Electrohydraulic Device, Method, and Marine Vessel or Platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021061421-A1
Application number	US-201816644463-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 7, 2018
Priority date	Sep 8, 2017
Publication date	Mar 4, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrohydraulic device includes an extender which is arranged to be actuated by hydraulic fluid, and a rotor of an electric motor, the rotor being arranged to rotate about a part of the extender. The rotor may have an annular body which encircles or surrounds part of the extender. There is also described a related method of use and a marine vessel or platform where the device may be applied.

First claim

1 . An electrohydraulic device comprising:
an extender arranged to be actuated by hydraulic fluid; a rotor of an electric motor, the rotor comprising an annular body which encircles a part of the extender and being arranged to rotate about said part of the extender; and a pump on the extender, wherein the rotor is arranged to drive the pump for pumping and supplying the hydraulic fluid for operating the extender, the pump having a drive shaft; wherein the rotor is coupled to the drive shaft through a near arrangement comprising gears which have a gear ratio therebetween.

2 . (canceled)

3 . (canceled)

4 . (canceled)

5 . A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the extender comprises a hydraulic cylinder and a rod, and said part of the extender about which the rotor is arranged to rotate is a part of either the hydraulic cylinder or the rod.

6 . A device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the rod is movable with respect to the hydraulic cylinder to extend or retract to vary or obtain a desired amount of extension or elongation of the extender.

7 . A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the extender comprises elongate first and second sections which are movably coupled for linear axial extension therebetween along a longitudinal axis of the coupled sections, wherein said part of the extender about which the rotor is arranged to rotate is a part of the first or second section.

8 . A device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a stator of the electric motor, disposed on the extender, the stator and rotator being arranged to cooperate upon operation of the motor to generate torque to rotate the rotor.

9 . A device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the stator is arranged around an outside of the rotor.

10 . A device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the stator and the rotor are mounted inside a casing attached to the extender, the stator being mounted so as to be attached fixedly with respect to the extender.

11 . A device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a tank provided on or incorporated in a part of the extender, the tank being configured for storing hydraulic fluid.

12 . A device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the tank has an annular or part-annular storage space for hydraulic fluid, where the storage space is disposed around a part of the extender.

13 . A device as claimed in claim 1 , operable for manoeuvring or supporting a structure that subjects the device to a load, wherein the structure is any of a boom or an arm of crane, or a leg of an A-frame.

14 . A device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the extender is operable to extend to a desired extension so as to tilt the structure.

15 . A marine vessel or platform comprising:
a structure supported on a deck of the vessel or platform; and an electrohydraulic device as claimed in claim 1 , connected to the structure, and operable to actuate the extender to manoeuvre or support the structure in position relative to the vessel or platform.

16 . A method of using the electrohydraulic device as claimed in claim 1 , the method comprising at least the step of operating the extender, using the electric motor so as to rotate the rotor about a part of the extender

Assignees

• Nat Oilwell Varco Norway As

Inventors

• Borøy Yngvar
• Strand Thor
• Bergstøl Geir Odd

Classifications

• F15B2211/20515

  Electric motor · CPC title

• F15B15/18 Primary

  Combined units comprising both motor and pump · CPC title

• F16H1/06

  with parallel axes · CPC title

• B66C23/52

  Floating cranes (floating dredgers E02F) · CPC title

• F15B15/088

  the motor using combined actuation, e.g. electric and fluid actuation · CPC title