Patent Publication Number: US-2021162487-A1

Title: Method of manufacturing hydraulic cylinder rod

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation of International Patent Application PCT/KR2019/013797 filed on Oct. 21, 2019, which designates the United States and claims priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0118205 filed on Sep. 25, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates generally to a method of manufacturing a hydraulic cylinder rod. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a hydraulic cylinder rod, the method including the step of deriving an optimal ratio between a metal tube and a composite material round rod when manufacturing a hybrid round rod by inserting the composite material round rod into the metal tube in order to reduce the weight of an existing hydraulic cylinder rod. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A hydraulic cylinder is a core component of construction equipment, heavy equipment, high place operation cars. Recently, the need to develop a lightweight hydraulic cylinder has arisen. 
     If the weight of the hydraulic cylinder is reduced by 30%, the total weight of construction equipment and high place operation cars can be reduced by 6 to 15%, which can improve energy efficiency in equipment operation, and thus the development of lightweight hydraulic cylinders is attracting attention. 
     In order to reduce the weight of such hydraulic cylinders, a cylinder tube and a rod are each entirely or partially made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), which is a high-tech plastic composite material that is attracting attention as a high-strength, high-elasticity, and lightweight structural material. 
     In particular, in the case of a round cylinder rod, a CFRP round rod is inserted into a metal tube, so that the rod is manufactured as a hybrid round rod in which a metal material and CFRP are mixed, thereby realizing weight reduction. 
     However, in order to achieve weight reduction while satisfying a target buckling load in manufacturing the hybrid round rod, it is necessary to calculate an appropriate ratio between metal and CFRP, but research and development on a method of calculating such a ratio is insufficient. 
     Therefore, there is a need to develop a technology capable of presenting an optimal ratio between heterogeneous materials of a hybrid round rod so as to contribute to the development of a lightweight hydraulic cylinder. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present disclosure has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the related art, and an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a method of manufacturing a hydraulic cylinder rod, the method including the step of deriving an optimal ratio between a metal tube and a composite material round rod when preparing a hybrid round rod by inserting the composite material round rod into the metal tube in order to reduce the weight of an existing metal round rod such as a cylinder rod of a hydraulic cylinder, whereby the hybrid round rod is prepared through the step and then a rod eye is coupled to the hybrid round rod to manufacture the hydraulic cylinder rod. 
     In order to achieve the above objective, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacturing a lightweight hydraulic cylinder rod using a hybrid round rod including a metal tube and a composite material round rod provided inside the metal tube, the method including: (a) selecting specifications of the hybrid round rod, selecting a population for the metal tube within a range of the specifications, and calculating a thickness of the metal tube that can reduce a weight of the hybrid round rod in the population to derive an optimal ratio between the metal tube and the composite material round rod; (b) preparing the metal tube and the composite material round rod according to the optimal ratio derived in the step (a) and integrating the metal tube and the composite material round rod together to prepare a lightweight hybrid round rod; and (c) coupling a rod eye to the lightweight hybrid round rod. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the step (a) may include: (a-1) setting a first outer diameter OD 1 , a length L, a set buckling load F, an end condition factor n, and a first safety factor SF 1  of the hybrid round rod, and setting material and modulus of elasticity E of the metal tube; (a-2) selecting a population for a thickness value of the metal tube in a range equal to or less than the first outer diameter OD 1 , and calculating a slenderness ratio using the selected population for the thickness value and the length L to determine a method for calculating a critical buckling load PC of the population for the thickness value; (a-3) calculating the critical buckling load PC for the population for the thickness value and a second safety factor SF 2  using the determined method, and calculating a third safety factor SF 3  closest to the first safety factor SF 1  among calculated second safety factors SF 2 ; and (a-4) deriving the optimal ratio between the metal tube and the composite material round rod by using, as an optimal thickness, the thickness of the metal tube that can reduce the weight of the hybrid round rod among thickness values of the metal tube in the population for the thickness value, the thickness values corresponding to the third safety factor SF 3 . 
     According to another preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the population for the thickness value of the metal tube in the step (a-2) may be formed by selecting the first outer diameter OD 1  as a value of an outer diameter ODm of the metal tube, and selecting at least one of values in a range equal to or less than the selected value of the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube as a value of an inner diameter IDm of the metal tube. 
     According to still another preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the method for calculating the critical buckling load PC of the metal tube in the step (a-2) may use either Rankine&#39;s method or Eulers method according to the calculated slenderness ratio. 
     According to yet another preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the step (a-4) may be performed by calculating an outer diameter ODc of the composite material round rod from the optimal thickness of the metal tube, and calculating a ratio of the composite material round rod by using the calculated outer diameter ODc of the composite material round rod and an outer diameter ODm of the metal tube. 
     As described above, according to the present disclosure, the following effects can be expected. 
     As it is possible to derive the optimal ratio between heterogeneous materials that can realize weight reduction while satisfying a target buckling load when manufacturing a hybrid round rod, it is possible to contribute to reduction of the weight of metal round rods and the weight of related apparatuses. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a hybrid round rod according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a hydraulic cylinder rod according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a table illustrating data calculated by selecting values of an outer diameter ODm and an inner diameter IDm of a metal tube as a population of Example 1. 
         FIG. 4  is a table illustrating the results according to Example 1 of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a table illustrating data calculated by selecting values of an outer diameter ODm and an inner diameter IDm of a metal tube as a population of Example 2. 
         FIG. 6  is a table illustrating the results according to Example 2 of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is a view illustrating a step in which a rod eye is coupled to an end of the lightweight hybrid round rod according to the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a hybrid round rod  100  according to the present disclosure includes a metal tube  200  and a composite material round rod  300  inserted and fixed inside the metal tube  200 , and an outer diameter OD 1  of the hybrid round rod  100  includes a thickness ODm-IDm of the metal tube  200  and an outer diameter ODc of the composite material round rod  300 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2  in conjunction with the above-described drawing, a method of manufacturing a rod of a lightweight hydraulic cylinder with the hybrid round rod  100  including the metal tube  200  and the composite material round rod  300  includes the following steps. 
     First, step (a) is performed, in which specifications of the hybrid round rod  100  are selected, a population for the metal tube  200  is selected within the range of the specifications, and a thickness of the metal tube  200  that can reduce the weight of the hybrid round rod  100  is calculated in the population to derive an optimal ratio between the metal tube  200  and the composite material round rod  300 . 
     Next, a step, in which the metal tube  200  and the composite material round rod  300  are prepared according to the optimal ratio derived in step (a) and integrated together to prepare a lightweight hybrid round rod  100 , is performed. 
     Subsequently, a step, in which a rod eye is coupled to the lightweight hybrid round rod  100 , is performed to manufacture a lightweight hydraulic cylinder rod. 
     Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Prior to the description, advantages and features of the present disclosure and methods of achieving the advantages and features will be clear with reference to embodiments described in detail below when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Terms used in this specification are for the purpose of describing the embodiments and thus should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure, and it is noted that the singular forms are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Further, in the description, a term indicating the direction is for aiding understanding of the description and can be changed according to the viewpoint. 
     The present disclosure is to provide a method of manufacturing a hydraulic cylinder rod, the method including the step of deriving an optimal ratio between a metal tube and a composite material round rod when preparing a hybrid round rod by inserting the composite material round rod into the metal tube in order to reduce the weight of an existing metal round rod such as a cylinder rod of a hydraulic cylinder, whereby the hybrid round rod is prepared through the step and then a rod eye is coupled to the hybrid round rod to manufacture the hydraulic cylinder rod. 
     In deriving the optimal ratio between the metal tube and the composite material round rod according to the present disclosure, it is noted that the physical properties of the composite material round rod and the numerical values for strength against buckling are presented for reference only as data obtained from the results of a buckling test performed on a hybrid round rod composed of a metal tube and a composite material round rod. It is also noted that the units of weight and length are kg and mm unless otherwise specified. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a hybrid round rod  100  according to the present disclosure includes a metal tube  200  and a composite material round rod  300  inserted and fixed inside the metal tube  200 , and an outer diameter OD 1  of the hybrid round rod  100  includes a thickness ODm-IDm of the metal tube  200  and an outer diameter ODc of the composite material round rod  300 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2  in conjunction with the above-described drawing, a method of manufacturing a rod of a lightweight hydraulic cylinder with the hybrid round rod  100  including the metal tube  200  and the composite material round rod  300  includes steps (a), (b), and (c). 
     Step (a) is a step in which specifications of the hybrid round rod  100  and the metal tube  200  included in the hybrid round rod  100 , such as physical properties and dimensions such as length, are selected, a population for the metal tube  200  is selected within the range of the specifications, and a thickness of the metal tube  200  that can reduce the weight of the hybrid round rod  100  while satisfying the specifications thereof is calculated to derive an optimal ratio between the metal tube  200  and the composite material round rod  300 . 
     This step (a) includes steps (a-1), (a-2), (a-3) and (a-4). 
     First, step (a-1) is a step in which a first outer diameter OD 1 , which is a set outer diameter, a length L, a set buckling load F, an end condition factor n, and a first safety factor SF 1 , which is a set safety factor, of the hybrid round rod  100  are set, and specifications such as material, modulus of elasticity E, and density of the metal tube  200  are set. 
     In other words, in step (a), data for deriving the optimal ratio of the composite material round rod  300  is calculated by setting specifications of each of the hybrid round rod  100  and the metal tube  200 . 
     Next, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , step (a-2) is a step in which a population for a thickness value of the metal tube  200  is selected in the range equal to or less than the first outer diameter OD 1 , and a slenderness ratio A is calculated using the selected population for the thickness value and the length L to determine a method for calculating a critical buckling load PC of the population for the thickness value. 
     In the population for the thickness value of the metal tube  200 , one of values in the range equal to or less than the first outer diameter OD 1  is selected as a value of an outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200 . Here, the first outer diameter OD 1  which is the set outer diameter of the hybrid round rod  100  and the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200  are selected to be the same. 
     The population for the thickness value of the metal tube  200  is formed by selecting values in the range equal to or less than the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200  as values of an inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200  and selecting a plurality of values of the inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200  for the selected value of the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200 . 
     Here, the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200  is a value of the first outer diameter OD 1 , which is the set outer diameter of the hybrid round rod  100 , and when the first outer diameter OD 1  is 30 mm, may be equal to this value. In addition, the inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200  includes values in the range equal to or less than the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200 , and may include all length values of equal to or less than 30 mm. 
     In step (a-2), the slenderness ratio A is calculated by Formula 1 below using the length L, the values of the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200 , and the values of the inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200 , and the method for calculating the critical buckling load PC of the metal tube  200  according to each of the respective calculated values of the slenderness ratio A is determined. 
     In other words, when each of the calculated values of the slenderness ratio A falls within the range of Formula 2, the critical buckling load PC of the metal tube  200  is calculated using Rankine&#39;s method as in Formula 4, and when each of the values of the slenderness ratio A falls within the range of Formula 3, the critical buckling load PC of the metal tube  200  is calculated using Euler&#39;s method as in Formula 5. 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
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     Subsequently, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , step (a-3) is a step in which in which the critical buckling load PC, and a second safety factor SF 2  of the metal tube  200  are calculated using the determined method for calculating the critical buckling load PC and each of the values of the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200  and values of the inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200  selected from the population for the thickness value, and a third safety factor SF 3  of the metal tube  200  closest to the first safety factor SF 1  among the calculated respective second safety factors SF 2  is calculated. 
     Here, each of the second safety factors SF 2  is a value calculated for the length L and each of the values of the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200  and values of the inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200  selected from the population for the thickness value, and the third safety factor SF 2  is a value closest to the first safety factor SF 1  among the calculated second safety factors SF 2 . 
     Here, if the calculated value of the slenderness ratio A falls within the range to which the Euler&#39;s method should be applied and thus the critical buckling load PC is calculated using Euler&#39;s method, the value of the slenderness ratio A may fall within the range to which Rankine&#39;s method should be applied in the course of gradually decreasing the values of the inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200 . In this case, a value of the critical buckling load PC calculated using Euler&#39;s method and a value of the critical buckling load PC calculated using Rankine&#39;s method cannot be organically linked because these values are for hybrid round rods of different structures under the structural boundary conditions of the hybrid round rods. Therefore, if the critical buckling load PC is calculated using Euler&#39;s method and is calculated using Rankine&#39;s method as the values of the inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200  are gradually decreased, the critical buckling load PC calculated using Rankine&#39;s method should be interpreted separately from the critical buckling load PC calculated using Euler&#39;s method. 
     Next, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , step (d) is a step in which the optimal ratio between the metal tube  200  and the composite material round rod  300  is derived by using the thickness that can reduce the weight of the hybrid round rod  100  among thickness values of the metal tube  200  [values of the outer diameter ODm and values of the inner diameter IDm] selected from the population for the thickness value, the thickness values corresponding to the third safety factor SF 3 . 
     In step (a-4), as described above, since the present disclosure is for calculating the optimal ratio between the metal tube  200  and the composite material round rod  300  for weight reduction without taking into account the physical properties of the composite material round rod  300  and its strength against buckling, a thickness Tm of the metal tube  200  that satisfies the first safety factor SF 1  can be derived by using values of the outer diameter ODm and inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200  corresponding to the third safety factor SF 3 . 
     Therefore, the outer diameter ODc of the composite material round rod  300  is calculated using the value of the inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200  from the thickness Tm of the metal tube  200  that satisfies the first safety factor SF 1 , and the optimal ratio of the composite material round rod  300  to the hybrid round rod  100  is calculated by Equation 6 below using the calculated outer diameter ODc of the composite material round rod  300 . 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
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                   = 
                   
                     
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                       ODm 
                     
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     Next, step (b) is a step in which the metal tube  200  and the composite material round rod  300  are prepared according to the optimal ratio derived in step (a-4) and integrated together to prepare a lightweight hybrid round rod  100 . 
     In this step (b), the composite material round rod  300  is integrated into the prepared metal tube  200  by a bonding method. On the other hand, the metal tube  200  may be uniformly heated in the entire area while being rotated to thermally expand the inner diameter thereof to a dimension greater than the outer diameter of the composite material round rod  300 , and in this state, the composite material round rod  300  is shrink-fitted into the metal tube  200 , followed by cooling to integrate the metal tube  200  and the composite material round rod  300 . 
     Finally, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , step (c) is a step in which a rod eye  400  is coupled to an end of the hybrid round rod  100  prepared in step (b). 
     In the above-described step (b) before step (c), the metal tube  200  and the composite material round rod  300  may be integrated so that a side of the metal tube  200  is formed to be relatively longer than the length of the composite material round rod  300  to thereby provide a space defined by a length difference. The length difference between the metal tube  200  and the composite material round rod  300  may be determined within a range that satisfies a selected safety factor of the hybrid round rod  100  while satisfying the derived optimal ratio of the composite material round rod  300 . The rod eye  400  includes a head  410  and a protrusion  420  screwed to an inner circumferential surface of the metal tube  200  in the space, so that the rod eye  400  is coupled to the end of the hybrid round rod  100  to complete a hydraulic cylinder rod. 
     Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of a method of deriving an optimal ratio in step (a) will be described to help the understanding of present disclosure. 
     Example 1 
     In Example 1, setting conditions fora hybrid round rod  100  were as follows: length L: 850 mm, outer diameter OD 1 : 30 mm, set applied load F: 4,000 kgf, end condition factor n: 1 (pinned-pinned), and set safety factor SF 1 : 2.5. 
     In addition, setting conditions for a metal tube  200  were as follows: material: SM45C, modulus of elasticity E: 21,000 kgf/mm 2 , and density: 7.85 kgf/mm 2 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , in Example 1, under the above setting conditions, 30 mm was selected as a value of an outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200 , and 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 17, 18, and 21 mm were selected as values of an inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200  for the value of the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200 . 
     As a result of calculating a slenderness ratio A using the selected value of the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200  and each of the selected values of the inner diameter IDm thereof and then calculating a critical buckling load PC and a second safety factor SF 2  using Euler&#39;s method, it could be found that when the inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200  was 17 mm, the second safety factor SF 2  was 2.557, which was the closest to the first safety factor SF 1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4  in conjunction with the above, when the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200  was 30 mm, since the second safety factor SF 2  was the closest to the first safety factor SF 1 , which was the set safety factor, when the inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200  was 17 mm, a thickness Tm of the metal tube  200  was 6.5 mm (13 mm/2), an outer diameter ODc of a composite material round rod  300  was 17 mm, and the ratio of the composite material round rod  300  in the hybrid round rod  100  was 56.7%. In addition, the weight of the metal tube  200  was calculated as 3.2 kg, the weight of the composite material round rod  300  was calculated as 0.3 kg assuming that the composite material was CFRP, and the total weight of the hybrid round rod  100  was calculated as 3.5 kg. Here, the weight of a metal tube having an outer diameter of 30 mm, rather than the hybrid round rod  100 , was calculated as 4.7 kg, and thus the weight could be reduced by 1.2 kg when manufacturing the hybrid round rod  100  according to the present disclosure. 
     Example 2 
     In Example 2, setting conditions fora hybrid round rod  100  were as follows: length L: 650 mm, outer diameter OD 1 : 30 mm, set applied load F: 4,000 kgf, end condition factor n: 1 (pinned-pinned), and set safety factor SF 1 : 2.5. 
     In addition, setting conditions for a metal tube  200  were as follows: material: SM45C, modulus of elasticity E: 21,000 kgf/mm 2 , and density: 7.85 kgf/mm 2 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , in Example 2, under the above setting conditions, 30 mm was selected as a value of an outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200 , and 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, and 27 mm were selected as values of an inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200  for the value of the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200 . 
     As a result of calculating a slenderness ratio A using the selected value of the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200  and each of the selected values of the inner diameter IDm thereof and then calculating a critical buckling load PC and a second safety factor SF 2  using Rankine&#39;s method, it could be found that when the inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200  was 19 mm, the second safety factor SF 2  was 2.503, which was the closest to the first safety factor SF 1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6  in conjunction with the above, when the outer diameter ODm of the metal tube  200  was 30 mm, since the second safety factor SF 2  was the closest to the first safety factor SF 1 , which was the set safety factor, when the inner diameter IDm of the metal tube  200  was 19 mm, a thickness Tm of the metal tube  200  was 5.5 mm (11 mm/2), an outer diameter ODc of a composite material round rod  300  was 19 mm, and the ratio of the composite material round rod  300  in the hybrid round rod  100  was 63.3%. In addition, the weight of the metal tube  200  was calculated as 2.2 kg, the weight of the composite material round rod  300  was calculated as 0.3 kg assuming that the composite material was CFRP, and the total weight of the hybrid round rod  100  was calculated as 2.5 kg. Here, the weight of a metal tube having an outer diameter of 30 mm, rather than the hybrid round rod  100 , was calculated as 3.6 kg, and thus the weight could be reduced by 1.1 kg when manufacturing the hybrid round rod  100  according to the present disclosure. 
     The above description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be merely illustrative of the present disclosure, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions, and substitutions are possible, without departing from the essential characteristics of the present disclosure. Further, the exemplary embodiments described herein and the accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, and the technical idea of the present disclosure is not limited by the exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings. The scope of protection sought by the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and all equivalents thereof are construed to be within the true scope of the present disclosure. 
     According to the present disclosure, by implementing weight reduction of hydraulic cylinder-related devices, there is an effect of contributing to improving energy efficiency in the use of fossil fuels, and further to preventing environmental pollution.