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US 8,522,540 B2Granted
Counterbalancing arrangement
AssigneeStromsholmen AB
InventorsJohan Runesson, Johannes Samuelsson, Björn Limber
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AssigneeStromsholmen AB
InventorsJohan Runesson, Johannes Samuelsson, Björn Limber
Estimating the term…
A counterbalancing arrangement and a method for counterbalancing two mutually movable parts, which is arranged to counteract the gravitational force of at least one of the movable parts. The counterbalancing arrangement includes a gas spring and a compressor system. The compressor system is designed to sense a pressure in the gas spring and to adjust the pressure if the pressure deviates from a predetermined value. The counterbalancing arrangement can be used for counterbalancing an industrial robot arm and is capable of maintaining its working capacity regardless of any gas leakage and variations in the ambient temperature so as to result in very few unwanted stops occasioned by a need for servicing the balancing spring of the counterbalancing arrangement.
A counterbalancing arrangement for counterbalancing two mutually movable parts that is arranged to counteract the gravitational force of at least one of said movable parts, said counterbalancing arrangement comprising a gas spring acting between said movable parts and a compressor system in fluid communication with said gas spring, said compressor system designed to sense a pressure in said gas spring and to adjust said pressure in said gas spring if said pressure deviates from a predetermined pressure value, said compressor system including a compressor and an automatic control system, said compressor and automatic control system designed to supply gas to said gas spring, remove gas from said gas spring, and combinations thereof so as to maintain said predetermined pressure value in said gas spring whenever said pressure in said gas spring deviates from said predetermined pressure value, said automatic control system including a pressure sensor and a pressure control valve, said pressure sensor designed to sense said pressure in said gas spring, said pressure control valve designed to regulate a flow of gas to said gas spring, from said gas spring, and combinations thereof, said automatic control system designed to control an operation of said compressor, said pressure control valve, and combinations thereof based on a signal from said pressure sensor, said compressor designed to be activated by said automatic control system and to cause fluid to be inserted into said gas spring when said pressure sensor senses apressure in said gas spring that is below said predetermined pressure, said compressor including a housing, a linear moving piston that is movable in said housing, and a valve that controls a flow of a fluid in said housing between a first and second fluid chamber within said housing as said piston moves in said housing.
A counterbalancing arrangement for counterbalancing two mutually movable parts that is arranged to counteract the gravitational force of at least one of said movable parts, said counterbalancing arrangement comprising a gas spring acting between said movable parts and a compressor system in fluid communication with said gas spring, said compressor system designed to sense a pressure in said gas spring and to adjust said pressure in said gas spring if said pressure deviates from a predetermined pressure value, said compressor system including a compressor and an automatic control system, said compressor and automatic control system designed to supply gas to said gas spring, remove gas from said gas spring, and combinations thereof so as to maintain said predetermined pressure value in said gas spring whenever said pressure in said gas spring deviates from said predetermined pressure value, an external pressure source for supplying gas is coupled to an inlet of said compressor, said external pressure source is a gas tank, said gas tank is filled with gas to a predetermined pressure level, said predetermined pressure level is lower than a pressure level in said gas spring, said automatic control system including a pressure sensor and a pressure control valve, said pressure sensor designed to sense said pressure in said gas spring, said pressure control valve designed to regulate a flow of gas to said gas spring, from said gas spring, and combinations thereof, said automatic control system designed to control an operation of said compressor, said pressure control valve, and combinations thereof based on a signal from said pressure sensor.
A counterbalancing arrangement for counterbalancing two mutually movable parts that is arranged to counteract the gravitational force of at least one of said movable parts, said counterbalancing arrangement comprising a gas spring acting between said movable parts and a compressor system in fluid communication with said gas spring, said compressor system designed to sense a pressure in said gas spring and to adjust said pressure in said gas spring if said pressure deviates from a predetermined pressure value, said compressor system including a compressor and an automatic control system, said compressor and automatic control system designed to supply gas to said gas spring, remove gas from said gas spring, and combinations thereof so as to maintain said predetermined pressure value in said gas spring whenever said pressure in said gas spring deviates from said predetermined pressure value, an external pressure source for supplying gas is coupled to an inlet of said compressor, said external pressure source is a gas tank, a pipe for returning gas to said gas tank is connected to an outlet of said pressure control valve, said pipe is designed to return gas to said gas tank when excess pressure occurs in said gas spring, said automatic control system including a pressure sensor and a pressure control valve, said pressure sensor designed to sense said pressure in said gas sprig, said pressure control valve designed to regulate a flow of gas to said gas spring, from said gas spring, and combinations thereof, said automatic control system designed to control an operation of said compressor, said pressure control valve, and combinations thereof based on a signal from said pressure sensor.
A method for counterbalancing two mutually movable parts for counteracting the gravitational force of at least one of said movable parts, counteracting the gravitational force performed by a counterbalancing arrangement comprising a gas spring acting between said movable parts characterized by the steps of:
A method for counterbalancing two mutually movable parts for counteracting the gravitational force of at least one of said movable parts, counteracting the gravitational force performed by a counterbalancing arrangement comprising a gas spring acting between said movable parts characterized by the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.