Hydraulic Torque Impulse Generator By-Pass Valve Timing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing torque impulse generators have a low impulse rate due to delayed acceleration caused by residual pressure in the high pressure compartment, which reduces the efficiency of torque impulse generation, as pressure-activated by-pass valves either allow fluid communication too early or too late, impairing pulse pressure and acceleration.
Innovation Solution
A torque impulse generator with a motor-driven drive cylinder and an output shaft featuring radially movable sealing elements and cam profiles to create high and low pressure compartments, along with a pressure-independent by-pass valve controlled by the rotational position of the drive cylinder, ensuring quick pressure release after each impulse through a control spindle with lost motion coupling and cam projections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If leakage clearances are widened between the sealing element and the cylinder to shorten the stop phases, then the impulse rate is increased, but the high pressure pulses are severely reduced in magnitude, limiting the efficiency of the impulse generator
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pressure release function from the leakage clearances and implements it through a dedicated by-pass valve. This valve actively opens to release residual pressure from the high pressure compartment after impulse delivery, separating the pressure containment function (during impulse generation) from the pressure release function (after impulse delivery). This allows maintaining tight sealing during impulse generation while enabling rapid pressure release afterward, thus increasing impulse rate without sacrificing pressure pulse magnitude.
2Productivity
If a pressure-activated by-pass valve is used to open the by-pass connection, then the impulse rate is increased, but the valve opens too early during pressure build-up or too late after pressure decrease, impairing pulse pressure and acceleration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pressure-activated valve mechanism with a mechanically actuated valve controlled by a cam-follower system. The cam profile on the drive cylinder directly controls the valve opening timing through mechanical motion, eliminating the delay and imprecision inherent in pressure-activated systems. The cam mechanism ensures the valve opens at the exact desired moment (after impulse delivery) and closes at the precise moment (before next impulse), providing accurate timing control independent of pressure fluctuations.
3Power
If the drive cylinder is continuously accelerated by the motor, then the kinetic energy for the next impulse is maintained, but the residual pressure in the high pressure compartment hinders acceleration and delays the next impulse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the residual pressure from the high pressure compartment using an actively controlled by-pass valve that opens after impulse delivery. This removes the hindering pressure that would otherwise delay the drive cylinder's acceleration for the next impulse. By actively releasing the pressure rather than relying on slow leakage, the system maintains continuous motor power application while eliminating the time delay caused by residual pressure, thus reducing loss of time before the next impulse.
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 solution increases the impulse rate without reducing the magnitude of the torque impulses by ensuring the by-pass valve opens immediately after pressure peak, allowing rapid cylinder acceleration and maintaining high impulse efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a by-pass passage is provided to communicate fluid between the high pressure compartment and the low pressure compartment
Implementation Method 2
cam profiles arranged to displace said at least one seal element from an idling position to a high pressure pulse generating position
Implementation Method 3
intermittently dividing the hydraulic chamber into a high pressure compartment and a low pressure compartment to thereby generate a torque impulse
Data Source
AI summary
A hydraulic torque impulse generator includes a drive cylinder with a hydraulic fluid chamber, an output shaft with an impulse receiving portion connected to a radially movable seal element and intermittently dividing the hydraulic fluid chamber into high and low pressure compartments, and cam profiles which can displace the seal element from an idling position to a high pressure pulse generating position. A by-pass passage communicates fluid between the high and low pressure compartments, and a valve element movable between closed and open positions controls the fluid flow. The valve element is closed during pressure build-up in the high pressure compartment and opens when a high pressure pulse is completed, and is part of a control spindle coupled to the drive cylinder. The control spindle rotates through an angular play by inherent kinetic energy at an abrupt stop of the drive cylinder at the generation of each high pressure pulse.