Patents Examined by Thomas E. Lazo
  • Patent number: 11280357
    Abstract: Provided is a hydraulic variable pump set, including a pump body component and an oil supplement component. The pump body component includes a pump body, a first slide valve, and a first control valve. The first slide valve includes a spring end and a pilot cavity. The first control valve is provided with an oil inlet A, an oil inlet B, and an oil outlet T. The pump body includes a variable pump and a variable cylinder. The variable pump includes a swash plate. The variable cylinder includes a rod cavity and a rodless cavity. The variable cylinder is mechanically connected to the spring end and the swash plate. The oil supplement component is in communication with the pilot cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignees: LINDE HYDRAULICS (CHINA) CO., LTD., WEICHAI POWER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kai Cui, Xuxin Qin, Guoxi Yang, Fei Yang
  • Patent number: 11280059
    Abstract: A hydraulic drive system for a hydraulic excavator that enables leveling work and a jack-up operation by a blade in a float state, that can prevent a body from falling even when an operator has falsely operated the hydraulic excavator during the jack-up operation by the blade, and that yet can perform favorable leveling work with the blade turned into the float state is provided. A float switch 37, a float valve 38, and a controller 34 are provided, the float valve 38 is changed over to a float position VI upon operating the float switch 37 when the blade is not in a jack-up state, the float valve 38 is changed over from the float position VI to a normal position V when the float valve 38 is in a state of being at the float position VI and an operation lever device 22 has been operated, and the float valve 38 is kept at the normal position V when the float valve 38 is at the normal position V and the float switch 37 has been operated in the jack-up state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Tierra Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazushige Mori, Hajime Yoshida, Yoshifumi Takebayashi, Natsuki Nakamura, Daisuke Oka
  • Patent number: 11274682
    Abstract: A counter balance valve (71L) is located between a directional control valve (23) and a hydraulic motor (32L) and provided on the way of a pair of supply/discharge lines (25A, 25B). The counter balance valve (71L) allows a spool (72L) to be displaced axially based on a pressure difference between the supply/discharge lines (25A, 25B). The counter balance valve (71L) includes a communicating passage (73L) for communicating the supply/discharge lines (25A, 25B) when the displacement of the spool (72L) exceeds a predetermined amount (XCM), based on a pressure difference between the supply/discharge lines (25A, 25B). The communicating passage (73L) is provided in the spool (72L) of the counter balance valve (71L).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Itoh, Kazuhiro Numaguchi
  • Patent number: 11268542
    Abstract: An actuator control arrangement includes a hydraulic actuator having a housing and a piston rod axially moveable within the housing, a stop disposed within the housing to limit the extent of movement of the piston rod into the housing, and a solenoid valve arranged between a pressure source and the actuator. The solenoid valve is switchable between a first mode and a second mode in response to an electric control signal, wherein, in the first mode, the solenoid valve creates a fluid flow path from the pressure source to the actuator so as to locate the stop in its neutral position and in the second mode, the solenoid valve creates a fluid flow path to release pressure from the actuator to permit the stop to move to its retracted position. In the event of electrical failure, the stop will set the actuator to its neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: GOODRICH ACTUATION SYSTEMS SAS
    Inventor: Raphael Medina
  • Patent number: 11268544
    Abstract: A valve, in particular for use as a pressure compensator or maintenance-type component (38) in hydraulically actuated hoisting devices (2), has a valve housing (54) with a control port (40), a fluid inlet (64) and a fluid outlet (66). A regulating piston (68) is longitudinally displaceably in the valve housing (54) and acts against an energy storage device (70) in the form of a compression spring, bringing the regulating piston (68) into positions forming a fluid-conveying connection between the fluid inlet (40) and the fluid outlet (66) or blocking this connection by a control pressure existing at the control port (40). A first orifice (88) in the regulating piston (68) connects the control port (40) to a receiving space (62) for the energy storage device (70) in a fluid-conveying manner. A second orifice (90) is in an intermediate part (72) in the valve housing (54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: HYDAC FLUIDTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Peter Bruck, Frank Schulz
  • Patent number: 11268546
    Abstract: An electrical power generation system includes a hydraulic pump configured to be switchable between operating in a first pump direction and in a second pump direction opposite the first pump direction and a hydraulic motor operably connected to the hydraulic pump to convert hydraulic flow into electrical power. The hydraulic motor has a motor inlet passage and a motor outlet passage. A hydraulic block is located in flow communication with the hydraulic pump and with the hydraulic motor. The hydraulic block is configured such that hydraulic fluid flow exiting the hydraulic block toward the hydraulic motor is directed through the motor inlet passage, regardless of whether the hydraulic pump is operating in the first pump or the second pump direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Rudolf Johannes Van Wijk, Eeuwe Durk Kooi
  • Patent number: 11261885
    Abstract: A fluid pressure cylinder includes a first cylinder portion and a second cylinder portion disposed in parallel, and a supply-and-discharge port. The first cylinder portion is partitioned by a first piston into a head-side first accumulation chamber and a rod-side second accumulation chamber. The second cylinder portion is partitioned by a second piston into a head-side release chamber and a rod-side drive chamber. Pressurized fluid is supplied to and discharged from the second accumulation chamber and the drive chamber through the supply-and-discharge port. An end of a first piston rod connected to the first piston and an end of a second piston rod connected to the second piston are connected to each other. The first piston includes a communication switching valve switching communication between the first accumulation chamber and the second accumulation chamber, between enabled and disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youji Takakuwa, Hiroyuki Asahara, Seiichi Nagura
  • Patent number: 11261962
    Abstract: A hydrostatic travel drive includes a hydraulic pump for the purpose of supplying pressure medium to a hydraulic motor of the travel drive that can be coupled to an output, which pump can be coupled to a drive machine. The hydraulic pump has an actuating cylinder with at least one cylinder chamber and a swept volume which can be adjusted via the actuating cylinder, and at least one electrically activatable pressure valve via which the cylinder chamber can be charged with an adjustingly active actuating pressure. The travel drive further includes device via which a pressure of the hydraulic pump can be limited by means of influencing the actuating pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Mueller, Michael Frasch, Steffen Mutschler, Ulrich Lenzgeiger
  • Patent number: 11255350
    Abstract: An electric-powered fail-safe actuator for use with a valve, where the actuator stores potential energy for conversion to kinetic energy to close or open the valve to the fail-safe position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Hybrid Automation Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Connal, Daniel Lannan
  • Patent number: 11246255
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for controlling at least one steerable caster wheel of an agricultural machine includes a first actuator having a piston and including an inboard fluid port for supplying fluid to a first side of the piston to move the piston in a first direction, and an outboard fluid port for supplying fluid to a second side of the piston to move the piston in a second direction. A first fluid pressure equalizer is fluidically coupled to the first side actuator and operable to equalize fluid pressure over a period of time between the first side and the second side of the piston of the first side actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Austin J. Karst, Thomas D. Morrison, David V. Rotole
  • Patent number: 11242671
    Abstract: Each of left and right direction switching valves includes: a pump port connected to a pump; a first compensation port connected to an upstream side of a corresponding pressure compensation valve; a second compensation port connected to a downstream side of the corresponding pressure compensation valve; a pair of supply/discharge ports connected to a corresponding travel motor; and a communication port. The communication ports of the left and right direction switching valves are connected by a communication line. When a spool shifts from a neutral position by the travel operation device, the pump port communicates with the first compensation port and the second compensation port communicates with one of the supply/discharge ports and the communication port. Each direction switching valve is configured wherein a degree of communication between the second compensation port and communication port increases in a shifting amount of the spool from the neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignees: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, CATERPILLAR SARL
    Inventors: Seiji Aoki, Yoshiyuki Tode, Masahiro Ohira, Hideki Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11242873
    Abstract: A pneumatic or hydraulic mechanism has a housing defining a piston chamber and having a fluid inlet port. A piston is slidable in the piston chamber. The piston partitions the piston chamber into a front chamber and a rear chamber. The piston has one or more passages for fluid communication between the rear chamber and the front chamber, the one or more passages being sealed by a sealing mechanism. The sealing mechanism has a sealing state in which the sealing mechanism substantially inhibits fluid communication between the rear chamber and the front chamber, and a non-sealing state in which the sealing mechanism allows fluid communication between the rear chamber and the front chamber. The piston is slidable between a first position and a second position. When the piston is positioned in the first position, the sealing mechanism is in the sealing state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Inventor: David John Moodie
  • Patent number: 11236772
    Abstract: A pneumatic actuator (240), comprising: a pressure reducer (270) for delivering gas under a reduced pressure to a control valve; the control valve (280) selectively supplying gas to a pneumatic cylinder (290) or discharging gas from the cylinder (290) to the environment; a replaceable gas capsule (260) for supplying the gas under increased pressure; where the actuator has a first mode of operation for moving the piston (293) to the extended position, and has a second mode of operation for retracting the piston (293). A method for assembling a pneumatic actuator. A portable tool, a clamping device, a screw clamp comprising such a pneumatic actuator. A method for assembling the screw clamp. A method for repairing the screw clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Inventor: Armen Sargesjan
  • Patent number: 11236489
    Abstract: An apparatus for installing a land anchor of a foundation in an earthen surface includes an articulated arm assembly including a first linear actuator and a drill configured to releasably couple to a helical member, and a control system coupled to the articulated arm assembly and configured to operate the first linear actuator in a free-floating mode configured to maintain an installation angle between the drill and the earthen surface as the helical member is drilled into the earthen surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Wilco Manufacturing, LLC
    Inventors: Lanny Chaisson, Jake Broussard
  • Patent number: 11230821
    Abstract: A construction machine that precisely enables derivation of the operation characteristics of hydraulic actuators in a high-velocity area with less calibration operation is provided. A controller (10) has a calibration mode in which the controller (10) derives operation characteristics (?(xs)) representing a relation among a spool position (xs) of a meter-in valve (8a1), an operation velocity (Va) of a hydraulic actuator (4a), and a differential pressure (?P) across the meter-in valve (8a1), and is configured to, in a case where the spool position (xs) of the meter-in valve (8a1) has changed in a direction to increase the opening area of the meter-in valve (8a1) in the calibration mode, output a command signal to increase the opening area of a bleed-off valve (8b1) to a bleed-off solenoid proportional pressure-reducing valve (8b2) as a command signal to reduce the differential pressure (?P).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Kanazawa, Hidekazu Moriki, Shinya Imura, Yasutaka Tsuruga, Takaaki Chiba
  • Patent number: 11231054
    Abstract: A hydraulic drive system for a construction material pump has a hydraulic circuit for hydraulic fluid, a feed pump which is designed to feed hydraulic fluid into the hydraulic circuit, at least one controllable pressure-limiting valve unit, which is designed for variable adjustment of a limit pressure of hydraulic fluid of at least one portion of the hydraulic circuit within a pressure range, and a control unit. The control unit is designed to control the pressure-limiting valve unit according to at least one operating parameter of the hydraulic drive system and/or according to the hydraulic fluid in such a way that the pressure-limiting valve unit adjusts the limit pressure of the portion of the hydraulic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Putzmeister Engineering GmbH
    Inventor: Jan-Martin Veit
  • Patent number: 11231052
    Abstract: A control device for controlling a hydraulic consumer (2), such as a working cylinder, has at least one control valve (18) having a control spool (20). Control spool (20) is guided in a valve housing (22) in a longitudinally movable manner and is actuated by an electric motor (24). Electric motor (24) can be controlled by control electronics (MC), which receive input signals from a sensor device (58, 60, 62) detecting at least one operating state of the consumer (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: HYDAC MOBILHYDRAULIK GMBH
    Inventor: Marc Anton
  • Patent number: 11225776
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for recovering potential energy of a load implement of a mobile construction vehicle. The hydraulic system includes first and second actuators and control valving. The first and second actuators are configured to be coupled to the load implement for controlling raising and lowering of the load element. The control valving is operable between a first position at which, during a lowering of the load implement, the control valving directs hydraulic fluid from one of the first and second actuators to an accumulator to charge the accumulator, and a second position at which the control valving directs hydraulic fluid from the accumulator to one or more of the first and second actuators to power the one or more of the first and second actuators to raise the load element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas N. White, James Howland, Hao Zhang, Blake Carl
  • Patent number: 11213408
    Abstract: An asymmetric linear actuator is provided which integrates a hydraulic dissipater and an electric motor and power screw which generates small forces. The actuator is configured so that an electric motor drives a power screw which drives a rod through a cylinder to provide linear actuation. The cylinder is fluid-filled and incorporates a piston that separates the cylinder into a first and second fluid chamber which are filled with a first and second volume of working fluid. Movement of the piston and rod assembly results in fluid movement between the first and second volumes of working fluid and through the fluidic restriction. The fluidic restriction can be proportionally controllable via an electric motor which enables controllable power dissipation via control of the fluidic restriction motor and controllable power generation via control of the power screw motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Vanderbilt University
    Inventors: Michael Goldfarb, Harrison Bartlett, Brian Lawson
  • Patent number: 11218109
    Abstract: An energy or water storage system can comprise a storage reservoir, a discharge reservoir, a pump for charging the storage reservoir, and a turbine or similar discharge device. The storage reservoir can comprise a flexible bag covered by overburden that creates pressure inside the bag. Energy is stored by raising the overburden. The bag can comprise a shaped internal filler piece to prevent formation of a crease at the bag edge. Solar panels can be mounted above any bag to make additional use of the land. Solar panels mounted on overburden can have tracking mechanisms and controls suitable to achieve desired orientation regardless of the slope of overburden. Elevation difference between the storage reservoir and discharge reservoir can be used, including an underground cavity. The bag can have internal tethers to influence bag shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Inventor: Peter A Materna