Dual-Chamber Hand Pump for Intuitive Emergency Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic steering systems face complexity and risk of incorrect operation when attempting to manually control a steering cylinder with two pressure-covered work rooms, especially in emergency situations where the pressure supply unit has failed.
Innovation Solution
A pump with two separate pump rooms and associated pumping elements, each connected to one of the work rooms of the hydraulic cylinder, allowing for intuitive operation by controlling the pumping elements via a common actuating element, thereby eliminating the need for additional switching valves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single pump chamber with changeover valve is used to control a double-acting hydraulic cylinder, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to risk of incorrect operation and complicated emergency procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is divided into two separate pump chambers (first pump chamber and second pump chamber), each with its own pump element (first pump element and second pump element). Each pump chamber is independently connected to one working chamber of the hydraulic cylinder, eliminating the need for changeover valves and enabling direct, intuitive control where each pump element corresponds to a specific steering direction.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional discharge valves and changeover valves are added to enable bidirectional control of the hydraulic cylinder, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is segmented into two independent pumping units (first pump chamber with first pump element, second pump chamber with second pump element), where each unit is dedicated to pressurizing one working chamber of the hydraulic cylinder. This segmentation enables bidirectional control capability while minimizing valve requirements, as each pump element directly controls fluid flow to its associated working chamber without requiring changeover or discharge valves.
3Reliability
If a manually operated emergency pump with changeover valve is used, then the reliability is improved for emergency steering, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to complicated manual control procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The emergency pump is designed with two separate pump chambers and pump elements that can be independently actuated. Each pump element is directly connected to one working chamber of the steering cylinder, allowing the operator to manually actuate the appropriate pump element based on the desired steering direction without needing to operate changeover valves or follow complex procedures, thereby maintaining reliability while simplifying manual control.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump system enables self-service operation during emergencies by providing direct manual actuation of pump elements that correspond to specific steering directions. The operator can independently control each pump element without requiring complex valve operations or external assistance, making the emergency steering function intuitive and easy to perform under stress.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables simple, intuitive, and error-free operation of the hand pump, allowing for effective emergency control of hydraulic steering systems without the risk of incorrect operation or the need for additional valves.
Implementation Method 1
each of the two pump chambers has a pressure connection to be connected to one of the working chambers of the hydraulic cylinder to be actuated
Implementation Method 2
when the actuating element is deflected in a first direction, only a first of the two pump elements is actuated, and when deflected in a second direction, only the second of the two pump elements is actuated
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A pump (10) for a hydraulic cylinder with two pressurizable working chambers, in particular for a steering cylinder (30). The pump (10) has two pump chambers (11a, 11b), each with a movable pump element (12a, 12b) within its respective pump chamber (11a, 11b), and an actuating element (14) for controlling the pump elements. Each of the two pump chambers has a pressure connection to which it can be connected to one of the working chambers (32a, 32b) of the hydraulic cylinder to be actuated. The actuating element is operatively connected to the two pump elements in such a way that when the actuating element is deflected in a first direction, only the first of the two pump elements is actuated, and when it is deflected in a second direction, only the second of the pump elements is actuated.