Pressurized fluid recovery/reutilization system

• US 6,378,301 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2001
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Muruta, Kazuhiro, Endo, Hiroshi, Yoshida, Nobumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopez, F. Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lazo, Thomas E.
• Application Number:
  US09/880,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20010035011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 604/14, 604/17, 604/19
• US Class Current: 60/414
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2217 with energy recovery arrangements, e.g. using accumulators, flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2235 including an electronic controller
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 1/024 used as a supplementary power source, e.g. to store energy in idle periods to balance pump load
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/14 Energy-recuperation means
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/214 the pressure sources being hydrotransformers
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 3/00 Intensifiers or fluid-pressure converters, e.g. pressure exchangers; Conveying pressure from one fluid system to another, without contact between the fluids fluid-driven pumps F04B9/08

Abstract

Energy of returning pressurized fluid of an actuator is recovered and reused as energy for operating other accumulators. A first pump motor (16) and a second pump motor (17) are mechanically connected to form a pressure converter (18), and a first circuit (22), to which the returning pressurized fluid is supplied, is connected to the first pump motor (16). A pressure accumulator (27) is provided to a second circuit (25) connected to the second pump motor (17). The first circuit (22) is connected to a discharge passage (11) of a primary hydraulic pump (10) by a third circuit (29) and the pressure of a high pressure pressurized fluid is supplied to the discharge passage (11) by the pressure of the high pressure pressurized fluid, and is reused.

Claims

1. A pressurized fluid recovery/reutilization system comprising a primary hydraulic pump supplying a pressurized fluid returned from an actuator, a first circuit supplying the returning pressurized fluid from the actuator, a first pump motor connected to said first circuit, a variable displacement type second pump motor mechanically coupled with said first pump motor and connected to a second circuit, a third circuit communicating said first circuit and a discharge passage of said primary hydraulic pump, a pressure accumulator provided in said second circuit, and a reproduction valve switching said third circuit between a state permitting the flow of a pressurized fluid and a state blocking the flow.

2. The pressurized fluid recovery/reutilization system as defined by claim 1, wherein a pressure accumulation valve is provided for establishing and blocking communication of said second circuit, and a sequence valve is provided between said second circuit on the side of said second pump motor of said pressure accumulation valve and the discharge passage of the primary hydraulic pump.

3. A pressurized fluid recovery/reutilization system comprising a primary hydraulic pump supplying a pressurized fluid returned from a plurality of actuators, a first circuit supplied the returning pressurized fluid from the actuators, a recovery valve for switching said first circuit between a first state permitting flow of the pressurized fluid and a second state blocking the flow, a plurality of solenoid valves provided between said actuators and said recovery valve, respectively and each being placed at a first position to supply the returning pressurized fluid to said recovery valve or a second position to drain the returning pressurized fluid to a tank, a pressure converter having a first pump motor connected to said first circuit, a variable displacement type second pump motor mechanically coupled with said first pump motor and connected to a second circuit, a third circuit communicating said first circuit and a discharge passage of said primary hydraulic pump, a pressure accumulator provided in said second circuit, a reproduction valve switching said third circuit between a state permitting the flow of a pressurized fluid and a state blocking the flow, a pressure accumulation valve provided for establishing and blocking communication of said second circuit, and a sequence valve provided between said second circuit on the side of said second pump motor of said pressure accumulation valve and the discharge passage of the primary hydraulic pump.

4. The pressurized fluid recovery/reutilization system as defined by claim 3, further comprising first means for detecting a discharge pressure of said primary hydraulic pump, second means for detecting an accumulated pressure of said pressure accumulator of said second circuit, and third means for switching said recovery valve, said pressure accumulation valve and said reproduction valve on the basis of detected pressures of said first and second means, and in conjunction therewith to vary the set pressure of said sequence valve, said third means has a function for placing said recovery valve at said second state, said pressure accumulation valve at communicating condition and said reproduction valve at said first condition and in conjunction therewith setting the set pressure of said sequence valve at high pressure when a differential pressure of said accumulated pressure and the discharge pressure is higher than or equal to a set differential pressure, and placing said recovery valve and said reproduction valve at said second state and said pressure accumulation valve at the communicating condition and in conjunction therewith setting the set pressure of said sequence valve at low pressure when the differential pressure of said accumulated pressure and the discharge pressure is lower than or equal to said set differential pressure.

5. The pressurized fluid recovery/reutilization system as defined by claim 3, further comprising first means for detecting a discharge pressure of said primary hydraulic pump, second means for detecting a returning pressurized fluid of said first circuit, and third means for switching said recovery valve, said pressure accumulation valve and said reproduction valve on the basis of detected pressures of said first and second means, and in conjunction therewith to vary the set pressure of said sequence valve, said third means has a function for placing said recovery valve at said first state, said pressure accumulation valve at blocking condition and said reproduction valve at said second condition and in conjunction therewith setting the set pressure of said sequence valve at low pressure when said pressure is lower than said discharge pressure, and placing said recovery valve and said reproduction valve at said first state and said pressure accumulation valve at the blocking condition and in conjunction therewith setting the set pressure of said sequence valve at high pressure when said pressure is higher than said discharge pressure.