Hydraulic Work Support Structure Without Ventilation Passages

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing work supports require ventilation holes and supply/discharge passages to maintain air pressure, complicating the structure and increasing size.

Innovation Solution

The work support incorporates a release spring in an actuation chamber filled with pressurized oil, reducing the need for ventilation holes and simplifying the structure by minimizing air volume changes during piston movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a spring chamber filled with air is provided above the second piston, then the release spring can be installed, but air pressure in the housing excessively increases/decreases requiring ventilation holes and supply/discharge passages

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidpassage complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the air-filled spring chamber with an oil-filled actuation chamber. The actuation chamber is filled with pressurized oil and communicates with the first actuation chamber, allowing the release spring to be installed while avoiding excessive air pressure changes. This hydraulic approach eliminates the need for ventilation holes and complex supply/discharge passages in the lower wall.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameter of the fluid medium from air to oil in the chamber containing the release spring. This parameter change (from gas to liquid) prevents excessive pressure changes during piston movement, as oil is incompressible compared to air, thereby eliminating the need for ventilation passages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If ventilation holes and supply/discharge passages are provided in the lower wall and table, then air pressure is maintained, but the structure becomes complicated and size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair pressure stabilityVSAvoidhousing size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

By using oil instead of air in the actuation chamber, the patent achieves stable pressure conditions without requiring ventilation holes or supply/discharge passages. The incompressible nature of oil maintains pressure stability inherently, eliminating the need for additional passages that would increase housing size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and eliminates the ventilation hole and supply/discharge passage components from the housing structure. By replacing air with oil in the actuation chamber, these pressure management passages become unnecessary, reducing the overall housing size and structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 design maintains stable air pressure without additional ventilation, allowing for a compact and mechanically simple structure.

Implementation Method 1

a release spring is attached between a leading end wall of the actuation chamber and a flange portion provided to a base end portion of the output member. The release spring is configured to bias the output member toward the base end side.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

A biasing mechanism is configured to bias the support rod and the output member so that the support rod and the output member recede from each other.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 3

An output member is configured to be moved toward the leading end side in the axial direction by pressurized oil supplied to the actuation chamber.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHydraulic pressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentEP4032657B1Workpiece support
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 KOSMEK LTD (JP)
  • EP4032657B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4032657B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4032657B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A support rod (3) is inserted in a housing (1) so as to be movable in an up-down direction. An actuation chamber (21) is provided in a lower end portion of the housing (1). An output member (24) is moved upward by pressurized oil supplied to the actuation chamber (21). In the actuation chamber (21), to which pressurized oil is supplied, a release spring (33) is attached between a leading end wall (31) of the actuation chamber (21) and a flange portion (25a) provided to a base end portion of the output member (24). The release spring (33) biases the output member (24) downward.