Fabric fluid-powered cylinder

摘要

A fluid-powered cylinder for displacing an object with respect to a support surface is disclosed. The fluid-power cylinder includes a fabric enclosure having ends fastened to two end caps and forming an expandable and contractible chamber therein. The chamber has a port for selectively disposing an incompressible fluid in the chamber. The chamber is adapted to displace the object to a first position with respect to the support surface and to displace the object to a second position with respect to the support surface.

主权项

1. An apparatus for displacing an object with respect to a support surface, the apparatus comprising:
a first end cap assembly adapted to abut the support surface; a second end cap assembly adapted to displace the object; a fabric enclosure comprising ends fastened to the first and second end cap assemblies and forming a chamber; the chamber comprising a port for selectively disposing an incompressible fluid in the chamber; the chamber being extendable to displace the object to a first position with respect to the support surface and collapsible to displace the object to a second position with respect to the support surface; and at least one of the first and second end cap assemblies comprising:
a collet collar comprising an inner surface tapering in from the end of the enclosure;a collet plug comprising an outer surface tapering in from the end of the enclosure;wherein the collet collar is placed around and secured to the end of the enclosure;wherein the collet plug is inserted inside the end of the enclosure and within the collet collar such that the enclosure is gripped between the collet collar inner surface and the collet plug outer surface at a location spatially separate from where the enclosure is secured to the collet collar; andwherein increased pressure within the enclosure acting on the collet collar causes the enclosure to be gripped increasingly tighter between the collet collar and the collet plug.