A hydraulic drive unit for a stretcher has a hydraulic circuit with a differential cylinder, a pump, a tank and a valve assembly. The differential cylinder includes a rod working chamber and a piston working chamber. The valve assembly is switchable into at least a first state and a second state, wherein the rod working chamber is connected to the tank in the first state and to the pump in the second state, and wherein the piston working chamber is connected to the pump in the first state and to the tank in the second state. The tank is a tank separated from the atmosphere with a variable tank volume, so that the hydraulic circuit is configured as a closed hydraulic circuit. A stretcher having such a hydraulic drive unit is also provided.

A hydrostatic cylinder with a gas pressure accumulator, which is preferably designed as a piston accumulator, and which is arranged concentrically on the outer circumference of the cylinder is disclosed. A gas pressure is produced via a constant pressure source and is limited or is essentially constant in the gas pressure accumulator and also a constant pressure medium pressure is independent of the degree of filling of the gas pressure accumulator.

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 fluidic control system (1) for controlling a vehicle, which includes a controller (2) and a closed fluidic circuit. The circuit includes a pump (3) for pressurizing fluid in the circuit, valve means (40, 50, 60), an actuator (4, 5, 6) and a precharge accumulator (7). The valve means (40, 50, 60) is fluidly connected to the inlet and outlet of the pump (3) and the actuator (4, 6) is fluidly connected to the valve means (40, 50, 60) for selectively receiving pressurized fluid therefrom. The precharge accumulator (7) includes a movable member (73, FIG. 2) that describes a variable volume (71) fluidly connected to the circuit between the valve means (40, 50, 60) and the inlet of the pump (3). The system (1) also includes a sensor (70) for determining the position of the movable member (73) for estimating the quantity of fluid and/or detecting an abnormal pressure variation within the circuit.

A pressure regulator valve adapted to be secured within a container housing a beverage to be dispensed through the aid of pressure within the headspace (11) above the beverage, the regulator valve includes a housing (16) containing a piston (26) having one surface exposed continuously to the pressure in the headspace and the other surface being engaged by a spring (44), a source of pressurized gas (14) such as carbon dioxide is secured to the housing and includes a valve (60) which is activated by the piston which moves responsive to a differential between the spring force and the headspace pressure to open the valve (60) when the headspace pressure falls below a predetermined level to insert the carbon dioxide into the headspace to maintain the headspace pressure sufficient to dispense the beverage.

A fluidic control system (1) for controlling a vehicle, which includes a controller (2) and a closed fluidic circuit. The circuit includes a pump (3) for pressurizing fluid in the circuit, valve means (40, 50, 60), an actuator (4, 5, 6) and a precharge accumulator (7). The valve means (40, 50, 60) is fluidly connected to the inlet and outlet of the pump (3) and the actuator (4, 6) is fluidly connected to the valve means (40, 50, 60) for selectively receiving pressurized fluid therefrom. The precharge accumulator (7) includes a movable member (73, FIG. 2) that describes a variable volume (71) fluidly connected to the circuit between the valve means (40, 50, 60) and the inlet of the pump (3). The system (1) also includes a sensor (70) for determining the position of the movable member (73) for estimating the quantity of fluid and/or detecting an abnormal pressure variation within the circuit.

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.

An electric fluid pressure cylinder is provided with: a driving unit integrally provided with an electric motor, a pump configured to discharge working oil by being driven by the electric motor, and a tank; a hydraulic cylinder configured to be extended and contracted by the working oil supplied from the driving unit; and a first hose pipe and a second hose pipe configured to guide the working oil between the driving unit and the hydraulic cylinder. The driving unit is further provided with: a valve block configured to control the flow of working fluid between the fluid pressure cylinder and the pump; and a connecting plate attached to the valve block and formed with a connecting port to which the pipe member is connected, the connecting port being configured such that the working fluid supplied to and discharged from the fluid pressure cylinder passes through the connecting port.

A lubrication system is provided for supplying lubricant to an air compressor. The air compressor is driven by a drive system. The lubrication system includes a reservoir configured to support lubricant and configured to receive pressurized air from the air compressor, the separator reservoir configured to separate lubricant from the air received from the air compressor; and a motor operably coupled to the drive system and configured to receive pressurized lubricant. The motor is configured to transmit power to the drive system in at least one operating condition.

An integrated hybrid energy recovery and storage system for recovering and storing energy from multiple energy sources is disclosed. The system includes an accumulator unit having a high pressure accumulator and a low pressure accumulator. At least one piston is mounted for reciprocation in the high pressure accumulator. The accumulator unit is configured to receive, store, and transfer energy from the hydraulic fluid to the energy storage media. The system further includes two or more rotational directional control valves, in which at least one rotational directional control valve is positioned on each side of the accumulator unit. Each rotational directional control valve includes multiple ports. The system also includes two or more variable displacement hydraulic rotational units. At least one variable displacement hydraulic rotational unit is positioned adjacent each of the rotational directional control valves.