Pressure regulator
AssigneeApplied Power Inc.
InventorsDale A. Knutson, Frank Fritz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure regulator includes an inlet adapted to be connected to a pressure source and a chamber in which the pressure is to be regulated. An orifice is provided between the inlet and the chamber for metering the flow of hydraulic fluid therebetween. In addition, regulating means is provided adjacent the orifice and is movable in a timed relation in response to a series of pulse signals for changing the effective flow area of said orifice whereby the pressure in the chamber varies with the integral of the voltage pulses.
Claims24
A hydraulic pressure regulating device including means defining a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, an orifice disposed in said inlet and having a predetermined cross-sectional area for metering the flow of pressurized fluid relative to said chamber,
- a source of hydraulic pressure coupled to said inlet,
- electroresponsive regulating means having a plunger means oriented in an opposed relation relative to said orifice and adjacent thereto, operable to move said plunger
- said regulating means being operable to move said plunger in a timed relation in response to each of a series of electrical pulse signals for movement from a first position relative to said orifice to a second position and for returning said plunger means to its first position upon cessation of each pulse signal for changing the effective flow area of said orifice whereby the pressure in said chamber varies with the integral of said signals, and
- pressure responsive means communicating with said chamber and movable from a null position in response to changes in pressure within said chamber.
A method of regulating hydraulic pressure within a chamber having an inlet opening connected to a source of hydraulic pressure and an outlet opening and an orifice disposed between said inlet opening and said chamber, the steps of:
- disposing a plunger means in an opposed relation to said orifice whereby the distance between said plunger means and said orifice will control the pressure drop across said orifice, generating a series of discrete electrical pulse signals, moving said plunger means into a first position which is a first finite distance from said orifice in response to the initiation of each pulse signal and into a second position which is a second finite distance from said orifice in response to the cessation of each pulse signal, and controlling the duration of said pulse signals whereby the pressure within said chamber is controlled in relation to the integral of said pulse signals.
A method of controlling the hydraulic pressure in a chamber having an inlet opening and an outlet opening,
- providing hydraulic fluid under pressure to said inlet opening and withdrawing hydraulic fluid from said outlet opening,
- positioning a plunger a first predetermined distance from said inlet opening to provide a first predetermined pressure drop across said inlet opening during each of a first series of discrete repetitive time intervals which are separated by intermediate time intervals, positioning the plunger a second predetermined distance from the inlet opening to provide a second predetermined pressure drop across said orifice during each intermediate time interval to provide a predetermined pressure within said chamber,
- and gradually modifying the length of the first time intervals relative to the intermediate time intervals so that the pressure within said chamber will change from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value at a rate which is functionally related to the rate at which the relative lengths of said intervals are modified.
A hydraulic pressure regulating device including means defining a hydraulic chamber having first and second openings,
- an orifice disposed in one of said openings,
- a source of hydraulic pressure coupled to one of said openings,
- pulse generating means for generating a series of discrete electrical pulse signals each having a time duration and a time interval between pulses,
- electroresponsive regulating means including a plunger disposed in an oppposed relation relative to said orifice, said regulating means being coupled to said pulse generating means and operable to move said plunger from a first poistion displaced a first predetermined distance from the orifice upon the initiation of each pulse signal to a second position displaced a second predetermined distance from said orifice and for returning the plunger to its first position upon the termination of a pulse signal so that the effective flow area of the orifice is a function of the time integral of the pulse signals, and
- means for modifying the integral of said pulse signal so that the pressure within said chamber can be modified at a controlled rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.