MOTION SYSTEM APPLICATIONS
Industrial gas springs help in fight against COVID-19 GAS
springs, also called gas dampers, tension springs, gas-pressure springs depending on the setup and context, are compressed-air or oil cylinders that install in motion designs to damp forces and return kinematic linkages and more complicated assemblies to default positions. Gas springs work through a piston on the end of a rod that protrudes from a steel cylinder body; usually compressed gas (often nitrogen) within the cylinder exerts force on this piston to reassume and maintain set positions. Nitrogen is common here because it’s inert and nonflammable. In such designs, oil or grease between the piston and other contacting parts minimize friction. In fact, the small amount of oil in these gas springs serves another function — to further damp and gently decelerate gas springs during full extension or compression. Some setups even include a fine hole in the piston for damping that’s still slower than with other designs; such slow-damper springs are common on safety gates and doors. In contrast, extended-reach gas springs usually leverage telescoping mechanisms pairing multiple cylinders on one rod; then the smaller cylinder extends from within the larger cylinder. Consider one particularly long-stroke application: Passive heave compensators — systems on ships or offshore oil-rig systems that reduce the effect of waves on engineered structures — use gas springs with strokes to many meters long. Still other gas-spring applications include those for medical beds and hoists; industrial equipment such as machine-tool presses; off-highway and automotive equipment for hatches, hoods, and covers; office equipment and furniture; and general strut and support applications. Fast-acting gas springs find use in weaponry and aerospace design.
This is an ACE Controls pull-type gas spring.
58
DESIGN WORLD — MOTION
11 • 2020
motioncontroltips.com
|
designworldonline.com
