Patents Examined by Michael Leslie
  • Patent number: 12292062
    Abstract: A hydraulic circuit is disclosed which includes one or more i) linear; or ii) rotary hydraulic actuator, wherein total number of cylinder chambers is N, M pressure rails, a valve arrangement, including M hydraulic rail ports each coupled to a pressure rail, N hydraulic chamber ports each coupled to a chamber of one or more actuators, N proportional valves each corresponding to one of the N hydraulic chamber ports, X sets of on-off valves and check valves coupling two or more hydraulic rail ports to each of supply sides of each of the N proportional valves, and Y sets of on-off valves and check valves coupling two or more hydraulic rail ports to each of return sides of each of the N proportional valves, and a controller configured to in real-time operate the N proportional valves and the associated on-off valves to achieve one or more desired functional parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignees: Purdue Research Foundation, Wipro Enterprise Pvt Ltd
    Inventors: Mateus Bertolin, Xiaofan Guo, Andrea Vacca, Jan Nilsson
  • Patent number: 12286981
    Abstract: A hydraulic valve bank has at least two valve sections, a connection section, and a pressure channel for pressurizing the valve sections. The pressure channel connects the connection section to each valve section for pressurizing them. Each valve section has a spool, an electrohydraulic pilot control for actuating the spool and an upstream pressure compensator. The valve bank is a load-sensing system and has a load pressure collecting channel for signaling the highest load pressure. A common pilot pressure signal is applied to the electrohydraulic pilot control of each valve section via the connection section. A single pilot control pressure influencing valve changes the common pilot pressure signal, and is connected to the pressure channel to be acted upon in a first switching direction, and to the load pressure collecting channel to be acted upon in a second switching direction. A mobile hydraulic system includes such a hydraulic valve bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: HAWE Hydraulik SE
    Inventors: Thomas Wechsel, Sascha Rümenap
  • Patent number: 12286986
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to method for monitoring operation of a hydraulic system, in particular of a hydraulic system of a working machine, having at least one hydraulic actuator. The method comprises a step of determining a predefined operating condition of the hydraulic system; a step of determining an input power parameter being indicative of a power provided by an engine to the hydraulic system during the predetermined operating condition; a step of determining an output power parameter being indicative of a power provided by the hydraulic actuator during the predetermined operating condition; and a step of determining a fault condition of the hydraulic system based on the input power parameter and the output power parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Pengfei Ma
  • Patent number: 12286980
    Abstract: Hydraulic fluid is fed to a hydraulic cylinder via a feed line, and the hydraulic cylinder raises and lowers a mechanical device with a tool, where a lowering motion of the tool is reached by closing a second valve. Thereby, a third valve and a first valve are opened so that a first pressure is set between the first valve and the third valve, which corresponds to a pressure in the feed line and the cylinder at which the predetermined pressure or force effect can be exerted with the tool on the surface of the object. When a second pressure in the feed line between the hydraulic cylinder and the second valve is reduced to a value corresponding to the previously reached first pressure, the second valve is opened so that a pressure is maintained in the feed line up to the piston inside the hydraulic cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Inventor: Thomas Löcher
  • Patent number: 12281663
    Abstract: A first switching valve that switches between flow passages which allow communication between a first pressure-receiving chamber and a fluid supply device side and flow passages which allow communication between a second pressure-receiving chamber and the fluid supply device side, according to a change in a fluid pressure to be applied, and a second switching valve that is switched to flow passages which apply the fluid pressure to the first switching valve, are provided. The second switching valve includes return device, and is provided to be reciprocatable between an operation position to which the second switching valve is moved by a stroke of a piston and a return position to which the second switching valve is moved by the return device. The piston and the second switching valve are movable independently of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: EAGLE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Shimada, Koji Sato, Yuta Okamoto, Tomoki Seki, Tatsuhiro Arikawa
  • Patent number: 12276289
    Abstract: There is an outer surface having a first upper O ring groove and a second lower O ring groove. The outer surface has a pressure line aperture therein. The outer surface has a snap ring groove and a third sweep O ring groove. The top end cap has a lower portion and an upper portion. The pressure line aperture has a thread. The inner surface forms a passageway through the length of the top end cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Inventor: Mark Pelini
  • Patent number: 12275625
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for an industrial truck with a lifting frame has at least one telescoping mast that can be raised and lowered in a stationary mast and a load handling means that can be raised and lowered in the telescoping mast. The hydraulic system has a free lift cylinder for raising and lowering the load handling means and at least one mast lift cylinder for raising and lowering the telescoping mast. A control valve device is provided for the control of the lifting operation and the lowering operation of the free lift cylinder and of the mast lift cylinders. A mast transition damping device is provided that includes at least one electrically actuated proportional valve. The proportional valve of the mast transition damping device, in the unactuated state, has a throttling connection that effects a throttled volume flow, and in the event of an electrical control action, can be actuated toward an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignees: Linde Material Handling GmbH, STILL GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Schwab, Ulrich Knechtel
  • Patent number: 12270423
    Abstract: The present invention provides a controller for hydraulic apparatus (100). The controller is configured to determine (310) that an energy return criteria has been met by movement of a first movement component of a first hydraulic actuator. In response thereto, the controller is further configured to select (320) at least one among a plurality of energy control strategies based on at least one operational characteristic of the hydraulic apparatus, and to control (330) the hydraulic apparatus to implement the energy control strategy during movement of the first movable component in such a way as to meet the energy return criteria. The plurality of energy control strategies comprises a first energy control strategy and a second energy control strategy. The at least one operational characteristic of the hydraulic apparatus comprises an indication of an expected energy recovery of one or more of the energy control strategies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Artemis Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Alexis Dole, Matthew Green, John Hutcheson, Daniel Abrahams, Niall Caldwell
  • Patent number: 12270182
    Abstract: A load-controlled hydraulic supply for a utility vehicle includes a variable-displacement pump supplied with hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic reservoir. The variable-displacement pump has a mechanically actuable control slide for changing a volume flow delivered. An electrical actuator is configured to actuate the control slide. A controller is configured to control the electrical actuator in accordance with a determined load requirement on a consumer side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Manuel Billich
  • Patent number: 12270394
    Abstract: A fluid end includes a housing having a bore extending toward a cavity and a wear sleeve positioned within the bore. The fluid end also includes a plunger positioned within a plunger bore extending through the wear sleeve, the plunger reciprocating within the plunger bore. The fluid end further includes a wear sleeve retainer coupled to the housing and positioned to block axial movement of the wear sleeve, the wear sleeve retainer having external threads along a body that engage internal threads formed in the housing. The fluid end also includes an anti-rotation system, coupled to the housing, the anti-rotation system engaging the wear sleeve retainer to block rotation of the wear sleeve retainer in at least one direction. The fluid end further includes a packing nut coupled to the wear sleeve retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Vulcan Industrial Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Kyle Matthew Ellisor, Akhil Alex, Benjamin Scott Berryhill, Chance Ray Mullins, Steven Zachary Newberg, Chris Leake
  • Patent number: 12264659
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a piston assembly, the piston assembly comprising a cylinder extending along an axis and having an open axial end, a cap assembly closing the cylinder at its open axial end, wherein the cap assembly comprises an insertion portion received in the cylinder at its open axial end, and a piston axially movably disposed within the cylinder and partially received in the insertion portion of the cap assembly. The present disclosure further relates to a variable displacement hydraulic unit including said piston assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: DANA MOTION SYSTEMS ITALIA S.R.L.
    Inventors: Luca Fontanesi, Alessandro Sassi, David Gambuzzi
  • Patent number: 12264692
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and a device for detecting a position of a piston rod, a hydraulic cylinder and a working machine. The method includes: acquiring a target image at a target position; obtaining a pixel information corresponding to the target image; comparing the pixel information with a pixel database of the piston rod, a full-stroke pixel information of the piston rod and a relationship between the full-stroke pixel information of the piston rod and a displacement of the piston rod are stored in the pixel database of the piston rod, and the full-stroke pixel information at least comprises the pixel information within a range in which the piston rod is configured to move relative to the target position; and determining a position information of the piston rod based on a comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: SANY AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dian He, Zhou Xu, Zhixue Lu
  • Patent number: 12247373
    Abstract: The hydraulic drive system includes a hydraulic pump, a plurality of variable displacement actuators, and a control unit. The hydraulic pump discharges a hydraulic fluid. The variable displacement actuators each receive a pressure of the hydraulic fluid discharged from the hydraulic pump to operate corresponding one of a plurality of drive parts. The control unit controls displacement varying parts of the variable displacement actuators. The control unit controls the displacement varying parts of the variable displacement actuators, based on sensed pressures in fluid inflow parts of the variable displacement actuators in operation, such that the pressures in the fluid inflow parts of the variable displacement actuators in operation approach a common target pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: NABTESCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Etsuro Komori
  • Patent number: 12241230
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for a working machine includes first and second hydraulic actuators actuated by hydraulic fluid delivered by a hydraulic pump, a first flow rate controller to control a first supply flow rate of hydraulic fluid supplied to the first hydraulic actuator to match a first required flow rate, a second flow rate controller to control a second supply flow rate of hydraulic fluid supplied to the second hydraulic actuator to match a second required flow rate, and a special flow rate control system to, if a sum of the first and second required flow rates is greater than a maximum delivery flow rate of the hydraulic pump, reduce the first supply flow rate to allow the second supply flow rate to approach the second required flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohei Nagao, Yuji Fukuda, Ryuki Nishimoto
  • Patent number: 12241488
    Abstract: The cylinder device includes a first piston fitted in a first cylinder to be slidable, a piston rod connected to the first piston, and a stopper mechanism which operates when the first piston reaches a predetermined position on a first end portion side of one axial end of the first cylinder during an extension stroke or a compression stroke, in which the stopper mechanism includes a second cylinder provided on the first end portion side of the first cylinder and a second piston provided to be movable according to movement of the piston rod and able to fit into the second cylinder, and one end of the second piston on the first end portion side comes into contact with a rod flange part between a rod first outer diameter part of the piston rod and a rod second outer diameter part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventor: Andrew Feldkamp
  • Patent number: 12226351
    Abstract: A patient handling apparatus includes a patient support surface, a base, and a hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic circuit includes a pump, a fluid reservoir, and a hydraulic cylinder operable to selectively raise or lower the patient support surface or the base. The hydraulic circuit controls flow of fluid between the cylinder and the fluid reservoir to thereby control the movement of the base or patient support surface. In addition, the hydraulic circuit may include a manual bypass circuit configured to bypass the pump in response to a manual input, which allows manual extension or retraction of the cylinder, for example, when the pump is not operational. The hydraulic circuit may also include a pump bypass circuit configured to bypass the pump to allow fluid to discharge from the cap end to the fluid reservoir for faster evacuation of fluid from the cylinder, thereby increasing retraction speed of the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Stryker Corporation
    Inventors: Ross T. Lucas, William Ross Heneveld, Jr., Chad C. Souke, Thomas A. Puvogel
  • Patent number: 12221988
    Abstract: A working cylinder has a cylinder with a cylinder tube, and a piston unit, The cylinder has a coupling portion which has a closure part and cylinder tube end portion that has a threaded cylinder tube portion, a cylinder tube intermediate portion and a cylinder tube end. The closure part has an external thread and the threaded cylinder tube portion has an internal thread corresponding to the external thread. The external thread and the internal thread define a common threaded portion which is couples the closure part and the cylinder tube with a form fit. The cylinder tube end is connected to the closure part by a circumferential ring weld seam configured as a laser-produced ring weld seam and defines a sealing plane which is tight to pressure medium. In an operating state under load alleviation, the common threaded portion does not absorb an axial tensile force, and in the operating state under load, the ring weld seam and the common threaded portion each absorb an axial tensile force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Bümach Engineering International B.V.
    Inventor: Josef Bueter
  • Patent number: 12221770
    Abstract: A construction machine with a hydraulic system has a hydraulic control, which comprises a joystick, a hydraulic pressure source, and two hydraulic drives. Main control valves are controlled by a joystick. The construction machine comprises multiple components, and a hydraulic drive is assigned for moving these components. The hydraulic control comprises an electrically-actuatable priority proportional valve in the hydraulic connection of a drive. The priority valve is electrically connected to the electronic control unit and generates additional hydraulic resistance. The hydraulic control comprises sensors, on the components, for detection of the positions thereof. The detected sensor values are transferred to the control unit. At least one trajectory is stored in the control unit. A control mode can be activated, in which each priority valve is controlled using the current sensor values upon actuation of the joystick so that the stored trajectory is run by control of the drives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: XCMG European Research Center GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Inderelst, Stefan Pollmeier
  • Patent number: 12221769
    Abstract: A hydraulic excavator 1 includes an engine 16, a main hydraulic pump 17 driven by the engine 16, a plurality of hydraulic actuators driven with pressure oil discharged from the main hydraulic pump 17, a plurality of flow rate control valves adapted to control the flow rate of pressure oil to be supplied from the main hydraulic pump 17 to the respective hydraulic actuators, a pilot hydraulic pump 18 adapted to supply pressure oil for driving the flow rate control valves, and a controller 15 configured to control the discharge flow rate of the pilot hydraulic pump 18. The controller 15 controls the discharge flow rate of the pilot hydraulic pump 18 such that it becomes equal to the sum of requested pilot flow rates determined in accordance with control commands for the respective flow rate control valves and a preset standby flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaaki Chiba, Kento Kumagai, Yusuke Imai
  • Patent number: 12215723
    Abstract: A hydraulic cylinder includes: a cylinder tube; a piston rod; a piston member; a rod inner passage provided within the piston rod, a rod inner passage being configured such that a first opening portion opens at an outer circumferential surface of the piston rod in the cylinder tube, and such that a second opening portion opens outside the cylinder tube; and a sensor part provided outside the cylinder tube, the sensor part being configured to detect that the working fluid is guided to the rod inner passage, the piston member is connected to the piston rod in a state in which one-side end surface is in contact with an annular step portion so as to block the first opening portion of the rod inner passage, the annular step portion being provided on the outer circumferential surface of the piston rod, and the sensor part is configured to detect that the working fluid is guided to the rod inner passage from a rod side chamber and a counter rod side chamber through a gap between the step portion and the piston membe
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: KYB CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya Itou, Nobuyuki Kobayashi, Hirotaka Kobayashi