HYDRAULIC DRIVE CIRCUIT WITH PARALLEL ARCHITECTURED ACCUMULATOR
First Claim
1. An injection molding machine including an actuator drivable by a hydraulic pump, the injection molding machine comprising:
- a work flow path extending from the hydraulic pump to the actuator to provide pressurized fluid to the actuator;
a proportional flow control valve disposed on the work flow path, the proportional flow control valve being configured to control a hydraulic fluid flow rate supplied from the hydraulic pump to the actuator;
a hydraulic fluid accumulator disposed on the work flow path in parallel to the proportional flow control valve;
an accumulator flow control arrangement disposed on the work flow path, the accumulator flow control arrangement being configured to control a hydraulic fluid charge flow rate provided to the hydraulic fluid accumulator from the hydraulic pump during a charge mode of the hydraulic fluid accumulator and to control a hydraulic fluid discharge flow rate provided from the hydraulic fluid accumulator to the actuator during a discharge mode of the hydraulic fluid accumulator; and
a controller that interfaces with the proportional flow control valve and the accumulator flow control arrangement, wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the proportional flow control valve and the accumulator flow control arrangement such that the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic fluid accumulator both provide fluid flow to the actuator when the hydraulic fluid accumulator is in the discharge mode, wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the proportional flow control valve such that the hydraulic fluid flow rate through the proportional flow control valve equals a load flow demand minus the hydraulic fluid discharge flow rate when the hydraulic fluid accumulator is operating in the discharge mode, and wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the proportional flow control valve such that the hydraulic fluid flow rate through the proportional flow control valve equals the load flow demand when the hydraulic fluid accumulator is not in the discharge mode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hydraulic circuit architecture for use in a drive circuit having a hydraulic pump for driving a load is disclosed. The hydraulic circuit architecture includes a flow control valve for controlling a hydraulic fluid flow rate supplied from the hydraulic pump to the load. The hydraulic circuit architecture also includes a hydraulic fluid accumulator arranged in parallel with respect to the flow control valve. Hydraulic circuit architectures having multiple accumulators arranged in parallel with respect to the flow control valve are also disclosed.
7 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An injection molding machine including an actuator drivable by a hydraulic pump, the injection molding machine comprising:
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a work flow path extending from the hydraulic pump to the actuator to provide pressurized fluid to the actuator; a proportional flow control valve disposed on the work flow path, the proportional flow control valve being configured to control a hydraulic fluid flow rate supplied from the hydraulic pump to the actuator; a hydraulic fluid accumulator disposed on the work flow path in parallel to the proportional flow control valve; an accumulator flow control arrangement disposed on the work flow path, the accumulator flow control arrangement being configured to control a hydraulic fluid charge flow rate provided to the hydraulic fluid accumulator from the hydraulic pump during a charge mode of the hydraulic fluid accumulator and to control a hydraulic fluid discharge flow rate provided from the hydraulic fluid accumulator to the actuator during a discharge mode of the hydraulic fluid accumulator; and a controller that interfaces with the proportional flow control valve and the accumulator flow control arrangement, wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the proportional flow control valve and the accumulator flow control arrangement such that the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic fluid accumulator both provide fluid flow to the actuator when the hydraulic fluid accumulator is in the discharge mode, wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the proportional flow control valve such that the hydraulic fluid flow rate through the proportional flow control valve equals a load flow demand minus the hydraulic fluid discharge flow rate when the hydraulic fluid accumulator is operating in the discharge mode, and wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the proportional flow control valve such that the hydraulic fluid flow rate through the proportional flow control valve equals the load flow demand when the hydraulic fluid accumulator is not in the discharge mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification