Fluid Actuator Segmentation for Energy-Efficient Motion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current elongated fluid actuator arrangements are inefficient due to centrally controlled fluid flow, leading to ineffective force and motion control, and often require overweight materials, resulting in high energy consumption and noise, with limited adaptability for varying motion and force requirements.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a first and second cylinder housing with piston bodies and a piston rod engagement and disengagement mechanism, featuring a large engagement area relative to the piston body cross-sectional area, allowing for controlled fluid pressure to achieve robust and efficient operation without additional energy-consuming throttling valves, and includes a sensor and control unit for precise motion control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If centrally controlled fluid flow is used to control maximum motion rate and force, then control functionality is achieved, but energy efficiency deteriorates due to additional throttling valves and over-dimension materials
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid actuator arrangement is divided into multiple independent piston bodies (first, second, third piston bodies) that can be controlled separately. Each piston body has its own fluid supply connection, allowing decentralized control of fluid flow to different sections of the piston rod member, eliminating the need for a single centrally controlled system with throttling valves.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts fluid flow distribution to multiple piston bodies based on actual operational requirements. The fluid supply device can vary the amount of fluid supplied to each piston body independently, enabling adaptive control of motion rate and force without energy-wasting throttling mechanisms.
2Stress or pressure
If over-dimension materials are used to achieve desired pressure performance, then pressure distribution is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The piston rod member is segmented into multiple sections corresponding to different piston bodies, allowing pressure performance to be optimized locally in each section rather than requiring the entire structure to be over-dimensioned. This enables weight reduction while maintaining necessary pressure capabilities where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the actuator system are designed with materials and dimensions appropriate to their specific pressure and force requirements. The fluid supply device delivers tailored fluid amounts to each piston body, allowing local optimization of pressure performance without requiring uniform over-dimensioning throughout the entire structure.
3Force
If high fluid pressure is applied to achieve robust operation, then force output is improved, but noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the fluid power transmission into multiple separate piston bodies, each operating at optimized pressure levels. This segmentation allows force output to be distributed across multiple lower-pressure actuators rather than requiring a single high-pressure system, thereby reducing noise while maintaining total force capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by distributing fluid flow across multiple piston bodies rather than using high pressure in a single actuator. This parameter change from high-pressure/low-volume to lower-pressure/high-volume operation achieves robust force output with reduced noise generation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables reliable, energy-efficient, and lightweight fluid actuator performance with minimal input force, reduced noise, and lower environmental impact, suitable for various industrial and mobile applications, including material handling and 3D printing, by optimizing fluid pressure distribution and motion control.
Implementation Method 1
controlled fluid pressure to achieve robust and efficient operation
Implementation Method 2
fluid actuator arrangement
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention regards an elongated fluid actuator arrangement comprising a first and second cylinder housing (3, 5) extending in a longitudinal direction (X), respective housing (3, 5) encompasses a first respective a second piston body (7, 9). The respective piston body (7, 9) divides the respective cylinder housing (3, 5) in a first and second cylinder chamber (11, 13). The arrangement (1) is adapted for connection to a valve member means (15) of a fluid supply device (17). A piston rod member (19) extending through said respective first and second piston bodies (7, 9). The first piston device (7) comprises a piston rod engagement and disengagement means (29), which is adapted to engage or disengage the first piston device (7) to/from the piston rod member (19), wherein an engagement area (A2), defined by an engagement zone between the first piston body (7) and the piston rod member (19), is larger than a cross-sectional piston area (A1) of the first piston body (7).