Pressure indicator for hydraulic hammer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10094754-B2
Application number	US-201514966772-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2015
Priority date	Dec 11, 2015
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

A pressure indicator for a hydraulic hammer is provided. The pressure indicator includes a sleeve member configured to couple to an opening defined in a wall housing of an accumulator of the hydraulic hammer. The pressure indicator further includes a plunger slidably disposed within the sleeve member and movable between a first position and a second position with respect to the sleeve member. The plunger includes a first end disposed outside the wall housing of the accumulator. The plunger further includes a flange coupled to a second end. The pressure indicator further includes an elastic member inserted over the plunger and disposed between the wall housing of the accumulator and the flange. A position of the first end of the plunger with reference to an outer end of the sleeve member provides a visual indication of the pressure of the gas within the accumulator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pressure indicator for a hydraulic hammer, the pressure indicator comprising:
a sleeve member configured to couple to an opening defined in a wall housing of an accumulator of the hydraulic hammer;
a plunger slidably disposed within the sleeve member and movable between a first position and a second position with respect to the sleeve member, the plunger comprising:
a first end disposed outside the wall housing of the accumulator; and
a flange coupled to a second end, wherein the second end is distal to the first end, and disposed inside the wall housing of the accumulator; and

an elastic member inserted over the plunger and disposed between the wall housing of the accumulator and the flange,
wherein the plunger is moveable between the first position and the second position relative to the sleeve member against a biasing force of the elastic member based on a pressure of gas within the accumulator, and wherein a position of the first end of the plunger with reference to an outer end of the sleeve member provides a visual indication of the pressure of the gas within the accumulator, and
wherein the plunger comprises a stopping member disposed adjacent to the first end thereof, the stopping member configured to engage with a step portion defined at an inner surface of the sleeve member at the first position of the plunger.

2. The pressure indicator of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve member comprises a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion, and wherein the first portion is removably attached within the opening of the wall housing of the accumulator.

3. The pressure indicator of claim 2 comprising a sealing assembly disposed between the sleeve member and the plunger, the sealing assembly configured to restrict the gas from leakage during movement of the plunger between the first position and the second position.

4. The pressure indicator of claim 3 , wherein the sealing assembly comprises:
an annular groove defined within an inner surface of the sleeve member disposed within the opening of the wall housing of the accumulator; and
a sealing member disposed within the annular groove, the sealing member configured to abut an outer surface of the plunger.

5. The pressure indicator of claim 1 , wherein the elastic member comprises a first end in contact with the wall housing of the accumulator and a second end in contact with the flange.

6. The pressure indicator of claim 1 , wherein the flange comprises an outer face configured to receive an input indicative of the pressure of the gas within the accumulator.

7. The pressure indicator of claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is an open coil spring.

8. The pressure indicator of claim 1 , wherein a travel distance defined by the plunger between the first position and the second position is in a range between 4 mm and 8 mm.

9. A hydraulic hammer, comprising:
a housing member; and
a power cell disposed within the housing member, the power cell comprising an accumulator for storing a gas, the accumulator comprising a pressure indicator configured to provide a visual indication of a pressure of the gas within the accumulator, the pressure indicator comprising:
a sleeve member configured to couple to an opening defined in a wall housing of the accumulator;
a plunger slidably disposed within the sleeve member and movable between a first position and a second position with respect to the sleeve member, the plunger comprising:
a first end disposed outside the wall housing of the accumulator; and
a flange coupled to a second end, wherein the second end is distal to the first end, and disposed inside the wall housing of the accumulator; and

an elastic member inserted over the plunger and disposed between the wall housing and the flange,
wherein the plunger is moveable between the first position and the second position relative to the sleeve member against a biasing force of the elastic member based on the pressure of the gas within the accumulator, and wherein a position of the first end of the plunger with reference to an outer end of the sleeve member provides a visual indication indicative of the pressure of the gas within the accumulator, and

wherein the plunger comprises a stopping member disposed adjacent to the first end thereof, the stopping member configured to engage with a step portion defined at an inner surface of the sleeve member at the first position of the plunger.

10. The hydraulic hammer of claim 9 , wherein the sleeve member comprises a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion, and wherein the first portion is removably attached within the opening of the wall housing of the accumulator.

11. The hydraulic hammer of claim 10 , wherein the pressure indicator comprises a sealing assembly disposed between the sleeve member and the plunger, the sealing assembly configured to restrict the gas from leakage during movement of the plunger between the first position and the second position.

12. The hydraulic hammer of claim 11 , wherein the sealing assembly comprises:
an annular groove defined within an inner surface of the sleeve member disposed within the opening of the wall housing of the accumulator; and
a sealing member disposed within the annular groove, the sealing member configured to abut an outer surface of the plunger.

13. The hydraulic hammer of claim 9 , wherein the elastic member comprises a first end in contact with the wall housing of the accumulator and a second end in contact with the flange.

14. The hydraulic hammer of claim 9 , wherein the flange comprises a receiving surface configured to receive an input indicative of the pressure of the gas within the accumulator.

15. The hydraulic hammer of claim 9 , wherein the elastic member is an open coil spring.

16. The hydraulic hammer of claim 9 , wherein a travel distance defined by the plunger between the first position and the second position is in a range between 4 mm and 8 mm.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Moore Cody T
• Pillers Lauritz P

Classifications

• B25D2250/161

  Indication scales · CPC title

• B25D2250/155

  Marks, e.g. identification marks, indication scales, visualising means · CPC title

• G01N7/00 Primary

  Analysing materials by measuring the pressure or volume of a gas or vapour · CPC title

• B25D9/00 Primary

  Portable percussive tools with fluid-pressure drive, {i.e. driven directly by fluids}, e.g. having several percussive tool bits operated simultaneously {(portable non-percussive drilling tools driven by fluid pressure or pneumatic power B23B45/04)} · CPC title

• B25D2209/002

  Pressure accumulators · CPC title