Methods Of Operation Patents (Class 60/327)
  • Patent number: 11959342
    Abstract: A hydraulic tensioning system is associated with a wire rope feed system of a drilling rig for applying tension to the hoist and pulldown ropes during hoist and pulldown operations. The hydraulic tensioning system includes a hydraulic tensioning circuit with a hoist hydraulic circuit directing hydraulic fluid to a hoist actuator applying tension to the hoist wire rope and a pulldown hydraulic circuit directing hydraulic fluid to a pulldown hydraulic actuator applying tension to a pulldown wire rope. A hydraulic control valve can selectively direct flow to the hoist and pulldown hydraulic circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC
    Inventors: Charles T. Hudson, Elangovan Umapathy, Prasana R
  • Patent number: 11753801
    Abstract: A hydraulic drive system raises and lowers an object by supplying and discharging operating oil to and from each of two ports of an actuator and includes a control device, first to third electromagnetic proportional control valves, a hydraulic pump, a control valve, and a lock valve. When a second pilot pressure is output, the control valve causes the operating oil to be discharged from a first port in order to lower the object. The lock valve is disposed so as to be able to prevent the operating oil from being discharged from the first port by closing a path between the first port and the control valve, and only when a third pilot pressure is output, allows the operating oil to be discharged from the first port by opening the path between the first port and the control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiro Kondo, Kazuya Iwabe
  • Patent number: 11649713
    Abstract: A rotary drilling rig includes a vertical mast and a rotary head that can vertically move along the mast with respect to a work surface. To move the rotary head along the mast, a hydraulic feed actuator is connected with the rotary head via a wire rope feed system including a hoist rope and a pulldown rope. To maintain the hoist and pulldown ropes in tension and prevent them from dislodging from the respective pulleys of the wire rope system, the hoist and pulldown ropes can be connected to respective hoist and pulldown tensioning actuators. The hoist actuator can be associated with a hoist hydraulic circuit and the pulldown tensioning actuator can be associated with a separate pulldown hydraulic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC
    Inventors: Charles T. Hudson, Elangovan Umapathy, Prasana R.
  • Patent number: 11572670
    Abstract: A control arrangement for an arrangement of hydraulically couplable machines has an interface for hydraulic coupling of the machines, and a hydraulic machine for supplying pressure medium to at least one hydraulic consumer of the machines in accordance with requirements. An electronic control device is configured, in accordance with a load of the consumer, to generate an electronic control signal, which can be converted by a transducer of the control arrangement into a hydraulic control signal, in accordance with which the hydraulic machine can be operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Schmuttermair, Ulrich Lenzgeiger, Uwe Maier
  • Patent number: 11456644
    Abstract: A power generating apparatus is provided which has a simple configuration with excellent maintainability and power generation efficiency. A power generating apparatus 100 includes an inlet pipe 101, a rotational coupling unit 102, a generator 110, and a rotating blade 120. The inlet pipe 101 is connected to a supply source of a liquid WK and guides the liquid WK to the rotational coupling unit 102. The rotational coupling unit 102 rotatably couples an input shaft 112 of the generator 110 to the inlet pipe 101. The input shaft 112 configures a rotor in the generator 110 and is formed into a pipe that conveys the liquid WK to a base pipe 121 of the rotating blade 120 to function as piping. The generator 110 generates electric power on the basis of rotary motion of the input shaft 112.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Tanaka Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Noritoshi Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 11408442
    Abstract: A fluid system includes a variable-speed and/or a variable-torque pump to pump a fluid, at least one proportional control valve assembly, an actuator that is operated by the fluid to control a load, and a controller that establishes a speed and/or torque of the pump and a position of the at least one proportional control valve assembly. The pump includes at least one fluid driver that provides fluid to the actuator, which can be, e.g., a fluid-actuated cylinder, a fluid-driven motor or another type of fluid-driven actuator that controls a load. Each fluid driver includes a prime mover and a fluid displacement assembly. The fluid displacement assembly can be driven by the prime mover such that fluid is transferred from the inlet port to the outlet port of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: PROJECT PHOENIX, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Afshari
  • Patent number: 11407192
    Abstract: A hydraulic extrusion press includes at least one ram, the ram being driven by hydraulic oil from a main line and a hydraulic control pressure being used to control the extrusion press. To minimize non-productive periods, the control pressure is also supplied to the main line. The main line and the pressure control system are connected with one another on the pressure side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SMS group GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus Poggenpohl
  • Patent number: 11359707
    Abstract: A hydro-mechanical transmission device with a dual-clutch transmission includes an input mechanism, a pump-controlled motor mechanism, an odd-numbered gear transmission mechanism, an even-numbered gear transmission mechanism, an output mechanism, and a jackshaft. The input mechanism is connected to the odd-numbered gear transmission mechanism and the even-numbered gear transmission mechanism that are connected in parallel, and is connected to an input end of the pump-controlled motor mechanism. An output end of the pump-controlled motor mechanism is connected, through the jackshaft, to the odd-numbered gear transmission mechanism and the even-numbered gear transmission mechanism that are connected in parallel, and is connected to the output mechanism. Switching among hydraulic transmission, hydro-mechanical transmission, and mechanical transmission modes between the input mechanism and the output mechanism is implemented by controlling combination and engagement/disengagement of clutches and a brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: JIANGSU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Zhen Zhu, Yingfeng Cai, Long Chen, Changgao Xia, Xiang Tian, Jiajia Wang, Falin Zeng, Xiaodong Sun, Dehua Shi, Xing Xu
  • Patent number: 11333077
    Abstract: A system (166) for transferring mechanical power in a turbine engine (150/151) including a low pressure spool (162) and a high pressure spool (156) includes a power transfer unit (168) coupled between an output shaft (172) of the low pressure spool (162) and a drive shaft (174) of the high pressure spool (156) to mechanically link the low pressure spool (162) to the high pressure spool (156), and a clutch (170) coupled to the power transfer unit (168), wherein the clutch (170) is configured to transfer power produced from the low pressure spool (162) to the high pressure spool (156).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: David W. Foutch, Joseph M. Dirusso, Kent E. Karnofski
  • Patent number: 11313516
    Abstract: A pressure vessel disclosed herein comprises a chamber. The pressure vessel also comprises a passageway extending from an exterior wall of the pressure vessel to the chamber. A one-way valve is disposed in the passageway. The one-way valve is normally closed and is in fluid communication with the chamber. A plug is disposed within the passageway and is accessible from outside of the pressure vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Inventors: Anthony Kurdziel, Jeffrey Haas
  • Patent number: 11305946
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a drive system of a scraper conveyor and a control method. The drive system includes a nose sprocket, a tail sprocket, a nose sprocket drive mechanism, and a tail sprocket drive mechanism, where the nose sprocket drive mechanism is a hydraulic motor I, and the tail sprocket drive mechanism is a hydraulic motor II; and a hydraulic system that drives the hydraulic motor I and a hydraulic system that drives the hydraulic motor II include same hydraulic elements, and both include a three-position four-way solenoid directional valve, a two-position two-way solenoid directional valve, a two-position three-way solenoid directional valve, an accumulator, and an oil supplement valve group. The present invention is applicable to rapid starting and stopping of the scraper conveyor in a heavy load status while adjusting chain tension in real time, thereby resolving a power imbalance problem in a dual-drive system, and has a simple structure and a long service life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignees: China University of Mining and Technology, JIANGSU TIANMING MACHINERY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gang Shen, Zhencai Zhu, Kaiyu Dai, Yu Tang, Xiang Li, Yuxing Peng, Hao Lu, Guohua Cao, Gongbo Zhou, Wei Li, Fan Jiang
  • Patent number: 11286646
    Abstract: Provided is a loading vehicle in which a control characteristic of traction force can be easily and finely set and changed while a configuration of a hydraulic circuit is simple. An HST traveling driven wheel loader includes an electronically controlled HST pump and HST motor, including a solenoid proportional pressure reducing valve to control displacement volume of the HST pump based on a control signal output from a controller. The controller stores characteristic tables indicating a correlation between discharge pressure of a loading hydraulic pump or an operation state of an engine and a maximum discharge pressure of the HST pump, and when the vehicle speed corresponds to work requiring traction force, outputs a control signal to the solenoid proportional pressure reducing valve so as to obtain the maximum discharge pressure Pm of the HST pump that corresponds to one of the characteristic tables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Fumihiro Nakao, Yasunori Miyamoto, Masaki Nukii
  • Patent number: 11280063
    Abstract: A work vehicle control system includes: a hydraulic device configured to adjust a supply state of hydraulic fluid supplied to a hydraulic cylinder configured to cause a work tool to operate; and a control device configured to control the hydraulic device. The control device includes: an operation data acquisition unit configured to acquire operation data indicating an operation state of an operating device operated in order to cause a work tool to perform dumping and tilting movements; and a control command unit configured to output, based on the operation data, a control command to control the hydraulic device; an operating condition determination unit configured to determine, based on the operation data, whether the operating device is operated under prescribed operating conditions; and a limit command unit configured to output a limit command to limit the control command when the operating device is determined to be operated under the operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Imaizumi, Makoto Naito
  • Patent number: 11179750
    Abstract: For tamping a track, tamping tines are squeezed towards one another in pairs by a squeezing cylinder. A vibration is superimposed on a linear lift motion of a squeezing piston movable in the squeezing cylinder. The vibration is generated by a vibration piston which is arranged in the squeezing cylinder and which is movable independently of the squeezing piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventor: Thomas Philipp
  • Patent number: 11168710
    Abstract: A control apparatus for supplying at least one hydraulic consumer with fluid has a variable displacement pump (10) controlled by a load-sensing pressure (LS). For a case-by-case increase in the volume flow in the supply of fluid (22) to the hydraulic consumer, the load-sensing pressure (LS) is passed via a control line (28) to a control circuit (2) that ensures the increase in the supply (22) by connecting in a constant-displacement pump (16) as soon as an operator calls for the relevant function by operating the control circuit (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: HYDAC SYSTEMS & SERVICES GMBH
    Inventors: Heinz-Peter Huth, Marc Anton
  • Patent number: 11130234
    Abstract: Provided is a robot including: a robot body that is provided with at least one arm; a gas spring that functions as a balancer for the arm of the robot body; an internal-pressure detecting unit that detects a cylinder internal pressure of the gas spring; and a control device that controls the robot body. The control device calculates, as an estimated disturbance value, the difference between a torque command value for a servomotor that drives the arm and a torque of the servomotor that is required to actually operate the arm, determines that the robot body has had a collision when the estimated disturbance value exceeds a predetermined threshold, and corrects the estimated disturbance value or the threshold on the basis of the cylinder internal pressure detected by the internal-pressure detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shizuo Harada
  • Patent number: 11125066
    Abstract: Systems and methods to pump fracturing fluid into a wellhead may include a gas turbine engine including a compressor turbine shaft connected to a compressor, and a power turbine output shaft connected to a power turbine. The compressor turbine shaft and the power turbine output shaft may be rotatable at different rotational speeds. The systems may also include a transmission including a transmission input shaft connected to the power turbine output shaft and a transmission output shaft connected to a hydraulic fracturing pump. The systems may also include a fracturing unit controller configured to control one or more of the rotational speeds of the compressor turbine shaft, the power turbine output shaft, or the transmission output shaft based at least in part on target signals and fluid flow signals indicative of one or more of pressure or flow rate associated with fracturing fluid pumped into the wellhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: BJ Energy Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Tony Yeung, Ricardo Rodriguez-Ramon, Diankui Fu, Warren Zemlak, Caleb Barclay
  • Patent number: 11105348
    Abstract: A control system for construction machinery, includes a hydraulic pump, first and second actuators connected to the hydraulic pump through first and second parallel lines respectively, first and second control valves installed in the first and second parallel lines respectively and configured to control operations of the first and second actuators, first and second spool displacement adjusting valves configured to control displacement amounts of the spools of the first and second control valves, and a control valve control portion configured to output the control signal, and configured to limit a maximum allowable value of the manipulation signal for the first actuator to a value selected by the operator and limit a spool displacement amount of the second control valve according to the limited manipulation signal for the first actuator when the manipulation signal for a multiple operation of the first and second actuators is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: DOOSAN INFRACORE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-mook Kim, Woo-yong Jung, Hyeon-sik Ahn, Ki-yong Kim
  • Patent number: 10995474
    Abstract: Flow control over a hydraulic pump and flow dividing control of a plurality of directional control valves associated with actuators can stably be exercised even in a case in which differential pressures across the directional control valves are quite low, an abrupt change in a flow rate of the hydraulic fluid supplied to each actuator is prevented and excellent combined operability is realized even in an abrupt change in a demanded flow rate at a time of transition from a combined operation to a sole operation, and realizing excellent combined operability, and a meter-in loss in each directional control valve is reduced to realize high energy efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Tierra Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kiwamu Takahashi, Taihei Maehara, Takeshi Ishii
  • Patent number: 10995818
    Abstract: A torque transmission device for a powertrain of a motor vehicle has an input area and an output area. A torque path runs from the input area to the output area. A torsional vibration damping unit is positioned first, followed by a gear unit, along the torque path between the input area and the output area. The torsional vibration damping unit provides a first spatial area and an adjoining second spatial area along the torque path, and the gear unit provides an adjoining third spatial area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Paul Weber, Daniel Pittner, Peter Hammer, Alexander Strom, Kyrill Siemens, Steffen Einenkel, Peter Frey, Wolfgang Grosspietsch, Christoph Sasse, Martin Hertel, Alexander Manger
  • Patent number: 10982691
    Abstract: A control system for construction machinery, includes a hydraulic pump, first and second actuators connected to the hydraulic pump through first and second parallel lines respectively, first and second control valves installed in the first and second parallel lines respectively and configured to control operations of the first and second actuators, first and second spool displacement adjusting valves configured to control displacement amounts of the spools of the first and second control valves, and a controller configured to output a control signal to the first and second spool displacement adjusting valves corresponding to a manipulation signal of an operator, and configured to limit a spool displacement amount of the second control valve according to the manipulation signal for the first actuator when the manipulation signal for a multiple operation of the first and second actuators is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: DOOSAN INFRACORE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-mook Kim, Woo-yong Jung, Hyeon-sik Ahn, Ki-yong Kim
  • Patent number: 10982413
    Abstract: A hydraulic system includes a hydraulic pump, a first hydraulic actuator, a second hydraulic actuator, a first control valve to control the first hydraulic actuator, and a second control valve to control the second hydraulic actuator, the second control valve being arranged on a downstream side of the first control valve. The hydraulic system includes a discharge fluid tube in which the operation fluid flows. The discharge fluid tube is connected to the first control valve. The hydraulic system includes a first fluid tube in which a return fluid flows toward the second control valve. The first fluid tube couples the first control valve to the second control valve. The hydraulic system includes a second fluid tube in which the return fluid flows toward the discharge fluid tube, and a third fluid tube in which a supply fluid flows toward the first fluid tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Fukuda, Yoshimitsu Tanaka, Keigo Honda
  • Patent number: 10940842
    Abstract: A method for ascertaining information relating to a mechanically effective power of an active brake booster of a braking system of a vehicle, including: ascertaining a first piece of information relating to an assisting force that is effectuated with the aid of the operated active brake booster, ascertaining a second piece of information relating to a pressure force in a master brake cylinder of the braking system, situated downstream from the active brake booster, the pressure force acting counter to the operated active brake booster, ascertaining a third piece of information relating to a spring force of at least one spring of the active brake booster and/or of the braking system, the spring force acting counter to the operated active brake booster, and establishing the information relating to the mechanically effective power of the active brake booster, taking into consideration the first, second, and third pieces of information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Gerdes, Vairavan Arunachalam
  • Patent number: 10935012
    Abstract: A pumping station for a pipeline, in particular an oil or gas pipeline, has a feed pump for delivering a fluid through the pipeline and a combustion engine for driving the feed pump. A hydrostatic system has a hydraulic motor for driving the combustion engine, in order to accelerate same to start-up. The hydraulic system also has a hydraulic pressure accumulator of limited volume which can be filled with a pressurized hydraulic medium to be admitted to the first hydraulic motor, thereby powering the latter. A pressure differential in the hydrostatic system prevailing over the hydraulic motor is variably adjustable, in order to accelerate the combustion engine to a predefined firing speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Flemmer, Bert Brahmer
  • Patent number: 10874306
    Abstract: A soft gripper that surrounds and grips an outer peripheral surface of an object, the soft gripper includes an elongated first actuator and an elongated second actuator, which are deformed in response to supply of a fluid. The first actuator and the second actuator extend from bases of the first and second actuators toward opposite sides each other. When receiving the supply of the fluid, each of the first and second actuators sequentially surrounds the object from the base toward a side of a leading end of the each of the first and second actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignees: OMRON HEALTHCARE CO., LTD., UNIVERSITY OF SHIGA PREFECTURE, OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasutaka Nishioka, Wataru Masuda, Masao Shimizu, Tsuyoshi Hamaguchi, Minoru Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 10870969
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for a working machine, includes a first hydraulic pump to output an operation fluid, a hydraulic device to be operated by the operation fluid, an operation member to be operated, a control valve to control the hydraulic device based on an operation extent of the operation member, a holding member to set a held operation extent that is the operation extent held in the operation of the operation member, and a pedal to be operated to change the held operation extent set by the holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuji Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10865543
    Abstract: An articulated work vehicle includes a hydraulic actuator, a control valve, a joystick lever, and a first link mechanism. A front frame is linked to a rear frame. The hydraulic actuator is configured to be driven by hydraulic pressure and configured to change a steering angle of the front frame with respect to the rear frame. The control valve is configured to control flow of fluid supplied to the hydraulic actuator. The joystick lever is disposed in a cab provided on the rear frame. The joystick lever is configured to be operated by an operator. The first link mechanism is disposed below the cab. The first link mechanism is configured to transmit an operation of the joystick lever to the control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Yuita Takenaka, Masanobu Nakabayashi, Masanori Ikari
  • Patent number: 10844830
    Abstract: A wave energy converter situated on a seabed includes a pair of pistons, a means for producing energy within a vessel, and a water-conveyance pipe attached to the vessel. The pistons reciprocate using differential pressure to extract energy from a wave transiting on the surface of a body of water. Water receiving ports at high and low pressure points create a differential pressure to act on the pistons and push them in opposite directions. A hydraulic cylinder or a linear alternator is attached between the pair of pistons to extract the energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Inventor: Amar S. Wanni
  • Patent number: 10844577
    Abstract: A hydraulic actuator; a control valve that controls supply and discharge of hydraulic oil to and from the hydraulic actuator; a pilot operation valve connected to the operation valve by a pair of pilot lines; a proportional solenoid pressure-reducing valve provided on at least one of the pair of pilot lines; an operation detector that outputs an operation amount signal in accordance with an inclination angle of an operating lever of the pilot operation valve; and a controller that controls the proportional solenoid pressure-reducing valve such that, from immediately after a change amount per unit time in the operation amount signal outputted from the operation detector has decreased by a threshold value or more, a pilot port pressure of the control valve gradually decreases to zero due to communication of a secondary pressure port and a tank port of the proportional solenoid pressure-reducing valve with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiro Kondo, Hideyasu Muraoka, Jun Umekawa
  • Patent number: 10821953
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic braking system and operation method thereof. The electronic braking system and operation method thereof includes a hydraulic pressure supplier configured to create hydraulic pressure by moving a hydraulic piston based on an electric signal output to correspond to displacement of a brake pedal, and a hydraulic controller configured to control hydraulic pressure of a pressure medium applied to each wheel cylinder, and performs normal operation mode, abnormal operation mode, regenerative braking mode, and check mode by controlling a plurality of valves equipped in the hydraulic controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hyojin Jeong
  • Patent number: 10794404
    Abstract: A cylinder driving device includes: an electric motor; a pump; a main passage and a main passage; a hydraulic cylinder; an operation check valve and an operation check valve; and a restriction valve and a restriction valve configured to restrict a flow of the working oil directed to the operation check valve and an operation check valve, wherein an opening area of the restriction valve and the restriction valve is reduced in response to an increase in a flow rate of the working oil discharged from the hydraulic cylinder to the main passage and a main passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: KYB CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daisuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10767344
    Abstract: Power machines having hydraulic systems and controllers configured to prohibit, limit, or allow full operation of the hydraulic systems based upon measured temperature of the hydraulic oil in the system are provided. Also included are methods of controlling the hydraulic systems. In the methods implemented by the controllers, determinations are made as to whether the temperature of the hydraulic oil is below a first (and lowest) set point temperature, above a second (and higher) set point temperature, or between the first and second set point temperatures. The controllers then either prohibit hydraulic system operation, allow limited hydraulic system operation, or allow full hydraulic system operation, based upon the measured temperature in comparison to the two or more set point temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: CLARK EQUIPMENT COMPANY
    Inventors: William E. Haberman, Christopher L. Young, Timothy J. Alger
  • Patent number: 10752480
    Abstract: A forklift includes forks, cylinders for causing the forks to perform an ascending/descending operation in accordance with the flow rate of hydraulic oil, a first valve for controlling the flow rate of the hydraulic oil in accordance with an energizing current, a second valve 6 for regulating the flow rate of the hydraulic oil in accordance with cylinder pressure, and a control portion that calculates the flow rate to be regulated by the second valve, on the basis of cylinder pressure detected by a pressure sensor, calculates a current command value for the energizing current, with the flow rate to be controlled by the first valve being set equal to the regulated flow rate, and changes the energizing current in two stages, with the current command value as the upper limit of the energizing current, thereby decelerating the forks in two stages when stopping the ascending/descending operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI LOGISNEXT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Harukazu Kimura
  • Patent number: 10724552
    Abstract: A hydraulic system (600) and method for reducing boom dynamics of a boom (30), while providing counter-balance valve protection, includes a hydraulic cylinder (110), first and second counter-balance valves (300, 400), and first and second control valves (700, 800). A net load (90) is supported by a first chamber (116, 118) of the hydraulic cylinder, and a second chamber (118, 116) of the hydraulic cylinder may receive fluctuating hydraulic fluid flow from the second control valve to produce a vibratory response (950) that counters environmental vibrations (960) on the boom. The first control valve may apply a holding pressure and thereby hold the first counter-balance valve closed and the second counter-balance valve open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Michael Berne Rannow, Meng Wang
  • Patent number: 10677353
    Abstract: A drive, which permits a lowering in the feed pressure provided by the feed pump and, at the same time, effects a supply to the displacement unit of the drive which meets the demand with regard to pressure and delivery volume. This is achieved in that the displacement unit (5) is supplied with hydraulic energy by an electro-hydraulic supply unit (6) wherein the supply unit (6) comprises a hydraulic reservoir (9) and a non-return valve (18) and is connected to the feed pressure limiting valve (12), which is implemented as an electrically adjustable pressure limiting valve, wherein the hydraulic reservoir (9) is also connected to an electro-hydraulic pressure sensor (10), which outputs the electric signal thereof to an electric auxiliary controller (11), and wherein the electric auxiliary controller (11) drives the feed pressure limiting valve (12). These hydraulic drives are used for example, in self-propelled working machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Thomas Magnete GmbH
    Inventors: Andrea Gambetti, Thassilo Maxeiner
  • Patent number: 10655505
    Abstract: A compressor compresses air in such a manner that a motor is driven by renewable energy. An accumulator tank stores the air thus compressed. An expander is driven by the compressed air. A generator is mechanically connected to the expander. A first heat exchanger recovers compressed heat. A heat medium tank that stores a heat medium. A second heat exchanger that heats the compressed air. A first pump adjusts an amount of the heat medium to be supplied to the first heat exchanger. A control device controls the first pump to adjust the amount of heat medium to be supplied to the first heat exchanger so as to maintain the heat medium, which is stored in the heat medium tank, at a predetermined first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Masaki Matsukuma, Hiroki Saruta, Kanami Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 10611020
    Abstract: A pneumatic exomuscle system and methods for manufacturing and using same. The pneumatic exomuscle system includes a pneumatic module; a plurality of pneumatic actuators each operably coupled to the pneumatic module via at least one pneumatic line, a portion of the pneumatic actuators configured to be worn about respective body joints of a user; and a control module operably coupled to the pneumatic module, the control module configured to control the pneumatic module to selectively inflate portions of the pneumatic actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: ROAM ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Saul Griffith, Pete Lynn, Della Shea, Kevin Albert, Tim Swift
  • Patent number: 10605082
    Abstract: An engine and corresponding driving propulsion system may provide continuous force necessary to keep the engine operating. Utilizing two pressurized tanks with high and low pressures may provide a continuous flow of pressure to the engine necessary for it to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Koko Krikor Katanjian
    Inventor: Koko Krikor Katanjian
  • Patent number: 10415667
    Abstract: A damper system which is supportable rotatably around an axis of rotation, having a first absorber device and a second absorber device. The first absorber device includes at least one first pendulum mass, a first coupling device and a first flange part. The first pendulum mass is coupled with the first flange part by means of the first coupling device. The first coupling device is designed to guide the first pendulum mass along a first oscillation path. The second absorber device is offset radially from the first absorber device. The second absorber device includes an absorber element. The absorber element is coupled with the first flange part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stephan Maienschein, Christian Huegel
  • Patent number: 10407876
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for construction machinery comprises a regeneration valve unit including a first opening/closing valve installed in a first hydraulic line which connects a head-side chamber of a boom cylinder and a drain tank, to open and close the first hydraulic line, and a second opening/closing valve installed in a second hydraulic line which is branched from the first hydraulic line and is connected to a rod-side chamber of the boom cylinder, to open and close the second hydraulic line, a first check valve installed in the second hydraulic line between the rod-side chamber and the regeneration valve unit and configured to selectively drain a working oil discharged from the rod-side chamber to the drain tank, and a control unit configured to control opening and closing of the first opening/closing valve, the second opening/closing valve and the first check valve according to a control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: DOOSAN INFRACORE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Choon-Shik Joo, A-Rim Lee
  • Patent number: 10408098
    Abstract: A method of diagnosing a lubrication system of an engine includes controlling an oil pump with a control signal. The control signal is a command having a value for a desired lubrication fluid pressure from the oil pump for a current operating state of the engine. A processing unit compares the value of the control signal for the current operating state of the engine to a threshold control value for the current operating state of the engine. When the processing unit determines that the value of the control signal for the current operating state of the engine deviates from the threshold control value for the current operating state of the engine, the processing unit analyzes the value of the control signal to identify a fault in the lubrication system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Azeem Sarwar, Syed B. Mehdi, Xiangxing Lu, Bryan K. Pryor, Shanshan L. Peer
  • Patent number: 10408299
    Abstract: A vibration damping system for a transmission system, exhibiting a stiffness K, of a motor vehicle having a combustion engine, having a support member able to be rotationally driven around an axis X, having a moment of inertia I; and a pendulum flyweight mounted movably on the support member, the pendulum flyweight being tuned to a tuning order n, the pendulum flyweight having a first resonance order of an order lower than the tuning order n, and a second resonance order higher than the tuning order n; the moment of inertia I of the support being configured for any engine speed value within an engine speed range of the combustion engine from 600 to 5000/n revolutions per minute, and for a given stiffness K of the transmission system, the second resonance order of the pendulum flyweight is different from an order y*n, where y is an integer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Valeo Embrayages
    Inventors: Hervé Mahe, Roel Verhoog
  • Patent number: 10400887
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided. The vehicle may include a controller. The controller may be configured to, responsive to the vehicle traveling at a constant speed for a predetermined time, hydraulically charge the accumulator, and responsive to a pressure of the accumulator exceeding a first threshold that is defined by a road grade, cease charging the accumulator, and satisfy transmission line pressure demand with the pressure to deplete the accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ram Sudarsan Devendran, John Edward Brevick, Steven Anatole Frait
  • Patent number: 10400802
    Abstract: A hydraulic drive apparatus includes: an accumulator for receiving hydraulic fluid discharged from a hydraulic actuator during a lowering drive; an accumulator flow regulator capable of changing a flow rate of hydraulic fluid to be introduced to the accumulator from a closed circuit; a regeneration actuator for converting energy of the hydraulic fluid accumulated in the accumulator into motive force; a regeneration selector valve interposed between the accumulator and the regeneration actuator; a pump control section for limiting a pump discharge flow rate during the lowering drive; and a speed control section for operating the accumulator-flow-rate regulator so as to bring an actuating speed of the hydraulic actuator close to a target speed during the lowering drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Sugano
  • Patent number: 10385886
    Abstract: A soft buckling linear actuator is described, including: a plurality of substantially parallel bucklable, elastic structural components each having its longest dimension along a first axis; and a plurality of secondary structural components each disposed between and bridging two adjacent bucklable, elastic structural components; wherein every two adjacent bucklable, elastic structural components and the secondary structural components in-between define a layer comprising a plurality of cells each capable of being connected with a fluid inflation or deflation source; the secondary structural components from two adjacent layers are not aligned along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and the secondary structural components are configured not to buckle, the bucklable, elastic structural components are configured to buckle along the second axis to generate a linear force, upon the inflation or deflation of the cells. Methods of actuation using the same are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Dian Yang, George M. Whitesides
  • Patent number: 10378184
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for a working machine is a load sensing (LS) system and includes a first hydraulic actuator and a first control valve for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid from a pump to the first hydraulic actuator and for draining hydraulic fluid from the first hydraulic actuator, respectively, and a second hydraulic actuator and a second control valve for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid from the pump to the second hydraulic actuator and for draining hydraulic fluid from the second hydraulic actuator, respectively. The hydraulic system further includes a first hydraulic circuit for providing an LS pressure for the first actuator and a second hydraulic circuit for providing an LS pressure for the second actuator. At least one of the first and second hydraulic circuits includes an offset valve for changing the LS pressure before providing the LS pressure to the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment AB
    Inventor: Bo Vigholm
  • Patent number: 10380808
    Abstract: A mobile machine includes a load carrying mechanism configured to carry a load of material during operation of the mobile machine at a worksite. The mobile machine includes a position detection system configured to determine a position of the mobile machine and generate a position output indicative of the position of the mobile machine. The mobile machine includes a measuring system configured to determine a measure of the load and generate a measure output indicative of the measure of the load. The mobile machine also includes a material movement tracking system configured to receive the position output from the position detection system and the measure output from the measuring system and, based on both the position and the measure output, generate a material tracking indicator indicative of movement of the load of material around the worksite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Lance R. Sherlock
  • Patent number: 10323381
    Abstract: A work implement has a boom, an arm, and a bucket pivotable around a bucket axis which is a pivot axis with respect to the arm and a tilt axis orthogonal to the bucket axis. The hydraulic cylinder has the bucket pivot around the tilt axis. The regulation valve regulates an amount of supply of a hydraulic oil to be supplied to the hydraulic cylinder based on a command signal. The position sensor measures a stroke length of the hydraulic cylinder. The control unit resets the stroke length measured by the position sensor. The control unit determines proximity to a stroke end of the hydraulic cylinder, generates a command signal for increasing a degree of opening of the regulation valve in the proximity of the stroke end, and resets the stroke length measured by the position sensor while the regulation valve is open in response to the command signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Yuto Fujii, Takashi Yokoo
  • Patent number: 10287145
    Abstract: A mobile crane includes a crane main body including a control valve which controls a supply flow rate of hydraulic oil to a main-body driving motor and a pilot-pressure control device which controls a pilot pressure supplied to the control valve. The pilot-pressure control device increases the pilot pressure at a first ratio according to an increase in an operation amount of an operation section when a counterweight carrier is an uncoupled state, increases the pilot pressure at a second ratio lower than the first ratio according to the increase in the operation amount when the counterweight carrier is a coupled state and a grounded state, and increases the pilot pressure at a third ratio higher than the second ratio and equal to or lower than the first ratio according to the increase in the operation amount when the counterweight carrier is the coupled state and an afloat state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MECHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takahiro Iwazawa
  • Patent number: 10281034
    Abstract: Hydrostatic transmission and method for decelerating a hydrostatic transmission with a closed hydraulic fluid circuit, in which a hydraulic pump drivable by a drive engine and a hydraulic motor are arranged and connected fluidly to one another through two working lines. Alternately depending on the operational mode and on the conveying direction of the hydraulic pump, one working line is the low pressure line and the other one is the high pressure line. The hydraulic pump as well as the hydraulic motor are adjustable in their respective displacement volumes by means of a control unit. The hydraulic motor comprises a housing in which a hydrostatic drive mechanism having an inlet and an outlet is arranged. In a connecting line connecting the outlet and the inlet a pressure control valve is arranged, which can be flown through in direction to the inlet. The pressure control valve opens if the high pressure present at the outlet exceeds a predetermined pressure limit of the pressure relief valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Danfoss Power Solutions GmbH & Co. OHG
    Inventor: Andreas Schumacher