Patents Assigned to SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
  • Patent number: 8353498
    Abstract: In a manual switching valve, which enables a valve plug to be opened and closed manually, a piston is threadedly engaged with a shaft that is inserted through a housing, wherein a handle having a switching mechanism therein is installed on an upper end of the shaft. After a valve plug is seated on a valve seat, any further turning force applied to the handle is interrupted without being transmitted to the shaft owing to the fact that balls disengage from tooth portions of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Tadashi Uchino
  • Publication number: 20120325339
    Abstract: A valve structure for a fluid pressure device. A valve element (50) for constituting a pressure reducing valve (10) is provided with a first housing (58) which is interconnected with a stem (48), a second housing (60) which is provided on the outer peripheral side of the first housing (58), and packing (62) which is provided between the first housing (58) and the second housing (60). The packing (62) is mounted and sandwiched between a tapered section (66) of the first housing (58) and an outer wall section (74) of the second housing (60), and thereby the packing (62) is affixed. A first tube section (64) of the first housing (58) is inserted into a second tube section (70) of the second housing (60), and the first housing (58) and the second housing (60) are affixed integrally to each other by, for example, welding or adhesion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Ito, Michihiro Hanada
  • Patent number: 8327877
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pressure reducing apparatus. A diaphragm made from an elastic material is provided in the interior of a body. The diaphragm includes a main body portion having a seat member that is capable of being seated on an inner tubular member of the body, a retaining portion disposed on an outer peripheral side of the main body portion and which is slidably displaceable with respect to the inner tubular member, and a skirt that is retained on a flange of the body. Additionally, by flexing of the skirt by means of an elastic force of a spring, the seat member thereof separates away from the inner tubular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Ito, Michihiro Hanada
  • Patent number: 8303007
    Abstract: A drive mechanism and a gripper mechanism equipped with the drive mechanism are provided. An electrical gripper includes a drive mechanism equipped with a motor, a feed screw that transmits a rotary drive force from the motor to a feed nut capable of displacement in an axial direction, and a gripper section that grips a workpiece by coupling to the feed nut and being displaced thereby. The drive mechanism further is constituted by a self-locking mechanism, which prevents the feed nut from being retracted as a result of a reactive force received in the event that the feed nut is advanced and the workpiece is gripped by the gripper section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Shoichi Makado
  • Patent number: 8303458
    Abstract: An automatic speed reduction ratio switching apparatus is equipped with a sun gear connected to an input shaft, first and second carriers connected to a feed screw shaft, planetary gears meshed with the sun gear and which are mounted rotatably in the first and second carriers, and an internal gear meshed with the planetary gears and which is capable of movement in an axial direction. A packing member is arranged between the internal gear and the second carrier, for regulating movement in the axial direction of the internal gear, while enabling movement of the internal gear in the axial direction when a thrust force is applied at or above a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Toru Sugiyama, Masaki Imamura
  • Patent number: 8302526
    Abstract: A sealing mechanism is mounted at an end section of a cylinder tube, which configures a cylinder device, by having a step section in between, and the sealing mechanism is sandwiched between the cylinder tube and a rod cover. The sealing mechanism includes a thin plate formed of a metal material, and a sealing member attached to one side surface of the plate. The plate and the sealing member are integrally arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Chiaki Fukui, Kazuyoshi Takahashi, Atsushi Tamai
  • Patent number: 8302482
    Abstract: A pressure switch includes a piston accommodated for sliding movement in a chamber formed in the interior of a casing and which communicates with an introduction port, a coil spring for elastically applying a force to one surface of the piston, an adjustment screw which is capable of variably adjusting an elastic force applied to the one surface, a swivel plate engaged with the adjustment screw and on which the coil spring is seated, and a pointer formed from a resin material integrally with the swivel plate for indicating a pressure of air detected by a switch unit. The adjustment screw variably stretches and compresses the coil spring by movement of the swivel plate, while also maintaining the coil spring at a position at which a predetermined elastic force is obtained. The swivel plate is colored together with the pointer in a high saturation color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoshi Kiyama
  • Publication number: 20120273074
    Abstract: A flow control device is provided with a first body having a first port through which pressure fluid is supplied, and a second body which is installed on the first body. A valve mechanism which controls the circulation state of the pressure fluid that circulates from the first port to a second port is provided inside this first body. Furthermore, a first connecting section of the first body is inserted into and engaged with the inside of a second connecting section formed at the upper end of the second body, resulting in the first body and the second body being integrally connected together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirosuke Yamada, Sanae Nakamura, Akira Kuribayashi
  • Publication number: 20120260797
    Abstract: A linear actuator includes a cylinder main body, which is provided at one end thereof with a lock mechanism capable of restricting displacement of a slide table. The lock mechanism is equipped with a lock plate and a sub-piston. The lock plate is rotatable toward a side of the slide table by an elastic force of a spring, inserted into an insertion groove, and restricts displacement of the slide table. The sub-piston is displaced by a pressure fluid supplied to a supply port, and releases a displacement restricted state of the slide table by the lock plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichiro ISHIBASHI, Motohiro Sato, Toshio Sato
  • Publication number: 20120256433
    Abstract: A retaining stud is inserted from a bottom portion of a suction pad that constitutes part of an ejector equipped suction apparatus, and an end of the retaining stud is inserted into an adapter plate. Further, a small diameter portion of a lock plate engages with a lock plate groove, which is exposed externally on the retaining stud, whereby the retaining stud and the lock plate are connected together integrally. In addition, an ejector is fixed using a side wall portion of the adapter plate. A mounting bracket is attached to the adapter plate while covering the lock plate, and a transfer means such as a robot arm or the like is fixed to the mounting bracket using a bolt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Koji Sugano, Yasuhiko Obata, Akira Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8256755
    Abstract: A clamp apparatus includes a clamp unit capable of retaining a workpiece, a cylinder driven under the supply of a pressure fluid, and a drive force transmission mechanism, which is capable of transmitting a drive force from the cylinder to the clamp unit. The drive force transmission mechanism includes a guide body disposed displaceably inside of a body, two pairs of rollers retained rotatably on both side surfaces of the guide body, and a spindle inserted through a second link groove of the guide body that rotatably supports a clamp arm. The clamp arm is rotatably operated and is capable of clamping the workpiece under a displacement action of the guide body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshinori Hiromatsu
  • Publication number: 20120217742
    Abstract: A pipe joint (10) has a body (12), and an annular packing (26) is mounted to the opening (20) of the body into which a fluid tube (18) is inserted. The packing (26) is provided with: a body section (34) having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape; and a seal section (38) protruding in the radial direction from the inner peripheral surface of the body section (34). The seal section (38) is formed at substantially the center of the body section (34) in the widthwise direction thereof and is formed in a triangular cross-sectional shape tapering to the inner peripheral side. When the fluid tube (18) is inserted in the opening (20), the seal section (38) of the packing (26) makes sliding contact with the outer peripheral surface of the fluid tube (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayoshi Furuya, Akihito Takanashi
  • Patent number: 8254077
    Abstract: A solenoid valve driving circuit for a solenoid valve includes a current detector for detecting a current that flows in a solenoid coil, a rate of change over time calculating unit for calculating a rate of change over time of the detected current, and a maintaining state transition determining unit for determining a timing at which transition from a first period to a second period occurs based on the calculated rate of change over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Shigeharu Oide, Takayoshi Hatou, Hidenori Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20120204974
    Abstract: A flow controller includes a flow detection unit that includes a detection unit for detecting the flow rate of a fluid; and a flow control unit that is coupled to the flow detection unit and that is capable of adjusting the flow rate of the fluid. The detection sensor constituting the detection unit includes a thermal flow sensor using MEMS technology, and the flow rate of the fluid that has been detected by the detection sensor is output to a control unit. In addition, in the flow control unit, the supply state of air to a supply room is switched by each of a supply-use solenoid valve and an exhaust-use solenoid valve, and on the basis of the supply state of the air, a control valve opens and closes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Sakasegawa, Yuta Oshima
  • Publication number: 20120205379
    Abstract: A pressure container is provided with a container body, a container lid, and a band coupling (10). The band coupling (10) is provided with a retainer (32) capable of engaging with the outer peripheries of a first flange section and a second flange section, and also with a tightening mechanism (34) for tightening the retainer (32). The retainer (32) has a first end section (36) forming one end to which the tightening mechanism (34) is connected, and also has a second end section (38) forming the other end which is bent outward and faces the first end section (36) when the retainer is tightened. The tightening mechanism (34) is provided with a stopper (64) rotatably mounted to the first end section (36) of the retainer (32), and also with a pressing bolt (66) engaged through thread with the stopper (64) so as to be able to advance and recede and pressing the second end section (38) to the first end section (36) side with the retainer (32) engaged with the first flange section and the second flange section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigemitsu Sakairi
  • Publication number: 20120193855
    Abstract: Clamp devices configured such that dust does not enter insides of casings. The clamp devices each include the casing, and a clamp-side end section of a clamp arm is exposed from an opening of the casing. The clamp arm includes: a first circular arc section which is exposed from the casing when a workpiece is clamped by the clamp arm and is contained within the casing when the workpiece is not clamped by the clamp arm; and a second circular arc section which is exposed from the casing when the workpiece is not clamped by the clamp arm and is contained within the casing when the workpiece is clamped by the clamp arm. A first scraper and a second scraper are in sliding contact with the first circular arc section and the second circular arc section, respectively. The clamp device can also include a side surface cleaning scraper for making sliding contact with a side surface of the first circular section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuyoshi Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20120174997
    Abstract: A flow rate control valve, wherein the flow rate control valve (10) is provided with a first circular tube section (22) having first and second ports (12, 14) formed on a body (16) forming the flow rate control valve (10), and also with a plate section (28) mounted to the upper part of the first circular tube section (22) through a mounting section (26a). The plate section (28) is provided to only one end side of the first circular tube section (22), is supported on the mounting section (26a) in a cantilever manner, and is formed flat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirosuke Yamada, Sanae Nakamura, Akira Kuribayashi
  • Patent number: 8215622
    Abstract: A clamp device including a detection mechanism provided to detect whether the clamp device is in a clamped state or an unclamped state. The detection mechanism includes a tilt plate tiltably placed inside a switch holder installed on a body and a sliding rod displaced together with a piston rod and displaced in the direction normal to the tilt plate. When the sliding rod presses and tilts the tilt plate while a piston is displaced, a second detection switch detects that the clamp device is in the unclamped state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Chiaki Fukui, Kazuyoshi Takahashi, Atsushi Tamai
  • Patent number: D669039
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken Gunji, Mitsuhiro Saitoh
  • Patent number: D670741
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Abe, Soichi Sato