Patents Assigned to SMC Corporation
  • Patent number: 11920616
    Abstract: A stroke adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment block attached to a slide table and a stopper attached to a cylinder body. A side wall portion of the slide table includes three or more screw holes arranged in the moving direction of the slide table. Two adjustment block mounting bolts are inserted into the adjustment block and selectively screwed into adjacent screw holes of the plurality of screw holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoki Kouta
  • Patent number: 11920698
    Abstract: A flow control valve adjusts an opening degree of a second channel by moving a needle valve in a first axis direction in accordance with a rotating operation amount of a knob provided at the first body, and includes a scale body, and a scale reading part that indicates the scale mark corresponding to the rotating operation amount of the knob, and a clutch mechanism that changes the scale mark of the scale body when the knob is rotated. The clutch mechanism includes an engaging portion, an engaged portion, and a clutch drive mechanism, and the scale reading part and the scale body rotate integrally when the engaging portion and the engaged portion are engaged. The clutch drive mechanism releases engagement between the engaging portion and the engaged portion when the knob is rotated and, after the scale mark is changed, re-engages the engaging portion with the engaged portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji Shishido
  • Publication number: 20240072842
    Abstract: In an industrial wireless communication system. a base wireless device has a synchronous connection transmission unit for broadcasting a synchronous connection signal to achieve synchronous connection to a remote wireless device in only a single synchronous connection period which is an integral multiple of a hopping period. The synchronous connection transmission unit sequentially switches communication frequencies for synchronization so as to transmit the synchronous connection signal with a plurality of communication frequencies for synchronization within one hopping period. A synchronous connection reception unit sequentially switches communication frequencies for synchronization with a switching period which is longer than the hopping period and shorter than twice the hopping period, so as to perform a reception wait process for the synchronous connection signal with a plurality of communication frequencies for synchronization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiko AKI, Norimasa OZAKI
  • Patent number: 11916808
    Abstract: A base wireless device includes plural transmission buffers storing plural signals having transmission destinations that are different from each other, a transmission processing unit transmitting the signals to plural remote wireless devices respectively, by transmitting the signals stored in the plural transmission buffers in a predetermined order, regardless of whether or not each transmission has been made successfully, and a storage control unit, wherein when a transmission of a signal stored in one of the transmission buffers has been made successfully, the storage control unit overwrites the one transmission buffer from which the transmission has been made successfully, with another signal to be transmitted to a transmission destination that is different from a transmission destination of a signal stored in a transmission buffer other than the one transmission buffer from which the transmission has been made successfully, among the plural transmission buffers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norimasa Ozaki, Toshiaki Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 11913553
    Abstract: In a spool-type switching valve in which a recessed groove in which a packing is mounted is provided at a land portion of a spool, a groove bottom of the recessed groove is formed of an inclined surface that has an axial length half or larger than the length of the groove bottom in the direction of an axis and that continuously decreases in diameter from an upstream end to a downstream end, the inner periphery of the packing is brought into pressure-contact with the groove bottom with stress concentration at a pressure contact point that defines an upstream end of the inclined surface, and an angle ? that a connection surface connecting the pressure contact point on the groove bottom and the upstream end forms with the axis is within the range of 0°????, where ? is an angle that the inclined surface forms with the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji Miyazoe, Kazuhiro Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11906075
    Abstract: A second communication circuit of each of solenoid valve modules other than a terminal solenoid valve module receives a signal from a switching line located in the next-stage solenoid valve module, and the second communication circuit of the terminal solenoid valve module that receives no signal from the switching line transmits a solenoid valve control signal and signals related to diagnostic information of the plurality of solenoid valve modules to a communication module via a receiving line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yui Okada
  • Patent number: 11898583
    Abstract: In a cushion mechanism of a gas cylinder, when the pressure of a gas in a first pressure chamber is less than or equal to a prescribed pressure, a valve body cuts off communication between the upstream side and downstream side of a discharge flow passage by mean of the biasing force of a spring member. In addition, when the pressure of the gas exceeds the prescribed pressure, the valve body is displaced to the downstream side of the discharge flow passage against the biasing force, thereby enabling communication between the upstream side and the downstream side of the discharge flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seiichi Nagura, Naoki Shinjo, Kazutaka Someya, Akihiro Kazama, Yusuke Mori
  • Publication number: 20240044421
    Abstract: [Object] To make it possible to detect, with a single pressure sensor, a malfunction of two solenoid valves for switching flow paths and to quickly and reliably exhaust residual pressure in an air device through a solenoid valve. [Solution] A residual pressure exhaust air circuit 1 includes: a main flow path 9 through which air from an air source 2 is supplied to an air cylinder 100; an exhaust flow path 10 through which air in the air cylinder 100 is exhausted; a first sensor 8 for detecting a malfunction of solenoid valves 12, 13; a detection flow path 11 through which air from the air source 2 is supplied to the first sensor 8; and the two solenoid valves 12, 13 that switch communication states among the main flow path 9, the exhaust flow path 10, and the detection flow path 11. The two solenoid valves 12, 13 are formed of two-position valves having first positions 12a, 13a at the time of OFF and second positions 12b, 13b at the time of ON and are synchronously ON/OFF controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuhiro NOGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20240011681
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a chiller reduced in size, cost, and energy use. [Solution] A chiller C1 includes a tank 1, a pump 2, a plurality of coolant circuits 3 and 4 configured to cool a plurality of respective loads, and a refrigeration circuit 5. The plurality of coolant circuits 3 and 4 and the refrigeration circuit 5 are connected to each other via respective heat exchangers 6 and 7 capable of individually controlling cooling performance. The first heat exchanger 6 connecting the first coolant circuit 3 and the refrigeration circuit 5 is configured to control a temperature of a coolant that returns from a first load W1 and a second load W2 to the tank 1. The second heat exchanger 7 connecting the second coolant circuit 4 and the refrigeration circuit 5 is configured to control a temperature of the coolant that is supplied from the tank 1 to the second load W2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kunihide FUJII, Yohei TOBE, Toshiki SASATANI
  • Patent number: 11867318
    Abstract: A high-pressure fluid discharge device that can adapt to large flow rates while being small in size has a diaphragm valve body that cooperates with a valve seat provided to a body to switch between communication and blocking between a first flow path and a second flow path. A pilot chamber and a valve chamber joined to the first flow path are sectioned by the diaphragm valve body, and the diaphragm valve body is provided with a pilot passage allowing communication between the valve chamber and the pilot chamber. The diaphragm valve body is also provided with a pilot-type spool valve that switches between communication and blocking between the pilot chamber and an excretion port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshitada Doi, Masayuki Oshima, Hiroaki Sasaki, Naomi Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20230417453
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a temperature control apparatus that has a high degree of freedom in designing a heat exchanger and that is excellent in versatility in terms of the temperature of a circulating liquid even when a high-temperature circulating liquid is used. [Solution] A temperature control apparatus 1 includes a circulation circuit 12 that delivers a circulating liquid from the main tank 5 to a load that is external and returns the circulating liquid received from the load to the main tank again, a cooling circuit 25 that cools the circulating liquid delivered from a sub-tank 20 with a heat exchanger 33 and returns the circulating liquid to the sub-tank again, and a control unit 40 that controls the flow rate of the circulating liquid flowing through the cooling circuit. The sub-tank is connected to the main tank so as to be capable of leading excessive circulating liquid out of the main tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya AMANO, Takafumi KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20230417262
    Abstract: An air control circuit including a safety function is simply formed from an air circuit. An air control circuit includes a main air line that controls an air device by concurrently turning on or off two external-pilot-operated electromagnetic valves, a pilot air line that supplies pilot air to the electromagnetic valves, and a pilot control line that switches the pilot air line between a supply state and an exhaust state. When one of the two electromagnetic valves suffers a breakdown to fail to be switched to an off position, air in the air device is exhausted through the other electromagnetic valve that has been switched to the off position to recover the air device, and the pilot air line is switched to the exhaust state by the pilot control line to prevent the two electromagnetic valves from restarting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akira ENZAKI
  • Patent number: 11852260
    Abstract: A time delay valve includes a switching valve that switches between a first position and a second position; an urging member that urges the switching valve toward the first position; a driving mechanism that urges the switching valve toward the second position located opposite the first position in the presence of the pressure of a pilot fluid being supplied; a pilot flow channel that introduces the pilot fluid to the driving mechanism; and a delaying mechanism that delays the switching timing of the switching valve. The delaying mechanism includes a first throttle valve provided on the pilot flow channel, a compensation mechanism that urges the switching valve toward the first position in the presence of the pressure of the pilot fluid being supplied, and a compensation flow channel that is branched from the pilot flow channel to introduce a portion of the pilot fluid to the compensation mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akiho Nishimura, Akira Tadano
  • Publication number: 20230405840
    Abstract: A vacuum pad includes a support member that includes a vacuum passage and a bellows that is attached to the support member, and the cover body includes a cylindrical body portion, an attaching portion projecting from one end of the body portion, and a flange portion projecting radially outward from another end of the body portion. The cover body covers the outside of the bellows when the bellows contracts and holds a workpiece by suction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaru SAITOH, Yukiya GOTO
  • Patent number: 11846306
    Abstract: An air cylinder in which a flow rate controller is built in, has a head cover and a rod cover. A pilot air adjustment unit guides exhaust air to a switch valve of the flow rate controller as pilot air, and the switch valve is switched by an increase in the pressure of the pilot air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youji Takakuwa, Akihiro Kazama, Hiroyuki Asahara, Kengo Monden
  • Patent number: 11841050
    Abstract: A return cover provided with a ball circulation path is attached to a slider, a lubricant retainer made up from a porous elastic body and in sliding contact with a guide rail of a body is supported by the return cover, and the lubricant retainer is provided therein with a lubricant storage space filled with lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaki Imamura
  • Patent number: 11835070
    Abstract: A fluid pressure cylinder has a sensor attachment tool mounted thereon. A holder holds the position sensor in a rail structure extending in an axial direction of a cylinder tube and is secured by screwing to a rod cover or a head cover in an arm part provided to one end of the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuru Machijima, Hiroyuki Asahara, Aki Iwamoto, Shiori Iwatsuki
  • Patent number: D1010683
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadamitsu Higaki, Tomokazu Ueno
  • Patent number: D1012240
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keisuke Iida
  • Patent number: D1016271
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Toshida, Tomokazu Hariya