Hydraulic power amplification
AssigneeGreat Plains Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorJason Carlson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Hydraulic power amplification systems and methods configured to selectively supply an interval of increased force to a working hydraulic cylinder. The systems generally comprise a working cylinder and a pressure amplification cylinder. The rod side chamber of the working cylinder is in fluid communication with the rod side chamber of the working cylinder, such that shifting of the pressure amplification cylinder piston increases the power applied to the rod side of the working cylinder piston. The hydraulic power amplification systems and methods are particularly useful for providing supplemental breakout force to working cylinders on loader equipment, such as bucket loaders.
Claims15
A hydraulic power amplification system comprising:
- a working cylinder comprising a first barrel, a first piston base slidably disposed within the first barrel and defining a first bore side chamber and a first rod side chamber, and a first piston rod extending from the first piston base through the first rod side chamber;
- a pressure amplification cylinder comprising a second barrel, a second piston base slidably disposed within the second barrel and defining a second bore side chamber and a second rod side chamber, and a second piston rod extending from the second piston base through the second rod side chamber,
- wherein the pressure amplification cylinder is configured to selectively provide hydraulic fluid to the working cylinder to amplify an operating pressure of the working cylinder,
- wherein when the pressure amplification cylinder is providing the hydraulic fluid to the working cylinder, the second rod side chamber of the pressure amplification cylinder provides the hydraulic fluid to the first rod side chamber of the working cylinder;
- and
- further comprising a restriction element positioned between the second rod side chamber and the first rod side chamber, and configured to at least partly inhibit flow of the hydraulic fluid to the second rod side chamber when the hydraulic fluid is being released from the first rod side chamber.
A method for providing power amplification to a hydraulic cylinder assembly comprising a working cylinder having a working piston disposed therein and a pressure amplification cylinder having an amplification piston disposed therein, the method comprising:
- (a) introducing hydraulic fluid to a first rod side chamber of the working cylinder, the first rod side chamber being in fluid communication with a second rod side chamber of the pressure amplification cylinder;
- and
- (b) activating a power amplification operation by introducing a power amplification fluid to a bore side chamber of the pressure amplification cylinder so as to shift the amplification piston within the pressure amplification cylinder, thereby increasing the pressure of the hydraulic fluid within both the second rod side chamber of the pressure amplification cylinder and the first rod side chamber of the working cylinder,
- further comprising, after activation (b), releasing at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid from the first rod side chamber, wherein during the releasing, a restriction element positioned between the second rod side chamber and the first rod side chamber at least partially inhibits flow of the hydraulic fluid from the first rod side chamber to the second rod side chamber.
A method for providing power amplification to a hydraulic cylinder assembly installed on a loader, the hydraulic cylinder assembly comprising a working cylinder and a pressure amplification cylinder, the method comprising:
- (a) introducing a hydraulic fluid to the working cylinder, thereby shifting a working piston disposed within the working cylinder and moving a loader attachment mechanically coupled to the working piston;
- and
- (b) activating a power amplification operation by shifting an amplification piston within the pressure amplification cylinder, the pressure amplification cylinder comprising a rod side chamber being in fluid communication with a rod side chamber of the working cylinder such that shifting the amplification piston increases the pressure of the hydraulic fluid within the rod side chamber of the working cylinder,
- further comprising, after activation (b), releasing at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid from the working cylinder, wherein during the releasing, a restriction element positioned between the pressure amplification cylinder and the working cylinder at least partially inhibits flow of the hydraulic fluid from the working cylinder to the pressure amplification cylinder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.