A device for automatically opening and closing a cylinder valve

Abstract

The utility model provides an automatic opening and closing device of cylinder valve, including mechanical claw, including drive motor and at least three clamping claws, drive motor is transmission connection with three clamping claws and is used for driving three clamping claws synchronous clamping or releasing target cylinder's valve knob, torque sensor is connected with mechanical claw and is used for detecting the torque of clamping claw to valve knob, transmission subassembly is connected with drive motor and is used for controlling clamping claw to be close to or away from target cylinder's valve knob, the synchronous action of three clamping claws in the utility model improves concentricity and stress uniformity, reduces eccentric clamping and the risk of skidding, and torque sensor provides the measurement basis consistent with the actual stress of valve, makes the control strategy based on the relationship curve, error correction and slope judgment stop of subsequent have data basis, thereby improves the stability and consistency of opening / just in place.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of precision control technology, and in particular to a device for automatically opening and closing gas cylinder valves. Background Technology

[0002] Gas cylinder valves are widely used in industrial gas supply, laboratory gas management, fire fighting, and medical applications. These environments often involve high pressure differentials, vibration, and confined space, requiring high stability and repeatability in opening actions. Current technologies mostly employ manual close-range operation or universal clamping ends driven by electro / pneumatic actuators to clamp and rotate valve knobs. The clamping and retraction mechanisms are typically simple slides or rigid linkages, with control relying primarily on time or angular displacement as the stopping basis. Due to the lack of real-time torque detection and closed-loop adjustment data consistent with the actual force applied to the valve, the system struggles to promptly identify changes in friction, internal pressure fluctuations, or conditions such as clamp slippage or eccentricity. This leads to overshoot, backswing, or unstable locking during opening, affecting opening accuracy and operational consistency, and increasing reliance on operator experience and frequent maintenance. Utility Model Content

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to provide a device for automatically opening and closing gas cylinder valves, which can improve the stability of gas cylinder opening.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows: A device for automatically opening and closing a gas cylinder valve, comprising: The mechanical gripper includes a drive motor and at least three grippers, wherein the drive motor is kinetically connected to the three grippers and is used to drive the three grippers to synchronously clamp or release the valve knob of the target gas cylinder; A torque sensor is communicatively connected to the mechanical gripper and is used to detect the torque applied by the gripper to the valve knob; A conveying component, movably connected to the drive motor, and used to control the gripper to move closer to or further away from the target gas cylinder via a valve knob.

[0005] In some embodiments, the conveying assembly includes a push rod and a support frame; The fixed end of the push rod is fixedly connected to the support frame, and the movable end of the push rod is fixedly connected to the drive motor and used to control the mechanical claw to move closer to or away from the valve knob of the target gas cylinder.

[0006] In some embodiments, the mechanical gripper further includes an obstacle sensor, a distance sensor, and a mounting plate; The mounting plate is connected to the drive motor, and the gripper is movably connected to the mounting plate; The obstacle sensor is fixedly connected to the three grippers respectively and is used to detect the presence of obstacles in the pushing direction of the push rod for each gripper; The distance sensor is fixedly connected to the mounting plate and is used to detect the distance between the mechanical gripper and the valve knob of the target gas cylinder.

[0007] In some implementations, a coupling is also included; One end of the coupling is connected to the mounting plate for transmission, and the other end is connected to the drive motor for transmission.

[0008] In some embodiments, the drive motor further includes a reducer, which is drive-connected to the drive motor, and the other end of the coupling is drive-connected to the reducer.

[0009] In some embodiments, the conveying assembly further includes a slider and a slide rail; The slide rail is fixedly connected to the support frame; One end of the slider is slidably connected to the slide rail, and the other end is fixedly connected to the drive motor.

[0010] In some embodiments, the support frame includes a support plate, a base plate, and two parallel gas cylinder fixing plates; The two ends of the support plate are fixedly connected to the push rod and the base plate, respectively; The two gas cylinder fixing plates are respectively perpendicularly connected to the base plate.

[0011] In some embodiments, the gas cylinder fixing plate includes a limiting knob, which is movably connected to the gas cylinder fixing plate.

[0012] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By integrating a mechanical gripper (including a drive motor and at least three jaws), a torque sensor, and a transmission component into the same device, a basic closed-loop link of "synchronous clamping / releasing—force detection" is formed. This allows for real-time monitoring of the force state of the valve knob before and after clamping, enabling control decisions based on this information. The synchronized movement of the three jaws improves concentricity and force uniformity, reducing the risk of eccentric clamping and slippage. The torque sensor provides measurement data consistent with the actual force on the valve, providing a data foundation for subsequent control strategies based on relationship curves, error correction, and slope-based stopping, thereby improving the stability and consistency of opening / positioning. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is an assembly diagram of an automatic opening and closing gas cylinder valve device according to an embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of part A in the middle; Figure 3 This is a front view of a device for automatically opening and closing a gas cylinder valve according to an embodiment of the present utility model; Label Explanation: 1. Mechanical gripper; 11. Drive motor; 111. Reducer; 12. Gripper; 13. Distance sensor; 14. Mounting plate; 2. Torque sensor; 3. Controller; 4. Conveying assembly; 41. Push rod; 42. Support frame; 421. Support plate; 422. Base plate; 423. Gas cylinder fixing plate; 424. Limit knob; 43. Slider; 44. Slide rail; 5. Coupling; 6. Target gas cylinder; 61. Valve knob. Detailed Implementation

[0014] To explain in detail the technical content, objectives, and effects of this utility model, the following description is provided in conjunction with the embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0015] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 A device for automatically opening and closing a gas cylinder valve, comprising: The mechanical gripper 1 includes a drive motor 11 and at least three grippers 12. The drive motor 11 is connected to the three grippers 12 and is used to drive the three grippers 12 to synchronously clamp or release the valve knob 61 of the target gas cylinder 6. Torque sensor 2 is communicatively connected to the mechanical gripper 1 and is used to detect the torque applied by the gripper 12 to the valve knob 61; The conveying component 4 is movably connected to the drive motor 11 and is used to control the gripper 12 to move closer to or further away from the target gas cylinder 6 via the valve knob 61.

[0016] As can be seen from the above description, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: By integrating a mechanical gripper 1 (including a drive motor 11 and at least three grippers 12), a torque sensor 2, and a transmission component 4 into the same device, a basic closed-loop link of "synchronous clamping / releasing - force detection" is formed. This allows for real-time monitoring of the force state of the valve knob 61 before and after clamping, enabling control decisions based on this information. The synchronized movement of the three grippers 12 improves concentricity and force uniformity, reducing the risk of eccentric clamping and slippage. The torque sensor 2 provides measurement data consistent with the actual force on the valve, providing a data foundation for subsequent control strategies based on relationship curves, error correction, and slope-based stopping, thereby improving the stability and consistency of opening / positioning.

[0017] Preferably, the system also includes a controller 3, which is communicatively connected to the torque sensor 2 and the mechanical gripper 1, and controls the torque transmitted from the drive motor 11 to the mechanical gripper 1 based on the detection value of the torque sensor 2, thereby adjusting the opening accuracy of the gas cylinder valve.

[0018] In some embodiments, the conveying assembly 4 includes a push rod 41 and a support frame 42; The fixed end of the push rod 41 is fixedly connected to the support frame 42, and the movable end of the push rod 41 is fixedly connected to the drive motor 11 and is used to control the mechanical claw 1 to move closer to or away from the valve knob 61 of the target gas cylinder 6.

[0019] As described above, the transmission component 4 employs a rigid connection between the push rod 41 and the support frame 42 to constrain the axial movement of the mechanical gripper 1 and the drive motor 11 to a defined trajectory, significantly reducing attitude drift and random errors during the approach / remote process. The fixed connection between the fixed end of the push rod 41 and the support frame 42 enhances the overall vibration resistance and load-bearing capacity, while the fixed connection between the movable end and the drive motor 11 ensures that the feed command can be accurately transmitted to the execution end, which is beneficial for establishing a stable geometric relationship before clamping and shortening the positioning time.

[0020] In some embodiments, the mechanical gripper 1 further includes an obstacle sensor, a distance sensor 13, and a mounting plate 14; The mounting plate 14 is connected to the drive motor 11, and the gripper 12 is movably connected to the mounting plate 14; The obstacle sensor is fixedly connected to the three grippers 12 respectively, and is used to detect the presence of obstacles in the pushing direction of the push rod 41 for each gripper 12; The distance sensor 13 is fixedly connected to the mounting plate 14 and is used to detect the distance between the mechanical claw 1 and the valve knob 61 of the target gas cylinder 6.

[0021] As described above, a mounting plate 14 is installed on the mechanical gripper 1, and the grippers 12 are movably connected to it, facilitating the synchronous retraction and extension of the three grippers 12 at equal intervals. Simultaneously, an obstacle sensor is configured on each gripper 12 to monitor path safety in real time along the pushing direction of the push rod 41. This allows for early detection of obstacles within the retraction / extension stroke, triggering limit switches / stops to avoid structural damage and measurement distortion caused by hard collisions. A distance sensor 13, fixed to the mounting plate 14, detects the relative distance between the gripper and the valve knob 61, providing direct measurement for alignment and clamping, improving alignment accuracy and clamping reliability. The aforementioned front-end sensing, combined with the kinematic advantages of the mounting plate 14, enables the synergy of "path safety—distance alignment—synchronous clamping," improving the geometric registration quality before clamping, and thus enhancing the accuracy of force control and positioning determination.

[0022] In some embodiments, the mechanical gripper 1 further includes a planetary gear set connected to the mounting plate 14; the planetary gear set includes a sun gear and planet gears, the sun gear is connected to the drive motor 11, the number of planet gears matches the number of grippers 12, and each planet gear corresponds one-to-one with each gripper 12 and is connected in a driving manner.

[0023] In some embodiments, a planetary gear set coaxially arranged with the mounting plate 14 is introduced, and the sun gear is connected to the drive motor 11. Each planet gear drives each gripper 12 in turn, enabling synchronous driving of multiple grippers 12 with equal phase and equal step distance within a compact coaxial structure. Compared with single-sided transmission or series linkage schemes, this arrangement distributes the motor output torque evenly to each gripper 12 via the planetary mechanism, significantly improving the symmetry and concentricity of the clamping force, reducing the probability of eccentric clamping and slippage, and improving torque transmission stiffness and alignment repeatability. The high transmission ratio and low backlash characteristics of the planetary transmission are beneficial for small-step fine-tuning and stable low-speed output. Combined with torque detection, smoother force changes can be obtained, reducing overshoot and oscillation when approaching the target opening. The matching of the number of planetary gears with the number of grippers 12 gives the drive chain a natural "multi-path equal drive" capability, which is easy to expand according to the number of grippers 12 without adding a complex distribution mechanism. At the same time, it realizes the distribution of load and wear balance of each gripper 12, improving the overall life and maintenance convenience. The coaxial, short force chain structure also reduces the impact of assembly deviation on transmission and measurement accuracy, further ensuring clamping stability and opening control accuracy during remote opening and closing.

[0024] In some embodiments, a coupling 5 is also included; One end of the coupling 5 is connected to the mounting plate 14 for transmission, and the other end is connected to the drive motor 11 for transmission.

[0025] As described above, the coupling 5 is positioned between the mounting plate 14 and the drive motor 11. It can compensate for slight coaxiality deviations and assembly errors, reducing the adverse effects of shaft runout on torque transmission and measurement accuracy. Simultaneously, the coupling 5 absorbs minor impacts and vibrations, making the transmission chain smoother and facilitating stability under low-speed micro-motion and small-step adjustment conditions, while reducing the interference of return backlash on opening consistency.

[0026] In some embodiments, the drive motor 11 further includes a reducer 111, which is drive-connected to the drive motor 11, and the other end of the coupling 5 is drive-connected to the reducer 111.

[0027] As described above, adding a reducer 111 between the drive motor 11 and the coupling 5 forms a torque amplification and resolution improvement link: "motor—reduction—coupling—mounting plate 14—gripper 12". The reducer 111 improves output torque and low-speed controllability, making fine adjustments of small angles and small torques commonplace. Combined with the torque sensor 2, it can obtain more stable force readings, thereby achieving smoother deceleration and more reliable locking when executing the controller 3's commands, reducing the probability of overshoot and oscillation.

[0028] Preferably, the reducer 111 includes a right-angle gear and a planetary reducer. The right-angle gear is connected to the drive motor to transmit the horizontal rotation of the drive motor as vertical rotation. At the same time, the right-angle gear is connected to the planetary reducer, and the planetary reducer is connected to the coupling 5.

[0029] In some embodiments, the conveying assembly 4 further includes a slider 43 and a slide rail 44; The slide rail 44 is fixedly connected to the support frame 42; One end of the slider 43 is slidably connected to the slide rail 44, and the other end is fixedly connected to the drive motor 11.

[0030] As described above, the introduction of slide rail 44 and slider 43 for linear guidance, with slider 43 fixedly connected to drive motor 11, limits the forward and backward path to a single-degree-of-freedom linear motion, reducing the impact of lateral forces and attitude disturbances on centering and clamping. The trajectory certainty brought by linear guidance improves the coaxiality and repeatability of the three grippers 12 and valve knob 61, thereby improving the convergence speed and positioning stability of subsequent force control.

[0031] In some embodiments, the support frame 42 includes a support plate 421, a base plate 422, and two parallel gas cylinder fixing plates 423. The two ends of the support plate 421 are fixedly connected to the push rod 41 and the base plate 422, respectively; The two gas cylinder fixing plates 423 are respectively perpendicularly connected to the base plate 422.

[0032] As described above, the support frame 42 adopts a frame structure consisting of a support plate 421, a base plate 422, and two parallel gas cylinder fixing plates 423, which can provide multi-point limiting and anti-tipping support for the gas cylinder. The support plate 421 is fixedly connected to the push rod 41 and the base plate 422 respectively, making the reaction path of the transmission component 4 clear and improving the overall rigidity. Under this structure, the relative position of the gas cylinder and the mechanical claw 1 is stable, significantly reducing the alignment error and force fluctuation caused by the cylinder shaking, providing a basis for the device to maintain consistent clamping quality and opening accuracy under different working conditions.

[0033] In some embodiments, the gas cylinder fixing plate 423 includes a limiting knob 424, which is movably connected to the gas cylinder fixing plate 423.

[0034] As described above, the gas cylinder fixing plate 423 is equipped with a limit knob 424, which can be quickly adjusted and positioned according to cylinders of different diameters or shapes, improving cross-model adaptability and shortening clamping time. The adjustable limit provided by the limit knob 424 can suppress slight displacement of the cylinder body during operation, reduce the drift of force readings and the compensation action of the gripper 12 caused by cylinder body displacement, thereby improving the stability of force control and shutdown determination.

[0035] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 Embodiment 1 of this utility model is as follows: This embodiment provides an automatic opening and closing device for gas cylinder valves, which is mounted on a support frame 42. The support frame 42 includes a support plate 421, a base plate 422, and two gas cylinder fixing plates 423 arranged parallel to the base plate 422. The two gas cylinder fixing plates 423 are perpendicularly connected to the base plate 422. The two ends of the support plate 421 are fixedly connected to the push rod 41 and the base plate 422, respectively, forming a multi-point limiting and bearing frame for the gas cylinder. The gas cylinder fixing plates 423 are provided with limiting knobs 424 that are movably connected to them, which are used for quick positioning and clamping according to the cylinder body with different shapes and diameters. The linear guide part consists of a slide rail 44 and a slider 43. The slide rail 44 is fixed on the support frame 42, and the slider 43 slides with the slide rail 44. One end of the slider 43 is connected to the slide rail 44, and the other end is fixedly connected to the drive motor 11, so as to limit the single-degree-of-freedom linear advance and retreat of the drive motor 11 and the mechanism it supports along the valve axis. The transmission component 4 adopts a rigid connection between the push rod 41 and the support frame 42. The fixed end of the push rod 41 is fixedly connected to the support frame 42, and the movable end is fixedly connected to the drive motor 11. The axial movement of the drive motor 11 and the mechanical claw 1 relative to the valve knob 61 is achieved by the extension and retraction of the push rod 41.

[0036] The mechanical gripper 1 includes a drive motor 11, at least three grippers 12, and a mounting plate 14. The mounting plate 14 is driven by the drive motor 11, and the three grippers 12 are movably connected to the mounting plate 14 so that they can be synchronously and equidistantly retracted towards the clamping center under drive, thereby clamping or releasing the valve knob 61. To improve transmission consistency and concentricity, a planetary gear set is provided inside the mechanical gripper 1, which is coaxially connected to the mounting plate 14. The planetary gear set includes a sun gear driven by the drive motor 11 and planetary gears in a number matching the number of grippers 12. Each planetary gear is driven by its corresponding gripper 12, achieving synchronous drive of multiple grippers 12 with equal phase and equal step distance. The output of the drive motor 11 is reduced in speed and increased in torque by a reducer 111, and then transmitted to the mounting plate 14 and the planetary gear set through a coupling 5. The coupling 5 is located between the drive motor 11 side and the mounting plate 14 side to compensate for assembly deviations and minor coaxiality errors and to smooth torque transmission. To ensure the accuracy and real-time performance of force measurements, a torque sensor 2 is installed in the transmission chain of the mechanical gripper 1 to detect the torque applied by the gripper 12 to the valve knob 61 and report it to the control terminal. To improve path safety and geometric alignment, an obstacle sensor is fixedly installed on each gripper 12 to detect the presence of obstacles in the pushing direction of the push rod 41. A distance sensor 13 is fixed on the mounting plate 14 to detect the distance between the mechanical gripper 1 and the valve knob 61, providing observational data for approaching, alignment, and clamping. The controller 3 is electrically connected to the drive motor 11, the reducer 111 drive unit, the torque sensor 2, the obstacle sensor, the distance sensor 13, and the push rod 41 execution unit, and communicates with the device database to uniformly schedule actions such as advancing, retreating, clamping, force measurement, and transmission execution.

[0037] When the device is working, the controller 3 first drives the push rod 41 and, in conjunction with the slide rail 44 and slider 43, makes the drive motor 11 and the mechanical claw 1 smoothly approach along the valve axis. During the approach, the distance sensor 13 continuously outputs the relative distance, and the obstacle sensor synchronously monitors the opening and closing path of the gripper 12. If an obstacle is detected, the limit switch or the machine stops. After reaching the alignment area, the controller 3 instructs the drive motor 11 to drive the mounting plate 14 and the planetary gear set to rotate via the reducer 111 and coupling 5. The three grippers 12, driven by their respective planetary gears, synchronously close at equal distances, forming a stable clamp with the recessed part of the valve knob 61. Subsequently, the controller 3, based on the force information from the torque sensor 2 and the reference data in the database that matches the valve model, schedules the output of the drive motor 11 to open the valve to the target opening degree under controlled torque. When the actual force changes with the opening degree and the preset termination condition is met, the controller 3 performs deceleration and locking to complete the positioning.

[0038] The above description is merely an embodiment of this utility model and does not limit the patent scope of this utility model. Any equivalent modifications made based on the content of this utility model specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A device for automatically opening and closing a gas cylinder valve, characterized in that, include: The mechanical gripper includes a drive motor and at least three grippers, wherein the drive motor is kinetically connected to the three grippers and is used to drive the three grippers to synchronously clamp or release the valve knob of the target gas cylinder; A torque sensor is communicatively connected to the mechanical gripper and is used to detect the torque applied by the gripper to the valve knob; A conveying component, movably connected to the drive motor, and used to control the gripper to move closer to or further away from the target gas cylinder via a valve knob.

2. The device for automatically opening and closing a gas cylinder valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying assembly includes a push rod and a support frame; The fixed end of the push rod is fixedly connected to the support frame, and the movable end of the push rod is fixedly connected to the drive motor and used to control the mechanical claw to move closer to or away from the valve knob of the target gas cylinder.

3. The device for automatically opening and closing a gas cylinder valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, The mechanical gripper also includes an obstacle sensor, a distance sensor, and a mounting plate; The mounting plate is connected to the drive motor, and the gripper is movably connected to the mounting plate; The obstacle sensor is fixedly connected to the three grippers respectively and is used to detect the presence of obstacles in the pushing direction of the push rod for each gripper; The distance sensor is fixedly connected to the mounting plate and is used to detect the distance between the mechanical gripper and the valve knob of the target gas cylinder.

4. The device for automatically opening and closing a gas cylinder valve according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes couplings; One end of the coupling is connected to the mounting plate for transmission, and the other end is connected to the drive motor for transmission.

5. The device for automatically opening and closing a gas cylinder valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, The drive motor also includes a reducer, which is connected to the drive motor in a driving connection, and the other end of the coupling is connected to the reducer in a driving connection.

6. The device for automatically opening and closing a gas cylinder valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, The conveying assembly also includes a slider and a slide rail; The slide rail is fixedly connected to the support frame; One end of the slider is slidably connected to the slide rail, and the other end is fixedly connected to the drive motor.

7. The device for automatically opening and closing a gas cylinder valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, The support frame includes a support plate, a base plate, and two parallel gas cylinder fixing plates; The two ends of the support plate are fixedly connected to the push rod and the base plate, respectively; The two gas cylinder fixing plates are respectively perpendicularly connected to the base plate.

8. The device for automatically opening and closing a gas cylinder valve according to claim 7, characterized in that, The gas cylinder fixing plate includes a limiting knob, which is movably connected to the gas cylinder fixing plate.

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