Modular Hydraulic Device Design for Faster Component Replacement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hydraulic devices with rotating hydraulic agents, such as valve adjusters, peristaltic pumps, or gear pumps, are difficult to repair as they consist of integrated components that require disassembly of all connections for maintenance, leading to increased costs and time for repairs.

Innovation Solution

Designing the hydraulic device with rotatable hydraulic agents, an electric motor drive, and a gearbox where the drive, hydraulic agents, and gears are individual functional units that can be easily disconnected, replaced, and reconnected, allowing for modular repair without needing to replace the entire device.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the hydraulic device is designed as an integrated system with all components permanently connected, then the structural stability and reliability are improved, but the ease of repair deteriorates as all connections must be disassembled for maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidease of repair
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The hydraulic device is divided into separate functional modules (hydraulic means, drive, transmission) that are detachably connected. Each module can be independently removed and replaced without disassembling the entire system, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and ease of repair.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The connection between modules is designed to be dynamically changeable - permanently stable during operation but easily detachable during maintenance. The detachable connection mechanism allows the system to switch between a stable integrated state and a separable maintenance state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the entire hydraulic device is replaced when a component fails, then the reliability is restored, but the loss of time and resources increases due to complete system replacement

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidrepair time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the hydraulic device into independent modules with detachable connections, only the faulty module needs to be replaced rather than the entire system. This significantly reduces repair time and resource consumption while restoring reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The modular design enables selective replacement of only the defective component or module, while the remaining functional modules are recovered and retained for future use, reducing waste and repair time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Ease of repair

If the hydraulic device is designed as a modular system with detachable connections, then the ease of repair is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional connection interfaces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of repairVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The segmentation into modular components with standardized detachable connections improves ease of repair. The additional connection interfaces are minimized and standardized to reduce the complexity increase, creating a balanced design where maintenance benefits outweigh the added structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4534843A1Hydraulic device
Publication Date: 2025.04.09 E G O ELEKTRO GERAETEBAU GMBH
  • EP4534843A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4534843A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4534843A1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A hydraulic system comprises rotatable hydraulic elements such as a valve actuator or a peristaltic pump, an electric motor as a drive, and a gearbox between the drive and the hydraulic elements, wherein the hydraulic elements have at least two water-carrying ports. According to the invention, the drive, hydraulic elements, and gearbox are designed as individual functional units and detachably connected to one another as a complete functional unit in the form of the hydraulic system. The detachable connection is advantageously achieved by means of screws.