Hydraulic Control Block Inserts for Multi-Cylinder Axle Interfaces

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional hydraulic control blocks are inflexible and require a large number of different components due to the variance in hydraulic cylinder designs, leading to significant costs and management challenges in design, production, and maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A hydraulic control block with interchangeable insert parts or adapters that can be tailored to different hydraulic cylinder designs, allowing for a high degree of variance with minimal effort, by providing selective internal hydraulic interfaces that can be tapped and locked for fluidic connection to pressure medium sources and sinks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional hydraulic control blocks are used with fixed orientation and standardized connections, then the control block structure is simple and standardized, but the adaptability to different hydraulic cylinder designs is poor and requires a large number of different components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to different hydraulic cylinder designsVSAvoidnumber of different control block variants
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control block is segmented into a base body and interchangeable insert parts. The insert parts can be exchanged depending on the hydraulic cylinder design, allowing the same base body to adapt to different cylinder configurations without requiring complete control block redesign.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A universal base body design incorporates standardized mounting interfaces and hydraulic connections that can work with multiple hydraulic cylinder types. The insert parts provide the specific adaptations needed for different cylinder designs while the base body remains consistent across applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If individual control block designs are created for each hydraulic cylinder variant, then the adaptability to specific cylinder designs is high, but the design, production, and management costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespecific adaptation to cylinder designVSAvoiddesign and production cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the control block into reusable base body and exchangeable insert parts, the manufacturing complexity is reduced. The base body can be produced in large quantities as a standard component, while only the insert parts need to be varied for different applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of creating entirely new control block designs for each cylinder variant, the solution uses copies of the standardized base body combined with modified insert parts. This approach reuses proven designs and reduces the need for extensive redesign and re-validation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Adaptability or versatility

If the control block is designed to accommodate all possible hydraulic cylinder configurations, then the adaptability is high, but the control block complexity and size increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage of cylinder variantsVSAvoidcontrol block structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The segmentation of the control block into base body and insert parts allows the system to achieve high adaptability without increasing the complexity of the base body. Each insert part is designed for a specific cylinder configuration, keeping individual insert designs simple while providing overall system versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control block system becomes dynamic through the interchangeable insert parts. Rather than being a static, overly complex structure designed to accommodate all possibilities, the system adapts its configuration by swapping insert parts based on the specific hydraulic cylinder being used.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3990790B1Construction kit with hydraulic control block and hydraulic axle
Publication Date: 2024.12.18 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP3990790B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP3990790B1 patent drawingFigure 1c~2a
  • EP3990790B1 patent drawingFigure 2b~2c

AI summary

Disclosed is a hydraulic control block for controlling a pressure medium supply of a hydro-cylinder of an electro- or servo-hydraulic axle, having interior hydraulic interfaces via which piston surfaces of the hydro-cylinder can be fluidically connected to a pressure medium source and/or a pressure medium sink of the axle. Also disclosed is a hydraulic axle therewith and with a hydro-cylinder at least hydraulically connected to the control block.