Patent Application
20140332244
The present disclosure generally relates to an enclosure. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an enclosure for housing a power cell of a hydraulic hammer
Typically, enclosures for a power hammer are made from casting a metal alloy into several pieces and assembling such individually casted pieces in an assembly line. For reference, U.S. Publication No. 2002/0190092 discloses a method for manufacturing a protective cover for a breaking apparatus. The protective cover is formed from two elongated cover parts having a substantially L-shaped cross section; wherein the longitudinal edge portions of the cover parts are arranged together, thus forming a tubular structure having a rectangular cross section.
The configuration of such piece-wise manufacturing and assembly processes may require several complexities to be factored in forming the enclosure. The complexities may vary depending on the type of hydraulic hammer, and/or specific requirements of an application in which the hydraulic hammer is used. Moreover, some of the complexities may be intrinsic to the manufacturing and assembly processes itself and may additionally depend on design constraints of the hydraulic hammer.
The complexities typically encountered in piece-wise casting of the enclosure and assembly thereof may include dimensioning of the molds required to cast each component; providing tolerances in the molds corresponding to each of the components; locating pins, cores, and gates in the molds corresponding to holes and/or other interfitting features in the structure of the enclosure. Moreover, some of the holes and/or other interfitting features from adjacently positioned components in the enclosure may need to register with one another, and hence, require precision in the alignment of the pins, cores, and gates provided in the molds. Therefore, the piece-wise casting of components may be expensive. Moreover, the assembly of such individually cast components with one another to form the enclosure may be expensive besides being tedious or laborious to a manufacturer.
Hence, there is a need for a cost-effective yet simplified structure of the enclosure that overcomes the aforementioned shortcomings Additionally, there is a need for a cost-effective yet simplified method of producing such an enclosure.
In an aspect of the present disclosure, an enclosure for housing a power cell of a hydraulic hammer includes a single-piece hollow elongated body that is formed from casting. The body includes a top flange that defines a central opening, and a plurality of apertures located about the central opening. The central opening is configured to receive the power cell therethrough. The apertures are configured to receive one or more fasteners therein and allow attachment of the top flange with an adjacent higher assembly.
The enclosure further includes a polyhedral mid-portion that is integrally formed with the top flange. The polyhedral mid-portion includes a plurality of sidewalls that are configured to depend downwardly from the top flange. Each of the sidewalls includes an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein an area enclosed between the lower portions of the sidewalls is less than an area enclosed between the upper portions of the sidewalls.
Moreover, the polyhedral mid-portion includes an end wall that is integrally formed with and located at a bottom end of the sidewalls. The end wall defines a recess that is disposed in communication with the central opening of the top flange. The recess is configured to allow insertion of a pecking tool at least partway therethrough.
Further, the lower portion of at least one sidewall defines a first sealing aperture, and a second sealing aperture. The first sealing aperture is disposed in a lateral relation to the recess. The first sealing aperture is configured to allow access to a locking pin associated with the pecking tool. The second sealing aperture is located above the first sealing aperture. The second sealing aperture is configured to allow access to the power cell. Additionally, the upper portion of at least one pair of mutually opposing sidewalls defines a pair of arcuate openings thereon, the arcuate openings being disposed adjacent to an underside of the top flange.
The enclosure further includes a resilient cover that is releasably engaged with the hollow elongated body and disposed within the pair of arcuate openings. The resilient cover includes a first portion that is configured to cover a top portion of the arcuate opening. The first portion defines a plurality of incised members that are configured to flexibly allow insertion of a hose for coupling with the power cell.
The resilient cover further includes a second portion that is laterally disposed to the first portion and also depends downwardly therefrom. The second portion is configured to flexibly cover a bottom portion of the arcuate opening and allow access to at least one of the hose and the power cell.
The enclosure further includes a plurality of deformable plugs that are disposed in releasable engagement with the hollow elongated body. Each of the plugs is located at the first sealing aperture and the second sealing aperture respectively. Each of the plugs includes one or more resilient members. These resilient members are configured to co-operate with interfitting features that are defined by the hollow elongated body and located adjacent to the first and second sealing apertures.
Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.
Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to same or like parts. Moreover, references to various elements described herein are made collectively or individually when there may be more than one element of the same type. However, such references are merely exemplary in nature. It may be noted that any reference to elements in the singular is also to be construed to relate to the plural and vice-versa without limiting the scope of the disclosure to the exact number or type of such elements unless set forth explicitly in the appended claims.
In the illustrated embodiment of
As shown in
Referring to
As shown, the enclosure 112 includes a single-piece hollow elongated body 116 (hereinafter simply referred to as ‘body’ and designated by the same numeral ‘116’) that is formed from casting. The body 116 includes a top flange 118 that defines a central opening, and a plurality of apertures 120 located about the central opening. The central opening is configured to receive the power cell 114 therethrough. The apertures 120 are configured to receive one or more fasteners 122 therein so as to allow attachment of the body 116 with the pivoting bracket 110.
The body 116 further includes a polyhedral mid-portion 124 (hereinafter simply referred to as ‘mid-portion’ and designated by the same reference numeral ‘124’) that is integrally formed with the top flange 118. The polyhedral mid-portion 124 includes a plurality of sidewalls 126 (four sidewalls shown in the embodiment of
Referring to
With continued reference to
The second sealing aperture 144 is located above the first sealing aperture 142. The second sealing aperture 144 is configured to allow access to the power cell 114. Specifically, the second sealing aperture 144 is configured to allow access to a low pressure nitrogen (N2) port 152 provided on the power cell 114.
Although one first sealing aperture 142 and one second sealing aperture 144 is disclosed herein, it should be noted that a number of sealing apertures is non-limiting of this disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment of
Similarly, with continued reference to
Referring to
At least two plugs 154, 156 are provided to be co-located with the first sealing aperture 142 and the second sealing aperture 144 respectively, i.e., the first sealing aperture 142 and the second sealing aperture 144 located at sidewalls 126A, 126B. Each of the two plugs 154, 156 includes one or more resilient members 158 (See
The plugs 154, 156, disclosed herein, may be configured to have similar or dissimilar sizes depending on the sizes of the associated apertures 142, 148, and 144. However, it can be beneficially contemplated to form the first and second sealing apertures 142, 148, and 144 to substantially similar sizes so that the plugs 154, 156 can be made to a uniform size. Such a configuration may allow manufacturers of hydraulic hammers to accomplish an interchangeable fitment of the plugs 154, 156 onto the apertures 142, 148, and 144 without much concern. Moreover, it is envisioned that such similar sizing of the plugs 154, 156 can allow manufacturers to employ less tooling and hence, entail less manufacturing costs in producing the similarly sized plugs 154, 156.
Additionally, the upper portion 128 of at least one pair of mutually opposing sidewalls 126 (in this case, sidewalls 126A and 126C) defines a pair of arcuate openings 162 thereon (only one arcuate opening 162 visible in the view of
The enclosure 112 further includes two resilient covers 168, 170 (one cover for each arcuate opening). As shown, the resilient cover 168 is releasably engaged with the hollow elongated body 116 and disposed within the arcuate opening 162. The resilient covers 168, 170, disclosed herein, are made from an elastomeric material such as rubber, but are not limited thereto. One of ordinary skill in the art will acknowledge that it can be contemplated to optionally use other suitable materials in lieu of rubber disclosed herein.
Explanation pertaining to the resilient cover 168 and the arcuate opening 162 associated with the sidewall 126A will be made hereinafter. However, it should be noted that such explanation is similarly applicable to the arcuate opening and the resilient cover 170 associated with the sidewall 126C, unless specified otherwise in this document.
Referring to
The hose 178 together with the port is configured to allow fluid communication between the power cell 114 and the hydraulics of the machine 100. Such fluid communication between the hydraulics of the machine 100 and the power cell 114 may facilitate operation of the power cell 114 and operatively drive the pecking tool 104.
With reference to embodiments of the present disclosure, it is hereby contemplated to locate the arcuate opening 162 and the resilient cover 168 on the sidewall 126A such that upon receiving the power cell 114 within the body 116 of the enclosure 112, the arcuate opening 162 and the resilient cover 168 are beneficially located adjacent to the port of the power cell 114. The port, disclosed herein, may be a outlet port of the power cell 114 out of which fluid may be flown to the hydraulics of the machine 100.
Similarly, the arcuate opening and the resilient cover 170 associated with the sidewall 126C may be located to beneficially face a supply port of the power cell 114 (not visible in the front perspective view of
Additionally, it can be contemplated to vary the number of incised members 176 on the first portion 172 depending on the number of ports on the power cell 114 and hence, the number of hoses that correspond to the ports on the power cell 114. For example, it may be possible to have more than one supply port or more than one outlet port on the power cell 114 and hence, the covers 168, 170 associated with the respective ports can be beneficially formed to include such corresponding number of incised members 176 so as to allow insertion of the required number of hoses.
The resilient cover 168 further includes a second portion 182 that is laterally disposed to the first portion 172. The second portion 182 is further configured to depend downwardly from the first portion 172 of the resilient cover 168 and flexibly cover a bottom portion 184 of the arcuate opening 162. The second portion 182 of the resilient cover 168 is provided to allow access to the hose 178 and the power cell 114. As such, by locating the bottom portion 184 of the arcuate opening 162 and the resilient cover 168 to be adjacently positioned to the port of the power cell 114, the hose 178 and the outlet port of the power cell 114 may be easily accessed by a technician or an operator of the machine 100.
Optionally or additionally, in an embodiment as shown in
It should be noted that as the cover 168 is made from an elastomeric material, some degree of flexibility is imparted to the cover 168 to allow movement of the first and/or the second portions 172, 182 relative to each other. Hence, in order to access the hose 178 and/or the port of the power cell 114, the technician or an operator may merely flex the second portion 182 relative to the first portion 172 so as to dispose the second portion 182 outward of the body 116 while the first portion 172 of the resilient cover 168 continues to remain engaged to the body 116.
As shown in the embodiment of
A hydraulic hammer 602 in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated in
Referring to
Referring to
With continued reference to
Various embodiments disclosed herein are to be taken in the illustrative and explanatory sense, and should in no way be construed as unduly limiting of the present disclosure. All directional references (e.g., above, below, upper, lower, top, bottom, vertical, horizontal, inward, outward, radial, upward, downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, clockwise, and counter-clockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the present disclosure, and may not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of the systems and/or methods disclosed herein. Joinder references (e.g., attached, affixed, coupled, engaged, connected, and the like) are to be construed broadly. Moreover, such joinder references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected to each other.
Additionally, all numerical terms, such as, but not limited to, “first”, “second”, “third”, or any other ordinary and/or numerical terms, should also be taken only as identifiers, to assist the reader's understanding of the various embodiments, variations, components, and/or modifications of the present disclosure, and may not create any limitations, particularly as to the order, or preference, of any embodiment, variation, component and/or modification relative to, or over, another embodiment, variation, component and/or modification.
It is to be understood that individual features shown or described for one embodiment may be combined with individual features shown or described for another embodiment. The above described implementation does not in any way limit the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, it is to be understood although some features are shown or described to illustrate the use of the present disclosure in the context of functional segments, such features may be omitted from the scope of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims.
The enclosure 112 of the present disclosure has applicability for use and implementation in housing a power cell 114 of a hydraulic hammer 102.
More specifically, the enclosure 112 of the present disclosure employs a single-piece body 116 that is obtained from casting. Such unitary configuration of the body 116 allows manufacturers to do away with use of multiple molds previously required to cast a housing of a hydraulic hammer Also, various complexities associated with use of multiple molds, for example, dimensioning of the molds; providing tolerances in the molds; and accurately locating pins, cores, and gates in the molds corresponding to holes and/or other interfitting features in the structure of the enclosure may be avoided.
With use of embodiments disclosed herein, manufacturers may quickly and easily produce the single-piece hollow elongated body 116 while also accomplishing an economical production or manufacturing process line. Moreover, manufacturers may easily and quickly assembly the resilient covers 168, 170 and the deformable plugs 154, 156 of the present disclosure onto the hollow elongated body 116 thereby reducing time typically required for assembly of previously known multi-piece bodies or housings. Therefore, the present disclosure allows manufacturers of hydraulic hammers to produce a simplified yet cost-effective enclosure that is quick to produce, while also being easy and quick to assemble.
While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof
