Insert type rotor for radial piston device

A radial piston device comprising:

• a housing having a hydraulic fluid inlet and a hydraulic fluid outlet;
• a pintle attached to the housing, the pintle including a pintle shaft defining a pintle inlet and a pintle outlet, the pintle inlet being in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid inlet, the pintle outlet being in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid outlet;
• a rotor mounted on the pintle shaft, the rotor being configured to rotate relative to the pintle about a rotor axis of rotation that extends through a length of the pintle shaft, the rotor comprising:
• a rotor body defining an axial bore extending along the rotor axis of rotation and at least partially defining a plurality of radially oriented cylinders;
• and
• a rotor insert defining a pintle bore rotatably mounted on the pintle shaft and defining a plurality of rotor fluid ports, wherein the rotor insert is fitted into the axial bore and;
• a plurality of pistons, each being displaceable in each of the plurality of radially oriented cylinders, wherein the plurality of rotor fluid ports are in fluid communication with the plurality of radially oriented cylinders, and wherein the plurality of rotor fluid ports are alternately in fluid communication with either the pintle inlet or the pintle outlet as the rotor rotates relative to the pintle about the rotor axis of rotation;
• a thrust ring disposed about the rotor, wherein the thrust ring is in contact with each of the plurality of pistons, and wherein the thrust ring has a thrust ring axis that is radially offset from the rotor axis of rotation so that the plurality of pistons reciprocate radially within the rotor as the rotor rotates about the rotor axis of rotation;
• and
• a drive shaft being coupled to the rotor and rotatably supported within the housing.

A method of manufacturing a rotor used in a radial piston device, the method comprising:

• forming an axial bore in a rotor body, the axial bore extending along a rotor axis of rotation;
• forming a plurality of rotor fluid ports in a rotor insert, wherein the rotor insert includes a pintle bore configured to be rotatably mounted on a pintle shaft
• inserting the rotor insert into the axial bore of the rotor body;
• and
• drilling a plurality of radially oriented cylinders from an outer surface of the rotor body.

A method of manufacturing a rotor used in a radial piston device, the method comprising:

• forming a radial hollow in a rotor body, wherein the rotor body includes a pintle bore configured to be rotatably mounted on a pintle shaft;
• forming a plurality of rotor fluid ports in the rotor body;
• forming at least partially a plurality of cylinders in a rotor insert;
• and
• inserting the rotor insert into the radial hollow of the rotor body.