 11 used for cylinder buffering. The presence of two throttle valves allows for switching of the cylinder rod retraction speed, enabling high-speed operation and low-speed buffering of the cylinder rod. The adjustment of the cylinder rod extension is similar.

[0029] The switching between high-speed operation and low-speed buffering, i.e., whether the air buffer is engaged, is achieved by switching the valve core of the pilot-operated pneumatic control valve. The control of the air buffer engagement time, i.e., when the pilot-operated pneumatic control valve core switches, is achieved by adjusting the opening size of the throttle valve (throttle valve 6 for buffer engagement time adjustment) in the pilot air path. This adjusts the flow rate of compressed air entering the air tank 7, thereby regulating the time required for the pressure in the air tank 7 to reach the pneumatic pressure (0.4 MPa) at the pilot port of the pneumatic control valve. When the pilot port pneumatic pressure is reached, the valve core of the pneumatic control valve moves, thus controlling the switching time between the speed regulation air path and the buffering air path.

[0030] While embodiments or examples of this disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments or examples, and the scope of this utility model is not limited by these embodiments or examples, but only by the granted claims and their equivalents. Various elements in the embodiments or examples may be omitted or replaced by their equivalents. Furthermore, the steps may be performed in a different order than that described in this disclosure. Further, various elements in the embodiments or examples may be combined in various ways. Importantly, as the technology evolves, many elements described herein can be replaced by equivalents that appear after this disclosure.

Claims

1. A device for adjusting the speed and buffer of a pneumatic gripper, characterized in that, This includes cylinders and solenoid valves for cylinder control; The air inlet of the solenoid valve is connected to an air source, and the two air outlets are respectively connected to the cylinder rod retraction control air path and the cylinder rod extension control air path; The cylinder rod retraction control air circuit includes a cylinder retraction buffer control air control valve A. The air inlet of the air control valve A is connected to the air outlet A of the solenoid valve. The air outlet of the air control valve A is connected to one side interface of the cylinder through a speed regulation air circuit and a buffer regulation air circuit. The cylinder rod extension control air circuit includes a cylinder extension buffer control air valve B. The air inlet of the air control valve B is connected to the air outlet B of the solenoid valve. The air outlet of the air control valve B is connected to the other side interface of the cylinder through the speed regulation air circuit and the buffer regulation air circuit. The speed regulating air circuit and the buffer regulating air circuit respectively include a throttle valve for cylinder speed regulation and a throttle valve for cylinder buffer regulation.

2. The device for adjusting the speed and buffer of a pneumatic gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that, A filter and pressure regulating valve is connected between the air inlet of the solenoid valve and the air source.

3. The device for adjusting the speed and buffer of a pneumatic gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both exhaust ports of the solenoid valve are equipped with silencers.

4. The device for adjusting the speed and buffer of a pneumatic gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both pneumatic control valve A and pneumatic control valve B are externally piloted single pneumatic control valves.

5. The device for adjusting the speed and buffer of a pneumatic gripper according to claim 4, characterized in that, The air inlets of the pneumatic control valves A and B are respectively connected in parallel via tee connectors to form pilot air paths.

6. The device for adjusting the speed and buffer of a pneumatic gripper according to claim 5, characterized in that, The pilot gas path includes a gas tank, and the gas tank is equipped with a throttle valve for adjusting the buffer intervention time at the gas inlet end.

7. The device for adjusting the speed and buffer of a pneumatic gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the cylinder rod retraction control air circuit and the cylinder rod extension control air circuit, the respective cylinder speed regulating throttle valve and cylinder buffer regulating throttle valve are connected in parallel through a three-way connector.

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