Hydraulic Grapple Flow Control to Cut Relief Valve Energy Loss

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing revolving hydraulic circuit wastefully consumes hydraulic energy by exhausting a part of the hydraulic oil to a hydraulic oil tank during the acceleration of the revolving oil pressure motor.

Innovation Solution

A working machine is equipped with a pump state detector that reduces the flow rate of hydraulic oil to the hydraulic actuator when a predetermined state is detected, utilizing a controller to manage the flow rate and prevent excessive discharge through the relief valve.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the revolving hydraulic circuit exhausts a part of hydraulic oil to the hydraulic oil tank during acceleration of the revolving hydraulic motor, then the hydraulic motor can be accelerated, but hydraulic energy is wastefully consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacceleration speed of revolving hydraulic motorVSAvoidhydraulic energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent recovers hydraulic energy by redirecting oil from the relief valve through a recovery line back to the hydraulic motor, converting what would be wasted energy into useful work that continues to drive the motor during acceleration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful effect of relief valve discharge (energy waste) into a beneficial effect by using the discharged oil to further drive the hydraulic motor through the recovery line, transforming waste energy into useful propulsion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Stress or pressure

If a relief valve is used to discharge hydraulic oil during actuator operation, then pressure control is achieved, but the amount of hydraulic oil discharged increases energy waste

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehydraulic pressure controlVSAvoidenergy waste from oil discharge

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the harmful discharge of hydraulic oil from the relief valve into a beneficial resource by routing it through the recovery line back to the hydraulic motor, converting waste energy into useful work

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent recovers the hydraulic oil that would otherwise be discarded to the tank by creating a recovery line that redirects it back to the motor, maintaining pressure control while eliminating energy waste

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentEP3219857B1Work machine

Publication Date: 2023.06.28 SUMITOMO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY

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AI summary

An grapple (6), an arm (5) that supports the grapple (6), a boom (6) that supports the arm (5), an upper revolving body (3) that supports the boom (6), a lower traveling body (1) that mounts the upper revolving body (3) in a rotatable state, a main pump (14L) that supplies a hydraulic oil to a grapple opening/closing cylinder (10), a pressure sensor (S2L) that detects a discharge pressure of the main pump (14L), a controller (30) that reduces a flow rate of the hydraulic oil toward the grapple opening/closing cylinder (10) from the main pump (14L) when the discharge pressure detected by the pressure sensor (S2L) exceeds a predetermined pressure (TH1), are included.