LOOP FLUSHING SYSTEM FOR HYDRAULIC UNITS

Abstract

Hydraulic fluid flushing valve for hydrostatic units usable in closed hydraulic circuit propel applications, having a flushing valve housing with a first inlet port connected to a first working line, a second inlet port connected to a second working line, and a discharge port for draining hydraulic fluid. A two-sided flushing valve flushing valve spool which can be shifted is mounted within the flushing valve housing in a cylindrical valve bore, which, in a shifted position, enables a fluid flow from one of the first or the second inlet port at which the lower hydraulic pressure is present, to the discharge port. The flushing valve spool includes on each side a pressure surface each of which is connected to one of the two inlet ports. At each side of the flushing valve spool a flushing valve spring is located in the flushing valve housing in such a manner that, when the flushing valve spool is in its centre, non-shifted position, at each side of the flushing valve spool a distance between a spring contact surface on the flushing valve spool and a spring support surface in the flushing valve housing is greater than the axial length of the corresponding flushing valve spring.

Claims

1. A hydraulic fluid flushing valve for hydrostatic units usable in closed hydraulic circuit propel applications, having a flushing valve housing with a first inlet port connected to a first working line, a second inlet port connected to a second working line, and a discharge port for draining hydraulic fluid, wherein a two-sided flushing valve flushing valve spool which can be shifted is mounted within the flushing valve housing in a cylindrical valve bore, which, in a shifted position, enables a fluid flow from one of the first or the second inlet port at which the lower hydraulic pressure is present, to the discharge port, wherein the flushing valve spool comprises on each side a pressure surface each of which connected to one of the two inlet ports, and wherein at each side of the flushing valve spool a flushing valve spring is located in the flushing valve housing in such a manner that, when the flushing valve spool is in its centre, non-shifted position, at each side of the flushing valve spool a distance between a spring contact surface on the flushing valve spool and a spring support surface in the flushing valve housing is greater than the axial length of the corresponding flushing valve spring.

2. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 1, wherein the flushing valve spool can be shifted out of its centre position free of spring forces until one of the flushing valve springs physically contacts both the corresponding spring contact surface on the flushing valve spool and the spring support surface in the flushing valve housing.

3. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical valve bore is closed by end caps, such that spaces between the ends of the flushing valve spool and the end caps form pressure chambers each of which can be supplied by one of the two inlet ports with hydraulic fluid under pressure and wherein each of the end caps provides a spring support surface for one of the flushing valve springs.

4. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 3, wherein the flushing valve springs are attached to the end caps such that in the centre position of flushing valve spool a gap between each end of the flushing valve spool and correspondent flushing valve spring is present.

5. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 3, wherein the flushing valve springs are housed prestressed in the flushing valve housing, wherein one side of each flushing valve spring abuts against a shoulder in the cylindrical valve bore and the other end abuts against the corresponding support surface of end cap.

6. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 5, wherein the prestressing force of the flushing valve springs can be adjusted via the end caps.

7. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 1 wherein, when the pressure difference at the two inlet ports is greater than cero, the flushing valve spool is in a shifted position and contacts one of the flushing valve springs with its correspondent spring contact surface, the flushing valve spring contacts the spring support surface and a fluid discharge from the inlet port at which the lower pressure is present, to the discharge port is enabled, wherein a fluid discharge from the other inlet port is disabled.

8. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 1, wherein the flushing valve spool compresses one of the flushing valve springs, when the pressure difference at one of the two inlet ports is greater than a predetermined threshold value, and a fluid flow from the inlet port at which the lower pressure is present to the discharge port is enabled, wherein a fluid discharge from the other inlet port is disabled.

9. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 8, wherein the flushing valve spool enables an amount of fluid discharge proportional to the pressure difference when the pressure difference is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

10. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 1, wherein the flushing valve spool shows a general cylindrical shape, wherein a mid-portion shows a reduced diameter, which is fluidly connected to the discharge port and overlaps in a shifted position of the flushing valve spool with one of the two inlet ports.

11. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 1, wherein the distances between the spring contact surfaces on the flushing valve spool and the spring support surfaces in the flushing valve housing or the on the end caps can be adjusted.

12. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 1, wherein the end caps are forming stroke limitations for the flushing valve spool.

13. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 1, wherein the flushing valve spool shows in its centred position a positive or negative overlap with regard to both inlet ports.

14. A hydraulic propel unit with a hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 1 wherein the discharge port leads into a housing or a tank of the hydraulic propel unit.

15. The hydraulic propel unit according to claim 14, wherein the flushing valve housing is an integral part of the housing of the hydraulic propel unit and wherein the valve bore of the flushing valve is formed in the housing of the hydraulic propel unit.

16. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 2, wherein the cylindrical valve bore is closed by end caps such that spaces between the ends of the flushing valve spool and the end caps form pressure chambers each of which can be supplied by one of the two inlet ports with hydraulic fluid under pressure and wherein each of the end caps provides a spring support surface for one of the flushing valve springs.

17. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 2 wherein, when the pressure difference at the two inlet ports is greater than cero, the flushing valve spool is in a shifted position and contacts one of the flushing valve springs with its correspondent spring contact surface the flushing valve spring contacts the spring support surface and a fluid discharge from the inlet port at which the lower pressure is present, to the discharge port is enabled, wherein a fluid discharge from the other inlet port is disabled.

18. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 3 wherein, when the pressure difference at the two inlet ports is greater than cero, the flushing valve spool is in a shifted position and contacts one of the flushing valve springs with its correspondent spring contact surface the flushing valve spring contacts the spring support surface and a fluid discharge from the inlet port at which the lower pressure is present, to the discharge port is enabled, wherein a fluid discharge from the other inlet port is disabled.

19. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 4 wherein, when the pressure difference at the two inlet ports is greater than cero, the flushing valve spool is in a shifted position and contacts one of the flushing valve springs with its correspondent spring contact surface the flushing valve spring contacts the spring support surface and a fluid discharge from the inlet port at which the lower pressure is present, to the discharge port is enabled, wherein a fluid discharge from the other inlet port is disabled.

20. The hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to claim 5 wherein, when the pressure difference at the two inlet ports is greater than cero, the flushing valve spool is in a shifted position and contacts one of the flushing valve springs with its correspondent spring contact surface the flushing valve spring contacts the spring support surface and a fluid discharge from the inlet port at which the lower pressure is present, to the discharge port is enabled, wherein a fluid discharge from the other inlet port is disabled.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] By help of the annexed Figures, the disclosed above and other features will become more apparent. Thereby, the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the Figures. It is to be understood that the features shown in different embodiments can be combined and are not limited to the embodiment for which they are shown. Further, modifications within the scope of the knowledge of a person skilled in the art are covered by the inventive idea as well. It is shown in:

[0020] FIG. 1 schematically a hydrostatic unit with a hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to the state of the Art;

[0021] FIG. 2 schematically a hydrostatic unit equipped with a hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to the invention in a first embodiment;

[0022] FIG. 3 schematically a hydrostatic unit equipped with a hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to the invention in a second embodiment;

[0023] FIG. 4 schematically a detailed view of a flushing valve spool according the invention;

[0024] FIG. 5 a detailed view of an exemplary flushing valve according the invention;

[0025] FIG. 6 a diagram for loop flushing according to the invention; In the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, same reference numbers are used for elements of different embodiments having the same functionality.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a hydrostatic unit comprising a flushing valve 10 according to the state of the Art. An inlet port 5 of flushing valve 10 is connected to working line 3. An inlet port 6 of flushing valve 10 is connected to working line 2 and discharge port 7 is connected to tank 100. Supposing that working line 2 is the high pressure line, as indicated by high pressure selection valve 35, flushing valve spool 12 will be shifted against spring forces of second flushing valve spring 15 downwards as high pressure is present at inlet port 6 and acts on pressure surface 18. Thereby, flushing valve spool 12 enables, in the shifted position, fluid flow from inlet port 5 to discharge port 7, thereby, enabling hydraulic fluid flushing to tank 100. In this embodiment, according to the state of the Art as shown in FIG. 1, the high pressure acting on pressure surface 18 moves the flushing valve spool 12 against the force of flushing valve spring 15, arranged on the low pressure side of the flushing valve 10. From this state of the Art embodiment, it can be seen, that hydraulic fluid flushing depends only on the spring forces of the flushing valve springs 14 and 15, hence, a pressure on one of the pressure surfaces 18 or 19, not sufficient to overcome one of the spring forces leaves the flushing valve spool 12 in his centred position and hydraulic fluid flushing is disabled.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment according to the invention for a hydraulic fluid flushing valve replacing the hydraulic fluid flushing valve according to the state of the Art shown in FIG. 1. The flushing valve spool 12 of the hydraulic fluid flushing valve 10 according to the invention is shown in its centred position showing on either side of the flushing valve spool 12 a gap 47 between the pressure surfaces 18 and 19 and the correspondent flushing valve springs 14 and 15. These gaps 47 between the spring contact surfaces 16 and 17 on the flushing valve spool 12 allow the flushing valve spool 12 to move outside its centred position free of spring forces, when the pressure at one of inlet port 5 or inlet port 6 is slightly higher than the corresponding other one, i.e. when the pressure difference is not equal to zero. Here, the most minimum difference between the pressures present at inlet port 5 or inlet port 6 is sufficient to move the flushing valve spool 12 in either direction. In FIG. 2, again, working line 2 is supposed to be the working line bearing the higher pressure. When shifting out of its centred position, the flushing valve spool 12, free of spring forces, slides towards one of the flushing valve springs 15 or 16, here, flushing valve spring 15, until it abuts against the same. Even though the pressure difference acting on pressure surfaces 18 and 19 is not high enough to compress flushing valve spring 15, fluid drainage from inlet port 5, here the low pressure inlet port, to discharge port 7 is enabled.

[0028] If the pressure in working line 2 rises, i.e. the pressure difference between the two inlet ports 5 and 6 rises, a higher pressure force is acting on pressure surface 18, and flushing valve spring 15 is compressed. When flushing valve spring 15 is compressed, a fluid flushing flow amount proportional to the pressure difference at inlet ports 5 and 6 can be discharged from discharge port 7 via inlet port 5. However, according to the invention, discharge of hydraulic fluid would have already been possible at pressure differences between the two working lines 2 and 3, which are, e.g., not capable to drive the rotational kit 4.

[0029] In FIG. 3 another embodiment according to the invention is shown. This embodiment differs from the embodiment according to the one shown with FIG. 2 in that the flushing valve spool 12 in its centred position disables a fluid flushing from both inlet ports 5 or 6 to discharge port 7 as the flushing valve spool 12 has a positive overlap with the two inlet ports 5 and 6 when it is in its centred position. This situation may occur when the pressure forces acting on pressure surface 17 and pressure surface 18 are of equal height, so that the inventive flushing valve spool 12 is held in its centred position by hydraulic forces. At the moment when the pressure at one inlet port 5 or 6 is rising, the flushing valve spool 12 immediately shifts out of its centred position, closing the gap 47 and enabling a corresponding fluid flushing from the low pressure side to the discharge port 7.

[0030] With FIG. 4, a flushing valve 10 is shown in an enlarged view. Contrary to the flushing valve spool 12 according to the embodiment of FIG. 2 the flushing valve spool 12 in FIG. 4 shows a negative overlap with the two inlet ports 5 and 6, thus allowing fluid flushing from both inlet ports 5 and 6 to the discharge port 7, when the flushing valve spool 12 is in its centred position.

[0031] FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the flushing valve spool 12 according to the invention and according to the embodiment of FIG. 2. In this FIG. 4, it is shown more detailed that in the centred position of the flushing valve spool 12 gaps 47 are present between the springs 14 and 15 and its corresponding spring contact surfaces 16 and 17 on the flushing valve spool 12. In FIG. 4, the springs 14 and 15 are fixed to the endcaps 40, 41, respectively to the spring support surfaces 20 and 21 on the end caps 40 and 41. In this situation, the flushing valve springs 14 and 15 are stationary with the end caps 40 and 41 and only the flushing valve spool 12 is in a floating equilibrium, which is already changed when a small pressure difference occurs between the inlet ports 5 and 6. At the moment when one of the pressures present at inlet port 5 or 6 is higher than the other one, the flushing valve spool 12 shifts towards its corresponding flushing valve spring 14 or 15. When the pressure difference is over the flushing valve spool 12 is high enough the flushing valve springs 14 or 15 will be compressed and ordinary loop flushing will start. A descriptive diagram for this is shown with FIG. 6.

[0032] For a person skilled in the art, it can be derived from FIG. 4 that with displacing the support surfaces 20, 21 at the endcaps 40, 41 the width of gaps 47 can be adjusted accordingly. By doing this, the amount of hydraulic fluid, which can be flushed at low pressure differences, can be adjusted accordingly. A person skilled in the relevant art also derives from the embodiment of FIG. 4 that the flushing valve springs 14 and 15, when fixed with one end to the end caps 40 and 41 can be inserted in the flushing valve bore in a prestressed manner, so that an ordinary loop flushing can start at a predetermined pressure difference over the flushing valve spool. Such a configuration for starting normal loop flushing is shown with FIG. 6, wherein the loop flushing flow increases with the characteristic of the used flushing valve springs 14 and 15, in this case linearly, starting with pressure difference of about 6.5 bar. At lower pressure differences only small loop flushing is enabled according to the gaps 47 between the contact surfaces 16 or 17 of flushing valve spool 12 the corresponding shoulders 24 or 25 in the flushing valve housing 8.

[0033] With FIG. 5 a detailed view of one side of a flushing valve 10 according to the invention is shown. Even though due to illustration reasons only one side of the flushing valve 10 is shown reference numerals for both side are provided to indicate that these elements are arranged symmetrically in respect of the discharge port 7 on both sides of the flushing valve 10 according to the invention.

[0034] In the embodiment of FIG. 5 the flushing valve springs 14, 15 are mounted prestressed in the cylindrical valve bore 9 by means of the end caps 40, 41 providing the spring support surfaces 20, 21 towards the outside of flushing valve 10, wherein the other ends of flushing valve springs 14, 15 abut against shoulders 24, 25 in the cylindrical valve bore 9. In this embodiment gaps 47 are formed between the spring ends abutting against shoulders 24, 25 and spring contact surfaces 16, 17 on the flushing valve spool 12. A person with relevant skills in the art derives from this embodiment that the preload forces of flushing valve springs 14, 15 can be adjusted simply by screwing in or out the end caps 40, 41.

[0035] From FIG. 5 it can be seen also that flushing valve spool 12 shows in the centred position a negative overlap with the discharge port 7 enabling thereby a small hydraulic fluid flow from both inlet ports 5, 6 to discharge port 7. However, since a hydraulic unit in a closed circuit system is almost never in the neutral position there will be always a very little delta pressure acting on one of the front faces of the flushing valve spool 12 and shifting the flushing valve spool 12 out of the centred position. It can be seen from FIG. 5 that when the flushing valve spool 12 is moved towards one side the corresponding gap 47 is closed, even though the pressure force on the front face at the other side is not high enough to compress the flushing valve spring 14 or 15. However the flushing valve spool 12 closes in this gap 47 closing position the negative overlap (fluid path between flushing valve spool 12 and flushing valve bore 9) so that only hydraulic fluid flushing is enabled only on that side on which the gap 47 is present, which is the low pressure side.

[0036] The flushing valve spool shown in FIG. 5 comprises a mid-portion 23 of reduced diameter which is connected to the lateral portions of the flushing valve spool 12 in a tapered way in order to provide a proportional hydraulic fluid flushing of the flushing valve 10 once the pressure force on one front face of the flushing valve spool 12, i.e. the in one pressure in pressure chamber 30 or 31 is high enough to compress the opposite flushing valve spring 14 or 15.

[0037] A functional diagram of the inventive flushing valve 10 is shown with FIG. 6 in which the gap size is selected exemplary to 0.9 mm and the spring compression pressure, i.e. the threshold value for hydraulic fluid flushing in operation conditions, is set to 6.5 bar. From the diagram of FIG. 6 it can be derived that the flushing valve spool 12 displacement is proportional to the pressure difference at the two inlet port 5 and 6. Together with the tapered flushing valve spool shown in FIG. 5 a proportional increasing hydraulic fluid flushing is achieved with increasing pressure difference at both inlet ports 5 and 6.

[0038] While the present disclosure has been illustrated and described with respect to a particular embodiment thereof, it should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications to this disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.