Air Actuator Pressure Sensing for Emergency Stop Collision Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Air actuators face challenges in safely stopping a drive target during emergency situations due to inertia, especially when the target is moving at high speeds, leading to potential collisions with other parts.

Innovation Solution

A fluid actuator system equipped with first and second pressure sensors to measure pressures in different drive directions and an acceleration detection unit to monitor and manage accelerations, allowing for safe operation by detecting and limiting excessive acceleration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If emergency stop is performed when drive target is moving at high speed, then stopping action is initiated, but drive target collides with other parts due to inertia

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety of emergency stoppingVSAvoidcollision damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The acceleration detection unit calculates acceleration based on pressure differences before emergency stop is executed. This preliminary detection allows the system to assess the current acceleration state and determine appropriate emergency stop parameters, preventing collision damage while maintaining safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of acceleration (calculating it from pressure measurements) to enable real-time monitoring of the drive target's motion state. This parameter change allows the control unit to make informed decisions about emergency stopping based on actual acceleration conditions rather than just velocity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If acceleration is not monitored, then system operation is simple, but drive target may experience excessive acceleration causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from excessive accelerationVSAvoidmonitoring system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Pressure sensors serve as intermediary devices that indirectly measure acceleration by detecting pressure differences during motion. This intermediary approach allows acceleration monitoring without requiring direct mechanical acceleration sensors, reducing system complexity while maintaining protection capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The acceleration detection unit provides continuous feedback about the drive target's acceleration state to the control unit. This feedback mechanism enables real-time monitoring and protection against excessive acceleration while maintaining relatively simple system architecture through software-based calculation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11761463B2Fluid actuator, fluid actuator control method, and computer readable medium storing control program of fluid actuator

Publication Date: 2023.09.19 SUMITOMO HEAVY IND LTD

AI summary

Provided is a fluid actuator capable of safely driving a drive target. An air actuator using air as a working fluid includes an X-axis pressure sensor that measures air pressures PX+ and PX− along one drive axis, which drives a drive target in an X direction, a Y-axis pressure sensor that measures air pressures PY1+, PY1−, PY2+, and PY2− along two drive axes, which drive the drive target in a Y direction, and an acceleration detection unit that detects translational acceleration and rotational acceleration generated in the drive target on the basis of the measured air pressures PX+, PX−, PY1+, PY1−, PY2+, and PY2−.