Patents Assigned to SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
-
Patent number: 7448134Abstract: Pressed shape steel, made of a low cost general steel material that is not hardened, forms a frame with long grooves cut therein. Guide rails, made of a specialized steel material that can be subjected to a hardening treatment, are hardened. Thereafter, outer surfaces of the hardened guide rails are ground and the guide rails are integrally joined in the long grooves. Ball-rolling grooves are formed in the guide rails, thereby completing a guide-equipped frame for an actuator. Because the general steel material and the specialized steel material are principally ferrous materials, both exhibiting a Young's modulus at or above 170 GPa with substantially the same coefficient of linear thermal expansion, the frame needn't be increased in size or have a complex internal structure to reinforce the strength of the frame, and the guide rails remain securely retained in the grooves even if the actuator experiences changes in temperature.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2006Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: SMC Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shigekazu Nagai, Akio Saitoh, Masaru Saitoh
-
Patent number: 7448311Abstract: A coupler is provided inside an engaging hole of a piston yoke, which is connected to pistons. A slider is installed on an upper portion of the coupler through a coupler-insertion hole. An engaging member, provided at a lower portion of the coupler, is inserted into the engaging hole so as to be displaceable by a slight amount in the widthwise direction of a cylinder tube. The coupler is inserted into the coupler-insertion hole of the slider, so that the coupler-insertion hole is slidable with respect to curved surface sections of the coupler.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2006Date of Patent: November 11, 2008Assignee: SMC Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tetsuya Naruse, Kazuhiro Iida
-
Patent number: 7445193Abstract: A valve seat section is formed on a valve body having first and second ports. A plate-like movable iron core is provided so that the movable iron core is capable of being seated on the valve seat section. Springs, which press the movable iron core toward the valve seat section, are provided between the movable iron core and a solenoid section. When the movable iron core is seated on the valve seat section, the movable iron core is pressed toward the valve seat section by the resilient forces of the springs in addition to the pressing force of the pressure fluid.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2005Date of Patent: November 4, 2008Assignee: SMC Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Noriya Sasaki, Masato Hosoi
-
Patent number: 7445163Abstract: A suck back valve comprises an ON/OFF valve, a suck back mechanism which includes a second piston connected to a second diaphragm to make displacement integrally and a second spring member fastened to the second piston, a load sensor which detects a load applied by a resilient force of the second spring member corresponding to a pressure of a pilot pressure to be supplied, and a second control unit which detects loads before and after displacement of the second diaphragm by using the load sensor to calculate a displacement amount of the second diaphragm based on a difference between the detected loads.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2005Date of Patent: November 4, 2008Assignee: SMC Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Tadashi Uchino
-
Patent number: 7443121Abstract: An actuator control system comprises an electric actuator, a driver, and a controller. The electric actuator is provided with a buffering mechanism which absorbs impact applied to a piston rod. The buffering mechanism includes piston dampers which absorb impact applied to a piston, a first end damper which is provided at an end of a housing facing the piston, and a second end damper which is provided on a rod cover separated from the housing by a predetermined distance.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2005Date of Patent: October 28, 2008Assignee: SMC Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shigekazu Nagai, Akio Saitoh, Toru Sugiyama, Ryuichi Masui, Takeshi Hirose, Masaki Miyahara
-
Patent number: 7431503Abstract: A slider is displaceable in an axial direction on guide sections of a cylinder tube. Bearings are installed with the slider, so that the bearings are opposed to the guide sections. Bearings are also installed on first and second bearing support members, which are provided respectively at retaining sections of the slider. When the slider is displaced in the axial direction along the cylinder tube, only one end surface of one of the flange sections of the bearing is pressed, depending on the displacement direction of the slider, in order to effect displacement in an integrated manner.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2006Date of Patent: October 7, 2008Assignee: SMC Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tetsuya Naruse, Kazuhiro Iida
-
Publication number: 20080223206Abstract: In a pressure booster having a cylinder mechanism, a floating mechanism is disposed between pistons and a piston rod, the floating mechanism being capable of absorbing offset (off centered) loads that are imposed on the pistons from the piston rod. The floating mechanism is constituted from swing bolts connected to both ends of the piston rod, support plates mounted onto end surfaces of the pistons and which swingably support the swing bolts therein, and fixing plates disposed between the ends of the piston rod and the support plates.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2008Publication date: September 18, 2008Applicant: SMC Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Tadashi Igarashi
-
Patent number: 7415895Abstract: A rectifying module is arranged on an upstream side of a flow passage containing a flow velocity sensor. The rectifying module includes mesh members each having a plurality of circular small holes and ring-shaped spacers, wherein the mesh members and the spacers are alternately stacked in an axial direction and integrally joined to one another by means of thermal diffusion bonding. The mesh members have identical structures, in which the plurality of small holes are arranged concentrically at angles of separation of 60 degrees in the circumferential direction about the center of a reference small hole. The small holes are formed over the entire surface of the mesh member continuous with adjoining other small holes. The small holes of one mesh member and another mesh member adjacent thereto in the axial direction are arranged so as to have a phase angle difference of 90 degrees in the circumferential direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2006Date of Patent: August 26, 2008Assignee: SMC Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shogo Kurisaki, Koichi Katsumata
-
Publication number: 20080191158Abstract: In a flow amount control valve, a rod is inserted through the interior of a housing, and first and second connecting members are connected coaxially to both ends of the rod. A first bellows and a second bellows, each having a bellows portion, are provided on the rod, for preventing leakage of fluid that is introduced into the interior of the housing. In addition, the first bellows and the second bellows are expanded and contracted by displacement of the rod along the axial direction, which is caused by driving an actuator, such that a valve element of the rod approaches and separates with respect to a valve seat, and a gap between the valve element and the valve seat changes so that a flow amount of the fluid is controlled.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2008Publication date: August 14, 2008Applicant: SMC Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Atsushi Okitsu
-
Publication number: 20080173169Abstract: First and second cushion rings are arranged respectively on both end surfaces of a piston constituting part of a fluid pressure cylinder, through fitting grooves. The first and second cushion rings are formed with substantially hollow cylindrical shapes by press working a metal material, wherein the cushion rings effectuate a cushioning action, which decelerates the displacement speed of the piston, as a result of being displaced in the axial direction together with the piston and being received and accommodated within a recess of the head cover and a rod hole of the rod cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2007Publication date: July 24, 2008Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Tetsuya Ikari
-
Publication number: 20080169619Abstract: A piston is displaced by a pressure fluid supplied to a chuck body, whereupon a pair of first and second fingers that constitute a gripping member are operated to open and close along a base body. Further, a shaft-shaped bobbin is inserted through the interior of the first and second fingers, and a coil is wound around a small diameter portion of the bobbin. Accompanying opening/closing operations of the first and second fingers, an opening/closing amount thereof is detected based on a change in impedance of the coil.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2008Publication date: July 17, 2008Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hideaki Minbuta, Katsuhiko Kato
-
Patent number: 7397668Abstract: A signal input/output device includes an array of signal input/output units. The signal input/output units have respective bases, each of which includes a connecting member. The connecting member has a second protruding end finger swingably supported on a base, and a first protruding end finger that engages with a stop of an adjacent base. The connecting member is positioned and fixed (secured) by a screw, which extends through a bottom plate and is threaded in a square nut. The connecting member, when secured in this manner, joins the adjacent bases to each other.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2006Date of Patent: July 8, 2008Assignee: SMC Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Mitsuo Sekine, Yutaka Noguchi, Makoto Seo
-
Publication number: 20080149874Abstract: A flow amount adjusting valve includes a handle that enables an opening/closing amount of a valve plug to be adjusted. A piston connected to the valve plug is screw-engaged with a first axial portion of the handle. Additionally, along with displacement of the valve plug in the axial direction via the piston under a rotating action of the handle, an indicator element is accommodated in an interior portion of the handle. A first indicator undergoes screw-engagement with respect to the handle, and the indicator element is displaced together with displacement of the valve plug, such that displacement of the valve plug can be confirmed visually from outside the flow amount adjusting valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2007Publication date: June 26, 2008Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Tadashi Uchino
-
Publication number: 20080150207Abstract: A switching valve is disposed between a pressure fluid supply source and an ejector in a vacuum suction apparatus. A supply port of the switching valve is connected to the pressure fluid supply source, and an outlet port of the switching valve is connected to the ejector. In addition, when suction pads attract a workpiece under suction and a negative pressure becomes constant, a valve body is displaced by a negative pressure supplied through a vacuum port to the switching valve, whereupon communication between the supply port and the outlet port is blocked.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2007Publication date: June 26, 2008Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Shoichi Makado
-
Publication number: 20080148888Abstract: Rotational motion of a male screw member is converted to linear motion of a female screw member that is screw engaged with the male screw member, thereby causing movement of a rod member for clamping an object. When a load from the object becomes larger than a predetermined value, and exceeds the frictional force of a viscous material and a friction plate, the female screw member is gradually turned and clamping continues while movement of the rod member is decelerated.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2007Publication date: June 26, 2008Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hideaki Minbuta, Motohiro Sotome
-
Publication number: 20080135363Abstract: A piston is slidably displaced inside of a cylinder tube, and damper grooves are provided on both end surfaces of the piston, which extend substantially perpendicular to the axis thereof. The damper grooves penetrate along the end surfaces of the piston, and respective dampers formed from an elastic material are installed therein. On the dampers, base members thereof are inserted into first grooves that make up the damper grooves, and guide members, which are expanded in width with respect to the base members, are inserted into second grooves that lie adjacent to and are expanded in width with respect to the first grooves.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2007Publication date: June 12, 2008Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Shioto Tokumoto
-
Publication number: 20080134877Abstract: A cylinder tube includes a cylinder hole therein through which a piston is displaceably inserted. A head cover and a rod cover are installed respectively into ends of the cylinder hole. Locking rings, each having a bent section, a pair of arm sections that extend from both ends of the bent section, and claw sections disposed on ends of the arm sections, are disposed in the cylinder hole. In addition, the locking rings are installed respectively in the cylinder hole through ring grooves, wherein the head cover and the rod cover are fixed by means of the locking rings.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2007Publication date: June 12, 2008Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Shioto Tokumoto
-
Publication number: 20080134881Abstract: A pair of recesses is formed on a cylinder hole of a cylinder tube, wherein the recesses are recessed further into the cylinder hole from an inner circumferential surface thereof. Projections that correspond to the recesses are disposed on a head cover and a rod cover, respectively, which are installed into both ends of the cylinder tube. The head cover and the rod cover that are accommodated in the cylinder hole are positioned through abutment of the projections against stepped portions of the recesses.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2007Publication date: June 12, 2008Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Shioto Tokumoto
-
Publication number: 20080135395Abstract: In a pressure switch, a joint coupling holder is installed in a case of a housing through an opening, and a joint coupling, to which piping is connected, is connected to the joint coupling holder. The joint coupling holder includes a protective wall therein, which is arranged on a straight line with a detector that is accommodated inside the housing at a central portion of a through hole. In addition, a pressure fluid, which is introduced to the detector through a conduit of the joint coupling, flows in a bypassing manner through a pair of communication openings while averting the protective wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2007Publication date: June 12, 2008Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroshi Kawakami, Kazuhiro Kurahara
-
Patent number: 7383741Abstract: A flow rate-measuring apparatus comprises a housing having a passage for supplying a liquid thereto, and a pair of detecting sections provided at both ends of the housing, and which contain sonic wave transmitter/receiver sections capable of transmitting and receiving sonic wave signals. Cover members are installed on each of the detecting sections, wherein the cover members face the passage in the housing. Curved surfaces, which expand toward the passage, are provided respectively on ends of the cover members.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2007Date of Patent: June 10, 2008Assignee: SMC Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Takamitsu Suzuki