Rate matching hydraulic actuators on common control manifold
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsSachin Ramprashad, Eric Briggs
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An actuation assembly includes a control valve, a first actuator and a second actuator fluidly connected to the control valve via plumbing. The first actuator has a first extend port and the second actuator having a second extend port. A flow control device fluidly connected to the first actuator and the second actuator is operable to balance a flow rate of a fluid at the first actuator with the flow rate of the fluid at the second actuator. The flow control device is arranged within the plumbing, at a position between the control valve and the first extend port and the second extend port.
Claims18
An actuation assembly comprising
- a control valve;
- a first actuator fluidly connected to the control valve via plumbing and a second actuator fluidly connected to the control valve via the plumbing, the first actuator having a first extend port and the second actuator having a second extend port;
- and
- a flow control device operable to balance a flow rate of a fluid at the first actuator with the flow rate of the fluid at the second actuator, the flow control device being arranged within the plumbing between the control valve and the first extend port and the second extend port, the flow control device including:
- a housing having an inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a hollow interior, the inlet being connectable to the plumbing, the first outlet being connectable to the first extend port, and the second outlet being connectable to the second extend port;
- a valve body arranged within the hollow interior, the valve body being movable within the hollow interior in response to a pressure within the housing, the pressure being associated with the first actuator and the second actuator;
- a first compartment formed within the hollow interior between the housing and a first end of the valve body, the first compartment being fluidly connected to the inlet and the first outlet;
- and
- a second compartment formed within the hollow interior between the housing and a second end of the valve body, the second compartment being fluidly connected to the inlet and the second outlet.
A method of balancing a flow rate between a plurality of actuators within an actuation assembly, the method comprising:
- providing a flow control device having a housing including an inlet, a first outlet connectable to a first extend port of a first actuator, a second outlet connectable to a second extend port of a second actuator, and a valve body movable within the housing in response to a pressure associated with the first actuator and the second actuator, a first compartment being formed between the housing and a first end of the valve body and fluidly connected to the inlet and the first outlet and a second compartment formed between the housing and a second end of the valve body fluidly connected to the inlet and the second outlet;
- providing a fluid at a first flow rate to the first extend port;
- generating a first pressure within the first compartment of the flow control device based on the first flow rate;
- providing the fluid at a second flow rate to the second extend port;
- generating a second pressure within the second compartment of the flow control device based on the second flow rate;
- and
- moving the valve body of the flow control device in response to the first pressure and the second pressure to balance the first flow rate and the second flow rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.