2008 Volume 2008 Issue 7-2 Pages 439-442
The purpose of this research is simplifying and downsizing of pneumatic system consisting of many pneumatic actuators. For this purpose a new method of multiplex pneumatic transmission for multi-pneumatic servo system is proposed. The pneumatic valve for this system has a simple structure consisting of two vibrators supported by springs. The working principle of the valve is based on vibrator resonance caused by multiplex pneumatic vibration in air supply line and this makes the valve work as an ON/OFF valve without electric wire or independent pneumatic tubes. Valve control needs superimposed only an air supply tube for its independent control, making this pneumatic system suitable for the system having many degrees of freedom.
Two prototype valves have been developed to confirm the basic function and adapted to the pneumatic system consisting of two pneumatic cylinders. The prototype valve has been designed based on the result of a dynamic simulation and it was confirmed by basic experiments. In the experiment, the independent control for two pneumatic cylinders with prototype valves has been successfully realized.