Variable output, hydraulic drive system
OwnerRobert D. Klineinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hydraulic drive pump system incorporates: 1) a concentric, multi-lobed cam that produces multiple strokes per revolution; 2) a piston profile that maximizes the number of large-diameter pistons arranged radially around the centerline axis; 3) a flexible piston base 50 with internal oil flow; 4) hydraulically connected cylinders which counter displacement issues raised in item 2 above; 5) variable stroke capability leading to infinitely variable output the ability to disengage unneeded cylinders from the cam; 6) integral reservoir and accumulator capacity; 7) compact, external pressure and return manifolds; 8) axially-oriented pressure and return manifolds 60, 70, and 9) a hydraulic reservoir and pressure tank integrated into the body of the pump.
Claims16
A hydraulic drive pump comprising
- a longitudinal drive shaft;
- a plurality of annular cams coaxial with and disposed along said longitudinal drive shaft;
- a plurality of paired cylinders arrayed radially around said plurality of annular cams, each cylinder of said plurality of paired cylinders having a piston axis and a piston engaged with one of said plurality of annular cams, each piston bearing a piston head dividing said cylinder into an upper chamber and a lower chamber along said piston axis;
- a piston position monitor coupled to each of said pistons and adapted to transmit length of travel data of said piston head within said cylinder;
- and
- a piston position adjuster adapted to adjust a position of said piston head along said piston axis within each of said paired cylinders.
A method of operating a hydraulic motor for a generator, the method comprising
- providing a hydraulic pump drive having a longitudinal drive shaft, said hydraulic pump drive hydraulically coupled to said hydraulic motor and having
- a plurality of annular cams coaxial with and mechanically coupled to said longitudinal drive shaft;
- a plurality of paired cylinders arrayed radially around said plurality of annular cams, each cylinder of said plurality of paired cylinders having a piston engaged with one of said plurality of annular cams, each piston bearing a piston head dividing said cylinder into an upper chamber and a lower chamber;
- a piston position monitor coupled to each of said pistons and adapted to transmit length of travel data of said piston head within said cylinder;
- and
- a piston position adjuster adapted to adjust a position of said piston head along said piston axis within each of said paired cylinders;
- then
- operating said hydraulic drive pump to impel pressurized hydraulic fluid toward said hydraulic motor to drive said generator;
- receiving hydraulic fluid and directing it into an interior of said hydraulic drive pump;
- and
- employing said piston position adjuster to reposition said pistons within said cylinders to compensate for slippage between two adjacent pistons within said plurality of paired cylinders.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.