Patents Examined by Daniel S Collins
  • Patent number: 11186967
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hydraulic system comprising a first actuator, a first variable displacement pump fluidly connected to the first actuator via a first circuit and adapted to drive the first actuator. The system further comprises a second actuator and a second pump fluidly connectable to the second actuator via a second circuit and adapted to drive the second actuator, wherein the second pump is fluidly connectable to the first actuator via a first control valve, and wherein the second pump is fluidly connectable to the second actuator via a second control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: J. C. Bamford Excavators Limited
    Inventor: James Hewitt
  • Patent number: 11187216
    Abstract: A plunger tool and method relating thereto is designed to remove and insert plungers of a reciprocating pump such as during maintenance and other disassembly operations. The tool has a guide which receives and supports the plunger after removal from, and before reinsertion into, the pump. The tool also has a rack and pinion actuator for moving the plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: KLX ENERGY SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Bertrom Ballard, Jr., Justin Steven Merchant, Bernt Olsen
  • Patent number: 11180244
    Abstract: An aircraft assembly having: a first part; a second part, the second part being movably mounted with respect to the first part; an electro-hydraulic actuator coupled between the second part and a first anchor point, the actuator comprising a cylinder defining a bore and a piston and rod assembly slidably mounted within the bore and an active chamber within which an increase in fluid pressure causes the actuator to change during a first phase between first and second extension states to move the second part relative to the first part. The electro-hydraulic actuator further includes a hydraulic fluid supply circuit comprising a piezo-electric pump operable to supply pressurised fluid to the active chamber to change the actuator between first and second extension states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Inventors: Royston Alan Evans, Paul Shaw
  • Patent number: 11168464
    Abstract: An open center hydraulic system (100) includes a tank configured to hold hydraulic fluid, a pump configured to provide pressurized hydraulic fluid from the tank, and a shunt valve configured to adapt a first opening area between a first input port and a first output port of the shunt valve dependent on a first control signal. The first input port is coupled to the pump, and the first output port is coupled to the tank. A first actuator valve is coupled to the first input port and configured to adapt a second opening area of the first actuator valve dependent on a second control signal. A hydraulic valve control unit is configured to determine a first opening area value and a second opening area value based on user input data and a predetermined relation dependent on the user input data, sending the first control signal, indicative of the first opening area value and sending the second control signal indicative of the second opening area value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: NORDHYDRAULIC AB
    Inventor: Bertil Lundgren
  • Patent number: 11168714
    Abstract: The oscillation cylinder arrangement (100) comprises a working cylinder (10A) and a piston with a rod (27A), arranged to move therein, and a control valve structure (20) for the working cylinder (10A). The control valve structure (20) incorporates a main valve (24) for transmitting a pressure medium to a first sub-chamber or a second sub-chamber of the working cylinder (10A) for a linear movement (A, B) of the piston, as well as impulse valves (22, 23), and lever arms (25, 26) for controlling them, in order to set the operational state of the main valve (24). Control members (27B) fixed to the piston rod (27A) moving in the working cylinder (10A), the control members (27B) being arranged to contact the lever arms (25, 26) of the impulse valves in order to define the extreme positions of the movement of the piston rod (27A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Inventor: Vesa Ropponen
  • Patent number: 11162516
    Abstract: A reciprocating piston motor, motor-pump assembly and method for driving a pump. The piston motor includes a pressure medium housing, comprising a first pressure medium chamber having a first pressure medium piston, a second pressure medium chamber having a second pressure medium piston, and a pressure medium control system. The pressure medium control system includes a pressure medium inlet and outlet that are operatively connected to the pressure medium housing. The pressure medium control system is configured to move the pressure medium pistons. A coupling system is provided that is configured to combine the driving forces generated by the first and second pressure medium pistons for driving a fluid pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Inventor: Jan Noord
  • Patent number: 11148650
    Abstract: A pneumatic brake booster having a booster housing. The booster housing has at least two thin-walled shell elements and an elastomer sealing element. The sealing element has a sealing bead, which is of encircling form radially at the outside, and at least one rolling diaphragm portion which adjoins the sealing bead. The sealing bead is sealingly clamped in a clamping space between the shell elements. The clamping space is formed by walls which are generated in the shell elements by deformation, its radial inner wall formed by a tubular, axially forwardly extending projection, which is folded at its front edge, of the second shell element. It is proposed that a bead-side rear wall of the clamping space is formed by an encircling, radially outwardly projecting collar which is formed on the second shell element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Inventors: Jürgen Faller, Ralf Jakobi
  • Patent number: 11149760
    Abstract: An improved pistonless cylinder, including both single acting and double acting configurations, based on an Aramid fiber reinforced elastomer tubular which is highly stiff in radial direction against radial expansion and elastic in axial extension, so as to form a completely sealed, extendable and retractable pressure chamber and to be able to perform as well as, or better than, most of the conventional hydraulic cylinders in terms of load bearing capacities, maximum stroke distances and service durability. This improved cylinder employs no piston, piston rod, sealing seals or oil based hydraulic fluid, and utilizes non-metal materials to construct the majority of the parts for its extendable and retractable pressure chamber; therefore, this new cylinder can achieve significant weight and fabrication cost reduction. In addition, this new pistonless cylinder uses ordinary liquids, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Inventors: James Jun Lee, William Wei Lee
  • Patent number: 11143300
    Abstract: A clamping device with a housing, with a piston with piston rod running in the housing, and with a monitoring unit arranged at least partially in the housing, wherein the monitoring unit includes at least two sensor units. The sensor units are spaced apart from one another along a longitudinal axis of the piston rod, and are arranged at a distance from the piston rod. The piston and the piston rod, and a metallic signal transmitter arranged on the piston or on the piston rod, are movable in a positively driven manner between a first end position and a second end position. The first sensor unit is arranged at the first end position of the signal transmitter, and the second sensor unit is arranged at the second end position of the signal transmitter. Each sensor unit has a first and second sensor and includes an induction coil and an oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Pepperl + Fuchs SE
    Inventors: Thomas Freund, Enrico Schulz
  • Patent number: 11137002
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a chassis, a controllable vehicle component, a hydraulic circuit, a heater, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The hydraulic circuit includes a reservoir configured to store hydraulic fluid, a pump positioned to drive the hydraulic fluid from the reservoir and throughout the hydraulic circuit, and an actuator positioned to selectively receive the hydraulic fluid from the pump to selectively operate the controllable vehicle component. The heater is positioned to facilitate selectively heating the hydraulic fluid. The temperature sensor is positioned to acquire temperature data indicative of a temperature of the hydraulic fluid. The controller is configured to monitor the temperature of the hydraulic fluid and selectively activate at least one of the heater or the pump to thermally regulate the hydraulic fluid (i) to maintain the hydraulic fluid within a target temperature range and (ii) independent of (a) an operator input and (b) engagement of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
    Inventors: Cody D. Clifton, Derek Wente
  • Patent number: 11131329
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic actuator having improved durability. A pneumatic actuator (10) comprises an actuator body (100) including: a cylindrical tube (110) configured to expand and contract by air pressure; and a cylindrical sleeve (120) formed by weaving cords (121) oriented in predetermined directions, wherein in a no-load and no-pressure state, an average angle (?1) of the cords (121) with respect to an axial direction (DAX) of the actuator is 20 degrees or more and less than 45 degrees, and in a state in which an average angle (?3) of the cords (121) with respect to the axial direction (DAX) of the actuator is 45 degrees with an air pressure of 5 MPa, a ratio (S2/S1) of a total area (S2) of gaps (122) of the cords (121) to an area (S1) of an outer surface of the actuator body (100) is 35% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Nakayama, Yasunori Tarutani, Shingo Ohno, Yasuo Fukushima
  • Patent number: 11131081
    Abstract: Provided is a slewing-type working machine including: a slewing motor; a capacity control device; a slewing control device operated by a slewing instruction operation to allow hydraulic fluid to be supplied from a hydraulic pump to the slewing motor; a slewing parking brake; a brake switching device; a brake release instruction unit which inputs a brake release instruction to the brake switching device so as to make the brake switching device switch the slewing parking brake to a brake releasing state after allowing hydraulic fluid to be supplied to the slewing motor; and a capacity limiting unit that limits the capacity of the slewing motor controlled by the capacity control device to a predetermined brake-release capacity value or less until a brake release point and allows the capacity to increase after the brake release point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Kozui
  • Patent number: 11125328
    Abstract: An electric actuator assembly for controlling the output of a variable output drive device such as a hydraulic transaxle or pump having an output shaft connected to a swash plate for rotation thereof to control the output of the drive device. The output shaft is engaged to and driven by a control shaft of an electric actuator. The assembly includes a clamping coupler to connect and align the output shaft and the control shaft, thereby permitting use of the electric actuator with multiple drive device designs without the need to modify the control shaft of the drive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventor: Nathan W. Bonny
  • Patent number: 11125253
    Abstract: A pneumatic articulating structure includes a plurality of tiles, a flexible cover, and a plurality of resiliently flexible hinges. Each tile has a first surface and a second surface facing in opposite outward directions. An area of at least one respective first surface is greater than an area of at least one respective second surface. The cover is constructed to cover the tiles. The second surface of each one of the tiles is attached to the cover. Each tile is engaged to an adjacent tile by a respective hinge, and are proximate to the first surface. A vacuum chamber is define by at least the plurality of tiles and the flexible cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Paul W Alexander, Wonhee M Kim, Jonathan E. Luntz, Diann Brei, Koray Benli, Tiantian Li, Laura Alejandra Giner Munoz, Jeff E Nasca, Nancy L Johnson, Paul E Krajewski
  • Patent number: 11118611
    Abstract: A variable flow hydraulic device having a plurality of cylinders for varying a flow of hydraulic fluid between a reservoir and a load, the device comprising: a housing having the plurality of cylinders with a plurality of corresponding pistons; an input port of the housing fluidly connected to each cylinder of the plurality of cylinders, the input port facilitating introduction of the hydraulic fluid to said each cylinder; a first output port of the housing connected to said each cylinder, the first output port facilitating the ejection of the hydraulic fluid from said each cylinder, the first output port configured for fluidly coupling said each cylinder to the load; a respective flow control valve for said each cylinder, and a fluid pressure sensing device coupled between downstream of the first output port and said respective flow control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: TONAND INC.
    Inventor: Antonio Cannata
  • Patent number: 11118327
    Abstract: Provided is a work machine with which responsiveness of a hydraulic actuator can be improved when driving the hydraulic actuator through an electric lever-type operation device. A controller 100 further includes: an operation direction determining section 116 configured to determine operation directions of operation devices 2a and 2b; and a standby pressure switching command section 117 configured to output a standby pressure switching command to a first target pilot pressure correction section 112 or a second target pilot pressure correction section 113 which corresponds to a solenoid proportional valve that does not correspond to the operation direction from among first solenoid proportional valves 41a, 42a, 42b, 43a, 43b, and 44a and second solenoid proportional valves 41b, 42c, 42d, 43c, 43d, and 44b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Yoshiyuki Tsuchie, Hidekazu Moriki, Hiroshi Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 11118612
    Abstract: Manual hydraulic override pumps for use with actuators are described herein. An example apparatus includes a manifold including a reservoir port to be fluidly coupled to a reservoir of fluid, a pump port to be fluidly coupled to a pump, a first actuator port to be fluidly coupled to a first chamber of an actuator, and a second actuator port to be fluidly coupled to a second chamber of the actuator. The example apparatus also includes a rotor disposed in a cavity formed in the manifold. The rotor is rotatable between a first actuating position in which the rotor fluidly couples the first actuator port and the pump port, and a second actuating position in which the rotor fluidly couples the second actuator port and the pump port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Emerson Process Management, Valve Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Matt Christopherson, Michael Cheng, Joseph Sun
  • Patent number: 11111932
    Abstract: A modular fluid actuator system is provided for generating a relative motion between a first fluid transfer chamber of a first module unit and a piston rod arrangement in an axial direction. The modular fluid actuator system comprises a fluid supply, a valve device coupled to the fluid supply and to the first fluid transfer chamber, a control unit coupled to the valve device for controlling the relative motion between the first fluid transfer chamber and the piston rod arrangement, the first fluid transfer chamber is coupled to a first sleeve portion exhibiting a first expandable hollow space arranged for fluid communication with the valve device via the first fluid transfer chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: SAAB AB
    Inventor: Magnus Landberg
  • Patent number: 11111931
    Abstract: A controller unit is included in a liquid-pressure driving system for use in a working machine configured to supply an operating liquid to an actuator to move a structural body by the actuator. The controller unit includes: a gyro sensor configured to output a signal corresponding to an operation velocity of the structural body; and a controller configured to control a flow rate of the operating liquid supplied to the actuator, based on the signal output from the gyro sensor and corresponding to the operation velocity of the structural body, wherein: the controller is attached to the structural body; and the gyro sensor is incorporated in the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideyasu Muraoka, Yoji Yudate, Kazuya Iwabe
  • Patent number: 11105320
    Abstract: A control plate, for alternatingly fluidically connecting hydrostatic operating chambers, in particular of an oblique axis type axial piston machine, with pressure medium connections, includes a first end face, a second end face, at least a first recess, a first kidney-like control opening, and at least one through-recess. The first face extends transversely to a rotation axis. The second face faces away from the first face. The first recess is bounded in the first end face by the first control opening, and at least partially forms the at least one through recess, which extends toward the second end face from the first end face at an end portion of the first control opening, and which is arranged in or counter to a rotation direction of the rotation axis. An oblique axis construction type axial piston machine includes such a control plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Bidell, Christian Hoermann, Marcus Herrmann, Raimund Roth