Liquid pressure apparatus

• US 4,599,860 A
• Filed: 05/10/1982
• Issued: 07/15/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Automotive Products (USA), Inc. (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Products PLC (Whitnash Plc)
• Inventors: Parsons, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hershkovitz, Abraham
• Application Number:
  US06/376,248
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• Field of Search: 60/583, 60/584, 60/585, 60/586, 60/588, 60/592
• US Class Current: 60/584
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 11/16 Master control, e.g. master cylinders master cylinders associated with vacuum boosters B60T13/565
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 11/22 characterised by being integral with reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 11/26 Reservoirs integral with master controls B60T11/22
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 7/00 Systems in which the movement produced is definitely related to the output of a volumetric pump; Telemotors
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2025/081 Hydraulic devices that initiate movement of pistons in slave cylinders for actuating clutches, i.e. master cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2048/0215 for damping of pulsations within the fluid system
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2300/22 Vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 25/08 with fluid-actuated member not rotating with a clutching member F16D25/02 takes precedence F16D25/048 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 25/12 Details not specific to one of the before-mentioned types
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 25/14 Fluid pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/02 Control by fluid pressure

Abstract

A method of shipping and installing a hydraulic system such as a motor vehicle clutch hydraulic release mechanism comprising a driver-operable hydraulic master cylinder, a hydraulic slave cylinder and a conduit connecting the outlet of the master cylinder to the inlet of the slave cylinder. Prior to shipment and installation on a motor vehicle, the hydraulic system is filled with hydraulic fluid and bled or purged of atmospheric air, and installation on a motor vehicle is therefore greatly simplified as the requirement of filling with hydraulic fluid and bleeding or purging the hydraulic system after installation is entirely eliminated.

Claims

1. A method of shipping and installing a pre-assembled hydraulic actuating apparatus comprising a master cylinder having an outlet, a slave cylinder having an inlet, a conduit interconnecting the outlet of said master cylinder to the inlet of said slave cylinder, and a bleed port for controllably placing the interior of said hydraulic apparatus in communication with the ambient, said method comprising opening said bleed port to the ambient, filling said master cylinder, said conduit and said slave cylinder with a hydraulic fluid while simultaneously bleeding atmospheric air therein contained through said bleed port open to the ambient, and closing said bleed port after said apparatus has been fully filled with said hydraulic fluid prior to shipment for installation on a motor vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said apparatus has a hydraulic fluid reservoir in communication with said master cylinder, said method further comprising filling said reservoir at least partially with said hydraulic fluid.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said reservoir has a vent port, said method further comprising closing said vent port after filling said apparatus with said hydraulic fluid.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said hydraulic apparatus is a motor vehicle clutch release mechanism.

5. The method claim 2 wherein said hydraulic apparatus is a motor vehicle clutch release mechanism.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said hydraulic apparatus is a motor vehicle clutch release mechanism.

7. A method of assembling friction clutch release apparatus on a motor vehicle, the apparatus comprising a driver operable master cylinder which has a driver operable piston slidable in it and a liquid pressure outlet port, and a slave cylinder which has an inlet and an output thrust member, the apparatus being operable by displacement of liquid under pressure from the master cylinder to the slave cylinder to generate a clutch release thrust by way of the output thrust member, there being a liquid reservoir which forms a liquid containing chamber and which has a port which communicates with the liquid containing chamber below the normal level of liquid contained therein, said port being in communication with a port in the master cylinder which is open when the master cylinder piston is at the end of its stroke remote from the master cylinder outlet so that the liquid containing chamber of the reservoir is in communication with the bore of the master cylinder between the master cylinder piston and the liquid pressure outlet, and being closed when liquid is displaced under pressure from the master cylinder through the liquid pressure outlet by movement of the master cylinder piston towards the liquid pressure outlet, and vent port which communicates with the liquid reservoir above the normal level of liquid contained therein and which places an air space within the liquid reservoir that is above the normal level of liquid therein in communication with ambient air at a pressure which is substantially atmospheric, wherein the method comprises filling the apparatus with liquid, bleeding that apparatus before that apparatus is installed on a motor vehicle, and providing an impermeable barrier to prevent leakage of liquid through said vent port during shipment and installation on a motor vehicle, said impermeable barrier being provided by installing a movable wall within the liquid reservoir, said movable wall separation the liquid containing chamber of the reservoir from the air space which is at a pressure which is substantially atmospheric.

8. A method of shipping and installing a hydraulic apparatus for actuating a motor vehicle mechanical clutch, said apparatus comprising a master cylinder having an outlet, a slave cylinder having an inlet, and a conduit interconnecting the outlet of said master cylinder to the inlet of said slave cylinder, said method comprising assembling said master cylinder and said slave cylinder and connecting said master cylinder and said slave cylinder by means of said conduit, filling said interconnected master cylinder, conduit and slave cylinder with a hydraulic fluid such that said apparatus is fully filled with hydraulic fluid prior to shipment for installation on a motor vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said apparatus has a hydraulic fluid reservoir in communication with said master cylinder, said method further comprising filling said reservoir at least partially with said hydraulic fluid.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said reservoir has a vent port, said method further comprising closing said vent port after filling said apparatus with said hydraulic fluid.