The present invention relates to a structure of a female coupling component which is included in a quick coupling. The female coupling component contains a centrally extending component and a sealing sleeve capable of longitudinal displacementwith respect to this component. Quick couplings designed for low or high pressure may be mentioned as examples.
A large number of quick couplings are known and used in various applications. Such devices may be included as a valve body in a quick coupling. If the quick coupling is to be used in a vulnerable environment, it may incorporate a so-calledprotective cover to prevent impurities and foreign particles from entering into the coupling. Couplings of this kind can also incorporate a holder for balls or similar as a part of a locking device for the male and female components of the quickcoupling.
In the case of the type of quick coupling mentioned above, the need exists in various respects to be able to achieve a construction which affords flexibility in the production and assembly of the quick coupling as part of a rational manufacturingprocess. The construction shall be capable for this purpose of being so executed as to consist of easily interchangeable components which can be combined together to meet various standards with regard to, for example, thread dimensions and thread types.
The quick coupling shall also exhibit a design whereby the quick coupling functions can take place in an optimal fashion, with low connection forces and absence of leakage on changing over, etc.
The object of the present invention is to propose, amongst other things, a design of female coupling component which allows to eliminate the indicated problems. The above new female coupling component of the present invention includes asleeve-shaped bearing component for the centrally extending device and the sealing sleeve is accommodated in a recess intended for that purpose in the female coupling component. The device is supported in the bearing component through radially extendingelements, by means of which one or more fluid passageways are formed between the outside of the device and the inside of the bearing component, and that the bearing component carries a load-relieving device for any fluid forces which act on the sealingsleeve as part of the function of the quick coupling.
In one embodiment of the present invention two elements for supporting the centrally extending device shall be executed with the help of a disc-shaped unit which extends diametrically in the fluid passageway of the bearing component. The unitshould preferably exhibit an anchoring recess for the centrally extending device, which can be provided with a threaded end part via which the device can be screwed into in a corresponding recess of the unit. In order for the centrally extending deviceto exhibit a rigid attachment, the threaded end part is provided with radially extending supporting surfaces which interact with corresponding surfaces on the end edge of the unit.
The unit can be provided with limited penetration in the longitudinal direction of the female coupling componet and yet is still capable of providing its securing function for the centrally extending device. The unit serves in a preferredembodiment as an end stop for the degree of insertion of the sealing sleeve into the female coupling component. In order to achieve a suitable sealing function in the quick coupling, it is essential for the sealing sleeve to be allocated apre-determined degree of insertion into the female coupling component. This degree of insertion can be determined by means of the devices which support the end stops of the unit, and may be in the form of one or more pins extending from the unit. Suchpins would extend from the unit in the longitudinal sense of the female coupling component.
In one embodiment the elements are securely supported in the longitudinal direction of the female coupling component. The support is provided at one end of the bearing component, and the sealing sleeve is supported in and works inside the otherparts of the bearing component. The sealing sleeve projects outwards through the other end of the bearing component so as to interact with devices in the male coupling components on connecting together the male and female components of the quickcoupling.
In the event of the female coupling component incorporating holders for locking balls, the bearing component should preferably be supported in a similar holder. The sealing sleeve is able in this way to interact with a first return spring whichis in contact with the aforementioned element, and the bearing component constitutes a support for a second return spring for a protective cover which may be arranged in the female coupling components.
The load-relieving devices consist essentially of inward-projecting devices, preferably arranged at the free end of the bearing component. Corresponding load-relieving devices on the sealing sleeve can have the form of corresponding projectingdevices situated on those parts of the sealing sleeve which are situated inside the bearing components.
The bearing component is capable of being accommodated in a recess in the female coupling component and secured with the help of an internal recess in the ball race when this is assembled with a body component or corresponding component of thefemale component. The sealing sleeve and the radial elements (the unit) are so arranged in relation to the anchoring component as to be capable of being accommodated before the anchoring component is accommodated inside the recess.
The embodiments indicated above provide advantages, especially in conjunction with the manufacture and assembly of quick coupling components. These can be executed with different threads which are suitable for use in their respective areas ofapplication. The essential functions and properties of quick couplings of this kind can be retained in spite of the fact that the first-named functions are additional.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Revolvable quick coupling
The present invention relates to quick couplings and relates more particularly to a revolvable quick coupling for connecting an air pipe from an air compressor to a pneumatic tool, which automatically seal off the air passage therein once a pneumatic tool is detached and, which follows a pneumatic tool to rotate on a second air pipe connector without twisting the air pipe from of the connected air compressor.
Various quick connectors have been known and used in connecting air compressors to pneumatic tools. However, the known quick connectors are not satisfactory in use because neither one of them can be rotated by a pneumatic tool. If a quick connector is rotated by a pneumatic tool, the air pipe which is connected thereto will be twisted and damaged causing air leakage problem. The present invention has been accomplished to eliminate this problem.
According to the present invention, there is provided a revolvable quick coupling comprised of a first air pipe connector revolvably secured to an intermediate connecting member by a ball bearing means and connected to an air output pipe of an air compressor, a second air pipe connector secured to the intermediate connecting member by a front socket, a retainer, an inner socket, a seal ring, a stepped metal element and a spring means for connecting to an air input pipe of a pneumatic tool, wherein pressing on the retainer causes the second air pipe connector to disconnect from the front socket and simultaneously causes the seal ring to seal the air passage inside the coupling; rotating the pneumatic tool causes the second air pipe connector to rotate on the first air pipe connector without twisting the air output pipe of the air compressor.
Various quick connectors have been known and used in connecting air compressors to pneumatic tools. However, the known quick connectors are not satisfactory in use because neither one of them can be rotated by a pneumatic tool. If a quick connector is rotated by a pneumatic tool, the air pipe which is connected thereto will be twisted and damaged causing air leakage problem. The present invention has been accomplished to eliminate this problem.
According to the present invention, there is provided a revolvable quick coupling comprised of a first air pipe connector revolvably secured to an intermediate connecting member by a ball bearing means and connected to an air output pipe of an air compressor, a second air pipe connector secured to the intermediate connecting member by a front socket, a retainer, an inner socket, a seal ring, a stepped metal element and a spring means for connecting to an air input pipe of a pneumatic tool, wherein pressing on the retainer causes the second air pipe connector to disconnect from the front socket and simultaneously causes the seal ring to seal the air passage inside the coupling; rotating the pneumatic tool causes the second air pipe connector to rotate on the first air pipe connector without twisting the air output pipe of the air compressor.
Device for producing quick couplings for dental prostheses
Removable dental prostheses are currently known which have appropriate couplings for rapid anchoring to the remaining dental structures. Conventional couplings often have grip problems and tend to slacken in the course of time, creating many problems to their users. Furthermore, said couplings are often relatively expensive, so that their replacement is scarcely convenient.
In order to obviate this problem, a quick coupling for dental prostheses has been proposed which is capable of assuring durable grip, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,094.
Said quick coupling for dental prostheses essentially comprises at least one spherical male element, which is intended to be integrated in a fixed part of the prosthesis, and a female element, whose shape is complementary to the shape of said male element, correspondingly provided on a removable part of the prosthesis. The female element, which is intended to couple to said male element, is shaped like a cap made of plastic material which is intended to be accommodated and stably retained in the removable part of the prosthesis.
Conveniently, the seat for said plastic cap, in the removable part of the prosthesis, is defined in a metallic piece which is intended to be monolithic with said removable part. Said metallic piece is preferably obtained by lost-wax casting starting from a refractory-lined model of the arch to be reconstructed.
The male element, which is monolithic with the fixed part of the prosthesis, is instead obtained by casting starting from a corresponding prefabricated male element made of calcinable plastic material.
In practice, in order to produce the quick couplings, a metallic element, having the same outside contour as said plastic cap, is applied on the male element. The impression of the unit thus formed is then made, and a model made of refractory material is then produced and subsequently modeled in wax according to the required shape of said metallic piece which is intended to define the seat of the plastic cap. The metallic portion of the removable part of the prosthesis is finally produced by lost-wax casting.
This aim and this object are both achieved, according to the invention, by the present device for producing quick couplings for dental prostheses, of the type which comprises at least one substantially spherical male element, which is intended to be monolithically integrated with a fixed part of said prosthesis, and a female element, whose inner shape is complementary to the shape of said male element, which is correspondingly provided on a removable part of said prosthesis, characterized in that it comprises a pair of auxiliary bars, made of a calcinable plastic material, which are connectable one on top of the other, and which cooperate so as to define at least one compartment whose shape is complementary to the outside shape of a cap which defines said female element, said bars being arrangeable about said male element in order to obtain a model of a metallic piece of said removable part of the prosthesis to be produced by lost-wax casting.
The described device allows, in summary, to provide in a simple manner quick couplings for dental prostheses, with an evident saving in time and material. In fact it is not necessary, in this case, to produce a refractory duplicate of the piece to be modeled, but the work is done on the elements which constitute the fixed part of the prosthesis, which are obtained beforehand in a conventional manner, using appropriate portions of the calcinable auxiliary bars.
In order to obviate this problem, a quick coupling for dental prostheses has been proposed which is capable of assuring durable grip, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,094.
Said quick coupling for dental prostheses essentially comprises at least one spherical male element, which is intended to be integrated in a fixed part of the prosthesis, and a female element, whose shape is complementary to the shape of said male element, correspondingly provided on a removable part of the prosthesis. The female element, which is intended to couple to said male element, is shaped like a cap made of plastic material which is intended to be accommodated and stably retained in the removable part of the prosthesis.
Conveniently, the seat for said plastic cap, in the removable part of the prosthesis, is defined in a metallic piece which is intended to be monolithic with said removable part. Said metallic piece is preferably obtained by lost-wax casting starting from a refractory-lined model of the arch to be reconstructed.
The male element, which is monolithic with the fixed part of the prosthesis, is instead obtained by casting starting from a corresponding prefabricated male element made of calcinable plastic material.
In practice, in order to produce the quick couplings, a metallic element, having the same outside contour as said plastic cap, is applied on the male element. The impression of the unit thus formed is then made, and a model made of refractory material is then produced and subsequently modeled in wax according to the required shape of said metallic piece which is intended to define the seat of the plastic cap. The metallic portion of the removable part of the prosthesis is finally produced by lost-wax casting.
This aim and this object are both achieved, according to the invention, by the present device for producing quick couplings for dental prostheses, of the type which comprises at least one substantially spherical male element, which is intended to be monolithically integrated with a fixed part of said prosthesis, and a female element, whose inner shape is complementary to the shape of said male element, which is correspondingly provided on a removable part of said prosthesis, characterized in that it comprises a pair of auxiliary bars, made of a calcinable plastic material, which are connectable one on top of the other, and which cooperate so as to define at least one compartment whose shape is complementary to the outside shape of a cap which defines said female element, said bars being arrangeable about said male element in order to obtain a model of a metallic piece of said removable part of the prosthesis to be produced by lost-wax casting.
The described device allows, in summary, to provide in a simple manner quick couplings for dental prostheses, with an evident saving in time and material. In fact it is not necessary, in this case, to produce a refractory duplicate of the piece to be modeled, but the work is done on the elements which constitute the fixed part of the prosthesis, which are obtained beforehand in a conventional manner, using appropriate portions of the calcinable auxiliary bars.
Quick coupling component with pressure reduction member
The present invention relates to a quick coupling component including one or more valve members for opening and closing a main flow, and a pressure reduction member arranged of a pressure reduction channel in at least one valve member. The pressure reduction member includes a first shut-off element arranged in the pressure reduction channel and is provided with a spherical surface. The shut-off element, in a closed position for the pressure reduction channel the shut-off element, bears against a seat. In an open position for the channel, is lifted from the seat by an activation member counter to the action of a spring function.
A pressure reduction function in quick coupling is already known, and in this respect reference can be made to the U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,042 and 5,159,955. In such a coupling the pressure reduction function can be included in one or both of the coupling components. The pressure reduction function includes a shut-off element in the form of a ball that is acted upon, counter to the action of a spring, in order to lift it from its seat. Media can then flow past the shut-off element. The passing flow causes the pressure, acting counter to the coupling force of the coupling components, to be released. In this way coupling of the coupling components is considerably facilitated. Depending on how the pressure conditions appear before coupling, in the coupling arrangement in question the coupling component concerned or both coupling components is/are provided with a pressure reduction function.
There are great problems involved in achieving an appropriate pressure elimination function. The shut-off element must be completely sealed against the seat surface in question. Otherwise, media can leak past in the closure position of the pressure elimination function media can also leak out, for example, to the outer surface of the coupling component concerned. This surface is thus soiled with media, for example hydraulic oil. Such a soiling cannot normally be accepted, accordingly it is currently demanded of quick couplings that they should be able to function in or create a leakproof environment. In this connection, it should be mentioned that even the leaking of what are, relatively speaking very small quantities of media presents problems. The aim of the invention, among other things is to solve, these problems.
The said above described problems are aggravated by the fact that the quick coupling should be able to be coupled against even relatively high pressures, for example pressures of 300 bar or more, which sets even higher demands on the sealing function in the pressure reduction function. The invention solves this problem too.
Quick couplings are generally manufactured in relatively long series. In addition, different components can be manufactured by different manufacturers. Also an assembly can be carried out by yet another manufacturer, etc. Furthermore, the different components manufactured in this way must, on the one hand, exhibit great accuracy of manufacture and, on the other hand be able to function together in the finally assembled state of the couplings. This necessitates the independence of pressure elimination function in relation to the manufacturing circumstances. The invention solves this problem too.
It must be possible for the quick coupling to function for relatively long periods of time without the need for frequent servicing and replacement of vital components in the coupling. Also it should be possible for a quick coupling to be subjected to a very large number, for example 100,000, of couplings and decouplings. This also places demands on the pressure elimination function, which should come into operation in all coupling instances. The present invention solves this problem too.
The quick coupling should be able to operate at different pressures and pressure conditions with increasing pressures. In addition, it should be possible for a quick coupling to be used in any chosen situation within a wide appropriate coupling range. The pressure reduction function means must be able to function for all the connection possibilities which are conceivable for the coupling in question. The invention solves this problem.
Quick coupling is often part of a product range which is subject to pricing pressures, with the result that it must be possible to use efficient, automated and/or cost-effective manufacturing methods. This invention solves this problem too.
The feature which can principally be regarded as characterizing a quick coupling component according to the invention is that the seat is designed with a seat surface that corresponds to parts of the spherical surface of the shut-off element. The seat surface has a degree of fineness that to a great extent corresponds to the degree of fineness of a shut-off element. To a great extent here means that the degree of fineness of the seat surface should amount to 50-100%, preferably 75% or more, of the degree of fineness of a shut-off element that is used in this connection and has a hardness that substantially exceeds the hardness of the seat material, for example exceeds the hardness of the seat material by 1-4 times. A further characteristic of the invention is that an elasticity inherent to the material of the seat and/or the element contributes to the sealing function of the spherical element against the seat in the said closed position.
A pressure reduction function in quick coupling is already known, and in this respect reference can be made to the U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,042 and 5,159,955. In such a coupling the pressure reduction function can be included in one or both of the coupling components. The pressure reduction function includes a shut-off element in the form of a ball that is acted upon, counter to the action of a spring, in order to lift it from its seat. Media can then flow past the shut-off element. The passing flow causes the pressure, acting counter to the coupling force of the coupling components, to be released. In this way coupling of the coupling components is considerably facilitated. Depending on how the pressure conditions appear before coupling, in the coupling arrangement in question the coupling component concerned or both coupling components is/are provided with a pressure reduction function.
There are great problems involved in achieving an appropriate pressure elimination function. The shut-off element must be completely sealed against the seat surface in question. Otherwise, media can leak past in the closure position of the pressure elimination function media can also leak out, for example, to the outer surface of the coupling component concerned. This surface is thus soiled with media, for example hydraulic oil. Such a soiling cannot normally be accepted, accordingly it is currently demanded of quick couplings that they should be able to function in or create a leakproof environment. In this connection, it should be mentioned that even the leaking of what are, relatively speaking very small quantities of media presents problems. The aim of the invention, among other things is to solve, these problems.
The said above described problems are aggravated by the fact that the quick coupling should be able to be coupled against even relatively high pressures, for example pressures of 300 bar or more, which sets even higher demands on the sealing function in the pressure reduction function. The invention solves this problem too.
Quick couplings are generally manufactured in relatively long series. In addition, different components can be manufactured by different manufacturers. Also an assembly can be carried out by yet another manufacturer, etc. Furthermore, the different components manufactured in this way must, on the one hand, exhibit great accuracy of manufacture and, on the other hand be able to function together in the finally assembled state of the couplings. This necessitates the independence of pressure elimination function in relation to the manufacturing circumstances. The invention solves this problem too.
It must be possible for the quick coupling to function for relatively long periods of time without the need for frequent servicing and replacement of vital components in the coupling. Also it should be possible for a quick coupling to be subjected to a very large number, for example 100,000, of couplings and decouplings. This also places demands on the pressure elimination function, which should come into operation in all coupling instances. The present invention solves this problem too.
The quick coupling should be able to operate at different pressures and pressure conditions with increasing pressures. In addition, it should be possible for a quick coupling to be used in any chosen situation within a wide appropriate coupling range. The pressure reduction function means must be able to function for all the connection possibilities which are conceivable for the coupling in question. The invention solves this problem.
Quick coupling is often part of a product range which is subject to pricing pressures, with the result that it must be possible to use efficient, automated and/or cost-effective manufacturing methods. This invention solves this problem too.
The feature which can principally be regarded as characterizing a quick coupling component according to the invention is that the seat is designed with a seat surface that corresponds to parts of the spherical surface of the shut-off element. The seat surface has a degree of fineness that to a great extent corresponds to the degree of fineness of a shut-off element. To a great extent here means that the degree of fineness of the seat surface should amount to 50-100%, preferably 75% or more, of the degree of fineness of a shut-off element that is used in this connection and has a hardness that substantially exceeds the hardness of the seat material, for example exceeds the hardness of the seat material by 1-4 times. A further characteristic of the invention is that an elasticity inherent to the material of the seat and/or the element contributes to the sealing function of the spherical element against the seat in the said closed position.
Pneumatic polishing head for CMP apparatus
CMP apparatus is used primarily for polishing the front face or device side of a semiconductor wafer during the fabrication of semiconductor devices on the wafer. A wafer is planarized or smoothed one or more times during the fabrication process in order for the top surface of the wafer to be as flat as possible. A wafer is polished by being placed on a carrier and pressed face down onto a polishing pad covered with a slurry of colloidal silica or alumina in de-ionized water.
A polishing pad is typically constructed in two layers overlying a platen with the less resilient layer as the outer layer of the pad. The layers are typically made of polyurethane and may include a filler for controlling the dimensional stability of the layers. A polishing pad is usually several times the diameter of a wafer and the wafer is kept off center on the pad to prevent polishing a non-planar surface onto the wafer. The wafer is rotated to prevent polishing a taper into the wafer. Although the axis of rotation of the wafer and the axis of rotation of the pad are not collinear, the axes must be parallel.
The platens used for a polishing pad and for a polishing head are carefully machined to produce optically flat, parallel surfaces. The resilient layers on a polishing pad are assumed to provide a uniform pressure on a wafer. It is believed that this assumption is in error and one aspect of the invention addresses the problem of distortion in the polishing pad.
Polishing heads must meet somewhat conflicting requirements for use in CMP apparatus. The wafer must be securely held but not damaged or contaminated. Polishing heads of the prior art typically use a wax-like material to attach the wafer temporarily to the carrier. The wax must be completely removable and must not affect the silicon to which it is attached. The polishing head cannot be so rigid that the wafer is chipped or damaged when the wafer engages the polishing pad or the head.
Gill, Jr. et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,180 discloses a polishing head attached to a vertical shaft by a ball and socket joint to permit limited movement of the head to accommodate variations in the thickness of a wafer. The wafer carrier is covered with a felt-like material and the wafer is held against the nap surface by a vacuum coupled to the back of the wafer through a plurality of holes in the carrier. The polishing head includes a plastic ring encircling the wafer to locate the wafer radially with respect to the vertical shaft.
Shendon et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,082 discloses a polishing head including a flexible diaphragm attached to a wafer carrier and to a retaining ring. Air pressure on one side of the diaphragm is above ambient pressure and air pressure on the wafer side of the diaphragm is at ambient pressure. The pressure on a wafer can be non-uniform due to forces from deflection of the diaphragm itself. Vertical motion of the carrier is limited by a flange engaging an adjustment bolt, which must be loosened to lower the carrier. A Cwasher is described for facilitating this adjustment.
The retaining ring surrounding a wafer in a polishing head of the prior art has an inside diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the wafer and there is always a slight gap between the wafer and the ring. Whether the ring presses against the resilient polishing pad or not, there is inevitably an annular region about the periphery of the wafer where the polishing is not uniform, known in the art as ;edge exclusion. Edge exclusion in the prior art is typically 5-10 mm. wide and reduces the area of the wafer from which good die can be obtained.
It is known in the art that uniformity in wafer polishing is a function of pressure, velocity, and the concentration of chemicals. Edge exclusion is caused, in part, by non-uniform pressure on a wafer. The prior art attempts to solve the problem by contacting the polishing pad with the retaining ring, e.g. as disclosed in the Shendon et al. patent, but the problem remains.
Another aspect of the problem of uniformity is the distribution of the slurry. As a wafer is polished, chemical by-products locally change the composition, pH, particle size, and uniformity of the slurry. In the prior art, this problem was addressed by thoroughly mixing the slurry and by controlling the rate of flow to the polishing pad; specifically, by providing a sufficient flow to prevent large, local changes in composition, particle size, or pH. Even so, edge exclusion remains a problem.
The foregoing objects are achieved by this invention in which a polishing head includes a carrier plate having concentric, integral, cylindrical walls, an annular piston fitting within the outer of the cylindrical walls and a second piston fitting within the inner cylindrical wall and engaging the annular piston. Each piston defines a chamber with the carrier plate and the chambers are isolated from each other by a seal. Pneumatic fittings supply air or vacuum to each chamber. The second piston includes a cylindrical side wall and an integral bottom plate. The bottom plate is thicker in the center than at the side wall and the underside of the plate is covered with a wafer adhering layer. A retaining ring is attached to the lower edge of the annular piston. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the retaining ring includes a peripheral groove for separating an outwardly extending flange from the main body of the ring. In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the underside of the retaining ring includes one or more spiral grooves for circulating slurry about a wafer during polishing.
A polishing pad is typically constructed in two layers overlying a platen with the less resilient layer as the outer layer of the pad. The layers are typically made of polyurethane and may include a filler for controlling the dimensional stability of the layers. A polishing pad is usually several times the diameter of a wafer and the wafer is kept off center on the pad to prevent polishing a non-planar surface onto the wafer. The wafer is rotated to prevent polishing a taper into the wafer. Although the axis of rotation of the wafer and the axis of rotation of the pad are not collinear, the axes must be parallel.
The platens used for a polishing pad and for a polishing head are carefully machined to produce optically flat, parallel surfaces. The resilient layers on a polishing pad are assumed to provide a uniform pressure on a wafer. It is believed that this assumption is in error and one aspect of the invention addresses the problem of distortion in the polishing pad.
Polishing heads must meet somewhat conflicting requirements for use in CMP apparatus. The wafer must be securely held but not damaged or contaminated. Polishing heads of the prior art typically use a wax-like material to attach the wafer temporarily to the carrier. The wax must be completely removable and must not affect the silicon to which it is attached. The polishing head cannot be so rigid that the wafer is chipped or damaged when the wafer engages the polishing pad or the head.
Gill, Jr. et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,180 discloses a polishing head attached to a vertical shaft by a ball and socket joint to permit limited movement of the head to accommodate variations in the thickness of a wafer. The wafer carrier is covered with a felt-like material and the wafer is held against the nap surface by a vacuum coupled to the back of the wafer through a plurality of holes in the carrier. The polishing head includes a plastic ring encircling the wafer to locate the wafer radially with respect to the vertical shaft.
Shendon et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,082 discloses a polishing head including a flexible diaphragm attached to a wafer carrier and to a retaining ring. Air pressure on one side of the diaphragm is above ambient pressure and air pressure on the wafer side of the diaphragm is at ambient pressure. The pressure on a wafer can be non-uniform due to forces from deflection of the diaphragm itself. Vertical motion of the carrier is limited by a flange engaging an adjustment bolt, which must be loosened to lower the carrier. A Cwasher is described for facilitating this adjustment.
The retaining ring surrounding a wafer in a polishing head of the prior art has an inside diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the wafer and there is always a slight gap between the wafer and the ring. Whether the ring presses against the resilient polishing pad or not, there is inevitably an annular region about the periphery of the wafer where the polishing is not uniform, known in the art as ;edge exclusion. Edge exclusion in the prior art is typically 5-10 mm. wide and reduces the area of the wafer from which good die can be obtained.
It is known in the art that uniformity in wafer polishing is a function of pressure, velocity, and the concentration of chemicals. Edge exclusion is caused, in part, by non-uniform pressure on a wafer. The prior art attempts to solve the problem by contacting the polishing pad with the retaining ring, e.g. as disclosed in the Shendon et al. patent, but the problem remains.
Another aspect of the problem of uniformity is the distribution of the slurry. As a wafer is polished, chemical by-products locally change the composition, pH, particle size, and uniformity of the slurry. In the prior art, this problem was addressed by thoroughly mixing the slurry and by controlling the rate of flow to the polishing pad; specifically, by providing a sufficient flow to prevent large, local changes in composition, particle size, or pH. Even so, edge exclusion remains a problem.
The foregoing objects are achieved by this invention in which a polishing head includes a carrier plate having concentric, integral, cylindrical walls, an annular piston fitting within the outer of the cylindrical walls and a second piston fitting within the inner cylindrical wall and engaging the annular piston. Each piston defines a chamber with the carrier plate and the chambers are isolated from each other by a seal. Pneumatic fittings supply air or vacuum to each chamber. The second piston includes a cylindrical side wall and an integral bottom plate. The bottom plate is thicker in the center than at the side wall and the underside of the plate is covered with a wafer adhering layer. A retaining ring is attached to the lower edge of the annular piston. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the retaining ring includes a peripheral groove for separating an outwardly extending flange from the main body of the ring. In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, the underside of the retaining ring includes one or more spiral grooves for circulating slurry about a wafer during polishing.
Pneumatic Fittings Filter Replacement Routines
Do you know how effective your pneumatic fittings filter is or when to change it? Right now gauging system performance is a hit or miss activity. Use of a NeSSI-bus-enabled differential-pressure or moisture-breakthrough sensor (common in continuous emission monitoring systems) would give hard data.
It would allow us to validate filter performance and move from preventive to predictive maintenance. Automation of the filter also will lead to adoption of more-intelligent filtration devices that predict life span and initiate self-cleaning routines.
Using the DCS to control analytical systems. The advent of low-cost miniature computing and control devices will enable sampling-system control functions to become distributed and local to the sample system. Simple programmable control applets will dominate, be interchangeable across platforms and available from third parties. Sensors and actuators associated with auxiliary systems such as carrier-gas generators, heat tracers, conditioners (vaporizing regulators, sample recovery systems, etc.) can be integrated on the NeSSI-bus. With these sensors we can monitor and apply set points to our auxiliary process-analytical support system. The process analytical SAM can significantly extend limited control functionality previously provided by the DCS and various controllers.
Thermostats for temperature control. We can replace thermostats with PID control loops. We already are doing this using commercially available smart heaters. Advantages include the ability to maintain higher temperatures thanks to tighter control of the heater. Although an explosion-proof heater can't run on intrinsically safe power, its temperature and set-point signals can be integrated into the NeSSI-bus. Reliability will be enhanced by being able to better monitor and control critical dew points and bubble points of the process sample.
Valve Control Module and Transmitter: Module (left) comes with a lockout to prevent actuation of multiple valves at the same time. Photo courtesy of Swagelok.
Gas cylinders for calibration and validation. More-precise flow and temperature control in a sample system affords the opportunity to opt for more permeation generators to calibrate and validate analytical sensors. Today we use bulky gas cylinders to do this chore. It would be a tremendous advantage from an installation and operational point of view to eliminate calibration cylinders when the components needed are available as permeation sources.
Maintenance resources and routine rounds.NeSSI can eliminate the need for continual checks and adjustments. The new generation of smart analyzers such as gas chromatographs will have visualization built into the sample system as part of their local human machine interface (HMI) and remote workstations, helping analyzer technicians properly troubleshoot. Indeed, troubleshooting will become more of a science than an art. Portable zone-2-rated laptop computers or PDAs can effectively serve as the new "adjustable wrench" for the technician.
Block and vent valves for gas chromatograph sample introduction. Typically to ensure constant molecular volume we reference the sample pressure to atmosphere using a block-and-vent-valve arrangement prior to injecting a sample into a gas chromatograph. The ability to use an absolute pressure sensor will allow more-precise measurement and better control without the need for block-and-vent hardware. Of course, this would require the sample system to communicate with the gas chromatograph.
System-centric health monitoring. Sensors and networking will enable expansion of monitoring to all elements of an analytical system. It will permit overall analytical system performance to appear in the control room as a traffic light status signal that tells the operator whether the complete process analytical system is good, bad or is still good but will soon require maintenance. This will improve the operator's confidence in the performance of the analyzer system.
Bus systems undoubtedly will mature fairly quickly; many components including miniature flow meters, pressure sensors, smart heaters and both proportional and on/off automated valves either are available or will be in the next couple of years. Ability to purchase functional applets that could work across multiple analyzer systems will be truly revolutionary - they even may be fun to use. Today SAM functionality is embedded in more-complex analyzers such as gas chromatographs. Extending it to other analyzers demands a compact NeSSI-bus-enabled SAM.
Until that's available we'll struggle to bring standardization and simplicity to our discipline. Until then we'll continue to supply ad hoc and proprietary solutions that will work - but not support our general move to Generation III microanalytical and by-line installations. Our objective is to allow a microanalytical manufacturer to be able to plug into the mechanical and communication rails - and configure its devices sampling tasks using off-the-shelf applets. This architecture finally will enable the sampling and analytical measurement to go hand-in-hand as an integrated package.
The cost and pneumatic fittings technical effort to move to complete sample-system automation will be high. However end users will gain significant rewards including higher reliability and lower maintenance costs. It'll take a clear vision and concerted effort to change the game - but the horse is out of the barn and it's only a matter of time before we'll look back and wonder why we clung to our manual systems for so long. However, until that time comes we'll continue, out of sheer habit, to build steel copies of wooden bridges.
It would allow us to validate filter performance and move from preventive to predictive maintenance. Automation of the filter also will lead to adoption of more-intelligent filtration devices that predict life span and initiate self-cleaning routines.
Using the DCS to control analytical systems. The advent of low-cost miniature computing and control devices will enable sampling-system control functions to become distributed and local to the sample system. Simple programmable control applets will dominate, be interchangeable across platforms and available from third parties. Sensors and actuators associated with auxiliary systems such as carrier-gas generators, heat tracers, conditioners (vaporizing regulators, sample recovery systems, etc.) can be integrated on the NeSSI-bus. With these sensors we can monitor and apply set points to our auxiliary process-analytical support system. The process analytical SAM can significantly extend limited control functionality previously provided by the DCS and various controllers.
Thermostats for temperature control. We can replace thermostats with PID control loops. We already are doing this using commercially available smart heaters. Advantages include the ability to maintain higher temperatures thanks to tighter control of the heater. Although an explosion-proof heater can't run on intrinsically safe power, its temperature and set-point signals can be integrated into the NeSSI-bus. Reliability will be enhanced by being able to better monitor and control critical dew points and bubble points of the process sample.
Valve Control Module and Transmitter: Module (left) comes with a lockout to prevent actuation of multiple valves at the same time. Photo courtesy of Swagelok.
Gas cylinders for calibration and validation. More-precise flow and temperature control in a sample system affords the opportunity to opt for more permeation generators to calibrate and validate analytical sensors. Today we use bulky gas cylinders to do this chore. It would be a tremendous advantage from an installation and operational point of view to eliminate calibration cylinders when the components needed are available as permeation sources.
Maintenance resources and routine rounds.NeSSI can eliminate the need for continual checks and adjustments. The new generation of smart analyzers such as gas chromatographs will have visualization built into the sample system as part of their local human machine interface (HMI) and remote workstations, helping analyzer technicians properly troubleshoot. Indeed, troubleshooting will become more of a science than an art. Portable zone-2-rated laptop computers or PDAs can effectively serve as the new "adjustable wrench" for the technician.
Block and vent valves for gas chromatograph sample introduction. Typically to ensure constant molecular volume we reference the sample pressure to atmosphere using a block-and-vent-valve arrangement prior to injecting a sample into a gas chromatograph. The ability to use an absolute pressure sensor will allow more-precise measurement and better control without the need for block-and-vent hardware. Of course, this would require the sample system to communicate with the gas chromatograph.
System-centric health monitoring. Sensors and networking will enable expansion of monitoring to all elements of an analytical system. It will permit overall analytical system performance to appear in the control room as a traffic light status signal that tells the operator whether the complete process analytical system is good, bad or is still good but will soon require maintenance. This will improve the operator's confidence in the performance of the analyzer system.
Bus systems undoubtedly will mature fairly quickly; many components including miniature flow meters, pressure sensors, smart heaters and both proportional and on/off automated valves either are available or will be in the next couple of years. Ability to purchase functional applets that could work across multiple analyzer systems will be truly revolutionary - they even may be fun to use. Today SAM functionality is embedded in more-complex analyzers such as gas chromatographs. Extending it to other analyzers demands a compact NeSSI-bus-enabled SAM.
Until that's available we'll struggle to bring standardization and simplicity to our discipline. Until then we'll continue to supply ad hoc and proprietary solutions that will work - but not support our general move to Generation III microanalytical and by-line installations. Our objective is to allow a microanalytical manufacturer to be able to plug into the mechanical and communication rails - and configure its devices sampling tasks using off-the-shelf applets. This architecture finally will enable the sampling and analytical measurement to go hand-in-hand as an integrated package.
The cost and pneumatic fittings technical effort to move to complete sample-system automation will be high. However end users will gain significant rewards including higher reliability and lower maintenance costs. It'll take a clear vision and concerted effort to change the game - but the horse is out of the barn and it's only a matter of time before we'll look back and wonder why we clung to our manual systems for so long. However, until that time comes we'll continue, out of sheer habit, to build steel copies of wooden bridges.
Quick coupling device for coupling a tube to a rigid endpiece
To connect a tube to an installation or to connect two tubes to each other, it is known to use rigid endpieces of the spigot type having Christmas-tree shaped teeth, in which the rigid endpiece possesses a cylindrical tubular portion fitted on its outside surface with catching sharp edges that retain the tube and that seal the connection once the cylindrical portion has been forced into the tube. The main drawback of such a device lies in difficulties associated with assembly and disassembly. In order to guarantee good retention and good sealing, the teeth must be of sufficient height to bite properly into the inside surface of the tube, and as a result hand assembly becomes extremely difficult since it is necessary to develop large engagement forces, and disassembly becomes practically impossible because the teeth penetrate into the inside wall of the tube and their substantially radial surfaces oppose a force tending to pull them out.
In certain applications, it is nevertheless useful to be able periodically to make and break connections between a tube to a rigid endpiece easily and by hand. This can be made easy by significantly reducing the height of the teeth, however that is to the detriment of the quality of retention and of sealing achieved between the endpiece and the tube.
To remedy this drawback, is it known to band the tube, once installed on the endpiece, with at least one collar or ring that is placed on the outside of the tube and that is clamped thereon by appropriate means.
Such devices provide mechanical qualities that are satisfactory, however connection and disconnection operations require enough time to operate the clamping means. Further, when connection and disconnection are frequent, the indentations formed repetitively by the collar in the tube end up by damaging the outside surface thereof and can lead to a weakening in the retention provided by the banding collar on the tube.
Quick coupling devices are also known for coupling a tube to a rigid endpiece, which devices comprise a female part secured to the rigid endpiece and a male tubular part fitted to the end of the tube to be coupled. The female part has a stepped bore including a large diameter portion capable of receiving a shoulder of the male part beyond an axial latch. The male part generally has an elongate portion with a cylindrical outside surface fitted with retention projections (e.g., Christmas-tree shaped teeth) for providing non-dismountable connection between the tube and the male part.
With that kind of device, initial coupling takes place in two stages. The tube must first be fitted on the male part and this requires large engagement force since the clamping must be strong enough to ensure that the connection is leakproof. Thereafter, the male part must be inserted into the female part until the shoulder of the male part has gone past the axial latch of the female part, with the connection being sealed by means of O-rings disposed between the two parts. The tube is disconnected by acting on the axial latch so as to decouple the male part from the female part.
That kind of device thus makes it possible to perform frequent connections and disconnections without damaging the mechanical qualities of the coupling formed. However, the structure comprising two separate male and female parts is inconvenient in use and initial coupling requires special tooling and handling for the purpose of engaging the tube on the male part.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,216, issued to UMEZAWA for THIN RESIN TUBE CONNECTING COUPLING WITH FLANGE INSERT, discloses a coupling provided with a body having opposed front and rear ends. A large diameter chamber extends into the rear end and a communication hole extends into the front end. A small diameter chamber connects the communication hole and the large diameter chamber. A split annular grip with an inwardly directed annular pawl is disposed in the small diameter chamber and is dimensioned for surrounding the tube. All of the components inserted in the staged bore are extracted therefrom, with the tube. In other words, the banding ring is not extracted by itself, as it is in the present invention. The banding ring cannot move with respect to the latch, with or without a tube. In the present invention, however, the banding ring may or may not pass the latch, depending on the radial position thereof.
The present invention seeks to provide a quick coupling device of the above-specified type which is simple and compact in structure and which is extremely simple to implement, in particular on the occasion of initial coupling.
To achieve this end, the invention provides a quick coupling device for coupling a tube to a rigid endpiece including a female part secured to the rigid endpiece and in which a staged bore is provided that presents a section of large diameter beyond an axial latch that is movable between two positions, the device comprising a banding ring housed in removable manner in the large diameter section and fitted on its inside surface with at least one retaining projection forming axial connection means between the tube and the banding ring by biting into the outside surface of the tube, the axial latch in one of its two positions opposing axial displacement of the banding ring away from the rigid endpiece and, in its other position, releasing the banding ring.
Thus, the device is in the form of a part that is compact, the banding ring being integrated in the female part. On initial coupling, when the tube is inserted into the female part, the retaining projection of the banding ring fixes the ring permanently on the tube. This insertion can be performed by hand insofar as clamping of the banding ring on the tube does not serve to provide sealing, with sealing being provided directly between the female part and the tube. The axial latch prevents the tube from being disconnected by opposing axial displacement of the banding ring away from the rigid endpiece. To disconnect the tube fitted with its banding ring, it suffices to release the axial latch to allow the banding ring to pass and disconnect the tube which remains fitted with its banding ring. If it is desired to recouple the tube to the endpiece, it then suffices to slide the tube fitted with its ring inside the female part until the ring has gone past the axial latch. After the latch has been engaged, the tube is again prevented from moving axially inside the female part.
The banding ring may have a conical bore that converges towards the rigid endpiece and that has a small diameter that is smaller than the outside diameter of the tube, or it may have a cylindrical bore that is fitted with at least one retaining tooth.
In certain applications, it is nevertheless useful to be able periodically to make and break connections between a tube to a rigid endpiece easily and by hand. This can be made easy by significantly reducing the height of the teeth, however that is to the detriment of the quality of retention and of sealing achieved between the endpiece and the tube.
To remedy this drawback, is it known to band the tube, once installed on the endpiece, with at least one collar or ring that is placed on the outside of the tube and that is clamped thereon by appropriate means.
Such devices provide mechanical qualities that are satisfactory, however connection and disconnection operations require enough time to operate the clamping means. Further, when connection and disconnection are frequent, the indentations formed repetitively by the collar in the tube end up by damaging the outside surface thereof and can lead to a weakening in the retention provided by the banding collar on the tube.
Quick coupling devices are also known for coupling a tube to a rigid endpiece, which devices comprise a female part secured to the rigid endpiece and a male tubular part fitted to the end of the tube to be coupled. The female part has a stepped bore including a large diameter portion capable of receiving a shoulder of the male part beyond an axial latch. The male part generally has an elongate portion with a cylindrical outside surface fitted with retention projections (e.g., Christmas-tree shaped teeth) for providing non-dismountable connection between the tube and the male part.
With that kind of device, initial coupling takes place in two stages. The tube must first be fitted on the male part and this requires large engagement force since the clamping must be strong enough to ensure that the connection is leakproof. Thereafter, the male part must be inserted into the female part until the shoulder of the male part has gone past the axial latch of the female part, with the connection being sealed by means of O-rings disposed between the two parts. The tube is disconnected by acting on the axial latch so as to decouple the male part from the female part.
That kind of device thus makes it possible to perform frequent connections and disconnections without damaging the mechanical qualities of the coupling formed. However, the structure comprising two separate male and female parts is inconvenient in use and initial coupling requires special tooling and handling for the purpose of engaging the tube on the male part.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,216, issued to UMEZAWA for THIN RESIN TUBE CONNECTING COUPLING WITH FLANGE INSERT, discloses a coupling provided with a body having opposed front and rear ends. A large diameter chamber extends into the rear end and a communication hole extends into the front end. A small diameter chamber connects the communication hole and the large diameter chamber. A split annular grip with an inwardly directed annular pawl is disposed in the small diameter chamber and is dimensioned for surrounding the tube. All of the components inserted in the staged bore are extracted therefrom, with the tube. In other words, the banding ring is not extracted by itself, as it is in the present invention. The banding ring cannot move with respect to the latch, with or without a tube. In the present invention, however, the banding ring may or may not pass the latch, depending on the radial position thereof.
The present invention seeks to provide a quick coupling device of the above-specified type which is simple and compact in structure and which is extremely simple to implement, in particular on the occasion of initial coupling.
To achieve this end, the invention provides a quick coupling device for coupling a tube to a rigid endpiece including a female part secured to the rigid endpiece and in which a staged bore is provided that presents a section of large diameter beyond an axial latch that is movable between two positions, the device comprising a banding ring housed in removable manner in the large diameter section and fitted on its inside surface with at least one retaining projection forming axial connection means between the tube and the banding ring by biting into the outside surface of the tube, the axial latch in one of its two positions opposing axial displacement of the banding ring away from the rigid endpiece and, in its other position, releasing the banding ring.
Thus, the device is in the form of a part that is compact, the banding ring being integrated in the female part. On initial coupling, when the tube is inserted into the female part, the retaining projection of the banding ring fixes the ring permanently on the tube. This insertion can be performed by hand insofar as clamping of the banding ring on the tube does not serve to provide sealing, with sealing being provided directly between the female part and the tube. The axial latch prevents the tube from being disconnected by opposing axial displacement of the banding ring away from the rigid endpiece. To disconnect the tube fitted with its banding ring, it suffices to release the axial latch to allow the banding ring to pass and disconnect the tube which remains fitted with its banding ring. If it is desired to recouple the tube to the endpiece, it then suffices to slide the tube fitted with its ring inside the female part until the ring has gone past the axial latch. After the latch has been engaged, the tube is again prevented from moving axially inside the female part.
The banding ring may have a conical bore that converges towards the rigid endpiece and that has a small diameter that is smaller than the outside diameter of the tube, or it may have a cylindrical bore that is fitted with at least one retaining tooth.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
How to Adjust the Height of an Office Chair
There are many different styles of office chairs available both online and in retail stores, however most modern or new models are designed to be adjusted pneumatically. Chairs that feature a pneumatic height adjustment can simply be adjusted by pushing or pulling either a button or lever located right below the seat. With a little bit of pressure exerted by you while pushing or pulling the button or lever below the seat, you may easily have the chair's height go down. If you get off your chair and pull or push that same button or lever you can just as easily have the chair's height go up. Older office chair models can be adjusted by turning a thick bolt which allows you to pick the height you would like to have your chair positioned at. Adjusting the height of your chair may seem like common sense and a trivial matter, but it is actually very important to adjust the height to fit your body type. Chairs that are not properly adjusted to meet the needs of the user may cause back pain, eye strain from not being properly positioned in front of your computer screen, fatigue from poor circulation, and numerous other health issues. This can be especially true if you sit in the same position for long periods of time.
When determining the correct height to have your office chair at, first make sure to place it in front of the desk or work area you will be spending most of your time at. If you have a keyboard tray installed underneath your desk, you will also need to take that into consideration when deciding the correct height your office chair should be at. Keep in mind that you will want to have a good amount of clearance between your keyboard tray or desk and your thighs to enable you to work more comfortably. If your computer chair comes with arms you will also want to take that into consideration as well especially if they are not height adjustable.
Once you have determined where you will be spending most of your time sitting and ergonomic accessories that may also play a part in the height adjustment of your chair, you will want to locate where the button or lever is on your chair that controls the height. On most chair models, it is generally located on the right hand side of the chair right below the seat. Some higher end chairs may even have pictures on their levers explaining what each lever on the chair does. All chair models will vary, and you will need to take the time to understand what each button does in order to fully adjust your chair to meet your needs.
After you fully understand how to adjust your chair, place the chair in front of the work area in which you will be using it most often. If your chair can be adjusted pneumatically simply apply a little pressure and push down on the seat while pulling the lever up to have the chair go down in height. To have the chair go up, apply a little pressure to the bottom of the seat and pull up with one hand while simultaneously pulling the lever up with the other. Computer chairs that do not have a pneumatic lift can be adjusted by loosening the height adjustment bolt by hand and pulling up or pushing down on the seat until the desired height is reached. Once you are happy with the height of the chair you will then need to tighten the bolt back to its original place.
The most important part of this process is making sure to test the chair's height. Once you have reached the height you think your chair will work best for you at, take a seat to see how it feels. Your feet should be resting flat on the floor, with your knees bent at a ninety degree angle to optimize blood flow. It may take a few tries to get your chair positioned at the correct height, but keep in mind that it is important that you do to avoid unnecessary stress and pains. Some chairs will automatically lock into place once you have released the pneumatic height lever. Others may have a separate locking mechanism. If your chair requires a locking mechanism to lock the height in place, make sure to do so before putting your full weight on the chair.
With all office chairs, be sure to treat them with care. Raising and lowering your chair often may cause the chair to wear out quicker over time. If you do not share your chair with others, try to find your ideal height and keep it there, only adjusting it when necessary.
When determining the correct height to have your office chair at, first make sure to place it in front of the desk or work area you will be spending most of your time at. If you have a keyboard tray installed underneath your desk, you will also need to take that into consideration when deciding the correct height your office chair should be at. Keep in mind that you will want to have a good amount of clearance between your keyboard tray or desk and your thighs to enable you to work more comfortably. If your computer chair comes with arms you will also want to take that into consideration as well especially if they are not height adjustable.
Once you have determined where you will be spending most of your time sitting and ergonomic accessories that may also play a part in the height adjustment of your chair, you will want to locate where the button or lever is on your chair that controls the height. On most chair models, it is generally located on the right hand side of the chair right below the seat. Some higher end chairs may even have pictures on their levers explaining what each lever on the chair does. All chair models will vary, and you will need to take the time to understand what each button does in order to fully adjust your chair to meet your needs.
After you fully understand how to adjust your chair, place the chair in front of the work area in which you will be using it most often. If your chair can be adjusted pneumatically simply apply a little pressure and push down on the seat while pulling the lever up to have the chair go down in height. To have the chair go up, apply a little pressure to the bottom of the seat and pull up with one hand while simultaneously pulling the lever up with the other. Computer chairs that do not have a pneumatic lift can be adjusted by loosening the height adjustment bolt by hand and pulling up or pushing down on the seat until the desired height is reached. Once you are happy with the height of the chair you will then need to tighten the bolt back to its original place.
The most important part of this process is making sure to test the chair's height. Once you have reached the height you think your chair will work best for you at, take a seat to see how it feels. Your feet should be resting flat on the floor, with your knees bent at a ninety degree angle to optimize blood flow. It may take a few tries to get your chair positioned at the correct height, but keep in mind that it is important that you do to avoid unnecessary stress and pains. Some chairs will automatically lock into place once you have released the pneumatic height lever. Others may have a separate locking mechanism. If your chair requires a locking mechanism to lock the height in place, make sure to do so before putting your full weight on the chair.
With all office chairs, be sure to treat them with care. Raising and lowering your chair often may cause the chair to wear out quicker over time. If you do not share your chair with others, try to find your ideal height and keep it there, only adjusting it when necessary.
Advances in Maintenance For Yokohama Fenders
Pneumatic fenders are essential for preventing damage between ships, or between ships and wharves. Yokohama has been a leader in the field for so long that the term "Yokohama Fender" has become synonymous with pneumatic fenders in general. The company currently dominates the field with a full 80% of all the pneumatic fenders being manufactured today.
Though pneumatic fenders are sturdy and adaptable to many situations and circumstances, they are not indestructible and do require periodic maintenance. In the past, this typically involved lifting them completely out of the water for inspection and a check of their inflation pressure. Obviously, this cuts into the efficiency of an entire wharf or dock operation when pneumatic fenders are taken out of commission completely for maintenance.
Yokohama recently announced a system that can monitor air pressure by remote sensing (a system adapted from their Air Watch setup for automotive tires). Dubbed the Fender Watch system, it entails a sensor on a metal fitting, set inside a Yokohama fender. Via a wireless signal, the sensor sends inflation data to the handheld terminals of maintenance personnel. With this system, maintenance can get accurate readings on the fender's inflation at distances up to 30 meters. This remote pressure sensing can also help monitor and regulate the distance between two vessels during ship-to-ship transfers of crude oil or liquefied petroleum gas.
Since pneumatic fenders are typically used in batteries of four or more, Yokohama's Fender Watch system can take readings from up to four fenders simultaneously. The sensors are also equipped to send alarm signals should the inflation pressure move significantly above or below the desired settings set by the users.
Though pneumatic fenders are sturdy and adaptable to many situations and circumstances, they are not indestructible and do require periodic maintenance. In the past, this typically involved lifting them completely out of the water for inspection and a check of their inflation pressure. Obviously, this cuts into the efficiency of an entire wharf or dock operation when pneumatic fenders are taken out of commission completely for maintenance.
Yokohama recently announced a system that can monitor air pressure by remote sensing (a system adapted from their Air Watch setup for automotive tires). Dubbed the Fender Watch system, it entails a sensor on a metal fitting, set inside a Yokohama fender. Via a wireless signal, the sensor sends inflation data to the handheld terminals of maintenance personnel. With this system, maintenance can get accurate readings on the fender's inflation at distances up to 30 meters. This remote pressure sensing can also help monitor and regulate the distance between two vessels during ship-to-ship transfers of crude oil or liquefied petroleum gas.
Since pneumatic fenders are typically used in batteries of four or more, Yokohama's Fender Watch system can take readings from up to four fenders simultaneously. The sensors are also equipped to send alarm signals should the inflation pressure move significantly above or below the desired settings set by the users.
Fitting Tyres Correctly and Quickly With Wheel Balancers
It is very important that tyres are balanced correctly. If wheels are not balanced it can cause vibration and make the vehicle uncomfortable to drive. This can also cause wear in the suspension, meaning more expensive visits to the garage. The first signs of incorrect balance is the steering wobbles on the car when driving at speed.
The best way to do this correctly is to use a wheel balancer machine. The machine rotates the tyre and wheel assembly and automatically calculates the weight and location of the balance counter weight. There are many types of machine out there suited for different purposes.
Smaller machines are suitable for smaller cars and motorcycles. These are controlled by hand spin and are suitable for bike shops for a low cost solution. There are slightly more advanced machines that rotate automatically at hand speed, so there is no need for a guard and is more compact for those with little space.
The more expensive and advanced machines are all automated. Pre-programmed weights can be selected so the wheel is automatically balanced perfectly. These are more suited to tyre shops. These wheel balancers can be even more advanced with colour VDU displays and printers to show results. Some of these have a weight placement arm for better control and testing.
Of course there are even bigger machines that are for heavy goods vehicles. Only specialised tyre fitters usually have these for commercial vehicles. They have pneumatic lifts for raising the shaft height, so it is not only easier but safer.
The best way to do this correctly is to use a wheel balancer machine. The machine rotates the tyre and wheel assembly and automatically calculates the weight and location of the balance counter weight. There are many types of machine out there suited for different purposes.
Smaller machines are suitable for smaller cars and motorcycles. These are controlled by hand spin and are suitable for bike shops for a low cost solution. There are slightly more advanced machines that rotate automatically at hand speed, so there is no need for a guard and is more compact for those with little space.
The more expensive and advanced machines are all automated. Pre-programmed weights can be selected so the wheel is automatically balanced perfectly. These are more suited to tyre shops. These wheel balancers can be even more advanced with colour VDU displays and printers to show results. Some of these have a weight placement arm for better control and testing.
Of course there are even bigger machines that are for heavy goods vehicles. Only specialised tyre fitters usually have these for commercial vehicles. They have pneumatic lifts for raising the shaft height, so it is not only easier but safer.
Smart Tips to Use Pneumatic Floor Stapler
When talking about wood-flooring, you will find that it uses a tongue-and-groove system to lay the flooring. The system will mill the wood-flooring into the sides of the boards. In order give a tight fit, a tongue will be set to fit the groove. In this matter, the use of pneumatic floor stapler is very important. This is a type of tool that is designed for the tongue-and-groove flooring installation. You will find that the mallet is used to trigger the shooting of the staple. This will drive the boards tightly get together when the staple is shot. When you are about to use this tool, you can follow the following steps.
1. You should lay the first board. In this matter, you have to make sure that the grooved side faces the wall. Also you have to make sure that you make 3/8-inch expansion gap from it. You will find that this expansion gap will allow the board to make movement when the climate changes. But next, you will find that this will be covered up by the floor trim. When you are sure about those things, you can nail down the first board with your nail gun by shooting pairs of nails to the face of the board.
2. You should lay the next boards. For this, you should connect the ends of the boards. You should cut the final pieces on your miter saw at the walls as you need. Then, you should continue the process for the next few courses. In this step, you should connect them by their tongue-and-groove sides. You should also do the top-nailing as the previous step. You have to do this until you have enough courses so that you can sit the pneumatic floor stapler. For this, you might need four or five courses.
3. The next thing that you should do is that you should hook the stapler that you will use up to the air tank. Alongside the previous boards that you have installed, you should set the board of the next course. Make sure that it is in its place correctly. On the top installed courses, you should sit the stapler. Make sure that its nose hook down over the new board that you will install.
4. Gently, knock the stapler against that floorboard. For this, you can use the mallet that you have. After that, you should swing it fully so that it hits the rubber firing pad of the stapler.
5. Then, you should do that in every foot on the board. Make sure that you staple the board perfectly. When you have finished with this process, you can use your miter saw for cutting the end of pieces of the board when it is needed.
6. Finally, you should it across the floor with the pneumatic stapler until you are close to the opposing wall or you find that there is no longer enough room to fully swing the mallet. Lay the last few courses with your nail gun, as you did the first few courses.
1. You should lay the first board. In this matter, you have to make sure that the grooved side faces the wall. Also you have to make sure that you make 3/8-inch expansion gap from it. You will find that this expansion gap will allow the board to make movement when the climate changes. But next, you will find that this will be covered up by the floor trim. When you are sure about those things, you can nail down the first board with your nail gun by shooting pairs of nails to the face of the board.
2. You should lay the next boards. For this, you should connect the ends of the boards. You should cut the final pieces on your miter saw at the walls as you need. Then, you should continue the process for the next few courses. In this step, you should connect them by their tongue-and-groove sides. You should also do the top-nailing as the previous step. You have to do this until you have enough courses so that you can sit the pneumatic floor stapler. For this, you might need four or five courses.
3. The next thing that you should do is that you should hook the stapler that you will use up to the air tank. Alongside the previous boards that you have installed, you should set the board of the next course. Make sure that it is in its place correctly. On the top installed courses, you should sit the stapler. Make sure that its nose hook down over the new board that you will install.
4. Gently, knock the stapler against that floorboard. For this, you can use the mallet that you have. After that, you should swing it fully so that it hits the rubber firing pad of the stapler.
5. Then, you should do that in every foot on the board. Make sure that you staple the board perfectly. When you have finished with this process, you can use your miter saw for cutting the end of pieces of the board when it is needed.
6. Finally, you should it across the floor with the pneumatic stapler until you are close to the opposing wall or you find that there is no longer enough room to fully swing the mallet. Lay the last few courses with your nail gun, as you did the first few courses.
How to Use Pneumatic Tools Safely in the Workplace
For craftsmen, carpenters, and cabinet shops, a quality pneumatic brad nailer is basically a bare necessity. Designed for trim, baseboards, cabinets, furniture, and etc, a brad nailer is built for the most precise, clean, and effective nailing. Where-ever you need smooth and crafty fabrication or installation, a brad nailer is just the tool for the job. Finding the best brad nailer, though, can be a tough process, so I've compiled a bit of information on the industry's very best pneumatic brad nailers to help you narrow your search for the ultimate air tool.
Firstly, Senco is known for building some of the best pneumatic tools this industry has ever seen and their FinsihPro18 (18 gauge) brad nailer is brilliant example of the Senco difference. With the power, durability, and perfectly compact design to bring you the most professional, impressive results, the FinishPro 18 is a tool to be remembered. Weighing only 2.9 lbs the tool's lightweight design entirely eliminates the pains of continuous or overhead work, and this comfort comes without any sacrifice to power; the nailer drives fasteners up to 2" into hard woods making this brad nailer ideal for cabinetry, trim, and any type of finish work. The tool also has an adjustable depth-of-drive for the most precise nailing, and a hardened steel driver for longevity and durability. The tool is simple to load, and with a low-load indicator you'll never be caught off guard with an empty magazine. The tool's no mar pad and rear exhaust (designed to keep debris and oils away from your materials) work together to ensure your workpieces are always clean and unsmudged. Ultimately, this nailer is tough enough for heavy-duty applications while being ultra compact to ensure you are always comfortable and in control of each shot and each application. Additionally, as the Finish Pro 18 only costs around $80 - $90, this brilliant tool comes at a brilliantly affordable price.
On another hand, Porter-Cable's BN200B is another (18 gauge) brad nailer with all the power and innovation to bring you impressive results with every single shot. With a long-lasting, virtually maintenance-free motor, the tool's durable high-performance is unfailingly reliable, and with a rear exhaust keeping oils and contaminants away from your workpieces, your results are clean and precise. Additionally, a (removable) no-marring nose piece keeps your materials protected against scrapes and scuffs for for the cleanest possible results. The BN200B drives nails from 5/8" to 2" in length (with a depth-of-drive adjustment), and because of an internal piston catch, the tool delivers consistent max power through every shot. A low nail reload mechanism indicates when a reload is required, and with a tool-free jam release, nail removal is always simple. The tool has a 100 nail magazine capacity, and weighing only 2.6 lbs the tool is comfortable during continuous use and even the most awkward applications. Although its strikingly lightweight, the tool is also built with a strong die-cast aluminum body for long-lasting durability, and a special hardened driver blade additionally contributes to the tool's overall longevity. Ultimately, this nailer is pretty awesome, and pricing at only around $100, its a superior tool that will also fit into your budget.
Firstly, Senco is known for building some of the best pneumatic tools this industry has ever seen and their FinsihPro18 (18 gauge) brad nailer is brilliant example of the Senco difference. With the power, durability, and perfectly compact design to bring you the most professional, impressive results, the FinishPro 18 is a tool to be remembered. Weighing only 2.9 lbs the tool's lightweight design entirely eliminates the pains of continuous or overhead work, and this comfort comes without any sacrifice to power; the nailer drives fasteners up to 2" into hard woods making this brad nailer ideal for cabinetry, trim, and any type of finish work. The tool also has an adjustable depth-of-drive for the most precise nailing, and a hardened steel driver for longevity and durability. The tool is simple to load, and with a low-load indicator you'll never be caught off guard with an empty magazine. The tool's no mar pad and rear exhaust (designed to keep debris and oils away from your materials) work together to ensure your workpieces are always clean and unsmudged. Ultimately, this nailer is tough enough for heavy-duty applications while being ultra compact to ensure you are always comfortable and in control of each shot and each application. Additionally, as the Finish Pro 18 only costs around $80 - $90, this brilliant tool comes at a brilliantly affordable price.
On another hand, Porter-Cable's BN200B is another (18 gauge) brad nailer with all the power and innovation to bring you impressive results with every single shot. With a long-lasting, virtually maintenance-free motor, the tool's durable high-performance is unfailingly reliable, and with a rear exhaust keeping oils and contaminants away from your workpieces, your results are clean and precise. Additionally, a (removable) no-marring nose piece keeps your materials protected against scrapes and scuffs for for the cleanest possible results. The BN200B drives nails from 5/8" to 2" in length (with a depth-of-drive adjustment), and because of an internal piston catch, the tool delivers consistent max power through every shot. A low nail reload mechanism indicates when a reload is required, and with a tool-free jam release, nail removal is always simple. The tool has a 100 nail magazine capacity, and weighing only 2.6 lbs the tool is comfortable during continuous use and even the most awkward applications. Although its strikingly lightweight, the tool is also built with a strong die-cast aluminum body for long-lasting durability, and a special hardened driver blade additionally contributes to the tool's overall longevity. Ultimately, this nailer is pretty awesome, and pricing at only around $100, its a superior tool that will also fit into your budget.
Pneumatic Equipments For All Your DIY Constructions at Home
Pneumatic equipments, or air tools, are tools or equipments that use gas or compressed air to utilize the tools. Some of these tools are also using CO2 or carbon dioxide, usually stored in a small cylinder, for convenient portability. These tools are commonly used in different industrial operations, especially for applications where electric or other motors are not applicable due to safety and protections. These tools are required and essential in all construction and manufacturing operations. For whatever kind of Do-It-Yourself operations you have, you will surely find a pneumatic tool that you can use.
Most industrial operators prefer to use pneumatic tools instead of electric or battery-powered equipments because these tools are easy to use, more accurate, light-weight, less expensive, durable, and provide more power and torque when in use. Use of these equipments does not require the help of professional operators because these are usually user-friendly and easy to operate.
Pneumatic equipments are usually used in moving heavy loads from one location to another, especially in areas and situations where forklifts and cranes are not possible to be used. With the help of these pneumatic equipment and tools, your tasks and your operations will turn out successful and a lot easier. Maintenance is only in a minimum requirement since these kinds of tools rarely experience overheating because air is always present to cool them down. There are just some considerations when using these equipments. The tools should properly match the air compressor for better results and lesser occurrences of damages. The air hose should also fit the tools and the compressor. And the air pressure should be correctly adjusted according to the tools.
Purchasing pneumatic tools that you need for construction or just for any DIY purposes, you can find great deals from suppliers as the competition in sales and marketing for these tools are really growing. However, you would not definitely want to get just anything that is there. You would surely look for the best pneumatic equipments at affordable prices there could be. Finding the right pneumatic tools that have the quality and durability will ensure that what you paid for the equipments are really worthwhile.
Before you buy, search for the right supplier who does not only provide quality equipments but also gives importance to complete customer services for customers' satisfaction. Some of them also provide training or initial guide for first time users and delivery and other after-sales services needed.
Repairs and maintenance may also be provided by the supplier. But to ensure you get all these services at low expenses but high on satisfaction, choose the right supplier. The company should have such skilled and knowledgeable manpower to be able to handle all the necessary and proper services you might need regarding the supply of the right kinds of pneumatic tools, including the services for repair and maintenance in case your equipments malfunction.
Most industrial operators prefer to use pneumatic tools instead of electric or battery-powered equipments because these tools are easy to use, more accurate, light-weight, less expensive, durable, and provide more power and torque when in use. Use of these equipments does not require the help of professional operators because these are usually user-friendly and easy to operate.
Pneumatic equipments are usually used in moving heavy loads from one location to another, especially in areas and situations where forklifts and cranes are not possible to be used. With the help of these pneumatic equipment and tools, your tasks and your operations will turn out successful and a lot easier. Maintenance is only in a minimum requirement since these kinds of tools rarely experience overheating because air is always present to cool them down. There are just some considerations when using these equipments. The tools should properly match the air compressor for better results and lesser occurrences of damages. The air hose should also fit the tools and the compressor. And the air pressure should be correctly adjusted according to the tools.
Purchasing pneumatic tools that you need for construction or just for any DIY purposes, you can find great deals from suppliers as the competition in sales and marketing for these tools are really growing. However, you would not definitely want to get just anything that is there. You would surely look for the best pneumatic equipments at affordable prices there could be. Finding the right pneumatic tools that have the quality and durability will ensure that what you paid for the equipments are really worthwhile.
Before you buy, search for the right supplier who does not only provide quality equipments but also gives importance to complete customer services for customers' satisfaction. Some of them also provide training or initial guide for first time users and delivery and other after-sales services needed.
Repairs and maintenance may also be provided by the supplier. But to ensure you get all these services at low expenses but high on satisfaction, choose the right supplier. The company should have such skilled and knowledgeable manpower to be able to handle all the necessary and proper services you might need regarding the supply of the right kinds of pneumatic tools, including the services for repair and maintenance in case your equipments malfunction.
Pneumatics and Control Valves Part 2
Air compressors are often called a hidden utility because not many people know about air compressors. The closest they get to an air compressor is the buzzing of air wrenches when they get their tires fitted. There are a myriad of pneumatic tools available on the market today. Cabinet and furniture shops use pneumatic nail guns and staplers, because nothing else compares to the speed and reliability of these tools. Blow off guns are the most common use for compressed air. From blowing off chips in a machine shop to a makeshift air brooms, these guns are extremely convenient tools. A blow off gun is simply a push button valve with a discharge valve to focus the escaping air. This type of gun is preferred when operators are restricted to specific machines, such as lathes, mills and punch presses.
Pneumatic energy is regulated and controlled by pneumatic valves. Functionally, valves are divided into four major groups viz, direction control, flow control, pressure control and non-return and special type valves. As per construction, valves are sub-grouped as seat valves and sliding or spool valves. However, spool valves are easier to manufacture. Valves are actuated in various methods, viz, manually, mechanically, electrically, pneumatically and by various combined mode of actuation. Specially designed valves like quick exhaust, time delay and shuttle and twin pressure valves are used to impart various functions to pneumatic circuits.
To control the to and fro motion of a pneumatic cylinder, the air energy needs to be regulated, controlled and reversed with a pre determined sequence in a pneumatic system. Similarly, one may have to control the quantity of pressure and flow rate to generate the desired level of force and speed of actuators. To achieve these functions valves are used. Valves are fluid power elements used for controlling and regulating the working medium, i.e, the compressed air in the case of a pneumatic system.
Board valves are used to start and stop pneumatic energy, control the direction of flow of compressed air, control the flow rate of compressed air and control the pressure rating of the compressed air. Direction control valves are mainly used to direct the flow of pressure fluid in the desired direction. They can be actuated to assume different positions by various actuating mediums. This results in corresponding connection or disruption of flow between various port openings. Direction control valves have two, three, four or five ports or openings.
In a direction control valve, the force is applied directly on the working piston or spool. The control method could be manual, mechanical, pneumatic, magnetic or a combination of any two. Magnets are commonly used for actuation of pneumatic valves. When the magnet is excited, the plunger gets attracted to it and it presses down on the valve spool. The pneumatic method acts on a spool or piston with a large area which in turn transfers the actuating force to the spool. Mechanical method involves the use of rollers, springs and other mechanical elements are used to actuate the valve. In the manual method the angular movement of a pedal or lever is transmitted to the spool.
Pneumatic energy is regulated and controlled by pneumatic valves. Functionally, valves are divided into four major groups viz, direction control, flow control, pressure control and non-return and special type valves. As per construction, valves are sub-grouped as seat valves and sliding or spool valves. However, spool valves are easier to manufacture. Valves are actuated in various methods, viz, manually, mechanically, electrically, pneumatically and by various combined mode of actuation. Specially designed valves like quick exhaust, time delay and shuttle and twin pressure valves are used to impart various functions to pneumatic circuits.
To control the to and fro motion of a pneumatic cylinder, the air energy needs to be regulated, controlled and reversed with a pre determined sequence in a pneumatic system. Similarly, one may have to control the quantity of pressure and flow rate to generate the desired level of force and speed of actuators. To achieve these functions valves are used. Valves are fluid power elements used for controlling and regulating the working medium, i.e, the compressed air in the case of a pneumatic system.
Board valves are used to start and stop pneumatic energy, control the direction of flow of compressed air, control the flow rate of compressed air and control the pressure rating of the compressed air. Direction control valves are mainly used to direct the flow of pressure fluid in the desired direction. They can be actuated to assume different positions by various actuating mediums. This results in corresponding connection or disruption of flow between various port openings. Direction control valves have two, three, four or five ports or openings.
In a direction control valve, the force is applied directly on the working piston or spool. The control method could be manual, mechanical, pneumatic, magnetic or a combination of any two. Magnets are commonly used for actuation of pneumatic valves. When the magnet is excited, the plunger gets attracted to it and it presses down on the valve spool. The pneumatic method acts on a spool or piston with a large area which in turn transfers the actuating force to the spool. Mechanical method involves the use of rollers, springs and other mechanical elements are used to actuate the valve. In the manual method the angular movement of a pedal or lever is transmitted to the spool.
Do Not Overlook Central Pneumatic Air Tools
Central pneumatic air tools have quite a bit to offer in terms of durability, efficiency, pricing, and variety. If you look to these options when buying air tools you should be able to find what you are looking for, and hopefully much more. There are many companies that offer these types of tools, but you need to find one that also has what you need in terms of parts and accessories. This is why buying Central pneumatic air tools is such a good idea - you get access to a large lineup of everything you could possibly need.
The type of Central pneumatic parts that you need in the future may not be the same as you do right now. For instance, if you just purchased a pneumatic air compressor there is no reason to believe that you should have to go out and buy any additional parts. But in the near future, maybe when you are completing a particular job, you may find that adding a new part to your tool is something that you have to do. As long as you have access to what you want and need nothing should be standing in your way from getting the job done.
One of the reasons why Central pneumatic air tools are so popular is the price. When you are in the market for tools you probably have two things in mind: price and effectiveness. In other words, you want to save money but not if you have to give up anything in terms of getting the job done. This is where Central pneumatic tools really thrive. You can rest assured that everything you buy is going to fit your needs from a money perspective, while also offering just what you have been looking for in terms of effectiveness and reliability. It goes without saying that you cannot have one without the other.
With the right tools and parts you can build many items, like a pneumatic air cannon for instance. There are plans available for building these, and if you have the parts in place you should be able to put everything together and end up with the cannon that you set out to build. For many, building things like a pneumatic air cannon is a fun project.
When shopping for Central pneumatic air tools you will come across everything from drill-screw drivers to accessories and much more. You should have some idea of what you are looking for before you start perusing the many tools that are on the market. This makes it simpler to not only buy what you want, but to do so without wasting time and valuable resources.
The type of Central pneumatic parts that you need in the future may not be the same as you do right now. For instance, if you just purchased a pneumatic air compressor there is no reason to believe that you should have to go out and buy any additional parts. But in the near future, maybe when you are completing a particular job, you may find that adding a new part to your tool is something that you have to do. As long as you have access to what you want and need nothing should be standing in your way from getting the job done.
One of the reasons why Central pneumatic air tools are so popular is the price. When you are in the market for tools you probably have two things in mind: price and effectiveness. In other words, you want to save money but not if you have to give up anything in terms of getting the job done. This is where Central pneumatic tools really thrive. You can rest assured that everything you buy is going to fit your needs from a money perspective, while also offering just what you have been looking for in terms of effectiveness and reliability. It goes without saying that you cannot have one without the other.
With the right tools and parts you can build many items, like a pneumatic air cannon for instance. There are plans available for building these, and if you have the parts in place you should be able to put everything together and end up with the cannon that you set out to build. For many, building things like a pneumatic air cannon is a fun project.
When shopping for Central pneumatic air tools you will come across everything from drill-screw drivers to accessories and much more. You should have some idea of what you are looking for before you start perusing the many tools that are on the market. This makes it simpler to not only buy what you want, but to do so without wasting time and valuable resources.
How Pneumatic Tools Work
Pneumatic tool use is quickly becoming the most affordable and efficient way to work on projects around the home and in the shop. When it is time to work on your home improvement projects there are many reasons to choose hand held pneumatic tools. UK suppliers are available to provide you with all the necessary products and accessories to make your home projects go as smoothly as possible.
Pneumatic means "contains air" and that is exactly what is powering your equipment. These are designed to make your work easier and eliminate the hard work that is required to drive nails, turn screws and a variety of other tasks. They are affordable and provide the user with professional results in all of their projects.
The air compressor you will use is the source of power for your pneumatic tools. It is also the biggest investment that you will make in your equipment box. There is a wide variety of air compressors available to power your hand held pneumatic products. UK suppliers of these compressors will give you a choice of size, air pressure and air flow capacities on their selection of compressors. It is important that you choose the right one to accommodate your pneumatic equipment.
There are a number of attachments you can include with your collection of pneumatic tools. These types will run much cooler than their electrical counterparts because it is air that is the source of energy. Some attachments to consider include the blow gun for such jobs as blowing away dust and dirt, a nail gun for ease in driving nails, a spray paint gun, air stapler, air sander, and caulking gun. All of these can be powered with the use of air and an air compressor.
Pneumatic tools will last for many years if they are properly maintained as there are few moving parts. UK suppliers will tell you that this is the reason why they are almost indestructible. Keep them well lubricated and properly cleaned and you will have and enjoy them for many years.
It is also important to note that you must use safety precautions when using your pneumatic product. Wear the proper safety equipment to keep you safe during operation. Read the instructions that come with them carefully to ensure that you are taking the proper safety precautions. For some of these, there is a great deal of air pressure and a serious injury could occur if you are not following proper safety guidelines.
When choosing the pneumatic tools you require, make sure that you are considering your needs for the project as well as the running time for the compressor. There are experts available that will be able to help you determine what your needs are and which will fit your requirements best.
Pneumatic means "contains air" and that is exactly what is powering your equipment. These are designed to make your work easier and eliminate the hard work that is required to drive nails, turn screws and a variety of other tasks. They are affordable and provide the user with professional results in all of their projects.
The air compressor you will use is the source of power for your pneumatic tools. It is also the biggest investment that you will make in your equipment box. There is a wide variety of air compressors available to power your hand held pneumatic products. UK suppliers of these compressors will give you a choice of size, air pressure and air flow capacities on their selection of compressors. It is important that you choose the right one to accommodate your pneumatic equipment.
There are a number of attachments you can include with your collection of pneumatic tools. These types will run much cooler than their electrical counterparts because it is air that is the source of energy. Some attachments to consider include the blow gun for such jobs as blowing away dust and dirt, a nail gun for ease in driving nails, a spray paint gun, air stapler, air sander, and caulking gun. All of these can be powered with the use of air and an air compressor.
Pneumatic tools will last for many years if they are properly maintained as there are few moving parts. UK suppliers will tell you that this is the reason why they are almost indestructible. Keep them well lubricated and properly cleaned and you will have and enjoy them for many years.
It is also important to note that you must use safety precautions when using your pneumatic product. Wear the proper safety equipment to keep you safe during operation. Read the instructions that come with them carefully to ensure that you are taking the proper safety precautions. For some of these, there is a great deal of air pressure and a serious injury could occur if you are not following proper safety guidelines.
When choosing the pneumatic tools you require, make sure that you are considering your needs for the project as well as the running time for the compressor. There are experts available that will be able to help you determine what your needs are and which will fit your requirements best.
Counterbalance apparatus with transverse pneumatic spring and bellcrank linkage
Articles known as pneumatic or gas springs, which for convenience can be referred to as counterbalance links have become common in commercial articles, particularly in the automotive industry, but they are being used in many other fields whereverthe need is present to provide a counterbalance force for closure units, such as lids, doors and cabinet fronts, and gas spring replacement for mechanical spring fittings has become prevalent. In some fields of use, particularly in the automotive fieldwhere pneumatic springs are used on each side of trunk lids and hatch backs, the springs counterbalance the weight of the lid or hatch back. The gas springs are retracted, i.e., the spring piston rod is moved into the spring cylinder, when the lids areclosed.
Then the gas spring units can extend, under gas pressure force acting on the effective piston shaft cross-section area, to move the lid to an open position. As is true of many gas springs, a control orifice by-pass in the gas spring,effectively slows the opening speed of the lid.
In the automotive field, particularly where pneumatic springs are used on hoods, trunk lids and hatch backs, two springs are used, primarily to provide balanced spaced apart forces to counterbalance the weight of the closure and prevent twistingor warping of the closure unit relative to its hinge axis. This invention while developed relative to automotive uses is not restricted to such field. It results in a compact installation using a single pneumatic spring connected through bell cranksand idler links to a hinged closure member. The elongate spring is mounted on and between bellcranks with the spring floating, between positions, in a direction transverse to the hinge axis of the closure. In conjunction with the counterbalanceapparatus the pneumatic spring construction has been improved to provide a desired multi-output force feature as well as incorporating a unique method and structure to effectively decrease loss of operative gas pressure within the pneumatic springresulting primarily from leakage of the gas directly through the shaft seal due to permeability of the material from which the seal is made. The latter aspect can be referred to as permeability compensation or pressure decay compensation.
Examples of transverse springs with bellcrank linkage are seen in the following U.S. Patents: U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,797 to H Freitaz et al for Resilient Seat; U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,094 to F. Bugener et al for Attic Window Assembly; and U.S. Pat. No. Re. 26,162 to A. K. Simons et al for Vehicle Seat Rebound Control. An example of a different dual output force concept in a pneumatic spring can be seen in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,964 (also U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,978) where afloating piston is utilized to provide the dual output force. While not teaching the pressure decay compensation invention of this application, U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,751 to Daniel P. Dodson and George C. Ludwig for Multi-chamber Temperature CompensatedPneumatic Counterbalance shows a fixed partition or wall module providing a separate gas chamber in a pneumatic counterbalance cylinder.
A transversely mounted single pneumatic spring, bell crank and idler link assembly or apparatus will provide a compact installation for hinged closures such as automobile trunk lids or doors and other similar closures.
The spring will float,being attached only to spaced-apart bellcranks. In an automobile trunk installation, where the trunk lid is mounted by hinges or "goosenecks" between each side of the lid and automobile frame, the forward space required for this counterbalance assemblyis minimized being installed laterally just behind the rear seat and in the forward upper portion of the trunk. Only one spring unit is required, thus minimizing cost. The spring unit is effectively hidden or concealed at the front upper part of thetrunk minimizing damage by items placed in the trunk. Other pneumatic spring enhancements, such as the multi-output force feature of the present invention and the pressure decay compensation feature of the present invention can be incorporated in thespring unit to provide convenient operation of opening the lid and to improve the life expectancy of the pneumatic spring by minimizing and effectively negating pressure loss due to leakage of gas past the shaft seal. If desired, other features such astemperature compensation as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,751 can be easily added to the pneumatic spring inasmuch as the spring cylinder length can be made substantially longer than the piston shaft, the stroke of which is relatively short. Excesscylinder length provides the space or volume zones used for the various, above mentioned, enhancement features.
The present invention has for a primary object the provision of a compact counterbalance apparatus for use with closure units where a single elongate pneumatic spring having shaft and cylinder end connector links are connected to arms of twospaced apart bellcranks, the other arms of which connect with idler links to a closure unit, secured for hinged movement to the frame structure of the closure, e.g., an autombile trunk lid with associated vehicle frame structure, the spring beingsupported laterally on the bellcranks so it floats in a plane parallel with the hinge axis of the closure lid.
Additional novel objects reside in the provision of improvements in the pneumatic springs which can be used with the aforementioned transverse spring and bell-crank apparatus to (1) provide a dual or multiple output force for the spring shaftseal to vary the volume and, of prime importance, changing the effective cross-section area of the piston shaft of the spring cylinder near the end of the compression stroke, and (2) to provide a special extra volume chamber in the spring cylinder with asealed partition wall between the extra chamber and the operative volume part of the spring cylinder and having an auxiliary supply of gas under higher pressure than that of the spring operative gas pressures and with the spring shaft seal and thepartition wall seal made from specific material so that gas permeability characteristics of both seals are as desired to compensate for various conditions which cause leakage from the cylinder. As desired, the gas spring used in the counterbalanceapparatus can be used with or without any or all of the above noted enhancements to this spring operation.
In conjunction with the foregoing improvement in the dual or multiple force output provisions of the pneumatic spring unit, further objects reside in providing such a spring for substantially vertical disposition filled with a predeterminedquantity of oil or the like to enable operation as a liquid pneumatic shock absorber with plural output forces enabled by controlled movement of the shaft to cylinder sealing assembly near the retraction limit position of the shaft. Another object inconnection herewith resides in the incorporation of a supplemental disc valve unit which is located near the closed end of the spring cylinder and is provided with an orifice bleed to enable controlled movement, at least in the rebound direction ofmovement of the counterbalance unit when the shaft is retracted to the higher output force position. The disc valve can be fixed with a small axial floating movement to shift from an effective sealed relationship of its periphery with the cylinder wallto a free flow relationship so that orifice controlled flow is only in the direction of shaft extension under the high output force. The disc can be fixed in the cylinder wall to provide orifice controlled flow in both directions if so desired.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scopeof the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and rage of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
Then the gas spring units can extend, under gas pressure force acting on the effective piston shaft cross-section area, to move the lid to an open position. As is true of many gas springs, a control orifice by-pass in the gas spring,effectively slows the opening speed of the lid.
In the automotive field, particularly where pneumatic springs are used on hoods, trunk lids and hatch backs, two springs are used, primarily to provide balanced spaced apart forces to counterbalance the weight of the closure and prevent twistingor warping of the closure unit relative to its hinge axis. This invention while developed relative to automotive uses is not restricted to such field. It results in a compact installation using a single pneumatic spring connected through bell cranksand idler links to a hinged closure member. The elongate spring is mounted on and between bellcranks with the spring floating, between positions, in a direction transverse to the hinge axis of the closure. In conjunction with the counterbalanceapparatus the pneumatic spring construction has been improved to provide a desired multi-output force feature as well as incorporating a unique method and structure to effectively decrease loss of operative gas pressure within the pneumatic springresulting primarily from leakage of the gas directly through the shaft seal due to permeability of the material from which the seal is made. The latter aspect can be referred to as permeability compensation or pressure decay compensation.
Examples of transverse springs with bellcrank linkage are seen in the following U.S. Patents: U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,797 to H Freitaz et al for Resilient Seat; U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,094 to F. Bugener et al for Attic Window Assembly; and U.S. Pat. No. Re. 26,162 to A. K. Simons et al for Vehicle Seat Rebound Control. An example of a different dual output force concept in a pneumatic spring can be seen in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,964 (also U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,978) where afloating piston is utilized to provide the dual output force. While not teaching the pressure decay compensation invention of this application, U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,751 to Daniel P. Dodson and George C. Ludwig for Multi-chamber Temperature CompensatedPneumatic Counterbalance shows a fixed partition or wall module providing a separate gas chamber in a pneumatic counterbalance cylinder.
A transversely mounted single pneumatic spring, bell crank and idler link assembly or apparatus will provide a compact installation for hinged closures such as automobile trunk lids or doors and other similar closures.
The spring will float,being attached only to spaced-apart bellcranks. In an automobile trunk installation, where the trunk lid is mounted by hinges or "goosenecks" between each side of the lid and automobile frame, the forward space required for this counterbalance assemblyis minimized being installed laterally just behind the rear seat and in the forward upper portion of the trunk. Only one spring unit is required, thus minimizing cost. The spring unit is effectively hidden or concealed at the front upper part of thetrunk minimizing damage by items placed in the trunk. Other pneumatic spring enhancements, such as the multi-output force feature of the present invention and the pressure decay compensation feature of the present invention can be incorporated in thespring unit to provide convenient operation of opening the lid and to improve the life expectancy of the pneumatic spring by minimizing and effectively negating pressure loss due to leakage of gas past the shaft seal. If desired, other features such astemperature compensation as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,751 can be easily added to the pneumatic spring inasmuch as the spring cylinder length can be made substantially longer than the piston shaft, the stroke of which is relatively short. Excesscylinder length provides the space or volume zones used for the various, above mentioned, enhancement features.
The present invention has for a primary object the provision of a compact counterbalance apparatus for use with closure units where a single elongate pneumatic spring having shaft and cylinder end connector links are connected to arms of twospaced apart bellcranks, the other arms of which connect with idler links to a closure unit, secured for hinged movement to the frame structure of the closure, e.g., an autombile trunk lid with associated vehicle frame structure, the spring beingsupported laterally on the bellcranks so it floats in a plane parallel with the hinge axis of the closure lid.
Additional novel objects reside in the provision of improvements in the pneumatic springs which can be used with the aforementioned transverse spring and bell-crank apparatus to (1) provide a dual or multiple output force for the spring shaftseal to vary the volume and, of prime importance, changing the effective cross-section area of the piston shaft of the spring cylinder near the end of the compression stroke, and (2) to provide a special extra volume chamber in the spring cylinder with asealed partition wall between the extra chamber and the operative volume part of the spring cylinder and having an auxiliary supply of gas under higher pressure than that of the spring operative gas pressures and with the spring shaft seal and thepartition wall seal made from specific material so that gas permeability characteristics of both seals are as desired to compensate for various conditions which cause leakage from the cylinder. As desired, the gas spring used in the counterbalanceapparatus can be used with or without any or all of the above noted enhancements to this spring operation.
In conjunction with the foregoing improvement in the dual or multiple force output provisions of the pneumatic spring unit, further objects reside in providing such a spring for substantially vertical disposition filled with a predeterminedquantity of oil or the like to enable operation as a liquid pneumatic shock absorber with plural output forces enabled by controlled movement of the shaft to cylinder sealing assembly near the retraction limit position of the shaft. Another object inconnection herewith resides in the incorporation of a supplemental disc valve unit which is located near the closed end of the spring cylinder and is provided with an orifice bleed to enable controlled movement, at least in the rebound direction ofmovement of the counterbalance unit when the shaft is retracted to the higher output force position. The disc valve can be fixed with a small axial floating movement to shift from an effective sealed relationship of its periphery with the cylinder wallto a free flow relationship so that orifice controlled flow is only in the direction of shaft extension under the high output force. The disc can be fixed in the cylinder wall to provide orifice controlled flow in both directions if so desired.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scopeof the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and rage of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
Counterbalance apparatus with transverse pneumatic spring and bellcrank linkage
Articles known as pneumatic or gas springs, which for convenience can be referred to as counterbalance links have become common in commercial articles, particularly in the automotive industry, but they are being used in many other fields whereverthe need is present to provide a counterbalance force for closure units, such as lids, doors and cabinet fronts, and gas spring replacement for mechanical spring fittings has become prevalent. In some fields of use, particularly in the automotive fieldwhere pneumatic springs are used on each side of trunk lids and hatch backs, the springs counterbalance the weight of the lid or hatch back. The gas springs are retracted, i.e., the spring piston rod is moved into the spring cylinder, when the lids areclosed. Then the gas spring units can extend, under gas pressure force acting on the effective piston shaft cross-section area, to move the lid to an open position. As is true of many gas springs, a control orifice by-pass in the gas spring,effectively slows the opening speed of the lid.
In the automotive field, particularly where pneumatic springs are used on hoods, trunk lids and hatch backs, two springs are used, primarily to provide balanced spaced apart forces to counterbalance the weight of the closure and prevent twistingor warping of the closure unit relative to its hinge axis. This invention while developed relative to automotive uses is not restricted to such field. It results in a compact installation using a single pneumatic spring connected through bell cranksand idler links to a hinged closure member. The elongate spring is mounted on and between bellcranks with the spring floating, between positions, in a direction transverse to the hinge axis of the closure. In conjunction with the counterbalanceapparatus the pneumatic spring construction has been improved to provide a desired multi-output force feature as well as incorporating a unique method and structure to effectively decrease loss of operative gas pressure within the pneumatic springresulting primarily from leakage of the gas directly through the shaft seal due to permeability of the material from which the seal is made. The latter aspect can be referred to as permeability compensation or pressure decay compensation.
Examples of transverse springs with bellcrank linkage are seen in the following U.S. Patents: U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,797 to H Freitaz et al for Resilient Seat; U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,094 to F. Bugener et al for Attic Window Assembly; and U.S. Pat. No. Re. 26,162 to A. K. Simons et al for Vehicle Seat Rebound Control. An example of a different dual output force concept in a pneumatic spring can be seen in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,964 (also U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,978) where afloating piston is utilized to provide the dual output force. While not teaching the pressure decay compensation invention of this application, U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,751 to Daniel P. Dodson and George C. Ludwig for Multi-chamber Temperature CompensatedPneumatic Counterbalance shows a fixed partition or wall module providing a separate gas chamber in a pneumatic counterbalance cylinder.
A transversely mounted single pneumatic spring, bell crank and idler link assembly or apparatus will provide a compact installation for hinged closures such as automobile trunk lids or doors and other similar closures. The spring will float,being attached only to spaced-apart bellcranks. In an automobile trunk installation, where the trunk lid is mounted by hinges or "goosenecks" between each side of the lid and automobile frame, the forward space required for this counterbalance assemblyis minimized being installed laterally just behind the rear seat and in the forward upper portion of the trunk. Only one spring unit is required, thus minimizing cost. The spring unit is effectively hidden or concealed at the front upper part of thetrunk minimizing damage by items placed in the trunk. Other pneumatic spring enhancements, such as the multi-output force feature of the present invention and the pressure decay compensation feature of the present invention can be incorporated in thespring unit to provide convenient operation of opening the lid and to improve the life expectancy of the pneumatic spring by minimizing and effectively negating pressure loss due to leakage of gas past the shaft seal. If desired, other features such astemperature compensation as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,751 can be easily added to the pneumatic spring inasmuch as the spring cylinder length can be made substantially longer than the piston shaft, the stroke of which is relatively short. Excesscylinder length provides the space or volume zones used for the various, above mentioned, enhancement features.
The present invention has for a primary object the provision of a compact counterbalance apparatus for use with closure units where a single elongate pneumatic spring having shaft and cylinder end connector links are connected to arms of twospaced apart bellcranks, the other arms of which connect with idler links to a closure unit, secured for hinged movement to the frame structure of the closure, e.g., an autombile trunk lid with associated vehicle frame structure, the spring beingsupported laterally on the bellcranks so it floats in a plane parallel with the hinge axis of the closure lid.
Additional novel objects reside in the provision of improvements in the pneumatic springs which can be used with the aforementioned transverse spring and bell-crank apparatus to (1) provide a dual or multiple output force for the spring shaftseal to vary the volume and, of prime importance, changing the effective cross-section area of the piston shaft of the spring cylinder near the end of the compression stroke, and (2) to provide a special extra volume chamber in the spring cylinder with asealed partition wall between the extra chamber and the operative volume part of the spring cylinder and having an auxiliary supply of gas under higher pressure than that of the spring operative gas pressures and with the spring shaft seal and thepartition wall seal made from specific material so that gas permeability characteristics of both seals are as desired to compensate for various conditions which cause leakage from the cylinder. As desired, the gas spring used in the counterbalanceapparatus can be used with or without any or all of the above noted enhancements to this spring operation.
In conjunction with the foregoing improvement in the dual or multiple force output provisions of the pneumatic spring unit, further objects reside in providing such a spring for substantially vertical disposition filled with a predeterminedquantity of oil or the like to enable operation as a liquid pneumatic shock absorber with plural output forces enabled by controlled movement of the shaft to cylinder sealing assembly near the retraction limit position of the shaft. Another object inconnection herewith resides in the incorporation of a supplemental disc valve unit which is located near the closed end of the spring cylinder and is provided with an orifice bleed to enable controlled movement, at least in the rebound direction ofmovement of the counterbalance unit when the shaft is retracted to the higher output force position. The disc valve can be fixed with a small axial floating movement to shift from an effective sealed relationship of its periphery with the cylinder wallto a free flow relationship so that orifice controlled flow is only in the direction of shaft extension under the high output force. The disc can be fixed in the cylinder wall to provide orifice controlled flow in both directions if so desired.
Using the spring link construction previously described, a multiple load path for the multiple output capability of the spring link can be accomplished by providing independent mechanical linkage connecting or abutting the bushing abutment, apartfrom the shaft abutment parts which are used in FIGS. 8 and 17. It is further noted that the multiple part telescoped bushing embodiment offers numerous capabilities, e.g., a universal construction can be mass-produced for economic efficiency and thenduring specific uses, all bushing parts can be pushed in simultaneously, providing a dual stage spring; only the inner bushing part can be pushed in and provides a dual stage spring with a reduced output force of the second stage; or the shaft abutmentcan be eliminated completely to provide a conventional normal output spring. Thus, one can appreciate the universal capabilities of the multiple bushing part concept.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scopeof the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and rage of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
In the automotive field, particularly where pneumatic springs are used on hoods, trunk lids and hatch backs, two springs are used, primarily to provide balanced spaced apart forces to counterbalance the weight of the closure and prevent twistingor warping of the closure unit relative to its hinge axis. This invention while developed relative to automotive uses is not restricted to such field. It results in a compact installation using a single pneumatic spring connected through bell cranksand idler links to a hinged closure member. The elongate spring is mounted on and between bellcranks with the spring floating, between positions, in a direction transverse to the hinge axis of the closure. In conjunction with the counterbalanceapparatus the pneumatic spring construction has been improved to provide a desired multi-output force feature as well as incorporating a unique method and structure to effectively decrease loss of operative gas pressure within the pneumatic springresulting primarily from leakage of the gas directly through the shaft seal due to permeability of the material from which the seal is made. The latter aspect can be referred to as permeability compensation or pressure decay compensation.
Examples of transverse springs with bellcrank linkage are seen in the following U.S. Patents: U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,797 to H Freitaz et al for Resilient Seat; U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,094 to F. Bugener et al for Attic Window Assembly; and U.S. Pat. No. Re. 26,162 to A. K. Simons et al for Vehicle Seat Rebound Control. An example of a different dual output force concept in a pneumatic spring can be seen in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,964 (also U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,978) where afloating piston is utilized to provide the dual output force. While not teaching the pressure decay compensation invention of this application, U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,751 to Daniel P. Dodson and George C. Ludwig for Multi-chamber Temperature CompensatedPneumatic Counterbalance shows a fixed partition or wall module providing a separate gas chamber in a pneumatic counterbalance cylinder.
A transversely mounted single pneumatic spring, bell crank and idler link assembly or apparatus will provide a compact installation for hinged closures such as automobile trunk lids or doors and other similar closures. The spring will float,being attached only to spaced-apart bellcranks. In an automobile trunk installation, where the trunk lid is mounted by hinges or "goosenecks" between each side of the lid and automobile frame, the forward space required for this counterbalance assemblyis minimized being installed laterally just behind the rear seat and in the forward upper portion of the trunk. Only one spring unit is required, thus minimizing cost. The spring unit is effectively hidden or concealed at the front upper part of thetrunk minimizing damage by items placed in the trunk. Other pneumatic spring enhancements, such as the multi-output force feature of the present invention and the pressure decay compensation feature of the present invention can be incorporated in thespring unit to provide convenient operation of opening the lid and to improve the life expectancy of the pneumatic spring by minimizing and effectively negating pressure loss due to leakage of gas past the shaft seal. If desired, other features such astemperature compensation as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,751 can be easily added to the pneumatic spring inasmuch as the spring cylinder length can be made substantially longer than the piston shaft, the stroke of which is relatively short. Excesscylinder length provides the space or volume zones used for the various, above mentioned, enhancement features.
The present invention has for a primary object the provision of a compact counterbalance apparatus for use with closure units where a single elongate pneumatic spring having shaft and cylinder end connector links are connected to arms of twospaced apart bellcranks, the other arms of which connect with idler links to a closure unit, secured for hinged movement to the frame structure of the closure, e.g., an autombile trunk lid with associated vehicle frame structure, the spring beingsupported laterally on the bellcranks so it floats in a plane parallel with the hinge axis of the closure lid.
Additional novel objects reside in the provision of improvements in the pneumatic springs which can be used with the aforementioned transverse spring and bell-crank apparatus to (1) provide a dual or multiple output force for the spring shaftseal to vary the volume and, of prime importance, changing the effective cross-section area of the piston shaft of the spring cylinder near the end of the compression stroke, and (2) to provide a special extra volume chamber in the spring cylinder with asealed partition wall between the extra chamber and the operative volume part of the spring cylinder and having an auxiliary supply of gas under higher pressure than that of the spring operative gas pressures and with the spring shaft seal and thepartition wall seal made from specific material so that gas permeability characteristics of both seals are as desired to compensate for various conditions which cause leakage from the cylinder. As desired, the gas spring used in the counterbalanceapparatus can be used with or without any or all of the above noted enhancements to this spring operation.
In conjunction with the foregoing improvement in the dual or multiple force output provisions of the pneumatic spring unit, further objects reside in providing such a spring for substantially vertical disposition filled with a predeterminedquantity of oil or the like to enable operation as a liquid pneumatic shock absorber with plural output forces enabled by controlled movement of the shaft to cylinder sealing assembly near the retraction limit position of the shaft. Another object inconnection herewith resides in the incorporation of a supplemental disc valve unit which is located near the closed end of the spring cylinder and is provided with an orifice bleed to enable controlled movement, at least in the rebound direction ofmovement of the counterbalance unit when the shaft is retracted to the higher output force position. The disc valve can be fixed with a small axial floating movement to shift from an effective sealed relationship of its periphery with the cylinder wallto a free flow relationship so that orifice controlled flow is only in the direction of shaft extension under the high output force. The disc can be fixed in the cylinder wall to provide orifice controlled flow in both directions if so desired.
Using the spring link construction previously described, a multiple load path for the multiple output capability of the spring link can be accomplished by providing independent mechanical linkage connecting or abutting the bushing abutment, apartfrom the shaft abutment parts which are used in FIGS. 8 and 17. It is further noted that the multiple part telescoped bushing embodiment offers numerous capabilities, e.g., a universal construction can be mass-produced for economic efficiency and thenduring specific uses, all bushing parts can be pushed in simultaneously, providing a dual stage spring; only the inner bushing part can be pushed in and provides a dual stage spring with a reduced output force of the second stage; or the shaft abutmentcan be eliminated completely to provide a conventional normal output spring. Thus, one can appreciate the universal capabilities of the multiple bushing part concept.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scopeof the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and rage of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
Pneumatic brake booster
In the design and manufacture of automobiles brake systems, decreasing the stopping distance of the vehicle when the brakes have been applied has frequently been a focus. Systems have been developed to generate maximum braking power within a fraction of a second, depending on the input rate from the driver.
Typically, panic devices located within the brake booster are used to accomplish this function. The brake booster amplifies the input force applied by the driver's foot on the brake pedal. A brake booster is comprised of front and rear chambers which are housed within a sealed volume. The front and rear chambers are separated by a flexible diaphragm membrane which prevents any type of pressure communication between the two chambers. In addition, brake boosters contain an input member of which the vehicle operator uses to engage the brake booster. When the braking system is at-rest, i.e., the driver's foot is off the brake pedal, both front and rear chambers are evacuated and in equilibrium. When the driver actuates the brake pedal, a mechanical valve is opened which allows air to flow into the rear chamber creating a pressure differential across the membrane.
This pressure differential acts over the membrane area and thus creates an output boost force which is generated on the piston reaction surface. The output force of the booster is the input force (from the brake pedal) plus the boost force. In this manner, the force of the driver's foot on the brake pedal is boosted to improve the force required of the driver for a deceleration.
Modern pneumatic brake boosters create a feedback force which acts in the opposite direction of the output force. The feedback force is transmitted through the brake pedal and gives the driver an indication of the current brake force. The feedback force is generated from the pressure and extrusion of the elastomer reaction disc acting in such a way as to close off the working diaphragm chambers from atmospheric pressure and allows the chambers to evacuate, thus reducing the output force. The feedback force is dependent upon the output force and increases as the output force increases. Such a system works sufficiently for average brake apply conditions. However, in an emergency condition where a short braking distance is critical, the feedback force may act to increase the braking distance by creating additional force required by the driver of the vehicle.
Several systems have been designed to reduce or eliminate the feedback force in emergency situations. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,042 issued Feb. 13, 2001 to Roland Levrai et al (hereafter "Levrai") discloses a "latching" type brake booster. The Levrai booster allows a braking force to be maintained even if the operator terminates the input force (removes his/her foot from the brake pedal) by locking the air valve position relative to the power piston if an emergency condition is detected. This, however, is undesirable since it removes control from the driver and gives no feedback with respect to status of the brake system.
In one aspect of the present invention, a pneumatic brake booster is provided. The pneumatic brake booster includes a generally cylindrical shaped piston having a first piston end and a second piston end. The piston defines a chamber at the first piston end and a piston bore at the second piston end separated by an air flow aperture. The piston bore has a plunger aperture located at the second piston end. The pneumatic brake booster also includes a plunger having a first plunger end and a second plunger end. The plunger is moveable between first and second positions and is located within the plunger aperture. An air valve has a first valve end and a second valve end and is moveable between first and second positions and defines a valve bore for receiving the first plunger end. A collapsing spring is located within the valve bore and is adapted to couple the plunger and the air valve. The plunger and the air valve are spaced apart a first relative distance in response to the pneumatic brake booster being in a regular apply mode and spaced apart a second relative distance in response to the pneumatic brake booster being in a panic apply mode.
In another aspect of the present invention, a pneumatic brake booster, is provided. The pneumatic brake booster includes a generally cylindrical shaped piston having a first piston end and a second piston end. The piston defines a chamber at the first piston end and a piston bore at the second piston end separated by an air flow aperture. The piston bore has a plunger aperture located at the second piston end. The pneumatic brake booster further includes a plunger, an air valve, and a sleeve. The plunger has a first plunger end and a second plunger end and is moveable between first and second positions. The second plunger end is located within the plunger aperture. The plunger includes a plunger trench which is located near the first end of the plunger. The air valve has a first valve end and a second valve end. The second valve end includes a bearing aperture and defines a valve bore for receiving the first plunger end. The sleeve includes a sleeve bore for receiving the second valve end and includes a sleeve trench located around an interior surface of the sleeve.
The pneumatic brake booster further includes at least one ball bearing located within the bearing aperture and being adapted to fit alternatively in the plunger trench or the sleeve trench.
Typically, panic devices located within the brake booster are used to accomplish this function. The brake booster amplifies the input force applied by the driver's foot on the brake pedal. A brake booster is comprised of front and rear chambers which are housed within a sealed volume. The front and rear chambers are separated by a flexible diaphragm membrane which prevents any type of pressure communication between the two chambers. In addition, brake boosters contain an input member of which the vehicle operator uses to engage the brake booster. When the braking system is at-rest, i.e., the driver's foot is off the brake pedal, both front and rear chambers are evacuated and in equilibrium. When the driver actuates the brake pedal, a mechanical valve is opened which allows air to flow into the rear chamber creating a pressure differential across the membrane.
This pressure differential acts over the membrane area and thus creates an output boost force which is generated on the piston reaction surface. The output force of the booster is the input force (from the brake pedal) plus the boost force. In this manner, the force of the driver's foot on the brake pedal is boosted to improve the force required of the driver for a deceleration.
Modern pneumatic brake boosters create a feedback force which acts in the opposite direction of the output force. The feedback force is transmitted through the brake pedal and gives the driver an indication of the current brake force. The feedback force is generated from the pressure and extrusion of the elastomer reaction disc acting in such a way as to close off the working diaphragm chambers from atmospheric pressure and allows the chambers to evacuate, thus reducing the output force. The feedback force is dependent upon the output force and increases as the output force increases. Such a system works sufficiently for average brake apply conditions. However, in an emergency condition where a short braking distance is critical, the feedback force may act to increase the braking distance by creating additional force required by the driver of the vehicle.
Several systems have been designed to reduce or eliminate the feedback force in emergency situations. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,042 issued Feb. 13, 2001 to Roland Levrai et al (hereafter "Levrai") discloses a "latching" type brake booster. The Levrai booster allows a braking force to be maintained even if the operator terminates the input force (removes his/her foot from the brake pedal) by locking the air valve position relative to the power piston if an emergency condition is detected. This, however, is undesirable since it removes control from the driver and gives no feedback with respect to status of the brake system.
In one aspect of the present invention, a pneumatic brake booster is provided. The pneumatic brake booster includes a generally cylindrical shaped piston having a first piston end and a second piston end. The piston defines a chamber at the first piston end and a piston bore at the second piston end separated by an air flow aperture. The piston bore has a plunger aperture located at the second piston end. The pneumatic brake booster also includes a plunger having a first plunger end and a second plunger end. The plunger is moveable between first and second positions and is located within the plunger aperture. An air valve has a first valve end and a second valve end and is moveable between first and second positions and defines a valve bore for receiving the first plunger end. A collapsing spring is located within the valve bore and is adapted to couple the plunger and the air valve. The plunger and the air valve are spaced apart a first relative distance in response to the pneumatic brake booster being in a regular apply mode and spaced apart a second relative distance in response to the pneumatic brake booster being in a panic apply mode.
In another aspect of the present invention, a pneumatic brake booster, is provided. The pneumatic brake booster includes a generally cylindrical shaped piston having a first piston end and a second piston end. The piston defines a chamber at the first piston end and a piston bore at the second piston end separated by an air flow aperture. The piston bore has a plunger aperture located at the second piston end. The pneumatic brake booster further includes a plunger, an air valve, and a sleeve. The plunger has a first plunger end and a second plunger end and is moveable between first and second positions. The second plunger end is located within the plunger aperture. The plunger includes a plunger trench which is located near the first end of the plunger. The air valve has a first valve end and a second valve end. The second valve end includes a bearing aperture and defines a valve bore for receiving the first plunger end. The sleeve includes a sleeve bore for receiving the second valve end and includes a sleeve trench located around an interior surface of the sleeve.
The pneumatic brake booster further includes at least one ball bearing located within the bearing aperture and being adapted to fit alternatively in the plunger trench or the sleeve trench.
Quick coupling device for a gas pressurization system
The present invention provides a novel regulator-valve combination which can be quickly coupled to form a rigid, leak proof, gas pressurization system. Although throughout the description provided herein, reference is made to a beveragedispensing system, it is to be understood that this invention can be utilized in any type of gas pressurization system which can be adapted for use with compressed gas storage cylinders. In addition, even though reference may be made to the use ofcarbon dioxide gas, the invention can be used with any gas desired. In a beverage dispensing system it is mandatory that a completely foolproof and safe arrangement be provided. This is especially true in a home dispenser system wherein the average person is required to operate and maintain the system whichincludes the changing of the pressurized gas storage cylinders. Thus, a simple and completely foolproof system is required to eliminate danger to the individual operating the system regardless of his knowledge or background. Since there is considerablepotential energy stored in a pressurized gas system, extreme care must be provided in the design of the components to provide the maximum safeguards for use of the regulator and valve assembly.
The carbon dioxide pressurization system which is described herein for use with a beverage dispenser provides the pressurization and motive force for transferring the fluid beverage syrups or concentrates from their containers and through thedispenser nozzle as desired, as well as carbonating the water mixed with the syrup. The pressurization gas which is stored in a pressure cylinder usually has a gauge pressure within a range of 800-3000 psi depending upon the gas used. The actualworking pressure within the syrup storage bottles and carbonator is much lower and usually within the range of 30-100 psi. This lower pressure in the operating system is desirable from a safety standpoint and for quality control of the beverageproduced. It must be remembered that if the beverage is to be used in the home environment, nontechnical individuals are required to operate the system and to maintain and replenish the syrup and pressurized gas cylinders. For this reason, the lowestpossible operating pressure is desirable in this type of system. The present regulating and shutoff valves provided in the present invention are ideal for this use but can be used in any other pressurization system where exact pressure control and rapidpressurized gas bottle replacement convenience is desired.
This invention is primarily directed to a pressure regulator and a quick-coupling apparatus provided for joining a regulator and cylinder valve for operation and mounting. Most beverage dispensing systems are mounted within a bar or under acounter wherein the bottles containing the syrup, carbonator and pressurized gas cylinder are stored and concealed from view. The regulator of the present invention is arranged to the rigidly or semi-rigidly mounted to the cabinet or bar at a sufficientelevation above the base to allow clearance for the intended pressurized gas storage cylinder. The regulator can be mounted on a mounting plate or bracket which in turn can be attached or mounted to the cabinet. The bracket can have quick releasefasteners which allow the regulator to be removed from the bracket, if desired. Usually, a flexible hose is connected from the outlet of a high pressure regulator to the inlet connection of a secondary, lower pressure regulator for pressurizing thesyrup containers.
In order to pressurize and maintain the pressure on the system, the compressed gas storage cylinder valve is slidably coupled to the regulator and the cylinder is held upright on the cabinet base. A pivotable retaining yoke having an adjustableretaining screw is positioned over the valve and the retaining screw is turned inwardly to contact the cylinder valve and push the regulator boss into the valve to automatically open a biased shutoff poppet contained within. A peripheral seal isprovided around the boss of the regulator to automatically seal the high pressure gas connection between the valve and regulator. With the apparatus provided in the present invention, a storage cylinder can be quickly attached to the system in a safeoperating manner. The pressurized gas is introduced automatically to the pressure regulator upon connection of the cylinder without the necessity of manually opening or closing any valve.
The valve provided on the high pressure gas storage cylinder includes a safety burst disc mounted in the body of the valve to prevent over-pressurization of the cylinder which can occur during the filling operation or if heat is accidentallyapplied to the cylinder which could greatly increase the pressure of the gas contained therein. In the present arrangement, a vented safety plug is threadly inserted into the body of the valve with the burst disc designed for separation at a pressurewhich is the same as the maximum safe operating pressure for the cylinder.
The cylinder valve contains a slidable poppet which is biased so that the poppet and its associated seal is held in a closed position against a valve seat. This design is provided so that the pressurized gas within the cylinder will assist inapplying a force against the poppet to hold the poppet in the closed position. The application of a counter force on the poppet will cause the poppet to move away from the seat, allowing the gas to exit through the outlet of the valve. This outlet isprovided in the form of a passageway which is designed to fit a boss on the associated pressure regulator.
The pressure regulator which is used in the present invention is a biased diaphragm-type regulator wherein the spring biasing force can be adjusted by means of a threaded cap. A center eyelet is provided through the diaphragm and is arranged sothat the diaphragm can slidably move with respect to the eyelet so that any excess pressure which might exist within the cavity of the regulator can be vented. A pivotally mounted valve having an outwardly extending arm is arranged within the regulatorcavity. The valve can pivot toward or away from a valve seat to variably control or stop the flow of gas through a passageway extending inwardly from the inlet boss. The arm of the lever is positioned within the eyelet so that movement of the diaphragmwill control the valve movement to control the gas flow and thus, downstream pressure. An outlet fitting is provided in a port in the regulator cavity for the attachment of a hose or tube for pressurization of the dispenser containers.
With the mounting arrangement provided for the storage cylinder in the present invention the pivotable retaining yoke is of major importance in that it permits the sideways attachment of the gas cylinder in a confined space. The arrangement alsoprovides a rigid and safe method for mounting the storage cylinder to minimize the danger to the operator.
As an additional feature of the present invention, a pressure fill adapter is provided for easy and quick refilling of the storage cylinders with compressed gas. The adapter includes a pivotable yoke which has a retaining screw and a valveconnecting boss provided at the opposite base end. A flexible fill hose is connected to the boss through a passageway provided in the base end. The fill boss and yoke is identical to that provided on the system pressure regulator and includes an O-ringand groove provided on the outer surface for sealing against the internal bore provided in the cylinder valve. In use, the boss of the adapter is positioned in the opening of the valve and the pivotable yoke is placed in retaining position. Thethreaded retaining screw is turned inwardly so that the tip is positioned against the valve causing the fill boss to be inserted causing the valve poppet to be opened to allow pressurized gas to flow into the storage cylinder.
The high pressure gas in the fill boss can open the poppet by itself without the fill boss mechanically contacting and opening the poppet. This occurs when the force from the gas pressure exceeds the spring biasing force and causes the poppet toback away from the seat and open. This arrangement may be desirable to allow the cylinder valve to automatically close even without removal of the fill adapter when gas flow stops during the fill process.
The internal openings within the cylinder valve of the present invention are intentionally oversized to permit increased flow of gas and liquid during fill and pressurization use. This allows for rapid transfer of the gas and filling of thecylinders. It is emphasized that the explanation provided herein and the apparatus which is described is not intended to be limited to use only with carbon dioxide gas but any suitable gas desired for the intended purpose. This invention can be used withany pressurized system in which it is desired to provide a quick-disconnect installation of gas storage cylinders to a gas pressure regulating device in a safe, nonhazardous manner.
The carbon dioxide pressurization system which is described herein for use with a beverage dispenser provides the pressurization and motive force for transferring the fluid beverage syrups or concentrates from their containers and through thedispenser nozzle as desired, as well as carbonating the water mixed with the syrup. The pressurization gas which is stored in a pressure cylinder usually has a gauge pressure within a range of 800-3000 psi depending upon the gas used. The actualworking pressure within the syrup storage bottles and carbonator is much lower and usually within the range of 30-100 psi. This lower pressure in the operating system is desirable from a safety standpoint and for quality control of the beverageproduced. It must be remembered that if the beverage is to be used in the home environment, nontechnical individuals are required to operate the system and to maintain and replenish the syrup and pressurized gas cylinders. For this reason, the lowestpossible operating pressure is desirable in this type of system. The present regulating and shutoff valves provided in the present invention are ideal for this use but can be used in any other pressurization system where exact pressure control and rapidpressurized gas bottle replacement convenience is desired.
This invention is primarily directed to a pressure regulator and a quick-coupling apparatus provided for joining a regulator and cylinder valve for operation and mounting. Most beverage dispensing systems are mounted within a bar or under acounter wherein the bottles containing the syrup, carbonator and pressurized gas cylinder are stored and concealed from view. The regulator of the present invention is arranged to the rigidly or semi-rigidly mounted to the cabinet or bar at a sufficientelevation above the base to allow clearance for the intended pressurized gas storage cylinder. The regulator can be mounted on a mounting plate or bracket which in turn can be attached or mounted to the cabinet. The bracket can have quick releasefasteners which allow the regulator to be removed from the bracket, if desired. Usually, a flexible hose is connected from the outlet of a high pressure regulator to the inlet connection of a secondary, lower pressure regulator for pressurizing thesyrup containers.
In order to pressurize and maintain the pressure on the system, the compressed gas storage cylinder valve is slidably coupled to the regulator and the cylinder is held upright on the cabinet base. A pivotable retaining yoke having an adjustableretaining screw is positioned over the valve and the retaining screw is turned inwardly to contact the cylinder valve and push the regulator boss into the valve to automatically open a biased shutoff poppet contained within. A peripheral seal isprovided around the boss of the regulator to automatically seal the high pressure gas connection between the valve and regulator. With the apparatus provided in the present invention, a storage cylinder can be quickly attached to the system in a safeoperating manner. The pressurized gas is introduced automatically to the pressure regulator upon connection of the cylinder without the necessity of manually opening or closing any valve.
The valve provided on the high pressure gas storage cylinder includes a safety burst disc mounted in the body of the valve to prevent over-pressurization of the cylinder which can occur during the filling operation or if heat is accidentallyapplied to the cylinder which could greatly increase the pressure of the gas contained therein. In the present arrangement, a vented safety plug is threadly inserted into the body of the valve with the burst disc designed for separation at a pressurewhich is the same as the maximum safe operating pressure for the cylinder.
The cylinder valve contains a slidable poppet which is biased so that the poppet and its associated seal is held in a closed position against a valve seat. This design is provided so that the pressurized gas within the cylinder will assist inapplying a force against the poppet to hold the poppet in the closed position. The application of a counter force on the poppet will cause the poppet to move away from the seat, allowing the gas to exit through the outlet of the valve. This outlet isprovided in the form of a passageway which is designed to fit a boss on the associated pressure regulator.
The pressure regulator which is used in the present invention is a biased diaphragm-type regulator wherein the spring biasing force can be adjusted by means of a threaded cap. A center eyelet is provided through the diaphragm and is arranged sothat the diaphragm can slidably move with respect to the eyelet so that any excess pressure which might exist within the cavity of the regulator can be vented. A pivotally mounted valve having an outwardly extending arm is arranged within the regulatorcavity. The valve can pivot toward or away from a valve seat to variably control or stop the flow of gas through a passageway extending inwardly from the inlet boss. The arm of the lever is positioned within the eyelet so that movement of the diaphragmwill control the valve movement to control the gas flow and thus, downstream pressure. An outlet fitting is provided in a port in the regulator cavity for the attachment of a hose or tube for pressurization of the dispenser containers.
With the mounting arrangement provided for the storage cylinder in the present invention the pivotable retaining yoke is of major importance in that it permits the sideways attachment of the gas cylinder in a confined space. The arrangement alsoprovides a rigid and safe method for mounting the storage cylinder to minimize the danger to the operator.
As an additional feature of the present invention, a pressure fill adapter is provided for easy and quick refilling of the storage cylinders with compressed gas. The adapter includes a pivotable yoke which has a retaining screw and a valveconnecting boss provided at the opposite base end. A flexible fill hose is connected to the boss through a passageway provided in the base end. The fill boss and yoke is identical to that provided on the system pressure regulator and includes an O-ringand groove provided on the outer surface for sealing against the internal bore provided in the cylinder valve. In use, the boss of the adapter is positioned in the opening of the valve and the pivotable yoke is placed in retaining position. Thethreaded retaining screw is turned inwardly so that the tip is positioned against the valve causing the fill boss to be inserted causing the valve poppet to be opened to allow pressurized gas to flow into the storage cylinder.
The high pressure gas in the fill boss can open the poppet by itself without the fill boss mechanically contacting and opening the poppet. This occurs when the force from the gas pressure exceeds the spring biasing force and causes the poppet toback away from the seat and open. This arrangement may be desirable to allow the cylinder valve to automatically close even without removal of the fill adapter when gas flow stops during the fill process.
The internal openings within the cylinder valve of the present invention are intentionally oversized to permit increased flow of gas and liquid during fill and pressurization use. This allows for rapid transfer of the gas and filling of thecylinders. It is emphasized that the explanation provided herein and the apparatus which is described is not intended to be limited to use only with carbon dioxide gas but any suitable gas desired for the intended purpose. This invention can be used withany pressurized system in which it is desired to provide a quick-disconnect installation of gas storage cylinders to a gas pressure regulating device in a safe, nonhazardous manner.
Device for fitting components
A device of this nature is known from U.S. Pat. No. 2,344,127. This device is used to handle blind rivets which are suspended one behind the other in a rail and in the rail are forced towards the end of the rail by spring stress. At the end of the rail, there is a mechanism which closes off the opening of the rail which is present in that area and allows only a single blind rivet to be delivered each time. This delivery is carried out by means of a lever which is arranged on a setting tool and is mounted on the setting tool in such a manner that it can pivot about an axis. To deliver a blind rivet which is suspended in front of the opening in the rail, the lever is pivoted towards this opening, during which movement the lever is able to pick up a single blind rivet and pivot it into a position in which the blind rivet is inserted in the setting tool. The rail is arranged on the side of the setting tool and thus forms a single unit with the setting tool. The mechanism which is required to deliver a blind rivet while simultaneously unlocking the rail is of complicated design and is arranged on the setting tool in such a manner that it can be accessed freely from outside, so that if the tool is not handled carefully the delivery mechanism can easily become damaged. Moreover, this device is a relatively complicated structure.
The invention is based on the object of providing a device for conveying and fitting components which are to be inserted in a workpiece, of the type mentioned at the outset, which device is robust and of compact design with few parts. According to the invention, this is achieved by the fact that the opening merges into a receiving part for a single component, which receiving part is connected to the rail via a hinge and is aligned with this rail, and the rail, together with the receiving part, is mounted in a longitudinally displaceable manner in a guide in which the receiving part, in order to receive a component, is, in the pushed-back position of the rail, held in a receiving position in which it is aligned with the rail, the receiving part being arranged in such a way that, when the rail is pushed forward, the receiving part, together with the component, projects out of the guide and, via the hinge, pivots through approximately 90° into an eject position, in which the component, in order to be fitted, can be ejected from the receiving part by a ram arranged next to the guide and can be fitted in a workpiece.
In the pushed-back position of the rail, the receiving part, which is held in a receiving position aligned with the rail, acts as a component of the rail, and from this position the receiving part merely has to be pivoted away when the rail is pushed forward in order to move, together with a component, into the eject position. The ability of the receiving part to move with respect to the rail is ensured by the hinge, via which the receiving part is connected to the rail, and therefore components of simple structure are involved. The structure of the device in this case forms a closed arrangement, from which, in the eject position, only the relatively short receiving part is pivoted away, with the result that the device as a whole is protected from damage.
In order to feed a component to the receiving part, it is expedient to provide a stop on the rail, which stop, after a component has been fitted, stops the components in the rail when the latter is pushed back and presses these components towards the opening in the rail, the receiving part being pivoted back out of the eject position into its receiving position, which is aligned with the rail, by a deflector part which is arranged at the opening, so that the action of the stop causes the front component which is being guided in the rail to slide into the receiving part, the deflector part guiding the pivoting of the receiving part into the eject position when the rail is pushed forward. The deflector part, which may, for example, be formed by a rounded section arranged at the end of the rail, is a component of simple design which merely has to control the movement of the receiving part out of the receiving position into the eject position and back when the rail is pushed forward and pushed back.
In order to provide protection in particular against the components falling out of the rail when handling the device, the components are expediently guided in lateral longitudinal grooves in the rail, into which grooves projections of the components fit.
In order to protect against the component which has been guided into the eject position of the receiving part falling out when handling the device, it is expedient if clamping means for holding the component in the eject position are provided on the receiving part. However, it is also possible for this holding function to be given by the component itself, by providing appropriate clamping means on the component.
It is expedient to arrange a locking device, which releasably secures the receiving part in the eject position, on the guide. If the device, with the receiving part in the eject position, is then moved in any way with respect to a workpiece, in particular is guided into and held in a vertical position, the locking device secures the receiving part in its eject position, so that it cannot pivot under the influence of the force of gravity. The locking device used may be a magnet which uses its relatively low force to hold the receiving part in the eject position but readily releases the receiving part when the rail is pulled back, so that the receiving part can be pivoted back and transferred into its receiving position.
Furthermore, it is expedient to provide a magnet, which pulls the receiving part towards the deflector part, in the region of the receiving part and of the deflector part. Such a magnet makes the movement of the receiving part independent of gravity, since, by means of the magnet, the receiving part, when it pivots away from the rail, is pulled into the pivoted-away eject position by the force of the magnet, an operation which, under certain circumstances, has to be carried out against the force of gravity, when the device is being used in a corresponding way. This configuration therefore makes the device independent of the force of gravity and means that it can therefore be moved towards a workpiece which is to be fitted in any desired position.
The invention is based on the object of providing a device for conveying and fitting components which are to be inserted in a workpiece, of the type mentioned at the outset, which device is robust and of compact design with few parts. According to the invention, this is achieved by the fact that the opening merges into a receiving part for a single component, which receiving part is connected to the rail via a hinge and is aligned with this rail, and the rail, together with the receiving part, is mounted in a longitudinally displaceable manner in a guide in which the receiving part, in order to receive a component, is, in the pushed-back position of the rail, held in a receiving position in which it is aligned with the rail, the receiving part being arranged in such a way that, when the rail is pushed forward, the receiving part, together with the component, projects out of the guide and, via the hinge, pivots through approximately 90° into an eject position, in which the component, in order to be fitted, can be ejected from the receiving part by a ram arranged next to the guide and can be fitted in a workpiece.
In the pushed-back position of the rail, the receiving part, which is held in a receiving position aligned with the rail, acts as a component of the rail, and from this position the receiving part merely has to be pivoted away when the rail is pushed forward in order to move, together with a component, into the eject position. The ability of the receiving part to move with respect to the rail is ensured by the hinge, via which the receiving part is connected to the rail, and therefore components of simple structure are involved. The structure of the device in this case forms a closed arrangement, from which, in the eject position, only the relatively short receiving part is pivoted away, with the result that the device as a whole is protected from damage.
In order to feed a component to the receiving part, it is expedient to provide a stop on the rail, which stop, after a component has been fitted, stops the components in the rail when the latter is pushed back and presses these components towards the opening in the rail, the receiving part being pivoted back out of the eject position into its receiving position, which is aligned with the rail, by a deflector part which is arranged at the opening, so that the action of the stop causes the front component which is being guided in the rail to slide into the receiving part, the deflector part guiding the pivoting of the receiving part into the eject position when the rail is pushed forward. The deflector part, which may, for example, be formed by a rounded section arranged at the end of the rail, is a component of simple design which merely has to control the movement of the receiving part out of the receiving position into the eject position and back when the rail is pushed forward and pushed back.
In order to provide protection in particular against the components falling out of the rail when handling the device, the components are expediently guided in lateral longitudinal grooves in the rail, into which grooves projections of the components fit.
In order to protect against the component which has been guided into the eject position of the receiving part falling out when handling the device, it is expedient if clamping means for holding the component in the eject position are provided on the receiving part. However, it is also possible for this holding function to be given by the component itself, by providing appropriate clamping means on the component.
It is expedient to arrange a locking device, which releasably secures the receiving part in the eject position, on the guide. If the device, with the receiving part in the eject position, is then moved in any way with respect to a workpiece, in particular is guided into and held in a vertical position, the locking device secures the receiving part in its eject position, so that it cannot pivot under the influence of the force of gravity. The locking device used may be a magnet which uses its relatively low force to hold the receiving part in the eject position but readily releases the receiving part when the rail is pulled back, so that the receiving part can be pivoted back and transferred into its receiving position.
Furthermore, it is expedient to provide a magnet, which pulls the receiving part towards the deflector part, in the region of the receiving part and of the deflector part. Such a magnet makes the movement of the receiving part independent of gravity, since, by means of the magnet, the receiving part, when it pivots away from the rail, is pulled into the pivoted-away eject position by the force of the magnet, an operation which, under certain circumstances, has to be carried out against the force of gravity, when the device is being used in a corresponding way. This configuration therefore makes the device independent of the force of gravity and means that it can therefore be moved towards a workpiece which is to be fitted in any desired position.
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