Pneumatic Tool Connector with Pre-Closing Valve Sequence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connecting devices for pneumatic tools and robotic manipulators fail to safely and quickly disconnect tools, leading to abrupt deactivation due to late closure of compressed air or vacuum, posing safety risks to operators.
Innovation Solution
A connecting device with a mechanism that automatically closes the fluid ducts before the tool is unlocked, preventing sudden decompression or pressurization, featuring a gate valve that intercepts the ducts upstream of the automatic valves and is activated independently of the tool's presence, ensuring safe tool replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the automatic valves close the ducts after the tool is separated from the device, then the tool can be quickly replaced, but the compressed air is discharged abruptly causing safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The closing means are designed to close the feeding/suctioning ducts before the engaging mechanism unlocks the tool from the device. This preliminary action ensures that the compressed air or vacuum is cut off before the tool separates, preventing abrupt deactivation and ensuring operator safety while maintaining quick tool replacement capability
2Ease of operation
If the ring nut is rotated to unlock the tool, then the tool can be removed for replacement, but the compressed air feeding is not stopped in time
Solution Approach 1:
The closing means act independently of the tool's presence and are activated by the engaging mechanism to close the ducts before unlocking occurs. This preliminary anti-action counteracts the potential harm of compressed air discharge by ensuring the ducts are closed first, making the tool removal operation safe and reliable
3Adaptability or versatility
If the connecting device uses a standard design with automatic valves, then it is widely compatible, but the valves act too late to prevent safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The closing means are positioned upstream of the automatic valves and close the ducts before the tool is unlocked and separated. This preliminary action maintains compatibility with standard pneumatic tools while eliminating the safety hazard of late valve closure, as the closing means activate independently of the tool's presence
Data Source
AI summary
A device for connecting interchangeable pneumatic tools to manipulators is provided. The device includes a body, fixable to a manipulator, provided with a plurality of seats for accommodating pins for engaging a tool, ducts for feeding a working fluid to the tool, where the ducts extend in the device body, an engaging mechanism which can be activated for constraining and releasing, respectively, the tool to/from the device, and means for closing the ducts. For safety purposes the device is arranged such that the activation of the engaging mechanism for unlocking the tool is always achievable upon the reaching of the complete closing of the ducts by the respective closing means. This way a quick depressurization of the tool is prevented from occurring at the separation from the device, this latter circumstance being conventionally dangerous for the tool replacement operator.