Hydraulic energy retention
AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.
InventorsJohn Robert Wittmaak, Jr., Joseph Lee Spaeth, Marc Wayne Kinard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hydraulic energy retention system includes a body with a piston separating a hydraulic fluid from a pressurized gas, a discharge port in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid, and a stop operable to an engaged position to block movement of the piston past the stop and toward the discharge port. The hydraulic energy retention system may be implemented with a hydraulic fluid reservoir, such as a bootstrap reservoir.
Claims19
A hydraulic energy retention system, the system comprising:
- a body with a piston separating a hydraulic fluid from a pressurized gas;
- a discharge port in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid;
- and
- a stop operable to an engaged position to block movement of the piston past the stop and toward the discharge port;
- wherein the stop, in the engaged position, allows the piston to move away from the discharge port.
An aircraft hydraulic system, the system comprising:
- a hydraulic circuit comprising a system pressure circuit and a return circuit;
- a pump having a pump outlet connected to the system pressure circuit and a pump inlet connected to the return circuit;
- a hydraulic accumulator comprising a piston separating a hydraulic fluid from a pressurized gas and a discharge port in communication with the hydraulic fluid and the return circuit;
- and
- a stop operable to an engaged position to block movement of the piston past the stop and toward the discharge port.
A method of retaining hydraulic energy in an aircraft's hydraulic system, comprising:
- using the hydraulic system comprising a hydraulic circuit having a system pressure circuit and a return circuit, a pump having a pump outlet connected to the system pressure circuit and a pump inlet connected to the return circuit, and a hydraulic accumulator comprising a piston separating a pressurized hydraulic fluid from a pressurized gas and a discharge port communicating the hydraulic fluid to the return circuit;
- running the pump thereby pressurizing the hydraulic circuit;
- turning off the pump;
- operating a stop, with the pump off, to an engaged position stopping movement of the piston past the stop and toward the discharge port thereby retaining the hydraulic fluid at the pump inlet at a selected pump inlet pressure;
- and
- restarting the pump comprising operating the stop to a disengaged position allowing movement of the piston toward the discharge port and then starting the pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.