Hydropneumatic pressure reservoir

• US 20040045615A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydac Technology Gmbh (HYDAC International GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Hydac Technology Gmbh (HYDAC International GmbH)
• Inventors: Baltes, Herbert, Lehnert, Markus, Rupp, Gernot
• Granted Patent: US 6,857,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 138/30
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 1/106 characterised by the way housing components are assembled
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 1/12 attached at their periphery flexible separating means in the form of a tube F15B1/16
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 1/125 characterised by the attachment means F15B1/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2201/205 using gas
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2201/3151 the flexible separating means being diaphragms or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2201/3156 characterised by their attachment
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2201/411 having valve means
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2201/415 Gas ports
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2201/435 being fixed to the separating means

Abstract

The invention relates to a hydropneumatic pressure reservoir (1) with a housing formed from at least two housing shells (3, 5) which may be connected together. At least the end region of the one housing shell (5) comprises an outwardly-extending, funnel-like guide surface between the free end thereof and a sealing element for bringing together the two housing shells (3, 5). At least one elastic sealing element (41) is provided on at least one retaining surface for generation of a tensioning force on the boundary region (21) of the membrane (13). A simplified construction with improved sealing in the critical connection region of the pressure reservoir may thus be achieved.

Claims

1. A hydropneumatic pressure reservoir (1) with a housing made of at least two housing shells (3, 5) which may be connected to each other, such housing separating the interior of the reservoir from the external environment, with a cross-section defining a longitudinal axis (29) and a partition dividing the interior of the housing into two chambers, in particular a gas chamber (15) and a liquid chamber (17), a partition in the form of a gas-tight diaphragm (13) which is clamped by its circumferential edge area (21) to effect sealing to the inner wall of the housing by means of a retaining device which has retaining surfaces (25, 27) which seat the edge area (21) of the diaphragm (13) between themselves and at least one force storage element (41, 47) generating a clamping force between edge area (21) and retaining surfaces (25, 27), at least one (25) of the retaining surfaces (25, 27) being formed by a wall component of the housing shells (3, 5), the retaining surfaces (25, 27) extending equidistant from each other over their entire surface area in order to form between themselves an annular gap which has a constant clear gap width (D) over its axial extent, and the retaining surface (25), external in relation to the longitudinal axis (29), situated on one (5) of the housing shells (3,5) being part of the jacket surface of a cone whose tip is positioned on the longitudinal axis (29) so that this retaining surface (25) is separated, at its end facing the other housing shell (3), by the greatest radial distance from the longitudinal axis (29), characterized in that at least the end area (30) of one housing shell (5) has, between its free end (32) and the respective sealing element (41, 49), a guide surface (34) flaring outward in the form of a funnel for moving the two housing shells (3, 5) together and in that at least one elastic sealing element (41, 49) is provided on at least retaining surface (25, 27) for the purpose of generation of a clamping force acting on the edge area (21) of the diaphragm (13).

2. The pressure reservoir as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing shell (3) to be brought together with the other housing shell (5) has another guide surface (36) narrowing inward like a funnel and wherein, when the two housing shells (3, 5) have been brought together, the two guide surfaces (34, 36) are in contact with each other and/or remain equidistant from each other.

3. The pressure reservoir as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer retaining surface (25) extends in length and thus at the same inclination to the guide surface (34) associated with it.

4. The pressure reservoir as claimed in claim 3, wherein the inner retaining surface (27) is positioned so as to extend in parallel with the outer retaining surface (25), being offset inward one step (38) toward the longitudinal axis (29) of the reservoir (1).

5. The pressure reservoir as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the retaining device is formed directly by the two housing shells (3, 5) or at least in part by a fastening ring which may be introduced at least into one or both housing shells (3, 5).

6. The pressure reservoir as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the length of each guide surface (34, 36) is shorter than the length of each associated retaining surface (25, 27).

7. The pressure reservoir as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the angle (α

) of the cone which defines the retaining surface (25) formed on one housing shell (5) in relation to the longitudinal axis (29) amounts to 4°

to 10°

.

8. The pressure reservoir as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the retaining surface (27) positioned inside in relation to the longitudinal axis (29) is formed on a projection (33, 45) of the other housing shell (3) which may be inserted into one housing shell (5).

9. The pressure reservoir as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the edge area (21) of the diaphragm (13) has a bead-like thickening (23) seated between the retaining surfaces (25, 27) and wherein an elastic sealing ring (41) positioned on or applied by spraying to the end edge (39) of the thickening (23) is provided as sealing element, which sealing ring (41) generates a clamping force between the bead-like thickening (23) and support surfaces (37, 43), which are formed on each of the housing shells (5 or 3) and which extend transversely to the retaining surfaces (25, 27).

10. The pressure reservoir as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the projection forming the inner retaining surface (27) is in the form of a clamp ring (45) which is connected to the associated housing shell (3) by way of a spring-loaded, gas-sealing intermediate element (47) which, in order to generate the clamping force acting on the edge area (21) of the diaphragm (13), generates on the retaining surface (27) associated with the clamp ring (45) a pretensioning force which seeks to displace this retaining surface (27) in an axial direction.

11. The pressure reservoir as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the edge area (21) of the diaphragm is folded over outward in its end section (39) projecting over the end of the outer retaining surface (25) and is seated by this end section in the space between the seating surfaces (65 or 64) formed on one housing shell (5) and the other housing shell (3), which seating surfaces (65 or 64) lie in planes extending transversely to the longitudinal axis (29).

12. The pressure reservoir as claimed in claim 11, wherein there is provided, at least on the seating surface (64, 65) of one of the housing shells (3, 5), at least one elastic sealing element (55, 61, 63) for formation of a seal on the end section (39) or the diaphragm (13) and/or for generation of a clamping force pressing the end section (39) against the seating surface (64, 65) positioned opposite such surface.