Hydraulic system

Abstract

A hydraulic system (1) is disclosed comprising a pressure source (2), at least a hydraulic consumer (12, 13), and a pressure booster (16) arranged between the pressure source (2) and the hydraulic consumer (12, 13), wherein inactivating means (17) are provided inactivating or activating said pressure booster (16), said pressure booster (16) and said inactivating means (17) being part of a booster module (11). The operational possibilities of such a hydraulic system (1) should be extended. To this end the booster module (11) is part of a valve block (3), said valve block (3) comprising said booster module (11) and at least one valve module (9, 10) controlling said hydraulic consumer (12, 13).

Claims

1. A hydraulic system comprising: a pressure source, two hydraulic consumers, and a pressure booster arranged between the pressure source and at least one of the two hydraulic consumers, wherein inactivating means are provided for inactivating or activating said pressure booster, said pressure booster and said inactivating means being part of a booster module, wherein said booster module is part of a valve block, said valve block comprising said booster module and two valve modules, each of the two valve modules controlling a different one of the two hydraulic consumers, wherein said booster module is positioned between said two valve modules, and wherein each of the two hydraulic consumers is connected to a different one of the two valve modules.

2. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein said valve block comprises an inlet module and an end module, said booster module being arranged between said inlet module and said end module, wherein a pressure line connecting said inlet module and said end module runs through said booster module.

3. The hydraulic system according to claim 2, wherein said pressure booster is a hydraulic pressure booster.

4. The hydraulic system according to claim 2, wherein said inactivating means are hydraulic means.

5. The hydraulic system according to claim 2, wherein said inactivating means are at least in part arranged in series with said pressure booster.

6. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein said pressure booster is a hydraulic pressure booster.

7. The hydraulic system according to claim 6, wherein said inactivating means are hydraulic means.

8. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein said inactivating means are hydraulic means.

9. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein said inactivating means are at least in part arranged in series with said pressure booster.

10. The hydraulic system according to claim 9, wherein said inactivating means are hydraulically operated.

11. The hydraulic system according to claim 9, wherein said inactivating means comprise an inactivating valve located between said pressure line and said pressure booster, said inactivating valve interrupting, in a closed state, a connection between said pressure line and said pressure booster.

12. The hydraulic system according to claim 11, wherein said inactivating valve is loaded in an opening direction by a pressure in said pressure line and in a closing direction by a force of spring means.

13. The hydraulic system according to claim 11, wherein said inactivating valve is loaded in an opening direction by a pressure depending on a pressure in a load sensing line and in a closing direction by a force of spring means.

14. The hydraulic system according to claim 11, wherein said inactivating valve is loaded in an opening direction by a pressure in a pilot pressure line and in a closing direction by a force of spring means.

15. The hydraulic system according to claim 14, wherein an electrically operated valve is arranged between said pilot pressure line and said inactivating valve.

16. A hydraulic system comprising a pressure source, at least a hydraulic consumer, and a pressure booster arranged between the pressure source and the hydraulic consumer, wherein inactivating means are provided for inactivating or activating said pressure booster, said pressure booster and said inactivating means being part of a booster module, wherein said booster module is part of a valve block, said valve block comprising said booster module and at least one valve module controlling said hydraulic consumer, wherein said inactivating means are at least in part arranged in series with said pressure booster, wherein said inactivating means comprise an inactivating valve located between said pressure line and said pressure booster, said inactivating valve interrupting, in a closed state, a connection between said pressure line and said pressure booster, wherein said inactivating valve is loaded in an opening direction by a pressure in said pressure line and in a closing direction by a force of spring means, and wherein said inactivating valve is loaded in closing direction by a pressure in an auxiliary line connected to a tank line via throttling means, wherein a pressure relief valve is connected to said auxiliary line between said inactivating valve and said throttling means, an inlet of said pressure relief valve being connected to a high pressure output of said pressure booster.

17. A hydraulic system comprising: a pressure source, a first hydraulic consumer, a second hydraulic consumer, and a pressure booster arranged between the pressure source and the first hydraulic consumer or the second hydraulic consumer, wherein inactivating means are provided for inactivating or activating said pressure booster, said pressure booster and said inactivating means being part of a booster module, wherein said booster module is part of a valve block, said valve block comprising said booster module, a first valve module and a second valve module, the first valve module controlling said first hydraulic consumer and the second valve module controlling said second hydraulic consumer, wherein said booster module is positioned between said first valve module and said second valve module, said first hydraulic consumer being connected to said first valve module and said second hydraulic consumer being connected to said first second valve module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Preferred embodiments of the invention now are described in more detail with reference to the drawing, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a valve block,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of a pressure booster module,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of a pressure booster module, and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of a pressure booster module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) In all figures the same elements are designated with the same reference numerals.

(7) FIG. 1 schematically shows a hydraulic system 1 having a pressure source 2, for example a pump, and a valve block 3. The pressure source 2 supplies hydraulic fluid with an elevated pressure to a pressure line 4 of the valve block 3. The hydraulic fluid is taken from a tank 5. A tank line 6 of the valve block 3 returns hydraulic fluid to the tank 5.

(8) The valve block 3 comprises an inlet module 7 and an end module 8. Two valve modules 9, 10 are arranged between the inlet module 7 and the end module 8. Furthermore, a booster module 11 is arranged between the two valve modules 9, 10. The booster module 11 will be described below with more details.

(9) The pressure line 4 and the tank line 6 each connect the inlet module 7 and the end module 8, as it is known in the art. The pressure line 4 and the tank line 6 extend through the valve modules 9, 10 and through the booster module 11.

(10) A hydraulic consumer 12 is connected to the valve module 9 and a hydraulic consumer 13 is connected to a valve module 10. The hydraulic consumers 12, 13 can be, for example, a hydraulic cylinder or a hydraulic rotational motor.

(11) As it is known, all modules 7-11 together form a stack of modules, i.e. they contact each other and can be held together by clamping means, such as bolts or the like.

(12) Furthermore, a load sensing line 14 is guided through the valve block 3 and signals a load sensing pressure to the pressure source 2.

(13) A pilot pressure line 15 is guided through the valve block 3 as well. However, this pilot pressure line 15 is not shown in FIG. 1, but in FIGS. 2 to 4 only.

(14) FIGS. 2 to 4 show different embodiments of the booster module 11. The booster module 11 comprises a hydraulic pressure booster 16 or pressure amplifier. The pressure booster 16 has a low pressure input IN, a high pressure output H, and a return port R. Such a pressure booster is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,726,950 B2. The disclosure of this document is incorporated by reference.

(15) The pressure booster 16 in the booster module 11 is provided with inactivating means 17. The inactivating means 17 comprise an inactivating valve 18 arranged in a line 19 connecting the pressure line 4 and the input IN of the pressure booster 16, i.e. it is connected in series with the pressure booster 16.

(16) The inactivating valve 18 is usually held in the closed state shown in FIG. 2 by the force of a spring 20. The inactivating valve 18 furthermore comprises a first control port 21. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 the first control port 21 is connected to the tank line 4 as well. When the force at the first control port 21 generated by the pressure in the pressure line 4 exceeds the force of the spring 20 the inactivating valve is opened. In this case the input IN of the pressure booster 16 is supplied with hydraulic fluid having the pressure of the pressure line 4. The pressure booster 16 increases this pressure and delivers hydraulic fluid under an elevated pressure to the pressure line 4.

(17) A check valve 22 is located in the pressure line 4 between a point 23 connected to the inactivating valve 18 and a point 24 connected to the high pressure output H of the pressure booster 16.

(18) A further check valve 25 is arranged in a line 26 between the high pressure output H of the pressure booster 16 and point 24 in the pressure line 4.

(19) The return port R of the pressure booster 16 is connected to the tank line 6 via a check valve 27 opening in a direction towards the tank line 6.

(20) The inactivating valve 18 may have a second control port 28 connected to the return port R of the pressure booster 16 via throttling means 29. The pressure at the second control port 28 acts in the same direction as spring 20.

(21) A pressure relief valve 30 is connected between a point in line 26 downstream the check valve 25 and the second control port 28. The pressure relief valve 30 has a first pressure relief valve control port 31, a second pressure relief valve control port 32 and a closing spring 33. A pressure at the first pressure relief valve control port 31 generates a force on the pressure relief valve 30 acting in opening direction of the pressure relief valve 30. This first pressure relief valve control part 31 is connected to the line 26 downstream the check valve 25. The pressure at the second pressure relief valve control port 32 generates a force on the pressure relief valve 30 acting in closing direction. The closing spring 33 generates a force acting in closing direction as well. The second pressure relief valve control port 32 is connected to the second control port 28 of the inactivating valve 18.

(22) When at the pressure relief valve 30 a force generated by the pressure at the high pressure output H of the pressure booster 16 exceeds the force of the closing spring 33 the pressure relief valve 30 opens and supplies the high pressure to the second control port 28 of the inactivating valve 18 thereby closing the inactivating valve 18 so that the supply of hydraulic fluid to the pressure booster 16 is interrupted.

(23) Inactivating means 17 comprising the inactivating valve 18 and the pressure relief valve 30 form a closed loop control adjusting the increased pressure just to the level needed.

(24) FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of a booster module 11. Same elements as in FIG. 2 are designated with the same reference numerals.

(25) The booster module 11 shown in FIG. 3 differs from that shown in FIG. 2 in that the inactivating valve 18 is differently controlled.

(26) The inactivating valve 18 is located in the same line 19 between point 23 of the pressure line 4 and the input IN of the pressure booster 16.

(27) However, the first control port 21 of the inactivating valve 18 is connected to the load sensing line 14 via a LS relief valve 34. A first control port 35 of the LS relief valve 34 is connected to the LS line 14 as well. The pressure at the first control port 35 acts in opening direction of the LS relief valve 34. A second control port 36 is connected to a line 37 connecting said LS relief valve 34 and the first control port 21 of the inactivating valve 18. A pressure at the second control port 36 acts in closing direction on the LS relief valve 34. Furthermore, a closing spring 38 acts in closing direction as well. Line 37 is connected to the tank line 6 via throttling means 39.

(28) LS relief valve 34 opens when the pressure in the LS line 14 exceeds the force of closing spring 38. As soon as LS relief valve 34 is open, inactivating valve 18 is opened as well and the pressure booster 16 is supplied with hydraulic fluid the pressure of which is to be amplified.

(29) The pressure relief valve 30 has the same function as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

(30) FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of the booster module 11. Same elements as in FIGS. 3 and 4 are designated with the same numerals.

(31) Activating of the inactivating valve 18 is made by operating an electrically operated valve 40 arranged between the first control port 21 of the inactivating valve 18 and the pilot pressure line 15. When the electrically operated valve 40 is open, the pressure in the pilot pressure line 15 acts in opening direction on the inactivating valve 18, thereby opening the inactivating valve 18.

(32) The function of the pressure relief valve 30 is the same as in FIGS. 2 and 3.

(33) The electrically operated valve 40 can be remotely controlled, for example by means of an electrical switch located in a driver's cabin of a vehicle. When the switch is closed the electrically operated valve 40 is supplied with current thereby opening. When the current is switched off, a closing spring 41 closes the electrically operated valve 40.

(34) Since in the embodiments in FIGS. 2 to 4 different pressures are used to open the inactivating valve 18, the spring 20 in all embodiments may have different characteristics. For example, the spring 20 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 has to act against the pressure in the pressure line 4 whereas the spring in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 has to act against a pressure at the outlet of the LS relief valve 34 and the spring 20 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 has to act against the pressure in the pilot pressure line 15 only. However, the dimensioning of the spring 20 belongs to the normal skill of an expert.

(35) When the booster module 11 is positioned between two valve modules 9, 10, only the valve module 10 downstream the booster module 11 with respect to the pressure line 4 receives hydraulic fluid with a pressure higher than that delivered by the pressure source 2.

(36) 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.