Abstract: An electronically controlled valve includes a travelling member with a sealing member and operable between a closed position in which the sealing member forms a seal with a valve seat, and an open position. The valve further has a decelerating mechanism operable to slow the movement of the armature during closure of the valve. The sealing member and armature are decoupled and thereby moveable relative to each other such that the armature can continue to move and decelerate due to the action of the damping mechanism after the sealing member has impacted the valve seat. The peak deceleration force on the armature is thereby reduced, increasing the lifetime of the valve or the maximum rate at which it can be closed without damage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a valve actuator (2), comprising a magnetic core (6) with an interspace (8) and at least one bifurcating branch (7), at least one variable magnetic field generating device (16), at least one permanent magnetic field generating device (13) and at least one movable magnetic component (12), wherein the bifurcating branch (7) defines a first region (4) and a second region (5) of said magnetic core (6).

Abstract: A fluid-working machine has a plurality of working chambers, e.g., cylinders, of cyclically changing volume, a high-pressure fluid manifold and a low-pressure fluid manifold, at least one valve linking each working chamber to each manifold, and electronic sequencing means for operating said valves in timed relationship with the changing volume of each chamber, wherein the electronic sequencing means is arranged to operate the valves of each chamber in one of an idling mode, a partial mode in which only part of the usable volume of the chamber is used, and a full mode in which all of the usable volume of the chamber is used, and the electronic sequencing means is arranged to select the mode of each chamber on successive cycles so as to infinitely vary the time averaged effective flow rate of fluid through the machine.

Abstract: Disclosed is a toilet (1) comprising a toilet bowl (2), a passage which extends from the base of the toilet bowl to a drain outlet (30), and a gate (100), the gate having an open position which allows water within the toilet bowl to flow out of the drain outlet by way of the passage and a closed position in which the gate retains a continuous body of water (98) within the toilet bowl and a portion of the passage, up to a fill level (96), the toilet further comprising a divider (19) arranged to close off the passage above the fill level and to extend below the fill level at a location intermediate the toilet bowl and the water line (100) where the surface of the continuous body of water contacts the gate, to form a water trap in use when the gate is in the closed position and water is retained up to the fill level. The gate may be a flap operated by a hydraulic actuator (36), responsive to operation of a manually operable flush control, using mains water as the hydraulic fluid.

Abstract: A hydraulic machine has at least one working chamber (11) of cyclically changing volume, and low- and high-pressure valve means (15, 13) to control the connection of the or each chamber to low- and high-pressure lines (16, 14) respectively. A method of operating the machine includes holding the low-pressure valve means (15) closed during at least an entire cycle of the chamber (11), starting at minimum chamber volume, such that gas dissolved in liquid in the chamber is released therefrom during an expansion of the chamber volume and re-dissolved during a reduction thereof.

Abstract: An infinitely variable transmission for use with an internal combustion engine is provided. Specifically, a prime mover is provided for driving a first hydraulic machine. The first hydraulic machine is arranged to drive a second hydraulic machine via a fluid line that connects the first and second hydraulic machines. The second hydraulic machine is operatively connected with an output element, such as a wheel to drive a vehicle. Each of the first and second hydraulic machines have electronically controllable valves for varying the speed and/or the torque of the first and second hydraulic machines thereby providing an infinitely variable transmission.

Abstract: A fluid power system comprises a pump with multiple independently variable outlets (11, 12, 13, 14), each of which is capable of delivering fluid in individually controllable volume units and a plurality of hydraulic loads (15, 16, 18, 20). A system of switching valves is configured to create fluid connections between the pump outlets and the loads. A control system commands both the pump and the switching valves, so as to create valve state combinations to satisfy load conditions as demanded by an operator The number of pump outlets (11, 12, 13, 14) connected to one or more of the loads (15, 16, 18, 20) is changeable to satisfy the flow required of the load due to the operator demand, each pump outlet being commanded to produce a flow depending on the status of other outlets connected a load to which the outlet is connected and the operator demand for that load.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hydraulic pump for use in driving a load with a control modulation system which modulates a primary control signal in order to accommodate variations in secondary changeable parameters which require control at a higher frequency or have a lower latency.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cooling system such as employed in cooling a heat source and a transmission system having said cooling system integrated therewith. The cooling system further includes a pump for supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure to a motor for driving a fan employed in the cooling process. In operation, a controller initiates operation of the pump such as to supply hydraulic fluid to said motor only when needed, thereby to improve the efficiency and controllability of the cooling system.

Abstract: A valvetrain control arrangement for an internal combustion engine. A fluid-working machine (1) has working chambers (3) of cyclically varying volume, each connected to a piston actuator (4) which is capable of moving an intake or exhaust valve in the internal combustion engine. The engine crankshaft (2) drives a crankshaft of the fluid-working machine at the same speed as the engine. Each working chamber (3) is linked to a low-pressure manifold (7) by a venting valve (6), the venting valve being normally open but electromagnetically closable by a signal from an electronic sequencing means (8) which operates in timed relationship to the engine crankshaft phase.

Abstract: A fluid-working machine comprises at least one primary working chamber such as a cylinder (4) of cyclically changing volume and primary valves (7) to control the connection of the at least one chamber to low (10)- and high (9)-pressure manifolds. The machine has at least one secondary working chamber (5) of cyclically changing volume and a secondary valve (12, 21) for placing the secondary chamber in communication with the primary chamber (4) in an active state of the secondary chamber (5) and for isolating it therefrom in an idling state of the secondary chamber.

Abstract: An external combustion engine (1) comprising pressure vessel means defining a tubular working chamber (3) having spaced apart first and second ends and including first wall means (11), adjacent the first end of the chamber, heated by heating means (10, 11) and second wall means (6), adjacent the second end of the chamber, cooled by cooling means. The engine further has a porous piston or regenerator (7) provided with heat exchanging means (9) and movable within the tubular working chamber (3) between the first and second ends of the chamber so that the working fluid passes through the heat exchanging means. The regenerator (7) has valving means.