Device and method for cleaning a hydraulic circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9815007-B2
Application number	US-201314078996-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2013
Priority date	Nov 19, 2012
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A device and a method for cleaning a hydraulic control circuit such as the hydraulic circuit serving to control a hydraulic element, for example, a cylinder/damper assembly used for controlling the angle of an aircraft landing gear assembly and providing shock absorption on landing. The device comprises a cleaning circuit comprising a filter that is connected to the control circuit instead of the controlled element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for cleaning a hydraulic control circuit, said hydraulic control circuit allowing the control of a hydraulic element and being connected to said element by a first circuit serving to transmit a force to said element by means of a hydraulic fluid and by a second circuit for the return of said fluid to said control circuit, said device comprising:
an inlet connector configured to connect the device to the first circuit and through which the hydraulic fluid arrives;
an outlet connector configured to connect the device to the second circuit and through which clean hydraulic fluid returns to the hydraulic control circuit;
a cleaning circuit allowing the hydraulic fluid to flow between the inlet connector and the outlet connector; and,
a hydraulic filter on said cleaning circuit for cleaning potentially contaminated hydraulic fluid arriving through the first circuit in order to return the clean hydraulic fluid to the control circuit,
wherein the device is connected between the hydraulic element and the hydraulic control circuit such that hydraulic fluid passes from the hydraulic control circuit to the cleaning circuit instead of to the hydraulic element.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said device also comprises an inspection window for viewing the passage of hydraulic fluid through the cleaning circuit.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said device also comprises an inlet valve on the cleaning circuit.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said device also comprises a pressure limiter on the cleaning circuit.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said device also comprises a flow quantity limiter on the cleaning circuit.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said device also comprises a drainage interface and a drain valve connected to the cleaning circuit.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said device also comprises a kit of connection interfaces.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the kit of connection interfaces comprises a set of interfaces, known as coupling interfaces, allowing the device to be coupled to the hydraulic control circuit.

9. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the kit of connection interfaces comprises a set of interfaces, in the form of drainage interfaces, to facilitate the drainage of the device after a filling operation.

10. The device according to claim 7 , wherein said device also comprises a series of compartments for storing said interfaces.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein said compartments are in the form of a tube for storing the interface and a small piece of tubing in the lower portion of said tube for draining any residual hydraulic fluid.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said device also comprises a holding tank in its lower portion for the recovery of the residual hydraulic fluid.

13. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a pressure gauge.

14. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a dolly.

15. A method for cleaning a hydraulic control circuit, said hydraulic control circuit being used to control a hydraulic element and being connected to said element by a high-pressure circuit serving to transmit a force to said element via a hydraulic fluid and by a low-pressure circuit for the return of said fluid to the control circuit, the method comprising the steps:
connecting the control circuit rather than the controlled element to a cleaning device according to claim 1 ;
filling the control circuit with hydraulic fluid in a closed circuit;
increasing a pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the control circuit; and
disconnecting said cleaning device.

16. The method according to claim 15 , said cleaning device comprising an inlet valve and further comprising the steps:
checking and positioning the inlet valve, prior to filling; and
closing the inlet valve at the end of filling.

17. The method according to claim 15 , said cleaning device comprising a set of coupling interfaces and a set of drainage interfaces, and further comprising the steps:
connecting coupling interfaces prior to the step of connecting the control circuit to the cleaning device;
changing interfaces to connect the drainage interfaces after disconnection of said cleaning device; and
then draining said cleaning device.

18. A device for cleaning a hydraulic control circuit comprising:
a dolly;
a cleaning circuit disposed on the dolly and comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a pressure limiter disposed between the inlet and the outlet, the inlet connected with a hydraulic control element and receiving high pressure hydraulic fluid capable of transmitting a force from the hydraulic control element to a hydraulic element and the outlet connected with the hydraulic control element and providing cleaned hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic control element, the clean hydraulic fluid having a lower pressure than the high pressure hydraulic fluid;
a hydraulic filter on said cleaning circuit for cleaning potentially contaminated hydraulic fluid arriving through the inlet connector in order to provide the clean hydraulic fluid;
a window disposed between the outlet and the hydraulic filter; and,
a plurality of connection interfaces, the connection interfaces including a coupling interface for the inlet and the outlet, and a drainage interface for the drain.

19. The device of claim 18 further comprising:
a storage compartment disposed on the dolly and configured to receive the plurality of connection interfaces.

20. A device for cleaning a hydraulic control circuit comprising:
a cleaning circuit comprising an inlet and an outlet, the inlet connected with a hydraulic control element and being configured to receive hydraulic fluid and the outlet connected with the hydraulic control element and being configured to provide cleaned hydraulic fluid;
a hydraulic filter on said cleaning circuit for cleaning potentially contaminated hydraulic fluid arriving through the inlet connector in order to provide the clean hydraulic fluid;
a flow limiter on said cleaning circuit between the hydraulic filter and the inlet;
a pressure limiter on said cleaning circuit between the flow limiter and the inlet;
a window on said cleaning circuit between the outlet and the hydraulic filter; and,
a plurality of connection interfaces, the connection interfaces including a coupling interface for the inlet and the outlet, and a drainage interface for the drain.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• Rodrigues-Morgado Cedric

Classifications

• F15B21/041

  Removal or measurement of solid or liquid contamination, e.g. filtering · CPC title

• B08B9/0321 Primary

  using pressurised, pulsating or purging fluid (E04F17/126 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D35/02 Primary

  Filters adapted for location in special places, e.g. pipe-lines, pumps, stop-cocks, (B01D35/05 takes precedence; {water pipe system filters E03B3/18, E03B7/07; dirt catchers in sewers E03F; filters or strainers for pipe-lines in general B08B, E03F; object or dirt catching devices in sinks or the like E03C1/26; suction strainers or filters for pumps F04B53/005, F04D29/70}) · CPC title

• F15B21/044

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