Back to results
US 11,118,605 B1Granted
Accumulator pre-charge determination
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsAlexander Reiners, John A. Dighton, Peter A. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An exemplary method generally includes charging hydraulic fluid into or out of a cavity of an accumulator at a controlled flowrate, detecting movement of a machine component from a first position toward a second position, determining an idle time spanning from a start of the charging to detection of the movement of the machine component, and determining a pre-charge of the accumulator based upon the idle time and a flowrate value of the controlled flowrate.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- charging hydraulic fluid into or out of a cavity of an accumulator at a controlled flowrate;
- detecting movement of a machine component from a first position toward a second position, wherein the movement of the machine component from the first position toward the second position is a result of the charging of hydraulic fluid into or out of the cavity;
- determining an idle time spanning from a start of the charging to detection of the movement of the machine component;
- and
- determining a pre-charge of the accumulator based upon the idle time and a flowrate value of the controlled flowrate.
2 more elements
A hydraulic system, comprising:
- a hydraulic circuit comprising:
- an accumulator comprising a cavity, the accumulator having a pre-charge;
- a hydraulic cylinder comprising a chamber and a piston that partially defines the chamber, wherein the piston is mounted for reciprocal movement between a first piston position and a second piston position to expand and contract the chamber;
- and
- one or more pressure lines through which the cavity is in fluid communication with the chamber;
- a hydraulic pressure assembly operable to charge hydraulic fluid into and/or out of hydraulic circuit at a controlled flowrate;
- a sensor array comprising at least one position sensor operable to detect at least one position of the piston;
- a control assembly in communication with the hydraulic pressure assembly and the sensor array, wherein the control assembly is configured to:
- control the hydraulic pressure assembly to charge hydraulic fluid into or out the cavity at the controlled flowrate;
- detect, via the sensor array, movement of the piston from the first piston position toward the second piston position as a result of the charging of hydraulic fluid into or out of the cavity;
- determine an idle time spanning from a start of the charging to detection of the movement of the piston;
- and
- determine the pre-charge of the accumulator based upon the idle time and a flowrate value of the controlled flowrate.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.