Hydraulic system for machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9458818-B2
Application number	US-201414337373-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2014
Priority date	Jul 22, 2014
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

A hydraulic system for a machine is disclosed. The hydraulic system includes a hydraulic tank configured to store a liquid therein. The hydraulic system also includes a first conduit, a venturi, a fluid conduit and a second conduit. The first conduit is in fluid communication with the hydraulic tank and configured to receive the liquid from the hydraulic tank. The venturi is in fluid communication with the first conduit and configured to reduce a pressure of the liquid flowing therethrough. The fluid conduit is in fluid communication with the venturi and configured to supply a gaseous fluid into the venturi. The second conduit is in fluid communication with the venturi and configured to supply a mixture of the liquid and the gaseous fluid into the hydraulic tank in order to increase a pressure of the liquid in the hydraulic tank.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hydraulic system for a machine, the hydraulic system comprising:
a hydraulic tank configured to store a liquid therein;
a first conduit in fluid communication with the hydraulic tank, the first conduit configured to receive the liquid from the hydraulic tank;
a venturi in fluid communication with the first conduit, the venturi configured to reduce a pressure of the liquid flowing therethrough;
a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the venturi, the fluid conduit configured to supply a gaseous fluid into the venturi;
a second conduit in fluid communication with the venturi, the second conduit configured to supply a mixture of the liquid and the gaseous fluid into the hydraulic tank in order to increase a pressure of the liquid in the hydraulic tank;
a connector configured to split a flow of the liquid from the hydraulic tank into a first liquid flow supplied to the first conduit and a second liquid flow supplied to an additional conduit, wherein the additional conduit is defined in a housing member to receive the second liquid flow therein, the additional conduit comprises an orifice to provide a restriction to the liquid flowing through the additional conduit.

2. The hydraulic system of claim 1 , wherein the venturi comprising:
a converging portion in fluid communication with the first conduit;
a diverging portion in fluid communication with the second conduit; and
a throat portion disposed between the converging portion and the diverging portion, wherein the throat portion is in fluid communication with the fluid conduit.

3. The hydraulic system of claim 1 further comprising a valve configured to selectively supply the liquid from the hydraulic tank to the first conduit.

4. The hydraulic system of claim 3 further comprising a pump fluidly disposed between the hydraulic tank and the valve, the pump configured to supply the liquid to the first conduit.

5. The hydraulic system of claim 1 further comprising a filter in fluid communication with the fluid conduit, the second filter configured to filter the gaseous fluid received therein.

6. The hydraulic system of claim 1 , wherein the gaseous fluid is air.

7. The hydraulic system of claim 1 further comprising a breather unit fluidly disposed on the hydraulic tank, the breather unit configured to maintain a predetermined pressure within the hydraulic tank.

8. The hydraulic system of claim 7 , wherein the breather unit comprising:
a check valve configured to allow a unidirectional flow of the gaseous fluid into the hydraulic tank; and
a relief valve configured to selectively release the gaseous fluid from the hydraulic tank to atmosphere.

9. The hydraulic system of claim 1 further comprising a housing member, the housing member including:
the first conduit fluidly coupled to the hydraulic tank to receive the liquid therein;
the second conduit configured to fluidly couple to the hydraulic tank to supply the mixture of air and the liquid to the hydraulic tank; and
the venturi defined between the first conduit and the second conduit to reduce pressure of the liquid flowing therethrough.

10. A machine comprising:
a frame;
a hydraulic tank mounted on the frame, the hydraulic tank configured to store a liquid therein; and
a hydraulic system in fluid communication with the hydraulic tank, the hydraulic system comprising:
a first conduit in fluid communication with the hydraulic tank configured to receive the liquid from the hydraulic tank;
a venturi in fluid communication with the first conduit, the venturi configured to reduce a pressure of the liquid flowing therethrough;
a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the venturi, the fluid conduit configured to supply a gaseous fluid into the venturi;
a second conduit in fluid communication with the venturi, the second conduit configured to supply a mixture of the liquid and the gaseous fluid into the hydraulic tank in order to increase a pressure of the liquid in the hydraulic tank; and
a connector configured to split a flow of the liquid from the hydraulic tank into a first liquid flow supplied to the first conduit and a second liquid flow supplied to an additional conduit, wherein the additional conduit is defined in a housing member to receive the second liquid flow therein, the additional conduit comprises an orifice to provide a restriction to the liquid flowing through the additional conduit.

11. The machine of claim 10 , wherein the venturi comprising:
a converging portion in fluid communication with the first conduit;
a diverging portion in fluid communication with the second conduit; and
a throat portion disposed between the converging portion and the diverging portion, wherein the throat portion is in fluid communication with the fluid conduit.

12. The machine of claim 10 , further comprising a valve configured to selectively supply the liquid from the hydraulic tank to the first conduit.

13. The machine of claim 12 , further comprising a pump fluidly disposed between the hydraulic tank and the valve, the pump configured to supply the liquid to the first conduit.

14. The machine of claim 10 , further comprising a breather unit fluidly disposed on the hydraulic tank, the breather unit configured to maintain a predetermined pressure within the hydraulic tank.

15. The machine of claim 14 , wherein the breather unit comprising:
a check valve configured to allow a unidirectional flow of the gaseous fluid into the hydraulic tank; and
a relief valve configured to selectively release the gaseous fluid from the hydraulic tank to atmosphere.

16. A method of controlling a hydraulic system comprising:
receiving a liquid from a hydraulic tank within a first conduit;
reducing pressure of the liquid flowing through the first conduit by a venturi;
supplying a gaseous fluid into the venturi via a fluid conduit;
supplying a mixture of the liquid and the gaseous fluid into the hydraulic tank in order to increase a pressure of the liquid in the hydraulic tank; and
splitting the flow of the liquid from the valve into a first liquid flow supplied to the first conduit and a second liquid flow supplied to an additional conduit, wherein the additional conduit is defined in a housing member to receive the second liquid flow therein and the additional conduit comprises an orifice to provide a restriction to the liquid flowing through the additional conduit.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising selectively supplying the liquid to the first conduit through a valve based on a pressure within the hydraulic tank.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Global Mining Llc

Inventors

• Luvaas John K

Classifications

• F03B1/00 Primary

  Engines of impulse type, i.e. turbines with jets of high-velocity liquid impinging on blades or like rotors, e.g. Pelton wheels; Parts or details peculiar thereto · CPC title

• E02F9/0883 Primary

  Tanks, e.g. oil tank, urea tank, fuel tank (for vehicles in general B60K15/00) · CPC title

• F15B1/265

  with pressurised main reservoir · CPC title

• E02F9/226

  Safety arrangements, e.g. hydraulic driven fans, preventing cavitation, leakage, overheating · CPC title

• E02F9/2267

  Valves or distributors (position of valves arrangements on upper-structures E02F9/0875) · CPC title