Hydraulic actuator with on-demand energy flow

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10814688-B2
Application number	US-201816017980-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2018
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

Various embodiments related to hydraulic actuators and active suspension systems as well as their methods of use are described.

First claim

The invention claim is:

1. A hydraulic device for controlling flow in an active suspension system actuator, the hydraulic device comprising:
a single body housing that houses:
a hydraulic pump including a first port and a second port;
an electric motor operatively coupled to the hydraulic pump;
a motor controller; and

one or more sensors disposed in the housing, wherein the one or more sensors include a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the first port,
wherein the motor controller is configured to receive a signal from the one or more sensors and control the electric motor based at least in part on the received signal.

2. The hydraulic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors further include a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the second port.

3. The hydraulic device of claim 1 , wherein the motor controller is configured to control at least one of a position, voltage, torque, impedance, frequency, or a motor speed of the electric motor.

4. The hydraulic device of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure-sealed barrier that separates a volume defined by the housing into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is at least partially filled with a hydraulic fluid.

5. A hydraulic device for controlling flow in an active suspension system actuator, the hydraulic device comprising:
a housing that houses:
a hydraulic pump including a first port and a second port;
an electric motor operatively coupled to the hydraulic pump; and
a motor controller; and

one or more sensors disposed in the housing, wherein the one or more sensors include a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the first port,
wherein the motor controller is configured to receive a signal from the one or more sensors and control the electric motor based at least in part on the received signal, and
wherein the motor controller operates the motor at an update frequency greater than 0.5 Hz and less than 1 kHz.

6. The hydraulic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors includes a temperature sensor.

7. The hydraulic device of claim 5 , wherein the housing is a single body housing.

8. The hydraulic device of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic pump is a bi-directional hydraulic pump.

9. An active suspension system component comprising:
a first housing that houses:
a hydraulic pump including a first port and a second port;
an electric motor operatively coupled to the hydraulic pump; and
a motor controller;

one or more sensors disposed in the first housing, wherein the one or more sensors include a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the first port;
a hydraulic actuator including a second housing, an extension volume in fluid communication with the first port, a compression volume in fluid communication with the second port, and a slidable piston separating the extension volume from the compression volume; and
one or more electronically controlled valves disposed in the second housing,
wherein the motor controller is configured to receive a signal from the one or more sensors and control the electric motor based at least in part on the received signal.

10. The active suspension system component of claim 9 , further comprising a pilot-operated check valve arranged to control flow within the hydraulic actuator.

11. The active suspension system component of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors further include a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the second port.

12. The active suspension system component of claim 9 , wherein the motor controller is configured to control at least one of a position, voltage, torque, impedance, frequency, or a motor speed of the electric motor.

13. The active suspension system component of claim 9 , further comprising a pressure-sealed barrier that separates a volume defined by the first housing into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is at least partially filled with a hydraulic fluid.

14. The active suspension system component of claim 9 , wherein the motor controller operates the motor at an update frequency greater than 0.5 Hz and less than 1 kHz.

15. The active suspension system component of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors includes a temperature sensor.

16. The active suspension system component of claim 9 , wherein the first housing is a single body housing.

17. The active suspension system component of claim 9 , wherein the hydraulic pump is a bidirectional hydraulic pump.

18. The hydraulic device of claim 5 , wherein the one or more sensors includes a temperature sensor.

19. The hydraulic device of claim 5 , wherein the hydraulic pump is a bi-directional hydraulic pump.

20. The hydraulic device of claim 5 , wherein the one or more sensors further include a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the second port.

Assignees

• Clearmotion Inc

Inventors

• Giovanardi Marco
• Tucker Clive
• Wendell Ross J
• Anderson Zackary Martin
• O'Shea Colin Patrick
• Gorelik Vladimir
• Sawyer Tyson David
• Leehey Jonathan R
• Schneider Johannes
• Driscoll Robert
• Neil Patrick W
• Avadhany Shakeel

Classifications

• H02P23/06

  Controlling the motor in four quadrants · CPC title

• F15B13/0444

  with rotary electric motor · CPC title

• B60G2204/11

  Mounting of sensors thereon · CPC title

• B60G2202/413

  Hydraulic actuator · CPC title

• B60G17/016 Primary

  characterised by their responsiveness, when the vehicle is travelling, to specific motion, a specific condition, or driver input {(B60G17/017 takes precedence)} · CPC title