HYDRAULIC ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

A hydraulic arrangement includes a working pump for conveying a hydraulic medium in a direction of a hydraulic working load, a hydraulic tank comprising a tank outlet hydraulically connected to an inlet side of the working pump, and an auxiliary pump mounted in the hydraulic tank. A hydraulic flow of the hydraulic medium flows in the direction of the tank outlet in dependence on a control system.

Claims

1. A hydraulic arrangement, comprising: a working pump for conveying a hydraulic medium in a direction of a hydraulic working load, a hydraulic tank comprising a tank outlet hydraulically connected to an inlet side of the working pump, and an auxiliary pump mounted in the hydraulic tank, wherein, a hydraulic flow of the hydraulic medium flows in the direction of the tank outlet in dependence on a control system.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein an operation of the auxiliary pump is controllable in dependence on a sensing of at least one physical quantity of the working pump, the hydraulic medium, or the auxiliary pump.

3. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the operation of the auxiliary pump is operably driven by a controllable electric motor.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a conveying channel through which the hydraulic medium flows.

5. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the conveying channel is hydraulically interposed between the tank outlet and a pump outlet of the auxiliary pump.

6. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the conveying channel is arranged at least partially within the hydraulic tank.

7. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the conveying channel comprises a heat exchanger through which the hydraulic medium flows on a secondary side.

8. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the conveying channel comprises a filter unit through which the hydraulic medium flows.

9. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the conveying channel comprises a suction strainer.

10. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the suction strainer is arranged directly before the tank outlet.

11. The arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the suction strainer is hydraulically connected to the tank outlet.

12. An agricultural utility vehicle, comprising: a control unit; at least one sensor in communication with the control unit; and a hydraulic arrangement comprising a working pump for conveying a hydraulic medium in a direction of a hydraulic working load, a hydraulic tank comprising a tank outlet hydraulically connected to an inlet side of the working pump, and an auxiliary pump mounted in the hydraulic tank; wherein, the control system operably controls a hydraulic flow of the hydraulic medium in the direction of the tank outlet.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein an operation of the auxiliary pump is controllable in dependence on a sensing by the at least one sensor of at least one physical quantity of the working pump, the hydraulic medium, or the auxiliary pump.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the at least one sensor operably senses a suction pressure at the working pump, a temperature of the hydraulic medium, a coolant temperature of the vehicle, a pump current, or an ambient temperature.

15. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the control unit operably controls a duration of operation of the auxiliary pump based on a result of the sensing by the at least one sensor.

16. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the operation of the auxiliary pump is operably driven by a controllable electric motor.

17. The vehicle according to claim 12, further comprising a conveying channel through which the hydraulic medium flows, wherein the conveying channel is hydraulically interposed between the tank outlet and a pump outlet of the auxiliary pump.

18. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the conveying channel comprises a filter unit through which the hydraulic medium flows or a suction strainer hydraulically connected to the tank outlet.

19. A hydraulic arrangement, comprising: a working pump for conveying a hydraulic medium in a direction of a hydraulic working load, a conveying channel through which the hydraulic medium flows, a hydraulic tank comprising a tank outlet hydraulically connected to an inlet side of the working pump, and an auxiliary pump mounted in the hydraulic tank, wherein, a hydraulic flow of the hydraulic medium flows in the direction of the tank outlet in dependence on a control system; wherein the conveying channel comprises a filter unit through which the hydraulic medium flows or a suction strainer.

20. The hydraulic arrangement according to claim 19, wherein the operation of the auxiliary pump is operably driven by a controllable electric motor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The above-mentioned aspects of the present disclosure and the manner of obtaining them will become more apparent and the disclosure itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of the embodiments of the disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the hydraulic arrangement according to the present disclosure, and

[0027] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a conveying channel within the arrangement according to FIG. 1.

[0028] Corresponding reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts in the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The embodiments of the present disclosure described below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may appreciate and understand the principles and practices of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a hydraulic arrangement 10, or a hydraulic circuit, comprising a working pump 12 for conveying a hydraulic medium (e.g., oil) in the direction of a hydraulic working load 14. The latter is represented merely in the manner of a schematic block diagram, and in respect of its number and its function represents differing possible hydraulic consumers, for example a braking or steering unit, or a power-lift cylinder. The working pump 12 is hydraulically connected, by a suction line 16, to a tank outlet 18 of a hydraulic tank 20, or sump, containing the hydraulic medium. The drive of the working pump 12 may be derived from a vehicle drive system in the form of a drive motor in the usual way, which is not represented in greater detail here.

[0031] The hydraulic arrangement 10, located in an agricultural utility vehicle (not shown) also has an auxiliary pump 22 that can be driven electrically by an electric motor EM. It is located, with an intake line 24, in the hydraulic tank 20. The auxiliary pump 22 can be activated according to requirement, and can then cause a hydraulic flow 26 in the direction of the tank outlet 18. Activation of the auxiliary pump 22 according to requirement is effected by a control unit 28 that controls the electric motor EM. For this purpose, the control unit 28 is connected to the electric motor EM via a control line 30. The corresponding control signals S are generated by the control unit 28 in dependence on the sensing and processing of at least one specific physical quantity. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, a plurality of physical quantities are provided. A pressure sensor 32 senses an inlet-side suction pressure p_s at the working pump 12. In addition, a pump current I_p of the electric motor EM is measured, and the measured values are transmitted to the control unit 28. A current temperature T_h of the hydraulic medium is also sensed. At least one further quantity X_h (e.g., flow behavior, oil quality) representing the state of the hydraulic medium is sensed and transmitted to the control unit 28. In addition, the control unit receives further sensor data from a communication bus system of the vehicle, such as, for example, a coolant temperature T_k of the vehicle drive system, and an ambient temperature T_u. From the data of the sensed physical quantities, the control unit 28 determines whether, and for how long, the auxiliary pump 22 must be activated, and sends the corresponding control signals S.

[0032] The data of the sensed quantities, or actions derived from them, are sent by the control unit 28 to an indicator unit 34 that can be perceived by the driver or user. The indicator unit can optically or acoustically signal to the driver, or user, which actions are performed automatically by the control unit 28 with regard to the auxiliary pump 22. In addition, states of the hydraulic arrangement 10 derived from the sensed quantities can be signalled. A degree of loading of a filter unit, for cleaning the hydraulic medium in the hydraulic tank 20, can also be derived from the sensed pump current I_p, and signalled by means of the indicator unit 34. In particular, a recommended or necessary filter change can be signalled by means of the indicator unit 28 in connection with the determined degree of loading.

[0033] A conveying channel 38, through which hydraulic medium can flow, is hydraulically interposed between the tank outlet 18 and a pump outlet 36 of the auxiliary pump 22. In FIG. 1, this conveying channel 38 is shown merely schematically, in the manner of a block diagram.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of the conveying channel 38. This is composed substantially of an arrangement of a plurality of components, namely a heat exchanger 40 closest to the pump outlet 36, a filter unit 42 connected to it, and a suction strainer 44 connected to the filter unit 42.

[0035] It should be noted that, irrespective of the illustration in FIG. 2, any other sequence of components 40, 42 and 44 is also conceivable.

[0036] The heat exchanger 40 has a coolant 46 flowing through it on the secondary side. Only portions of the associated cooling lines 48 are indicated here.

[0037] The filter unit 42 includes a filter element 50 having a star-shaped pleated filter material.

[0038] While the inlet of the delivery channel 38 is hydraulically connected to the pump outlet 36 of the auxiliary pump 22, an axial outlet of the suction strainer 44 is hydraulically connected to the tank outlet 18.

[0039] Fitted in the region of a return side 52 of the hydraulic arrangement 10 there is a return filter 54. This can be relatively coarsely dimensioned in respect of its filtering effect, since the existing filter unit 42 already provides a certain filtering effect. Unwanted pressure drops at the return flow filter 54 can thus be reliably avoided.

[0040] A sensor system 56 comprising, if necessary, differing specific sensors, e.g., for sensing the physical values T_h and X_h of the hydraulic medium, is arranged in the embodiment according to FIG. 2, on the conveying channel 38. The sensor system 56 sends the sensor signals to the control unit 28. In a further embodiment, not shown here, individual sensors or the entire sensor system 56 are arranged at other locations, in particular outside the conveying channel 38, or also outside the hydraulic tank 20.

[0041] For the sake of completeness, it should be pointed out that the details represented in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and in part are shown in enlarged or reduced form to aid understanding of individual features of the hydraulic arrangement 10.

[0042] While embodiments incorporating the principles of the present disclosure have been disclosed hereinabove, the present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Instead, this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the disclosure using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this disclosure pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.