Bellows

About: Bellows is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 15312 publications have been published within this topic receiving 73914 citations.

Universal end effector for robotic applications

Abstract: An end effector system adapted to be used for robotic tooling applications which allows the end effector to be used to acquire parts by vacuum pick-up or grasping. A vacuum type end effector is provided at the end of each of two robotic tooling fingers. Each vacuum type end effector includes a flexible bellows member on the end thereof such that it can be used for vacuum acquisition. Extending down from each finger to reside adjacent a respective bellows is a pinch member. Through robotic control of the movement of the fingers, finger gripping can be accomplished to grip an object between the two bellows using the pinch members for lateral support. As the part is captured between the two bellows, each bellows is compressed against its respective pinch member. In such manner, the bellows are at least partially collapsed such that a vacuum sensor located in the vacuum supply line to the bellows registers that a vacuum is present and, thus, a part has been acquired. That same vacuum sensor allows the robot to know when a part has been acquired by the bellows in the typical vacuum-type pick-up arrangement.

Pneumatic suspension system for a vehicle

Abstract: The invention relates to a pneumatic suspension system for a vehicle, comprising a compressed air accumulator (9), a compressed air transport device (1), at least one pneumatic bellow (64, 65, 66, 67) and an electrically controllable reversing valve (3) used to connect the compressed air accumulator (9) to a suction connection (105) of the compressed air transport device (1), in order to increase the amount of air in at least one pneumatic bellow (64, 65, 66, 67) in a first switching position, and to connect an outlet connection (106) of the compressed air transport device (1) to the at least one pneumatic bellow (64, 65, 66, 67), also used to connect the at least one pneumatic bellow(64, 65, 66, 67) to the suction connection (105) of the compressed air transport device (1) and outlet connection (106) of the compressed air transport device (1) to the pressure accumulator (9) in a second switching position in order to reduce the amount of air in the at least one pneumatic bellow (64, 65, 66, 67). The inventive pneumatic suspension system enables the pneumatic bellows to be filled and emptied at low cost in a compact structure by virtue of the fact that the reversing valve (3) can be pre-controlled with the compressed air of the pneumatic suspension system. Preferably, the invention can be used in passenger cars with pneumatic suspensions.

Liquid propellant rocket engine

Abstract: The liquid-propellant rocket engine comprises two combustion chambers, a gas generator, a turbopump assembly, pipelines as well as a frame having footpads and supports located in different planes that are perpendicular to the engine axis, said frame being made up of at least two welded rod sections. Said sections are fastened to each other by a plane rod joint. The engine pipelines are connected to the combustion chambers and comprise bellows balances or flexible hoses which have their movable ends connected directly to the combustion chambers or to pipes joined thereto. The frame is made demountable due to the use of threaded connections that joint together the frame sections and the plane rod joint. The frame is made as a compensation frame by placing the footpad plane over the support plane. A curved pipe joint comprises a curved pipe, a hinge and a frame. At its end on the outlet side, the pipe is provided with a balance for compensating angular displacements, for instance, a bellows balance with a cardan mechanism. The curved pipe is connected to the frame by a hinge, and its outlet end is gas-tightly connected to the bellows of the balance.

Fluid operated gate valve for use with vacuum equipment

Abstract: A gate valve for use with vacuum equipment is provided in which a gate assembly is opened and closed by a fluid operated device, such as a pneumatic cylinder. The gate assembly is enclosed in a valve housing. The valve housing has aligned openings therein, and the gate assembly is moved reciprocally between the walls and parallel to the planes of the aligned openings therein, to an open position and to a closed position with respect to the openings. The gate assembly comprises two gates which are intercoupled by a bellows, the bellows defining a hermetically sealed pressure vessel with the gates. The gate assembly is coupled to a piston in the pneumatic cylinder by a piston rod. The gate assembly is moved to its closed position when pressurized fluid is introduced to one end of the pneumatic cylinder; and the gate assembly is moved to its open position when pressurized fluid is introduced to the other end of the cylinder. When the gate assembly is moved to its closed position, a valve opens within the pneumatic cylinder, and pressurized fluid from the pneumatic cylinder is caused to enter the pressure vessel between the gates. This pressurized fluid forces the gates against seats mounted on the valve housing around the respective openings therein. Metal seals are provided for the gates, in the form of layers of relatively soft metal around the gates. The valve housing itself may be evacuated to reduce pressure differential across the gate-seat junctions and minimize molecular leakage. Relief grooves are provided adjacent the edges of the gates so that the outer perimeters of the gates are relieved to be deflected when the gates are closed so as to provide a resilient stress on the gate seals. This resilient stress serves to maintain the gates in a sealed condition even in the presence of temperature changes and resulting thermal expansion and contraction.

Gas delivery mask with flexible bellows

Abstract: A gas delivery mask apparatus is provided. The mask apparatus may include a mask body, a face mask, and a bellows. The mask body may include a tube configured to extend upwardly adjacent a subject's forehead. The face mask may be configured to deliver gas to the subject and may include a flexible cushion portion configured to interface with the subject's face and a substantially rigid base portion configured to support the cushion portion. The bellows may be configured to couple the tube with the substantially rigid base portion of the face mask. The bellows may be flexible to allow movement of the face mask relative to the tube.