This invention relates to hydraulic energy storage and management systems. In particular, this invention relates to a hydraulic energy management system that has a reconfigurable energy storage and release capability that adjusts to varying available energy input and power demand output requirements. The hydraulic energy management system can be resized by a hydraulic bridge circuit to permit hydraulic power units to be added or removed, both physically and operationally, to capture available energy over time, adjust to peak demand cycles, and maintain power output in the event of a failure of a portion of the system.

An object of the present invention is to provide a construction machine that can use the return oil from a hydraulic actuator effectively. For this purpose, a controller computes a flow rate of the return oil from a first hydraulic actuator on the basis of an operation signal from a first operation device, computes a flow rate of oil to be supplied to a second hydraulic actuator on the basis of an operation signal from a second operation device, sets smaller one of the flow rate of the return oil and the flow rate of the oil to be supplied, as a regeneration flow rate that is a flow rate of oil to be regenerated in the second hydraulic actuator, sets a flow rate obtained by subtracting the regeneration flow rate from the flow rate of the return oil, as a recovery flow rate that is a flow rate of oil to be recovered to a pressure accumulating device, adjusts an opening degree of a first control valve 2 such that a flow rate of oil supplied from the first hydraulic actuator to the pressure accumulating device coincides with the recovery flow rate, and adjusts an opening degree of a second control valve such that a flow rate of oil supplied from the first hydraulic actuator to the second hydraulic actuator coincides with the regeneration flow rate.

A hydraulic powering system includes a hydraulic cylinder, an accumulator, and a manifold assembly. The hydraulic cylinder includes: (i) a hydraulic cylinder construction having a hydraulic cylinder wall and first and second hydraulic cylinder end caps forming an internal volume, a piston constructed to slide within the internal volume between the first and second hydraulic cylinder end caps and dividing the internal volume into an extend region and a retract region, and a piston rod extending from the piston and through the retract region and one of the first and second end caps to outside the hydraulic cylinder; (ii) an extend port in fluid connection with the extend region of the hydraulic cylinder; and (iii) a retract port in fluid communication with the retract region of the hydraulic cylinder. The accumulator includes: (i) an accumulator construction having an accumulator wall and first and second accumulator end caps forming an accumulator internal volume, an accumulator piston constructed to slide within the accumulator internal volume between the first and second accumulator end caps and dividing the accumulator internal volume into a hydraulic fluid region and a compressible gas region; and (ii) a hydraulic fluid port in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid region of the accumulator. The manifold assembly includes a plurality of passageways therethrough providing fluid connection between: (i) a hydraulic fluid extend source and the hydraulic cylinder extend port and the accumulator hydraulic fluid port; and (ii) a hydraulic fluid retract source and the hydraulic cylinder retract port and the accumulator hydraulic fluid port. A method of operating a hydraulic powering system is described.

A hydrostatic drive includes at least one hydrostatic pump configured to supply at least one hydrostatic consumer and an apparatus for an energy recovery procedure of at least a part of the energy that is output by the consumer. An electronic control unit or at least one software component is further included, with which the energy recovery procedure is controlled in a variable manner and depends upon detected influencing variables.

A hydrostatic drive includes at least one hydrostatic pump configured to supply at least one hydrostatic consumer and an apparatus for an energy recovery procedure of at least a part of the energy that is output by the consumer. An electronic control unit or at least one software component is further included, with which the energy recovery procedure is controlled in a variable manner and depends upon detected influencing variables.

Provided is a hydraulic machine. A pump pressurizes fluid using power provided by a power source. An actuator works using the pressurized fluid from the pump. A recovery part recovers energy from fluid discharged from the actuator. A first operator input device receives a desired input from an operator to select an eco-mode or a boost mode. The recovery part includes an accumulator storing hydraulic energy by receiving the fluid discharged from the actuator and an assist unit assisting the power source using the hydraulic energy stored in the accumulator. The controller controls the pump such that output power of the pump does not exceed Plmax when the eco-mode is selected or the assist unit does not assist the power source and that the output power does not exceed P2max when the boost mode is selected and the assist unit assists the power source, where Plmax < P2max.

The invention concerns a device for the direct recovery of hydraulic energy in a machine, comprising at least one single-acting storage cylinder-piston device with a storage cylinder, a storage cylinder-piston and a storage cylinder chamber, with at least one differential cylinder-piston device with a differential cylinder comprising a separate rod side and base side, and with at least one hydraulic accumulator, which may be connected to the storage cylinder-piston device and/or the differential cylinder-piston device, wherein the potential energy of the storage cylinder-piston device, which retracts under a compressive load, may be at least partially stored in the hydraulic accumulator.

The invention concerns a device for the direct recovery of hydraulic energy in a machine, comprising at least one single-acting storage cylinder-piston device with a storage cylinder, a storage cylinder-piston and a storage cylinder chamber, with at least one differential cylinder-piston device with a differential cylinder comprising a separate rod side and base side, and with at least one hydraulic accumulator, which may be connected to the storage cylinder-piston device and/or the differential cylinder-piston device, wherein the potential energy of the storage cylinder-piston device, which retracts under a compressive load, may be at least partially stored in the hydraulic accumulator.

Device for recovering hydraulic energy in a machine comprising at least a first differential cylinder-piston assembly having a differential cylinder with a separate rod and base side, at least a second differential cylinder-piston assembly having a differential cylinder with a separate rod and base side, and at least one hydraulic accumulator that can be hydraulically connected to at least one of the differential cylinder-piston assemblies, wherein the differential cylinder-piston assemblies are mechanically coupled to one another, and wherein the potential energy of at least one of the differential cylinder-piston assemblies retracting under a compressive load can at least partially be stored in the hydraulic accumulator.

An apparatus for recuperating hydraulic energy in a working machine includes at least one first differential cylinder piston device with a differential cylinder and separate rod and bottom sides, and at least one hydraulic accumulator which is hydraulically connectable with the differential cylinder piston device. The potential energy of the differential cylinder piston device retracting under pressing load is at least partly storable in the hydraulic accumulator. The rod and bottom sides are connectable with each other via at least one brake valve for recirculating hydraulic fluid from the bottom side into the rod side.