Method for filling a hydraulic circuit of an electro-hydrostatic system using a filling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023296118-A1
Application number	US-202118014008-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 30, 2021
Priority date	Jul 2, 2020
Publication date	Sep 21, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device for filling a hydraulic circuit of an electro-hydrostatic system provided with a discharge valve and a filling valve includes a vacuum generator designed to be connected to the discharge valve via a first shut-off valve in order to eliminate the air or gases present in the circuit, and a source for supplying pressurised hydraulic fluid, which source is designed to be connected to the filling valve via a second shut-off valve and to the discharge valve and the first shut-off valve via a third shut-off valve in order to fill the hydraulic fluid circuit.

First claim

1 . A method for filling a hydraulic circuit ( 24 ) of an electro-hydrostatic system ( 20 ) provided with a discharge valve (VP) and a filling valve (VR), the method using a filling device ( 1 ) comprising:
a vacuum generator ( 2 ) designed to be connected to the discharge valve via a first shut-off valve (V 1 ) in order to eliminate the air or gases present in the circuit, and a source for supplying pressurised hydraulic fluid ( 3 ), which source is designed to be connected to the filling valve via a second shut-off valve (V 2 ) and to the discharge valve and the first shut-off valve via a third shut-off valve (V 3 ) in order to fill the hydraulic fluid circuit, and the method comprising the following steps:
connect the first and third shut-off valves (V 1 , V 3 ) to the discharge valve (VP), and connect the second (V 2 ) shut-off valve to the filling (VR) valve;
while the second and third shut-off valves are closed, open the filling valve, the discharge valve and the first shut-off valve and operate the vacuum generator ( 2 );
once the vacuum has been established in the circuit, open the second shut-off valve in order to fill the circuit with pressurised hydraulic fluid while the vacuum generator is still in operation;
once the circuit has been filled with fluid, close the first shut-off valve and then open the third shut-off valve in order to bypass the vacuum generator and circulate the fluid through the electro-hydrostatic system until the fluid contained in the circuit reaches a predetermined pressure;
close the discharge valve and the filling valve.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the electro-hydrostatic system ( 20 ) comprises a plurality of actuators selectable by at least two distributors (D 1 , D 2 ), and comprising the step of successively controlling the distributors one after another in order to establish the vacuum in the hydraulic circuit ( 24 ), and the step of controlling the distributors according to a predetermined sequence in order to fill the hydraulic circuit.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum generator ( 2 ) comprises a vacuum pump ( 4 ) connected to the first shut-off valve by a liquid/gas separator ( 5 ).

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic fluid supply source ( 3 ) comprises a filling pump ( 6 ) connected to a reservoir with a capacity greater than that of the hydraulic circuit ( 24 ) of the electro-hydrostatic system.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum generator ( 2 ) and the hydraulic fluid supply source ( 3 ) are mounted on a mobile carriage.

6 . The measurement method according to claim 5 , wherein the carriage is a forklift.

Assignees

• Safran Landing Systems

Inventors

• Roger Jean-Charles
• Kamis Jean-Baptiste
• Prado Thomas

Classifications

• F15B2211/41572

  being connected to a pressure source and an output member · CPC title

• F15B7/003 Primary

  with multiple outputs · CPC title

• F15B21/005 Primary

  Filling or draining of fluid systems · CPC title

• F15B7/006

  Rotary pump input · CPC title

• F15B21/044

  Removal or measurement of undissolved gas, e.g. de-aeration, venting or bleeding · CPC title