BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a portion of a circuit of a fluid power system according to known art.
FIG. 2 shows a portion of a circuit of a fluid power system according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3A shows a portion of a circuit of a fluid power system according to another embodiment of the invention, including details of a fluid supply valve in a closed position.
FIG. 3B shows the circuit of FIG. 3A, with the fluid supply valve in an open position.
FIG. 4A shows a portion of a circuit of a fluid power system according to a further embodiment of the invention, including details of a fluid supply valve in a closed position.
FIG. 4B shows the circuit of FIG. 4A, with the fluid supply valve in an open position.
FIG. 5A shows a portion of a circuit of a fluid power system according to a further embodiment of the invention, including details of a fluid supply valve in a closed position.
FIG. 5B shows the circuit of FIG. 5A, with the fluid supply valve in an open position.
FIG. 5C is cross-sectional view of the fluid supply valve of FIG. 5B along lines 5-5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
While hydraulic systems such as that described in the background of this disclosure provide some significant advantages, there are some issues to be considered. Referring again to FIG. 1, the check valve 108 is required to withstand pressure from the high-pressure fluid supply 104 that generally exceeds 2,000 psi, and may in some systems be at or above 6,000 psi. Typically, in such systems, after the check valve 108 closes, high pressure present in the line between the check valve 108 and the motor 102 bleeds away past the internal seals of the motor 102 to the low-pressure side of the system. Once the pressure has bled away, it requires a great deal of force to “crack,” or begin opening, the valve against that pressure. But once cracked, the valve 108 opens very quickly under that high opening force, since resistance to opening drops almost to zero. At the same time, the very high pressure behind the valve instantly transfers to the motor side of the valve. The result is a loud valve operation, as well as a powerful and loud fluid hammer to the motor. This can create accelerated wear of the valve and motor, and, in the case of a vehicle employing the system, can affect the comfort of the occupants of the vehicle.
Additionally, because of the structure and geometry of typical check valves of the type employed in such systems, and because of the extremely high volume of fluid that may be transmitted through the valve, a significant pressure drop occurs as the fluid passes through the convoluted channels and passages of the valve. For example, at flow rates of around 100 gpm, many check valves have a pressure drop of more than 100 psi. Pressure losses of such magnitude are generally considered acceptable in prior art systems.
Terms such as input, output, supply, and control are used to refer to fluid ports and transmission lines. These terms are for convenience only, and are not limiting with respect to the function or operation of the structures described. For example, a valve port coupled via a transmission line to a high-pressure fluid source may be referred to as a high-pressure input port, even though it will be understood that fluid may flow in either direction between the port and the fluid source, depending on the mode of operation of the associated system.
In the figures, many features are shown as schematic symbols such as are well understood in the art. It is within the abilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to configure these features appropriately for a given application.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a fluid circuit or system 200 is illustrated according to an embodiment of the invention. The fluid system 200 shares some similarities with the system 100 described with reference to FIG. 1. Identical reference numbers in the figures indicate structures of such similarity as to require little or no additional description.
The system 200 of FIG. 2 includes a pilot-controlled check valve 208 and a low-flow pressurization valve 218 positioned to bypass the check valve 208. A control unit 210 provides the pilot signal to the check valve 208 and controls the position of the pressurization valve 218. Upper and lower bypass lines 220, 222 are coupled between the pressurization valve 218 and the fluid supply lines 112, 114, respectively.
The low-flow pressurization valve 218 has two positions. In a first position, flow between input and output ports of the valve 218 is blocked. In a second position of the valve, flow is permitted at a restricted rate.
When the check valve 208 is to be opened to supply high-pressure fluid to the motor 102, the pressurization valve 218 is first opened, before the stroke angle of the motor 102 is moved from the zero angle. While the motor is at a zero angle, there is substantially no fluid flow therethrough. Accordingly, very little fluid flows through the restricted passage of the pressurization valve 218 before the fluid supply line 114 is pressurized to a pressure equal to the high-pressure fluid supply 104. Because the pressurization valve 218 is not required to transmit a high volume of fluid, it can be much smaller than the check valve 208, and does not require the same high degree of force to open, and so is much quieter. Once the fluid supply lines 112, 114 are at an equal pressure, the check valve 208 can be opened quietly, with very little force. This substantially prevents any fluid hammer effects.
Turning now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a fluid circuit 300 is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The circuit 300 includes a check valve 308 referred to hereafter as a supply valve, a switching valve 326, and a pressurization check valve 328. A flow restrictor orifice 330 is also shown. The components of the circuit 300, as well as those of other disclosed embodiments, are shown separately to differentiate their function, although in some embodiments some or all of the components may be combined into a single unit, while in other embodiments, fewer than all of the components will be necessary. Thus, for example, in the circuit 300, the switching valve 326, the pressurization check valve 328, and the flow restrictor orifice 330 provide functions similar to those described with reference to the low-flow pressurization valve 218 of circuit 200 (see FIG. 2), while the supply valve 308 functions in the circuit 300 in a manner similar to the valve 208 of circuit 200.
The supply valve 308 includes a valve body 332 having an input port 334, an output port 336, and a pilot chamber 344. First and second control ports 346, 348 and a pressurization port 350 are also formed in the valve body 332. The input port is coupled to the high-pressure fluid supply 104 via the fluid supply line 112, while the output port is coupled to the motor 102 via the fluid supply line 114. A poppet 338 is positioned in the valve body 332 as shown, and includes a head 340 and a piston 342. The piston 342 includes a working surface 352 against which fluid pressure acts to actuate the piston 342. The head 340 is positioned in a flow chamber 356 having an enlarged shape to permit a high-volume flow of fluid when the valve is in the open position, while the piston is positioned in the pilot chamber for control by the switching valve 326. The control port 346 is in fluid communication with the output port of the switching valve 326, and the control port 348 is vented to the low-pressure fluid supply 106.
The check valve 328 is coupled, via a pressurization port 350, with the output port of the switching valve 326. The switching valve 326 is configured to provide fluid at high pressure or low pressure to the pilot chamber 344 and check valve 328, according to a signal at a control signal line 316.
FIG. 3A shows the supply valve 308 in the closed position. The poppet head 340 is seated in the fluid chamber 356 such that high-pressure fluid cannot pass from the input port 334 to the output port 336. The switching valve 326 is in a first position, in which the low-pressure fluid supply is coupled to the check valve 328 and control port 346 of the supply valve 308. In this condition, the poppet 338 is held in the closed position by fluid pressure against the poppet head 340. When fluid pressure at the output port 336 exceeds a fluid pressure at the input port 334, such as when the motor 102 is in pump mode, the greater downstream pressure pushes the poppet head 340 away from the seat in the fluid chamber 356. However, as soon as the fluid pressure at the output port 336 drops below that at the input port, the poppet 338 is pushed back to the closed position by the flow of fluid. According to an alternate embodiment, a spring is provided in the pilot chamber to bias the poppet 338 toward the closed position, to provide a fast and positive closing means.
When the signal at the control signal line 316 changes state, the switching valve 326 switches to a second position, in which the high-pressure fluid supply is coupled to the check valve 328 and control port 346 of the supply valve 308, as shown in FIG. 3B. In this position, high-pressure fluid is provided to the pilot chamber 344 via the first control port 346. The high-pressure fluid in the pilot chamber 344, acting on the piston 342, biases the poppet toward the open position. At the same time that high-pressure fluid is switched to the pilot chamber, it is also provided to the pressurization port 350 via the check valve 328. The flow rate of the flow restrictor orifice 330 is selected to allow the pressure on the output port side of the supply valve to rise gradually, to avoid the fluid hammer effect. The area of the working surface 352 is selected such that the poppet can be opened only against a relatively low pressure difference between the input port 334 and the output port 336. When the pressure difference between the input port 334 and the output port 336 drops below a threshold value, the bias against the piston 342 moves the poppet 338 to the open position, as also shown in FIG. 3B.
The threshold value at which the poppet opens may be selected to be any appropriate value, ranging from as low as zero, meaning that, in order for the poppet to open, the pressure at the input port 334 must be substantially equal to the pressure at the output port 336, up to, or above, a few hundred pounds of pressure, per square inch. Generally, the threshold value will be at least an order of magnitude lower than the pressure difference between the pressures of the high- and low-pressure fluid supplies 104, 106.
While the rise in pressure on the output port side of the supply valve 308 has been described as gradual, this is a relative term. According to models and tests conducted by the inventor, the rise time may be in a range of 25-200 mS to avoid the problems described above. Even these values are subject to design considerations, since the pressurization time will depend on factors such as, for example, the volume of fluid between the supply valve 308 and the motor 102 and the pressure of the fluid in the system, while the optimum switching speed of a valve will depend on factors such as the requirements of a particular application, the amount of noise and/or fluid hammer that the designer is willing to tolerate, etc. This speed may be well below the 25 mS noted above, and may be less than 15 mS. Thus, the claims are not limited by preliminary experimental values determined by the inventor.
The poppet 338 and flow chamber 356 of the supply valve 308 are axially symmetrical, which is to say that when viewed along the longitudinal axis of the poppet, they are generally circular and coaxial. The poppet head 340 has a hydrodynamically efficient shape, without sharp edges and restricted passage, which offers significantly reduced resistance to passage of fluid, as compared to the known art. When the supply valve is in the open position shown in FIG. 3B, with the poppet head 340 extended into the flow chamber 356, fluid can flow smoothly past the poppet head toward the output port 336. Additionally, the bend in the fluid passage between the flow chamber 356 and the output port 336 is curved to reduce features that cause eddies and turbulence that can increase pressure drop. These aspects of the supply valve 308 contribute to a greatly reduced pressure drop as compared to valves of the known art.
Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a fluid circuit 400 is illustrated, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. The circuit 400 includes a check valve 408 referred to hereafter as a supply valve, a switching valve 426, a pressurization check valve 428, and a flow restrictor orifice 430.
The supply valve 408 includes a valve body 432 having an input port 434, an output port 436, and a pilot chamber 444. First and second control ports 446, 448 and a pressurization port 450 are also formed in the valve body 432. The input port 434 is coupled to the high-pressure fluid supply 104 via the fluid supply line 112, while the output port 436 is coupled to the motor 102 via the fluid supply line 114. A poppet 438 is positioned in the valve body 432 as shown, and includes a head 440 and a piston 442. The piston 442 includes first and second working surfaces 452, 454 against which fluid pressure acts to actuate the piston 442. The head 440 includes a fluid guide surface 458, and an annular sealing ridge 460 configured to engage a valve seat 462 formed in the valve body 432 while in the closed position as shown in FIG. 4A. The piston 442 is positioned in the pilot chamber 444 for control by the switching valve 426. The valve body 432 includes a guide rod 464 in the pilot chamber 444, which is received into a cavity 466 formed in the poppet 438. The guide rod 464 and cavity 466 are non-cylindrical, such that the poppet 438 cannot rotate around its longitudinal axis in the valve body, to maintain the fluid guide surface 458 in proper alignment with the flow of fluid in the valve. The guide rod 464 is provided as one means of alignment. Alternative embodiments may employ other means of alignment. Furthermore, according to an embodiment, the fluid guide surface 458 is not included, in which case alignment means are not necessary.
A first output port 468 of the switching valve 426 is in fluid communication with a first control port 446 while first and second input ports 472, 474 of the switching valve 426 are in fluid communication, respectively, with the high-pressure fluid supply via bypass line 220, and low-pressure fluid supply 106. A second output port 470 of the switching valve 426 is coupled, via the flow restrictor orifice 430, with a check valve 428, which is in turn coupled with a pressurization port 450 of the valve body. The switching valve 426 is configured to provide fluid at high and low pressure to the pilot chamber 444 and check valve 428, according to a signal at a control signal line 416. The second control port 448 is in fluid communication with the low-pressure fluid supply 106.
FIG. 4A shows the supply valve 408 in the closed position. The sealing ridge 460 (referenced in FIG. 4B) of the poppet head 440 is seated in the valve seat 462 of the valve body 432 such that high-pressure fluid cannot pass from the input port 434 to the output port 436. The switching valve 426 is in a first position, in which the high-pressure fluid supply is coupled to the first control port 446. In this condition, the poppet 438 is held in the closed position by fluid pressure against the first working surface 452 and a back surface 441 of the poppet head 440. When a force exerted by fluid pressure at the output port 436 exceeds a force exerted by fluid pressure on the first working surface 452 and the sealing ridge 460, such as when the motor 102 is in pump mode, the greater downstream pressure pushes the poppet head 440 away from the seat 462. However, as soon as the fluid pressure at the output port 436 drops below that at the input port, the poppet 438 is pushed back to the closed position by the opposing fluid pressure.
When the signal at the control signal line 416 changes state, the switching valve 426 switches to a second position, in which the low-pressure fluid supply 106 is coupled to the first control port 446, as shown in FIG. 4B. In this position, fluid pressure is substantially equal on either side of the piston 442, such that the poppet 438 is held in the closed position solely by high-pressure fluid acting on the back surface 441 of the poppet head 440. At the same time that the low-pressure fluid supply 106 is switched to the pilot chamber 444, high-pressure fluid is also provided to the pressurization port 450 via the flow restrictor orifice 430 and the check valve 428, allowing the pressure on the output port side of the supply valve to rise gradually. A ratio of the total pressure acting on the back surface 441 relative to the total pressure acting on the down-stream side of the poppet head 440, including the fluid guide surface 458, will determine the point at which the poppet 438 begins to open. That is to say that when fluid pressures at the input and output ports 434, 436 are at this ratio, the poppet 438 will begin to move toward the open position, as also shown in FIG. 4B. It will be recognized that this ratio is controlled by the cross-sectional area of the shaft of the poppet, relative to the cross-sectional area of the poppet head. According to some embodiments, a spring (not shown) is provided in the pilot chamber 444 to bias the poppet 438 toward the closed position to further reduce the pressure difference between the input port 434 and the output port 436 at which the poppet moves to the open position.
In the embodiment of FIGS. 4A and 4B, the poppet 438 is fully withdrawn from the fluid flow path. Additionally, in the embodiment pictured, the fluid guide surface 458 of the poppet 438 is shaped to conform to the contours of the channel through which the fluid passes, such that the guide surface 458 forms a portion of the wall of the channel, directing fluid and further reducing fluid turbulence. An angle of the bend in the fluid path is smooth and obtuse to allow fluid to move easily past. Each of these elements contribute to improved flow characteristics and reduced pressure drop.
According to models and tests conducted by the inventor, supply valves configured as described with reference to the embodiments of FIGS. 3A-4B produce a pressure drop of between 5 and 25 psi, as compared to a pressure drop of 80-200 psi in valves of the known art. This represents a significant improvement in the economy of a system employing such a valve, since this means that more of the kinetic energy converted by the motor to pressurized fluid (in pump mode) will be stored for future use, and, for a given pressure at the high-pressure source, more of that pressure is available to drive the motor. Thus, less energy is expended pressurizing fluid to produce an equal amount of work.
Referring now to FIGS. 5A-5C, a fluid circuit 500 is illustrated, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. The circuit 500 includes a valve 508 referred to hereafter as a supply valve, a switching valve 426, a pressurization check valve 428, and a flow restrictor orifice 430. According to the pictured embodiment, the control circuit of the supply valve 508 is substantially identical to that of the supply valve 408 of FIGS. 4A and 4B, so it will not be described in detail.
The supply valve 508 includes a valve body 532 having an input port 534, an output port 536, and a pilot chamber 544. First and second control ports 546, 548 and a pressurization port 550 are also formed in the valve body 532. The input port 534 is coupled to the high-pressure fluid supply via the fluid supply line 112, while the output port 536 is coupled to the motor via the fluid supply line 114. A poppet 538 is positioned in the valve body 532 as shown, and includes a head 540 and a piston 542. The piston 542 includes first and second working surfaces 552, 554 against which fluid pressure acts to actuate the piston 542. The head 540 includes a back surface 541 and a sealing face 558 configured to engage a valve seat 562 formed in the valve body 532 while in the closed position as shown in FIG. 5A. The piston 542 is positioned in the pilot chamber 544 for control by the switching valve 426.
A fluid channel 580 extends in a substantially straight path between the input port 534 and the output port 536, while the poppet 538 moves along an axis that lies at an angle of about 30° relative to the fluid channel 580. The provision of the straight fluid channel 580 between the input port 534 and the output port 536 further reduces pressure drop of fluid passing through the supply valve 508. Simulations and tests performed by the inventor indicate that the reduction in pressure drop achieved by the straight channel 580 and the complete withdrawal of the poppet 538 from the fluid path outweigh any pressure drop caused by turbulence around the bore where the poppet is positioned.
While the poppet is shown at an angle of 300, this angle may be modified to optimize the valve for a particular application. Referring to FIG. 5C, a cross-sectional view is provided, taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 5B. It can be seen that, because of the relative angles of the fluid channel 580 and the poppet 538, the channel 580 is elliptical with respect to the valve seat 562. It will be recognized that as the angle of the poppet is increased, the ellipse of the opening at the valve seat 562 will grow longer, which in turn will require a larger diameter valve seat to accommodate the opening. On the other hand, as the angle of the poppet is decreased, the length of the poppet 538 must be increased, as well as the length of travel of the poppet, in order to fully withdraw the poppet head 540 from the fluid path. The relative advantages of a short poppet and a small diameter poppet head can be balanced according to the design requirements of a given application.
An additional advantage of the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 5A-5C, is the relative simplicity of its manufacture. The fluid channel 580 is a single straight bore. The channel in which the poppet 538 travels, including the pilot chamber is also a straight bore at the appropriate angle relative to the fluid channel, with appropriate inserts and seals such as are known in the art. The valve body 532 can be manufactured using fewer machining and finishing steps than typical valves, which results in a less expensive valve to manufacture and assemble.
Various features have been described with reference to disclosed embodiments to illustrate particular functional aspects of the invention, but it will be understood that these functions may be performed by other features not disclosed herein, and, in some cases, may be omitted altogether. For example, pressurization ports have been described, in which supply valves are provided with high-pressure fluid to pressurize the output port sides of the valves. Functionally speaking, however, to obtain the same benefit, high-pressure fluid may be introduced at any point between the poppet seat of a supply valve and drive components of an associated hydraulic machine. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the specific structure disclosed.
The term poppet as used herein may be construed to refer broadly to any valve component that is movable between open and closed positions and that, while in the closed position, allows fluid to pass in one direction, only.
As used in the claims, the term working surface may be read on any surface against which fluid pressure acts to bias a valve toward an open or closed position. So, for example, surfaces of the poppets of the disclosed embodiments, such as piston surfaces, poppet head surfaces, surfaces of the sealing ridge, etc., are working surfaces.
Operation of an over-center pump/motor is described in more detail in U.S. Patent Application attorney docket No. 310121.434, filed concurrently with the present application and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The abstract of the present disclosure is provided as a brief outline of some of the principles of the invention, according to one embodiment, and is not intended as a complete or definitive description of any embodiment thereof, nor should it be relied upon to define terms used in the specification or claims. The abstract does not limit the scope of the claims.
All of the above U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.
From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.
Patent Application
20080078286
