2520 results about "Pneumatic cylinder" patented technology

A semiconductor wafer support pin assembly. A susceptor has at least three support pins configured to raise a wafer above the top surface of the susceptor. Each support pin includes and upper pin and a lower pin, which lock together by means of a quick-release mechanism in the form of a bayonet mount. The upper pin is made of a non-metallic material, such as polybenzimidazole. The susceptor is driven up and down by a lifting mechanism, driven by an electric motor or pneumatic cylinder. The susceptor moves up and down, relative to the support pins.

The invention relates to systems and methods for rapidly and isothermally expanding and compressing gas in energy storage and recovery systems that use open-air hydraulic-pneumatic cylinder assemblies, such as an accumulator and an intensifier in communication with a high-pressure gas storage reservoir on a gas-side of the circuits and a combination fluid motor / pump, coupled to a combination electric generator / motor on the fluid side of the circuits. The systems use heat transfer subsystems in communication with at least one of the cylinder assemblies or reservoir to thermally condition the gas being expanded or compressed.

A running board assembly for a motor vehicle has a step for supporting an individual thereon. The running board assembly also includes a slide assembly extending between the step and the motor vehicle for slidably moving the step between a retracted position and an extended position. In addition, the running board assembly includes a pneumatic cylinder operatively engaging the slide assembly so that the pneumatic cylinder effects energizing movement between the retracted and the extended positions.

A method and a robotic device for locomotion training. The method involves shifting a subject's pelvis without directly contacting the subject's leg, thereby causing the subject's legs to move along a moveable surface. The device comprises two backdriveable robots, each having three pneumatic cylinders that connect to each other at their rod ends for attachment to the subject's torso. Also provided is a method of determining a locomotion training strategy for a pelvic-shifting robot by incorporating dynamic motion optimization.

A robotic hand and arm where the fingers are driven by rotational motors with drums, and pulled with cables using rolling friction. The hand extends into a robotic arm through a wrist wherein the wrist is controlled by pneumatic cylinders. Each finger preferably is provided with four manufactured parts and a single pulley. The thumb is provided with three pulleys for independent distal movement. Cables wraps around or over pulleys, eliminating tight bends. A glove is provided about the robotic hand which provides a compressive, liquid resistant membrane.

A stretcher 1 comprises a bed 21 on which a sick or injured person will be laid, legs 22 foldably provided on the bed 21, casters 23 provided at the legs 22, respectively, a tank 10 for storing high-pressure gas, pneumatic cylinders 8 and 9, and intake switches 11 and 13. When the intake switches 11 and 13 are turned ON, high-pressure gas is introduced from the tank 10 into the pneumatic cylinders 8 and 9 so that piston rods 28 are retracted. Thus, the legs 22 are given forces toward deployment so that the bed 21 is given an ascending force.

A robotic hand and arm where the fingers are driven by rotational motors with drums, and pulled with cables using rolling friction. The hand extends into a robotic arm through a wrist wherein the wrist is controlled by pneumatic cylinders. Each finger preferably is provided with four manufactured parts and a single pulley. The thumb is provided with three pulleys for independent distal movement. Cables wraps around or over pulleys, eliminating tight bends. A glove is provided about the robotic hand which provides a compressive, liquid resistant membrane.

The invention relates to an apparatus for moving an Iron Roughneck into position to allow making-up or breaking-out of threaded joints in a drill string. The apparatus may also be used to move other drilling equipment into position on the centerline of the well or at mouse holes. A self-balanced, dual synchronized parallelogram arm is utilized to accomplish the movement of the devices. Hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders are used for extension and retraction of the arm rather than to support the tool. The arm may hold the tool in any position without cylinder assistance. The linkage in the synchronized parallelogram may be accomplished by gears, links, slots, or rollers.

An internal inspection unit for pipe has ultrasonic transducers that inspect weld volume, weld root, and wall thickness. The ultrasonic transducers are mounted to a portion of the inspection unit that is rotatable, but no more than one full revolution. One of the units has independently movable shoes for each separate transducer. The shoes are moved between retracted and extended positions by pneumatic cylinders. The other unit has shoes that support more than one transducer, the shoes being biased outwardly by springs.

A workstation support assembly comprises a support assembly, a post assembly rotationally supported by the support assembly and including a post member, a computer monitor support assembly operably coupled for rotation with a first end of the post member, and a keyboard support assembly operably coupled for rotation with a second end of the post member, wherein rotation of the keyboard support assembly forces rotation of the post member and the monitor support assembly, and wherein rotation of the monitor support assembly does not force the rotation of the keyboard support assembly. Other aspects of the workstation comprise a four-bar linkage support arm that includes a cable management member extending therethrough for receiving and guiding wires within an interior passage of the support arm, a lockable pneumatic cylinder located within the support arm and adapted to lock the support arm at a given vertical position, a housing assembly that spans the distance between vertical studs within commercial wall structures, thereby eliminating the requirement for additional mounting structures, and a keyboard support assembly that includes a cam assembly for locking an adjustable keyboard in a storage position, and a storage compartment for slidably receiving a computer mouse therein when the keyboard support is in the storage position.

A rivet gun includes a pneumatic motor (4), that drives a segment stem 7. A pneumatic cylinder (21) actuates a hydraulic cylinder (22) which sends oil under pressure to an expansion chamber (10) provided for moving back the segment stem (7) and buckling the rivet (2) fixing it to a laminate structure (100). The rivet gun also includes a change-over switching device (30) linked to controls (50,60) for reversing rotation of the motor (4). The controls (60) include an inlet valve (61) operated by a trigger (64) for connecting a compressed air infeed duct 14 with a feed-discharge duct (23) leading to the pneumatic cylinder (21). A discharge valve (63) is disposed in series with the inlet valve (61) and has an adjustment ring (176) for adjusting of the maximum traction force. Another discharge valve (90) is disposed in series with the discharge valve (63) previously mentioned and is provided for adjustment of the stroke of the segment stem (7).

An exercise apparatus includes a compact resistance unit that houses a pneumatic cylinder. The cylinder is connected to a pulley wheel that moves at least toward the cylinder. A main cable extends about a portion of the pulley wheel. One end of the main cable is fixed to the unit housing and the other end is attached to a pulley block of a block-and-tackle mechanism. A user cable extends through the block-and-tackle mechanism and is connected to a handle. The pneumatic cylinder resists movement of the handle away from the unit.

An artificial knee has a supporting portion, a knee portion, and a leg portion. The knee portion has a saddle-like body, a front knee pivotally connected to the saddle-like body and a rear knee. The leg portion has a pneumatic cylinder received in the receiving space in the leg portion. Pivotal movement of the saddle-like body relative to the front knee is able to activate the pneumatic cylinder to provide a cushion effect to a load on top of the supporting portion.

A system and method of using an exercise system having a resistance structure of handles connected to cables, which cables are connected to at least one pneumatic cylinder that creates resistance, wherein the resistance is adjusted by the user via actuators in the handles, so that the user does not need to release the handles to adjust the resistance. The system is typically supported by a frame to surround the user, and the pneumatic cylinder may be connected to an equalizing tank that may be housed within or integrated into the frame. The system may include a monitor to visually display system parameters and other information to the user. The system may calculate resistance and work done by the user by measuring piston displacement and speed, as well as using accelerometers or other devices integrated into the handles.

An exercise apparatus includes a compact resistance unit that houses a pneumatic cylinder. The cylinder is connected to a pulley wheel that moves at least toward the cylinder. A main cable extends about a portion of the pulley wheel. One end of the main cable is fixed to the unit housing and the other end is attached to a pulley block of a block-and-tackle mechanism. A user cable extends through the block-and-tackle mechanism and is connected to a handle. The pneumatic cylinder resists movement of the handle away from the unit.

An air driven hydraulic pump includes two opposed cylinders to either side of a center section. Two pneumatic pistons are slidable in the opposed cylinders and are coupled with one another by a common shaft extending through the center section. The pneumatic pistons ride in the opposed pneumatic cylinders and include hydraulic plungers extending therefrom. Cylinder heads integral with the cylinders provide hydraulic cylinders aligned with the hydraulic plungers. An air valve delivers pneumatic pressure to alternate sides of both pneumatic pistons such that the forces on the pistons are additive alternately in each direction.

The present invention is a seat height adjustment mechanism for exercise equipment having a seat. Examples of such exercise equipment include: stationary exercise bicycles; road or mountain type bicycles; resistance strength training supporting racks or platforms (e.g., preacher curl benches, military or shoulder press racks, etc.) for use with free weights; and resistance strength training machines that employ as resistance weight plates, deflectable members, elastic bands, springs, hydraulic cylinders, pneumatic cylinders, etc. The mechanism comprises a member, a telescopic member, and an engagement member. The member extends upwardly and includes a rack. The telescopic member includes a first end telescopically received in the member and a seat end. The engagement member is coupled to the telescopic member and adapted to engage the rack.

A device for injecting an intraocular lens into an eye includes a compartment for holding an intraocular lens, a plunger engaged with the compartment, a nozzle coupled to the compartment, and a pneumatic cylinder. The pneumatic cylinder has a chamber and a cylinder connected to a shaft. The shaft is connected to the plunger. The shaft has teeth located on its surface. A pawl engages the teeth to limit the movement of the shaft to a dispensing direction. Pneumatic pressure introduced into the chamber moves the piston, shaft, and plunger in the dispensing direction so as to push the intraocular lens through the nozzle

Seal for the static or dynamic sealing of joints, machine parts or other components or structures such as may be found in choke, kill, or other auxiliary line strings for marine oil or gas well risers, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or other actuators. The seal may have a U-cup or solid geometry profile including a secondary sealing lip on both the inner and outer diameter thereof which functions as a wiper for the exclusion of outside contaminants, such as seawater, from joint sealed.

A face mask manufacturing machine includes a platform, a first-side edge fusion module, a second-side edge fusion module, a folding device, and a center line fusion module. The first-side and second-side edge fusion modules and the center line fusion module each comprise a pneumatic cylinder, which is operatively coupled to automatic control facility for carrying out automatic operation to thereby reduce the labor needed for operating fusion facility and enhance manufacturing efficiency.

Weight lifting simulator apparatus includes a primary pneumatic cylinder providing the principal resistance for simulating weight lifting exercise with at least one secondary cylinder in free fluid interconnection with the primary cylinder whereby constant and balanced loading is achieved, with provisions for dynamic simulation of weight inertia effect, and control thereof, as in lifting a real weight. The primary and the secondary cylinders are associated with a guideway, the primary cylinder being fixed to the guideway and the secondary cylinder being slidable relative to the guideway and pivotable relative to the piston rod of the primary cylinder. Variation of the securement position of the primary cylinder on the guideway is available and valving is provided in the fluid interconnection.

Actuators, and corresponding methods and systems for controlling such actuators, provide independent valve control with a large initial or opening force. In an exemplary embodiment, an actuator includes a driver further including a housing defining a longitudinal axis and first and second directions, an actuation mechanism capable of generating actuation force at least in the first direction, and a rod with one end operably connected with at least one part of the actuation mechanism and with the other end available for an operable connection with a load such as an engine valve; at least one return spring operably connected with the rod through a spring retainer assembly and biasing the rod in the second direction; and a pneumatic booster further including a pneumatic cylinder, a pneumatic piston operably connected with the rod through the spring retainer assembly and biasing the rod in the first direction, a charge mechanism providing a controlled fluid communication between the pneumatic cylinder and a high-pressure gas source, and a bleed mechanism providing a controlled fluid communication between the pneumatic cylinder to a low-pressure gas sink.

An amphibious vehicle achieves a stable ride, maneuverability, and high speed. The vehicle includes a hull having a “V” center portion with outboard sponsons. The sponsons reside between the front wheel wells and the rear wheels wells for improving lift and transition to planing. Shallow tunnels begin in rear portions of the front wheel wells and taper into the sponsons to release water trapped in the wheel wells. Inward facing turning edges also reside between the front and rear wheel wells and improve in-water handling. Wheels are retractable by pneumatic cylinders in parallel with air shock absorbers and suspension cutout in the hull allow the suspension to lower through the hull. Flaps reside under suspension members and rise to cover the suspension cutouts when the wheels are retractable when the wheels are raised to reduce drag. A Morse cable couple a rack and pinion unit to a jet drive.

A system and method providing automatic adjustment of flows used to empty dry material from a pressure pot or hopper. In some embodiments, based on pressure increases in the conveying line that receives the dry material, the flow of conveying-fluid to the conveying line automatically increases and / or the flow of pressurization fluid to the hopper that assists pushing dry material out of the hopper automatically decreases and / or rotary-valve speed controlling dry-material rates from the hopper automatically slows. In some embodiments, one or more discretely or continuously adjustable critical-flow venturies (CFVs) automatically adjust mass flow of fluid based on, e.g., pintle position set by a pneumatic cylinder controlled by conveying-line pressure. Each pintle moves in and out of its CFV throat, adjusting throat area, thus setting the rate of flow. In some embodiments, pintle cross-sectional area is linearly proportional to distance from the tip of the pintle.

An automated, electric tong system and methods usable for making-up and breaking out threaded connections between tubular members, wherein the electric tong system comprises a power tong for applying torque and rotating the upper tubular member, a backup tong for gripping tubulars, and a lift assembly for vertically moving the electric tong system into proper position to grip the upper and lower tubulars. The power and backup tongs and lift assembly of the electric tong system are integrated into a single transportable unit and operated by three separate electrical motors, controlled by a single driver. The backup tong is located below the power tong and comprises a pneumatic cylinder, which operates a backup door, and a linear actuator driven by an electric motor for use in latching the backup tong door in a closed position and applying or releasing a clamping force to a tubular, during make-up or break-out operations.

A method and a robotic device for locomotion training. The method involves shifting a subject's pelvis without directly contacting the subject's leg, thereby causing the subject's legs to move along a moveable surface. The device comprises two backdriveable robots, each having three pneumatic cylinders that connect to each other at their rod ends for attachment to the subject's torso. Also provided is a method of determining a locomotion training strategy for a pelvic-shifting robot by incorporating dynamic motion optimization.

A gated looper apparatus has an array of individually mounted pressurizable air cylinders with piston rods acting against biased slider bars in communication with looper gates. Baising elements are mounted external of pneumatic cylinders about slider bars with protective ferules to provide greater responsiveness and ease of maintenance.

A workstation support assembly comprises a support assembly, a post assembly rotationally supported by the support assembly and including a post member, a computer monitor support assembly operably coupled for rotation with a first end of the post member, and a keyboard support assembly operably coupled for rotation with a second end of the post member, wherein rotation of the keyboard support assembly forces rotation of the post member and the monitor support assembly, and wherein rotation of the monitor support assembly does not force the rotation of the keyboard support assembly. Other aspects of the workstation comprise a four-bar linkage support arm that includes a cable management member extending therethrough for receiving and guiding wires within an interior passage of the support arm, a lockable pneumatic cylinder located within the support arm and adapted to lock the support arm at a given vertical position, a housing assembly that spans the distance between vertical studs within commercial wall structures, thereby eliminating the requirement for additional mounting structures, and a keyboard support assembly that includes a cam assembly for locking an adjustable keyboard in a storage position, and a storage compartment for slidably receiving a computer mouse therein when the keyboard support is in the storage position.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the easy installation or removal of screen elements from a shaker table without the use of tools. Pneumatic cylinders are used to move hold down bars up and down to either allow for screen elements to be installed or removed from the screen bed section assembly, or to clamp them into the screen bed section assembly of a shaker so that the screen elements will not move during shaker operations.