System and method for accumulating hydraulic fluid
AssigneesCaterpillar Inc., Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd.
InventorsBradford J. Holt, John Krone, Andrew Nippert
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Abstract
A hydraulic system is provided. The hydraulic system includes a a hydraulic actuator, a source of pressurized fluid, and a directional control valve controlling fluid flow into and out of the hydraulic actuator. An accumulator is disposed between a fluid input line and a fluid output line for the directional control valve. A regeneration control valve is disposed between the accumulator and the output of the source of pressurized fluid. A storage control valve is disposed between the fluid output line and a tank of the hydraulic system.
Claims20
A hydraulic system, comprising:
- a hydraulic actuator;
- a source of pressurized fluid;
- a directional control valve controlling fluid flow into and out of said hydraulic actuator, said directional control valve having a fluid input line in communication with an output of said source of pressurized fluid, and a fluid output line;
- an accumulator disposed between said fluid input line and said fluid output line;
- a regeneration control valve disposed between said accumulator and the output of said source of pressurized fluid;
- and
- a storage control valve disposed between said fluid output line and a tank of the hydraulic system.
A method of regenerating energy in a hydraulic system, comprising:
- releasing pressurized fluid from one of a plurality of hydraulic actuators using a directional control valve;
- storing at least a portion of the fluid released from said hydraulic actuator under pressure in an accumulator disposed between a fluid input line and a fluid output line of the directional control valve;
- and
- regenerating energy stored in the accumulator by releasing said fluid stored under pressure to operate a said hydraulic actuator.
A work machine, comprising:
- a work implement;
- a first hydraulic actuator operatively connected to the work implement;
- a source of pressurized fluid operable to provide pressurized fluid to the first hydraulic actuator;
- a directional control valve operable to control the flow of fluid to and from the first hydraulic actuator;
- a regeneration control valve disposed between said accumulator and the output of said source of pressurized fluid;
- and
- an accumulator disposed between a fluid input line and a fluid output line of said directional control valve, wherein the directional control valve is further operable to connect the accumulator to the first hydraulic actuator to store fluid under pressure in the accumulator when the work implement is released from an elevated position, and wherein said regeneration control valve is operable to regenerate energy stored in the accumulator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.