Meterless Hydraulic System With Parallel Variable-Area Actuators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hydraulic systems face inefficiencies due to fluid restriction for speed control, and existing meterless systems lack independent control of multiple actuators connected to the same pump, affecting simultaneous movement.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic system incorporating a pump connected to a first actuator in a meterless circuit with a second actuator in parallel, featuring a variable-area linear actuator and switching valves for independent control, allowing simultaneous and independent operation of multiple actuators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If fluid restriction is used to control actuator speed in a conventional hydraulic system, then speed control is achieved, but flow losses occur that reduce overall system efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the throttling valves (fluid restriction devices) from the hydraulic system and replaces them with a pump control mechanism. The pump's displacement is varied to directly control the flow rate to the actuator, eliminating the energy-wasting throttling process while maintaining speed control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the control parameter from flow restriction (valve opening) to pump displacement. By varying the pump's displacement parameter, the system directly controls the flow rate and actuator speed without creating the pressure drops and energy losses associated with throttling valves.
2Device complexity
If a single pump is connected to multiple actuators in a meterless hydraulic system, then the number of pumps is reduced, but independent control of each actuator is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the flow control for each actuator by providing individual displacement control mechanisms for each pump (or for the single pump serving multiple actuators). This allows the total pump displacement to be divided and allocated independently to each actuator, enabling simultaneous independent control while using fewer pumps.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic displacement control where the pump's displacement can be continuously adjusted during operation. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to vary flow distribution to multiple actuators in real-time, maintaining independent control authority despite using a reduced number of pumps.
Data Source
AI summary
A hydraulic system is disclosed. The hydraulic system may have a pump, a first actuator, and a meterless circuit connecting the first actuator to the pump. The hydraulic system may also have a second actuator connected to the meterless circuit in parallel with the first actuator. The second actuator may be a variable-area linear actuator.