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US 9,790,962 B2Granted
Accumulator
OwnerAngus Peter Robsoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hydraulic accumulator including an energy storage apparatus with a first piston face configured to reversibly compress an energy storage medium and a second piston face forming at least part of an inner surface of a corresponding second fluid chamber reversibly expandable by movement of the second piston face. A third piston face forms at least part of an inner surface of a corresponding third fluid chamber reversibly expandable by the third piston face. The first, second and third piston faces are coupled together.
Claims26
An apparatus including:
- an accumulator;
- a reciprocating component;
- a drive mechanism capable of moving the reciprocating component, said drive mechanism including a hydraulic drive motor;
- said accumulator including:
- an energy storage apparatus with a movable first piston face configured to reversibly compress an energy storage medium;
- a movable second piston face forming at least part of an inner surface of a corresponding second fluid chamber reversibly expandable by said second piston face;
- a movable third piston face forming at least part of an inner surface of a corresponding third fluid chamber reversibly expandable by said third piston face;
- said first, second and third piston faces being coupled together,
- wherein said apparatus further includes hydraulic fluid lines and hydraulic fluid interconnections, said hydraulic fluid lines including:
- at least one pressure line from a prime mover to;
- the drive motor;
- accumulator second fluid chamber;
- accumulator third fluid chamber;
- at least one drain line input to the prime mover from;
- the drive motor;
- accumulator second fluid chamber;
- at least one pressure line from the accumulator third fluid chamber to:
- the drive motor;
- the apparatus configured to concurrently;
- input hydraulic fluid to said second fluid chamber and
- output hydraulic fluid from the third fluid chamber to said hydraulic drive motor,
- during an expansion of said energy storage medium.
19 more elements
A powered drop hammer including:
- an accumulator;
- a reciprocating component;
- a drive mechanism capable of moving the reciprocating component, said drive mechanism including a hydraulic drive motor;
- said accumulator including:
- an energy storage apparatus with a movable first piston face configured to reversibly compress an energy storage medium;
- a movable second piston face forming at least part of an inner surface of a corresponding second fluid chamber reversibly expandable by said second piston face;
- a movable third piston face forming at least part of an inner surface of a corresponding third fluid chamber reversibly expandable by said third piston face;
- said first, second and third piston faces being coupled together;
- wherein said apparatus further includes hydraulic fluid lines and hydraulic fluid interconnections, said hydraulic fluid lines including:
- at least one pressure line from a prime mover to;
- the drive motor;
- accumulator second fluid chamber;
- accumulator third fluid chamber;
- at least one drain line input to the prime mover from;
- the drive motor;
- accumulator second fluid chamber;
- at least one pressure line from the accumulator third fluid chamber to;
- the drive motor;
- configured to concurrently;
- input hydraulic fluid to said second fluid chamber, and
- output hydraulic fluid from the third fluid chamber to said hydraulic drive motor
- during an expansion of said energy storage medium;
- said powered drop hammer further including:
- a hammer weight with at least one drive-engagement surface;
- a drive projection configured to engage with the drive-engagement surface, and
- a drive mechanism capable of moving the drive projection reciprocally between two opposed directions.
23 more elements
A method of operating a powered drop hammer including:
- an accumulator;
- a reciprocating component;
- a drive mechanism capable of moving the reciprocating component, said drive mechanism including a hydraulic drive motor;
- said accumulator including:
- an energy storage apparatus with a movable first piston face configured to reversibly compress an energy storage medium;
- a movable second piston face forming at least part of an inner surface of a corresponding second fluid chamber reversibly expandable by said second piston face;
- a movable third piston face forming at least part of an inner surface of a corresponding third fluid chamber reversibly expandable by said third piston face;
- said first, second and third piston faces being coupled together;
- wherein said apparatus further includes hydraulic fluid lines and hydraulic fluid interconnections, said hydraulic fluid lines including:
- at least one pressure line from a prime mover to;
- the drive motor;
- accumulator second fluid chamber;
- accumulator third fluid chamber;
- at least one drain line input to the prime mover from;
- the drive motor;
- accumulator second fluid chamber;
- at least one pressure line from the accumulator third fluid chamber to;
- the drive motor;
- configured to concurrently;
- input hydraulic fluid to said second fluid chamber and
- output hydraulic fluid from the third fluid chamber to said hydraulic drive motor
- during an expansion of said energy storage medium,
- said powered drop hammer further including
- a hammer weight with at least one drive-engagement surface;
- a drive projection configured to engage with either of the drive-engagement surfaces on the hammer weight, and
- a drive mechanism capable of moving the drive projection reciprocally between two opposed directions,
- wherein in said method, said drive mechanism is cyclically operable through a cycle including the stages of an up stroke, upper stroke transition, down stroke and lower stroke transition, wherein during said:
- up stroke, the drive projection engages with a said drive-engagement surface to raise the hammer weight upwards;
- upper stroke transition, the hammer weight disengages from the drive projection as the hammer weight reaches its maximum extent of the up stroke and the hammer weight starts to travel downwards under the force of gravity;
- down stroke, the drive projection re-engages with the hammer weight via another said drive-engagement surface as the hammer weight moves downwards, thereby adding additional impetus to the gravitational force driving downwards;
- lower stroke transition, the drive projection detaches from the drive-engagement surface allowing the hammer weight to strike an impact surface.
28 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.