The present disclosure relates to variable recruitment actuator systems and related methods. In one embodiment, a variable recruitment actuator system utilizes a central hydraulic pump, an accumulator, a plurality of variable recruitment actuators, and a pressurized reservoir of hydraulic fluid to provide highly efficient hydraulic regenerative energy harvesting in systems requiring both eccentric and concentric motion. In another embodiment, a powered prosthetic or orthotic device, or a legged robot, utilizes a system as previously described to capture energy from the eccentric motion of the knee joint to provide concentric motion of both the knee and ankle joints later on in a gait cycle.

A hydraulic system comprises a valve distributor comprising one or more sections connectable to respective uses, a supply apparatus comprising a pump and a supply channel, a discharge channel connected to a low-pressure tank, a use signal channel coming from the section of the valve distributor and further comprises a hydraulic regulating device connected via said channels which includes a 2-position 3-way proportional valve configured so as to provide operative fluid at a conditioned pressure, different with respect to the pressure that is characteristic of the operative condition of use, to the supply apparatus and at least one proportional pressure reducing valve.

Provided is a construction machine configured such that a hydraulic actuator is driven by a hydraulic pump for a closed circuit, by which oil film breakage of the hydraulic pump for a closed circuit is prevented to improve the reliability and a high operation rate can be obtained. The construction machine includes a switching valve that is provided in a branch hydraulic line connecting one of suction/delivery ports of a closed circuit pump and a charge line to each other and is opened and closed according to a control signal from a controller. The controller is configured to, in a case where a state in which a delivery volume of the closed circuit pump is kept to zero continues for a predetermined time period or more, open the switching valve and keep the delivery volume of the closed circuit pump to a predetermined delivery volume or more, the predetermined delivery volume being greater than zero.

A lift arm lifting and lowering mechanism cylinder case provided with a cylinder portion into which oil is fed, a piston slidable inside the cylinder portion to define a hydraulic chamber and receiving hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic chamber on a front surface, a safety valve provided to the piston to discharge the oil inside the hydraulic chamber to the outside when the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic chamber becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and a lift arm supported by the cylinder case and rotatable in conjunction with movement of the piston, in which the piston includes an oil passage allowing communication between a rear surface of the piston and the front surface, and the oil passage includes a containing portion provided to open on the axially front surface side and capable of containing the safety valve, and a non-containing portion provided on the axially rear surface side relative to the containing portion and incapable of containing the safety valve.

A valve unit (V) has a valve housing (50) that includes a supply oil passage (55) configured to receive operating oil from a hydraulic pump, and a pressure adjustment valve (Va) configured to adjust the pressure of the supply oil passage (55). The pressure adjustment valve (Va) includes a pressure adjustment valve body (61) configured to open and close the supply oil passage (55), a compression coil spring (62) that keeps the pressure adjustment valve body (61) at a closed position when the pressure of the supply oil passage (55) is smaller than a set value and allows the pressure adjustment valve body (61) to open when the pressure of the supply oil passage (55) is not smaller than the set value, and a restriction member (63) configured to, when the pressure adjustment valve body (61) becomes open against the urging force of the spring (62) in response to a pressure of the operating oil, abut against the pressure adjustment valve body (61) to restrict movement of the pressure adjustment valve body (61).

A flow control manifold apparatus includes a housing defining a first flow path from a flow input port to flow output port and a second flow path from a return inlet port to a return outlet port. A first flow regulating valve is placed inline the first flow path and an excess flow path fluidly couples the first flow path to the second flow path. An excess pressure valve is placed inline the excess flow path and is in a closed orientation when the first flow regulating valve is open so that all of the fluid exits through the flow output port. The excess pressure valve is then in a partially open orientation when the first flow regulating valve is partially closed so that a first portion of the fluid exits through the flow output port and a second portion of the fluid exits through the return outlet port.

A pump control assembly for controlling a variable displacement hydraulic pump includes a spool mounted within a valve block. The spool is configured to move between a first and a second position within the valve block so as to selectively control the displacement of the attached pump. The pump control assembly further includes first and second chambers that each apply a force to opposite ends of the spool. The first chamber is positioned at a first end of the spool in fluid communication with a pump output port. The second chamber is positioned at a second end of the spool and in fluid communication with a hydraulic tank port and a proportional pressure reducing valve. The second chamber also includes a piston and first and second springs positioned on either side of the piston. The proportional pressure reducing valve provides a regulated pressure to a first side of the piston along with the first spring, and the hydraulic tank port provides a tank pressure on the opposite side of the piston along with the second spring. The pump control assembly also includes a stop structure having a positive stop that limits movement of the piston in a direction toward the first chamber.

A fluid pressure valve according to an embodiment of the present invention is applicable to a fluid pressure servo mechanism. The fluid pressure valve includes a housing having a housing member, the housing member being formed integrally so as to have a first port, a second port, and a flow path connecting between the first port and the second port.

A turn-drive apparatus capable of securing high acceleration at the time of turning start with a reduced relief loss includes a hydraulic pump of a variable capacity type, a turning motor, a turning control device, a relief valve, and a flow rate control device that controls a pump flow rate. The flow rate control device calculates a relief-cut-control target pump flow rate on the basis of the sum of a minimum relief flow rate and a turning-speed flow rate, and inputs a pump capacity command to the variable capacity-type hydraulic pump based thereon. The flow rate control device makes the relief-cut-control target pump flow rate larger than the sum of the minimum relief flow rate and the turning-speed flow rate at the time of turning start.

A valve device includes: a flow path forming member having a first flow path through which a fluid is to flow, and a conical second flow path formed on a downstream side of the first flow path and having an outer diameter increasing in a flow direction of the first flow path; a spherical valve body capable of blocking a flow of the fluid in the first flow path by contacting an inner surface of the flow path forming member, which forms the second flow path; a holding member configured to hold the valve body in a conical concave part; and a coil-shaped spring configured to apply a force in a direction of causing the valve body to contact the inner surface via the holding member and arranged so that a direction of a center line of the coil is tilted with respect to the flow direction.