# US 2014/0150870 A1 · Hydraulic system having dual manifolds

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- Number: US 2014/0150870 A1
- Document ID: US20140150870A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/691,422
- Filed: 2012-11-30
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30
- Assignees: Caterpillar Inc.
- Applicants: Caterpillar Inc.
- Inventors: Jason Brinkman; Shaun Currier; Eric Jakubiak
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150870A1

## CPC

- F16L 41/03: comprising junction pieces for four or more pipe members
- E02F 9/0875: {Arrangement of valve arrangements on superstructures (arrangement of hydraulic hoses E02F9/2275 takes precedence; valves per se E02F9/2267)}
- Y10T 137/0318: Processes
- Y10T 137/8593: Systems
- Y10T 137/85938: Non-valved flow dividers
- Y10T 137/87249: Multiple inlet with multiple outlet
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A hydraulic system for a machine is disclosed. The hydraulic system may include a fluid tank, a first manifold, a valve body, a second manifold, and a plurality of conduits. The first manifold may be operatively attached to the fluid tank and have at least two inlets and at least one outlet in fluid communication with the fluid tank. The number of the at least one outlet may be less than the number of the at least two inlets. The second manifold may be operatively attached to the valve body and have at least one inlet in fluid communication with the valve body and at least two outlets. The number of the at least one inlet may be less than the number of the at least two outlets. The plurality of conduits may fluidly connect the at least two inlets of the first manifold and the at least two outlets of the second manifold.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A hydraulic system, comprising:
a fluid tank;
a first manifold operatively attached to the fluid tank and having at least two inlets and at least one outlet in fluid communication with the fluid tank, the number of the at least one outlet being less than the number of the at least two inlets;
a valve body;
a second manifold operatively attached to the valve body, the second manifold having at least one inlet in fluid communication with the valve body and at least two outlets, the number of the at least one inlet being less than the number of the at least two outlets; and
a plurality of conduits fluidly connecting the at least two inlets of the first manifold and the at least two outlets of the second manifold.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The hydraulic system of claim 1, wherein:
the first manifold includes a first surface and an opposing second surface; and
the at least two inlets of the first manifold are located in the first surface and the at least one outlet is located in the second surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The hydraulic system of claim 2, wherein:
at least one of the at least two inlets of the first manifold is generally in alignment with another of the at least two inlets along a length direction of the first manifold; and
the at least one outlet of the first manifold is generally concentric with one of the at least two inlets of the first manifold.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The hydraulic system of claim 3, wherein an area of the at least one outlet of the first manifold is greater than an area of at least one of the at least two inlets.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The hydraulic system of claim 4, wherein an area of the at least one outlet of the first manifold is less than a sum of areas of the at least two inlets.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The hydraulic system of claim 3, wherein:
the at least one outlet has a diameter of about 65-75 square millimeters; and
each of the at least two inlets has a diameter of about 30-40 square millimeters.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The hydraulic system of claim 1, wherein:
each of the plurality of conduits is substantially identical; and
each of the plurality of conduits has a length of about 4-4.5 meters.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The hydraulic system of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of conduits has an inner diameter of about 49-52 millimeters.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The hydraulic system of claim 1, further including:
a plurality of hydraulic actuators; and
a plurality of valves associated with the valve body, each of the plurality of valves corresponding to one of the plurality of hydraulic actuators.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The hydraulic system of claim 1, wherein the first manifold includes a passageway joining flows associated with the at least two inlets and the at least one outlet.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The hydraulic system of claim 10, wherein:
the passageway includes a first flow passageway and a second flow passageway; and
the first flow passageway and the second flow passageway intersect at a generally orthogonal angle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The hydraulic system of claim 11, wherein the first manifold, the second manifold, and the plurality of conduits provide the hydraulic system with a backpressure of about 1,510 kilopascals for a flow rate of about 4,500 liters per minute at an operating temperature of about 50-80° Celsius.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The hydraulic system of claim 1, wherein the first manifold is fabricated from a metallic material.

### Claim 14

A method for creating backpressure for a hydraulic system, comprising:
drawing fluid from a fluid tank;
pressurizing the fluid;
directing the pressurized fluid through a valve body to a hydraulic actuator;
directing at least one flow of the pressurized fluid from the valve body into a first manifold;
splitting the pressurized fluid into at least two flows in the first manifold;
combining the at least two flows into at least one flow in a second manifold; and
directing the at least one flow of the second manifold into the fluid tank.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further including generating a backpressure of about 1,510 kilopascals for a flow rate of about 4,500 liters per minute at an operating temperature of about 50-80° Celsius.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein combining the at least two flows into at least one flow in the second manifold includes causing at least one of the at least two flows to enter the second manifold in a position generally in alignment with another of the at least two flows.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein combining the at least two flows into at least one flow in the second manifold includes causing the at least two flows to intersect at a generally orthogonal angle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein directing the at least one flow of the second manifold into the fluid tank includes reducing the temperature of the at least one flow of the second manifold relative to the at least two flows.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein splitting the pressurized fluid into at least two flows in the first manifold and combining the at least two flows into at least one flow in the second manifold results in a gradual dissipation of heat across an associated hydraulic system.

### Claim 20

A hydraulic system, comprising:
a fluid tank;
a first manifold operatively attached to the fluid tank and having one outlet in fluid communication with the fluid tank and two inlets;
a valve body;
a second manifold operatively attached to the valve body, the second manifold having at least one inlet in fluid communication with the valve body and at least two outlets, the number of the at least one inlet being less than the number of the at least two outlets; and
a plurality of conduits fluidly connecting the at least two inlets of the first manifold and the at least two outlets of the second manifold, the first and second manifolds and the plurality of conduits providing the hydraulic system with a backpressure of about 1,510 kilopascals at a flow rate of about 4,500 liters per minute.