Abstract: It is intended to provide a vehicle comprising a fluid working machine which can reduce wear of parts and be produced at low cost. The fluid working machine 11, 12 is provided with an eccentric cam 17, a piston 18A to 18F, a cylinder 19A to 19F, a drive rod 20A-20F having an engaging part 24 engaging with the piston and a contact part 25 contacting the eccentric cam 17, a holding member 34A to 34F surrounding the drive rod, a pressing member 40A to 40F for pressing up the holding member in a radially outward direction, and at least one holding ring 41 for holding the holding member from the outside.

Abstract: A series hydrostatic transmission for a vehicle having a wheel where the transmission comprises a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor each having a pumping mode and motoring mode. The pump and motor each have cylinders of cyclically varying working volume in which hydraulic fluid displacement through each cylinder is regulated and in phased relationship to cycles of cylinder working volume with reference to a phase signal. The transmission has a first mode in which the pump and motor are fluidly connected to each other, a second mode in which energy from hydraulic fluid pressurised by the motor in the pumping mode is transferred to an energy store, and a third mode in which energy from the energy store drives the motor, and wherein the motor comprises a valve assembly disposed between a high pressure line and a working chamber of the motor.

Abstract: A fluid working machine has at least one working chamber of cyclically varying volume and low and high pressure valves to regulate the flow of working fluid into and out of the working chamber, from low and high pressure manifolds. The low and high pressure valves are actuated by electronically controlled valve actuation means which, when actuated, applies forces to the low and high pressure valve members to open and/or close the respective valves. The low and high pressure valve members are independently moveable and, although the low pressure valve member typically begins to move quickly in response to a shared valve control signal, the high pressure valve member typically moves only after a change in the pressure within the working chamber.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a vehicle comprising a fluid working machine which can reduce wear of parts and be produced at low cost. The fluid working machine 11, 12 is provided with an eccentric cam 17, a piston 18A to 18F, a cylinder 19A to 19F, a drive rod 20A-20F having an engaging part 24 engaging with the piston and a contact part 25 contacting the eccentric cam 17, a holding member 34A to 34F surrounding the drive rod, a pressing member 40A to 40F for pressing up the holding member in a radially outward direction, and at least one holding ring 41 for holding the holding member from the outside.

Abstract: In a face sealing annular valve, an annular valve member is retained around or within a guide. The annular valve member is configured so that, when the annular valve member and the annular valve seat are coaxial, the spacing between the guide means and the guide-engaging surface region increases with distance along the central axis from a minimum of spacing between the annular valve member and the guide means. An end stop limits the tilt of the annular valve member. Advantageously, the annular valve member has restricted radial movement, enabling a good seal to be formed, while being unable to simultaneously contact diametrically opposite sides of the guide and jam.

Abstract: A face sealing annular valve (1) for a fluid-working machine has an annular valve member (10, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110) having a relaxed configuration in which a first seat-engaging surface (14, 101) of the annular valve member can sealedly engage with a first sealing surface of an annular valve seat (8), but a second seat-engaging surface (15, 101) cannot sealedly engage with a second sealing surface (9), and is elastically deformable to a deformed configuration in which the second seat-engaging surface can sealedly engage with a second sealing surface, while the first seat-engaging surface remains sealedly engaged with the first sealing surface. The annular valve member can be made with relatively high tolerances and is only loosely retained by a guide in the relaxed configuration.

Abstract: A rocking cylinder assembly comprising a cylinder, rotatable about a rocking axis between first and second end positions, having a cylinder bore terminating at a cylinder bearing surface and a cylinder aperture, and a bearing component having a component bore terminating at a component bearing surface and a component aperture. The ratio of the area of the second one of the apertures to the square of the maximum extent of the second one of the apertures in a direction perpendicular to the rocking axis and perpendicular to a second axis for fluid flow is greater than the ratio of the area of the first one of the apertures to the square of the maximum extent of the first one of the apertures in a direction perpendicular to the rocking axis and perpendicular to a first axis for fluid flow.

Abstract: A fluid working machine has at least one working chamber of cyclically varying volume and low and high pressure valves to regulate the flow of working fluid into and out of the working chamber, from low and high pressure manifolds. The low and high pressure valves are actuated by electronically controlled valve actuation means which, when actuated, applies forces to the low and high pressure valve members to open and/or close the respective valves. The low and high pressure valve members are independently moveable and, although the low pressure valve member typically begins to move quickly in response to a shared valve control signal, the high pressure valve member typically moves only after a change in the pressure within the working chamber.

Abstract: In a face sealing annular valve, an annular valve member is retained around or within a guide. The annular valve member is configured so that, when the annular valve member and the annular valve seat are coaxial, the spacing between the guide means and the guide-engaging surface region increases with distance along the central axis from a minimum of spacing between the annular valve member and the guide means. An end stop limits the tilt of the annular valve member. Advantageously, the annular valve member has restricted radial movement, enabling a good seal to be formed, while being unable to simultaneously contact diametrically opposite sides of the guide and jam.

Abstract: A face sealing annular valve (1) for a fluid-working machine has an annular valve member (10, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110) having a relaxed configuration in which a first seat-engaging surface (14, 101) of the annular valve member can sealedly engage with a first sealing surface of an annular valve seat (8), but a second seat-engaging surface (15, 101) cannot sealedly engage with a second sealing surface (9), and is elastically deformable to a deformed configuration in which the second seat-engaging surface can sealedly engage with a second sealing surface, while the first seat-engaging surface remains sealedly engaged with the first sealing surface. The annular valve member can be made with relatively high tolerances and is only loosely retained by a guide in the relaxed configuration.