Integrated Hydraulic Control Unit With Fewer Flow Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic control units are burdened by high weight, numerous flow paths, which lead to contamination, flow restrictions, increased machining costs, and slower response times due to drillings and complex sealing requirements.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic control unit with an integral housing, a central accumulator, a pump, and a controllable valve, featuring fewer flow paths and direct fluid connections, minimizing leak points and machining complexity, and utilizing a gear pump and motor assembly for efficient fluid management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional hydraulic control units use multiple drillings and flow paths, then fluid connectivity is achieved, but contamination from burrs and particulate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the pump, accumulator, valve, and flow paths into a single integrated housing assembly. This merging of components reduces the number of separate drillings and flow paths needed, thereby minimizing contamination sources from burrs and particulate while maintaining fluid connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated housing serves multiple functions: it houses the pump, accumulator, valve, and provides fluid flow paths simultaneously. This multi-functionality reduces the overall component count and eliminates the need for separate drillings for each function, improving fluid cleanliness.
2Speed
If traditional hydraulic control units have numerous flow paths, then fluid distribution is achieved, but response time decreases due to flow restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple flow paths into fewer, larger bore passages within the integrated housing. This reduces flow restrictions and eliminates tortuous flow paths, thereby improving response time while distributing fluid to all necessary components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a three-dimensional integrated housing design that allows fluid flow paths to be routed through the housing structure itself rather than through multiple drillings. This dimensional approach creates more direct flow paths with fewer restrictions, improving response time.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional hydraulic control units use multiple drillings, then component connectivity is achieved, but machining cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple components and flow paths into a single housing structure that can be manufactured as one piece or pre-assembled unit. This eliminates the need for multiple separate drillings and assembly operations, significantly reducing machining costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the housing with integrated flow paths and mounting features that are formed during the initial manufacturing process rather than requiring subsequent drillings and modifications. This preliminary action reduces overall machining requirements and costs.
4Reliability
If traditional hydraulic control units have numerous flow paths, then fluid connectivity is achieved, but part count for sealing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the pump, accumulator, valve, and flow paths into a single housing assembly with minimized leak paths. This merging reduces the number of interfaces and sealing surfaces required, thereby reducing part count while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent eliminates unnecessary flow paths and intermediate components that would require additional seals. By extracting only the essential flow paths needed for functionality, the design reduces the number of sealing requirements while maintaining fluid connectivity.
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
The solution reduces weight, machining costs, and response time improvements by minimizing flow restrictions and part counts, while enhancing space efficiency and reducing contamination risks.
Implementation Method 1
a pump (400) connected to the accumulator (200) via the first flow path (21)
Implementation Method 2
a controllable valve (500) connected to the accumulator (200) via the second flow path (22)
Implementation Method 3
a central accumulator (200) having an inlet area (211) and an outlet area (212)
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A hydraulic control unit comprising a central accumulator, a flow path connected to the accumulator, a reservoir sharing a fluid space with the accumulator, a pump, and a controllable valve. The flow path is integrally formed to comprise a first flow path and a second flow path. The pump is connected to the accumulator via the first flow path on a first side of the accumulator. The pump is further connected to the reservoir via an inlet flow path on the first side of the accumulator. The controllable valve is connected to the accumulator via the second flow path on a second side of the accumulator.