System and method for recovering energy in a machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016348653-A1
Application number	US-201514724960-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 29, 2015
Priority date	May 29, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An energy recovery system for a first machine includes a cylinder member, and a piston slidably disposed in the cylinder member and operatively coupled to a frame of the first machine. The piston and the cylinder member together define a chamber configured to receive a hydraulic fluid. The energy recovery system includes an accumulator in fluid communication with the chamber and a first valve assembly for regulating a flow of the hydraulic fluid from the chamber to the accumulator. The energy recovery system includes a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of a parameter of a payload that is to be received from a second machine during a work cycle thereof. The controller is configured to control the first valve assembly, during the work cycle of the second machine, to at least partially open the fluid communication between the chamber and the accumulator based on the received signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An energy recovery system for a first machine in communication with a second machine, the energy recovery system comprising:
a cylinder assembly comprising:
a cylinder member; and
a piston slidably disposed in the cylinder member, the piston operatively coupled to a frame of the first machine, wherein the piston and the cylinder member together defines a chamber configured to receive a hydraulic fluid therein;
an accumulator disposed in fluid communication with the chamber to receive the hydraulic fluid, wherein the accumulator is configured to store a pressurized hydraulic fluid therein; a first valve assembly disposed in fluid communication with the accumulator and the chamber, the first valve assembly configured to regulate a flow of the hydraulic fluid from the chamber to the accumulator; and a controller configured to communicate with the second machine and control the first valve assembly, the controller configured to:
receive a signal indicative of a parameter of a payload that is to be received by the first machine from the second machine during a work cycle of the second machine; and
control the first valve assembly, during the work cycle of the second machine, to at least partially open the fluid communication between the chamber and the accumulator based on the received signal.

2 . The energy recovery system of claim 1 further comprising a fluid reservoir configured to supply the hydraulic fluid to the chamber, wherein the first valve assembly is further configured to regulate a flow of the hydraulic fluid between the fluid reservoir and the chamber.

3 . The energy recovery system of claim 2 , wherein the chamber defines a first orifice disposed in fluid communication with the first valve assembly.

4 . The energy recovery system of claim 3 further comprising a second valve assembly disposed in communication with the chamber and the fluid reservoir, the second valve assembly configured to regulate a flow of the hydraulic fluid from the chamber to a fluid reservoir.

5 . The energy recovery system of claim 4 , wherein the chamber further defines a second orifice disposed adjacent to the first orifice, wherein the second orifice is configured to fluidly communicate the chamber with the second valve assembly.

6 . The energy recovery system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the second valve assembly to restrict the fluid communication between the chamber and the fluid reservoir during the work cycle of the second machine.

7 . The energy recovery system of claim 5 , wherein a diameter of the first orifice is greater than a diameter of the second orifice.

8 . The energy recovery system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the signal via a wireless network between the first machine and the second machine.

9 . The energy recovery system of claim 1 further comprising a hydraulic motor in fluid communication with the accumulator to receive the pressurized hydraulic fluid, wherein the hydraulic motor is configured to be driven by the pressurized hydraulic fluid.

10 . A method of recovering a kinetic energy due to a motion of a frame of a first machine while receiving a payload from a second machine, the method comprising:
communicating with the second machine to determine a work cycle for the second machine, wherein the second machine is configured to provide the payload to the first machine during the work cycle; determining a parameter of the payload that is to be received by the first machine during the work cycle for the second machine; and at least partially opening a fluid communication between a chamber of a cylinder member of the first machine and an accumulator of the first machine during the work cycle based on the parameter of the payload to at least partially recover the kinetic energy, wherein the chamber is configured to receive a hydraulic fluid therein, and wherein the accumulator is configured to store the pressurized hydraulic fluid.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the chamber defines an orifice selectively configured to be in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir, the method further comprises restricting the fluid communication between the orifice and the fluid reservoir during the work cycle for the second machine.

12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising restricting the fluid communication between the chamber and the accumulator if the parameter of the payload exceeds a threshold value.

13 . A machine system comprising:
a first machine; and a second machine in communication with the first machine, the second machine configured to provide a payload to the first machine during a work cycle of the second machine,
wherein the first machine comprises:
a frame; and
an energy recovery system comprising:
a cylinder assembly comprising:
a cylinder member; and
a piston slidably disposed in the cylinder member, the piston operatively coupled to the frame of the first machine, wherein the piston and the cylinder member together defines a chamber configured to receive a hydraulic fluid therein;

an accumulator disposed in fluid communication with the chamber to receive the hydraulic fluid, wherein the accumulator is configured to store the pressurized hydraulic fluid;
a first valve assembly disposed in fluid communication with the accumulator and the chamber, the first valve assembly configured to regulate a flow of the hydraulic fluid from the chamber to the accumulator; and
a controller configured to be in communication with the second machine and control the first valve assembly, the controller configured to:
receive a signal indicative of a parameter of a payload that is to be received by the first machine from the second machine during a work cycle of the second machine; and
control the first valve assembly, during the work cycle of the second machine, to at least partially open the fluid communication between the chamber and the accumulator based on the received signal.

14 . The machine system of claim 13 , wherein the energy recovery system further comprises a fluid reservoir configured to supply the hydraulic fluid to the chamber, wherein the first valve assembly is further configured to regulate a flow of the hydraulic fluid between the fluid reservoir and the chamber.

15 . The machine system of claim 14 , wherein the chamber defines a first orifice disposed in fluid communication with the first valve assembly.

16 . The machine system of claim 15 , wherein the energy recovery system further comprises a second valve assembly disposed in communication with the chamber and the fluid reservoir, the second valve assembly configured to regulate a flow of the hydraulic fluid from the chamber to the fluid reservoir.

17 . The machine system of claim 16 , wherein the chamber further defines at least one second orifice disposed adjacent to the first orifice, wherein the at least one second orifice is configured to fluidly communicate the chamber with the second valve assembly.

18 . The machine system of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the second valve assembly to restrict the fluid communication between the chamber and the fluid reservoir during the work cycle of the second machine.

19 . The machine system of claim 16 , wherein a diameter of the first orifice is greater than a diameter of the second orifice.

20 . The machine system of claim 13 , wherein the second machine includes a control module communi

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Ge Xinyu

Classifications

• F03G7/081

  recovering energy from moving road or rail vehicles, e.g. collecting vehicle vibrations in the vehicle tyres or shock absorbers · CPC title

• B60G13/14 Primary

  having dampers accumulating utilisable energy, e.g. compressing air {(fluid springs with an accumulator B60G11/30)} · CPC title

• F03G7/08 Primary

  recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine · CPC title

• B60G2300/60

  Vehicles using regenerative power · CPC title

• F15B1/033

  with electrical control means · CPC title