HYDRAULIC FLANGE

Abstract

A hydraulic flange for connecting a drive device to a fluid reservoir includes a first hydraulic port and a second hydraulic port, and the first hydraulic port includes a radially inwardly extending, circumferential wall forming a shoulder therein that divides the first hydraulic port into an axially outer portion having a first diameter and an axially inner portion having a second diameter. The axially outer portion is configured to receive a first annular seal element having a third diameter and the axially inner portion is configured to receive a second annular seal element having a fourth diameter.

Claims

1. A hydraulic flange for connecting a drive device to a fluid reservoir, the hydraulic flange comprising: a first hydraulic port and a second hydraulic port, wherein the first hydraulic port includes a radially inwardly extending, circumferential wall forming a shoulder in the first hydraulic port and dividing the first hydraulic port into an axially outer portion having a first diameter and an axially inner portion having a second diameter, and wherein the axially outer portion is configured to receive a first annular seal element having a third diameter and the axially inner portion is configured to receive a second annular seal element having a fourth diameter.

2. The hydraulic flange according to claim 1, wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter.

3. The hydraulic flange according to claim 2, wherein the third diameter is greater than the second diameter.

4. The hydraulic flange according to claim 1, wherein the shoulder is perpendicular to a central axis of the first hydraulic port.

5. The hydraulic flange according to claim 1, wherein the axially inner portion of the first hydraulic port is internally threaded.

6. The hydraulic flange according to claim 1, including an input port for receiving a drive-device connection, wherein the input port includes a radially outer-lying circumferential centering edge that is supported on a housing edge by radially outwardly extending ribs.

7. The hydraulic flange according to claim 1, including a pressure channel and a closure element for closing the pressure channel.

8. The hydraulic flange according to claim 1, including a venting opening and a venting valve for closing the venting opening.

9. The hydraulic flange according to claim 3, wherein the shoulder is perpendicular to a central axis of the first hydraulic port, wherein the axially inner portion of the first hydraulic port is internally threaded, and including an input port for receiving a drive-device connection, wherein the input port includes a radially outer-lying circumferential centering edge that is supported on a housing edge by radially outwardly extending ribs.

10. The hydraulic flange according to claim 9, including a pressure channel and a closure element for closing the pressure channel and including a venting opening and a venting valve for closing the venting opening.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hydraulic flange.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a sectional perspective view of the hydraulic flange of FIG. 1.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a further sectional perspective view of the hydraulic flange of FIG. 1.

[0021] FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the hydraulic flange of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In the following, identical or functionally equivalent elements are designated by the same reference numbers.

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a hydraulic flange 1. This hydraulic flange 1 can be used to connect a drive device (not shown) to a fluid reservoir (not shown). Furthermore, the drive device and the fluid reservoir can be connected via the hydraulic flange 1 to further devices to which the fluid that is located in the fluid reservoir is to be pumped. For this purpose the hydraulic flange 1 includes one or more hydraulic ports 2 to which hydraulic lines can be connected, via which the fluid is directed to the further devices. The drive device can be connected via a connection 14.

[0024] As is shown in FIG. 1, the hydraulic ports 2 are disposed with their central axis perpendicular to a central axis of the port 14 for the drive device. In addition, ports (not shown) can be provided via which relief lines can be connected. The fluid can be guided back into the fluid reservoir via such relief lines if, for example, the pressure within the hydraulic flange 1 becomes too high.

[0025] The port 14 for the drive device is surrounded by a centering edge 15. The inserting of a connection of the drive device into the port 14 can be simplified by this centering edge 15. In order to support the centering edge 15, it is supported by ribs 18 against a housing edge 16.

[0026] The hydraulic ports 2 include a radially inner-lying thread 8. Screw-connection elements can be screwed-in into this thread 8 in order to connect hydraulic lines to the hydraulic flange 1. In order that the screw-connection elements can be simply configured, various seal elements can be inserted into the hydraulic ports 2. Depending on the screw-connection element or function of the seal element these seal elements can be configured differently in their diameter.

[0027] The hydraulic ports 2 therefore include a radially inner-lying step 12. This step 12 represents the transition between a first, larger diameter 4 and a second, smaller diameter 6. The step 12 can be configured either as a step or as a conical transition. Here seals that are used in the hydraulic ports 2 can either correspond to the first diameter 4 and abut against the step 12, or can correspond to the second diameter 6. In this way various seals can be used. Simple screw-connection elements can thus be used without special adaptation to the specific intended purpose. Up to now it was necessary to use screw-connection elements that ensure a sealing of the connection between hydraulic line and hydraulic flange 1. This can be omitted here since simple screw-connection elements can be used, wherein the seal is effected by the seal elements that can be adapted to the respective screw-connection element or the required function.

[0028] In order to provide a connection between the port 14 for the drive device and the hydraulic ports 2, the hydraulic flange 1 includes an inner-lying pressure channel 20 that connects the various ports. This is shown in FIG. 2.

[0029] Here the pressure channel 20 is bored from the outside. This bore is subsequently closed by a closure element, for example, an expander 22. The expander 22 is closed by the fluid in the pressure channel 20. This fluid exerts force on a ball of the expander 22 and presses it into a cylinder of the expander 22. The cylinder expands and closes the pressure channel 20. In order to avoid dead space in the pressure channel 20, a plurality of expanders 22 can also be provided inside the pressure channel 20.

[0030] FIG. 2 further shows that a screw-connection element 24 is inserted into one of the hydraulic ports 2. Here the screw-connection element 24 provides the connection between the hydraulic line 1 and a hydraulic line (not shown). The further hydraulic port 2, which is not connected to a hydraulic line, can be sealed by a closure element 25. An escaping of a fluid from the hydraulic flange 1 can thus be prevented.

[0031] In order to pump the fluid into the screw-connection element 24 and the associated hydraulic line, the pressure channel 20 can include various valves 26, 30, 32, which are depicted in more detail in FIG. 3. These valves are introduced from the outside into the pressure channel 20 via openings or bores 10. In FIG. 1 the openings 10 are provided with threads, but these are only optional and the openings 10 can also be provided without threads.

[0032] Firstly a pressure limiting valve 26 can be provided. This can be introduced into the hydraulic flange via one of the openings 10 and secured by a closure element 25. This pressure-limiting valve 26 is configured to maintain the pressure within the pressure channel 20. The pressure can be, for example, 30 bar.

[0033] In addition a control valve 30 and a relief valve 32 can be provided. These two valves 30, 32 serve to reduce or increase the pressure in the pressure channel as required. These can also be introduced into the hydraulic flange via one of the openings 10 and secured by a closure element 25.

[0034] In order to release pressure from the pressure channel 20, a venting bore 28 is provided. This can be closed by a venting valve 33, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 4.

[0035] The venting valve 33 includes a channel 38 that is closed by a ball 34 and a spring 36. If the pressure in the hydraulic flange 1 is too high due to the fluid present, the venting valve 33 opens to release a part of the fluid. If this escapes, for example, via a relief line, the valve 33 is closed again by the ball 34 pressing against the spring 36.

[0036] Due to the hydraulic flange proposed herein it is possible to use various seals. In this way simple screw-connection elements can be used for connecting hydraulic lines, since these need not contain any separate seal. Here the seals can be selected and used depending on the screw-connection element used.

[0037] Representative, non-limiting examples of the present invention were described above in detail with reference to the attached drawings. This detailed description is merely intended to teach a person of skill in the art further details for practicing preferred aspects of the present teachings and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, each of the additional features and teachings disclosed above may be utilized separately or in conjunction with other features and teachings to provide improved hydraulic flanges.

[0038] Moreover, combinations of features and steps disclosed in the above detailed description may not be necessary to practice the invention in the broadest sense, and are instead taught merely to particularly describe representative examples of the invention. Furthermore, various features of the above-described representative examples, as well as the various independent and dependent claims below, may be combined in ways that are not specifically and explicitly enumerated in order to provide additional useful embodiments of the present teachings.

[0039] All features disclosed in the description and/or the claims are intended to be disclosed separately and independently from each other for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter, independent of the compositions of the features in the embodiments and/or the claims. In addition, all value ranges or indications of groups of entities are intended to disclose every possible intermediate value or intermediate entity for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter.

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST

[0040] 1 Hydraulic flange [0041] 2 Hydraulic port [0042] 4 First diameter [0043] 6 Second diameter [0044] 8 Thread [0045] 10 Opening [0046] 12 Step [0047] 14 Port [0048] 15 Centering edge [0049] 16 Housing edge [0050] 18 Ribs [0051] 20 Pressure channel [0052] 22 Closure element [0053] 24 Screw-connection element [0054] 25 Closure element [0055] 26 Pressure-limiting valve [0056] 28 Venting bore [0057] 30 Control valve [0058] 32 Relief valve [0059] 33 Venting bore [0060] 34 Ball [0061] 36 Spring [0062] 38 Channel