Parallel Fluid Pressure Cylinder With Single-Port Air Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid pressure cylinders require multiple pipes and increased size due to separate cylinders for transfer and output, leading to high air consumption and inefficient operation.
Innovation Solution
A compact fluid pressure cylinder design with parallel first and second cylinder portions, where pressurized fluid is supplied to the second cylinder portion only during the retraction stroke, and both portions share a single supply-and-discharge port, reducing fluid consumption and size through a communication switching valve that enables and disables communication between accumulation chambers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate cylinders are used for transfer and output functions, then functional versatility is improved, but device size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the transfer cylinder and output cylinder into a single integrated device. The first cylinder portion serves as the transfer cylinder while the second cylinder portion serves as the output cylinder, with both sharing common structural elements including the piston rod connection and control valve system. This merging reduces overall device size while maintaining both transfer and output functions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The first cylinder portion is designed to perform dual functions: it acts as both an advance transfer cylinder and an output cylinder under different operational conditions. The communication switching valve enables the first accumulation chamber to communicate with either the second accumulation chamber or the atmosphere, allowing the same cylinder to serve multiple purposes and reduce the need for separate dedicated cylinders.
2Ease of operation
If separate cylinders with independent control are used, then operational control is improved, but air consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system merges the supply-and-discharge control for both cylinder portions through a single communication switching valve. This valve controls pressurized fluid supply to both the second accumulation chamber and drive chamber simultaneously, and manages discharge from both chambers through the same port, reducing air consumption while maintaining independent operational control of each cylinder portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication switching valve enables continuous control of pressurized fluid distribution between the two cylinder portions. By maintaining continuous communication pathways controlled by a single valve, the system eliminates the need for separate valve operations, reducing air consumption while ensuring continuous operational control throughout the system.
3Ease of operation
If multiple connection pipes are used for separate cylinders, then fluid supply control is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fluid supply and discharge pathways into a single integrated system. Both the second accumulation chamber and drive chamber share a common supply-and-discharge port and are controlled by a single communication switching valve. This consolidation reduces the number of required connection pipes from multiple separate lines to a single integrated pathway, simplifying installation while maintaining precise fluid supply control.
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 minimizes pressurized fluid consumption, maintains a compact size, and simplifies pipe routing by using only one connection pipe, while allowing the first cylinder portion to function as both an output and advance transfer cylinder, optimizing fluid usage and reducing the overall length of the cylinder.
Implementation Method 1
the first piston is provided with a communication switching valve configured to switch communication between the first accumulation chamber and the second accumulation chamber, between enabled and disabled
Implementation Method 2
Pressurized fluid is supplied to and discharged from the second accumulation chamber and the drive chamber through the supply-and-discharge port
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid pressure cylinder includes a first cylinder portion and a second cylinder portion disposed in parallel, and a supply-and-discharge port. The first cylinder portion is partitioned by a first piston into a head-side first accumulation chamber and a rod-side second accumulation chamber. The second cylinder portion is partitioned by a second piston into a head-side release chamber and a rod-side drive chamber. Pressurized fluid is supplied to and discharged from the second accumulation chamber and the drive chamber through the supply-and-discharge port. An end of a first piston rod connected to the first piston and an end of a second piston rod connected to the second piston are connected to each other. The first piston includes a communication switching valve switching communication between the first accumulation chamber and the second accumulation chamber, between enabled and disabled.