Hydraulic system having energy recovery
OwnerPengfei Ma, Jeffrey L. Kuehn +1inventors
InventorsPengfei Ma, Jeffrey L. Kuehn, Jeremy T. Peterson
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Abstract
A hydraulic system for a machine is disclosed. The hydraulic system may have a pump configured to pressurize fluid, a swing motor driven by pressurized fluid to swing a body of the machine relative to an undercarriage, and a first circuit fluidly connecting the pump to the swing motor. The hydraulic system may also have an energy recovery motor mechanically connected to the swing motor, at least one accumulator, and a second circuit fluidly connecting the at least one accumulator to the energy recovery motor.
Claims20
A hydraulic system for a machine, comprising:
- a pump configured to pressurize fluid;
- a swing motor driven by pressurized fluid to swing a body of the machine relative to an undercarriage;
- a first circuit fluidly connecting the pump to the swing motor;
- an energy recovery motor mechanically connected to the swing motor;
- at least one accumulator;
- and
- a second circuit fluidly connecting the at least one accumulator to the energy recovery motor.
A method of recovering energy in a machine, comprising:
- pressurizing fluid within a first circuit;
- utilizing the pressurized fluid to swing a body of the machine relative to an undercarriage;
- utilizing swinging of the body of the machine to pressurize fluid within a second circuit;
- storing fluid pressurized in the second circuit;
- and
- selectively directing stored fluid from the second circuit to swing the body of the machine.
A machine, comprising:
- an engine an undercarriage drive by the engine to propel the machine;
- a body;
- a swing motor configured to swing the body relative to the undercarriage;
- a tank;
- a pump driven by the engine to draw fluid from the tank, pressurize the fluid, and direct the pressurized fluid to the swing motor via a first circuit;
- an energy recovery motor mechanically connected to the swing motor;
- at least one accumulator;
- a second circuit fluidly connecting the at least one accumulator to the energy recovery motor;
- and
- a solenoid-operated valve disposed between the energy recovery motor and the at least one accumulator, the solenoid-operated valve being movable to regulate fluid flow into the at least one accumulator during braking of the swing motor and out of the at least one accumulator during accelerating of the swing motor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.