Hydraulic System for an Industrial Truck

Abstract

A hydraulic system (1) for an industrial truck, in particular an electrically operated, battery-powered industrial truck, includes a lift drive (2) to raise and lower a load handling device. The hydraulic system (1) has a first hydraulic pump (5) which is configured to supply the lift drive (2) with hydraulic fluid, and a second hydraulic pump (6) which can be switched on by means of a valve device (7) for the supply of the lift drive (2). The first hydraulic pump (5) and the second hydraulic pump (6) are configured as a hydraulic double pump unit (1) and the valve device (7) is integrated into the hydraulic double pump unit (10).

Claims

1. A hydraulic system for an industrial truck comprising a lift drive to raise and lower a load handling device, the hydraulic system comprising: a first hydraulic pump which is configured to supply the lift drive with hydraulic fluid, and a second hydraulic pump which can be switched on by a valve device for the supply of the lift drive, and wherein the first hydraulic pump and the second hydraulic pump are configured as a hydraulic double pump unit and the valve device is integrated into the hydraulic double pump unit.

2. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic double pump unit comprises a housing and the valve unit is incorporated into the housing.

3. The hydraulic system according to claim 2, wherein an intake channel is formed in the housing and is connected with an intake port of the first hydraulic pump and with an intake port of the second hydraulic pump, wherein a first delivery channel is formed in the housing which is connected with a delivery port of the first hydraulic pump, and wherein a second delivery channel is formed in the housing which is connected with a delivery port of the second hydraulic pump and with the first delivery channel.

4. The hydraulic system according to claim 3, wherein the valve device has a switched on position in which the delivery port of the second hydraulic pump is connected with the first delivery channel, and a switched off position in which the delivery port of the second hydraulic pump is connected with the intake channel.

5. The hydraulic system according to claim 3, wherein the valve device has a check valve located in the second delivery channel and opening toward the first delivery channel, and wherein the valve device has a control valve device which is located in a connecting channel that connects the second delivery channel with the intake channel.

6. The hydraulic system according to claim 5, wherein the control valve device has a closed position that forms the switched on position and an open position that forms the switched off position.

7. The hydraulic system according to claim 3, wherein the valve device has a control valve device which is located in the second delivery channel and is connected to a connecting channel that is connected with the intake channel.

8. The hydraulic system according to claim 7, wherein the control valve device has a first control position that forms the switched on position in which the second delivery channel is open and the connection of the second delivery channel with the connecting channel is shut off, and a second control position that forms the shutoff position in which the second delivery channel is connected with the connecting channel and the connection of the second delivery channel with the first delivery channel is shut off.

9. The hydraulic system according to claim 5, wherein the control valve device is in the form of a switched valve or a proportional valve.

10. The hydraulic system according to claim 5, wherein the control valve device is actuated electrically by an electric actuator device.

11. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein an electronic control device is provided which is in communication on the input side with an operating element and on the output side with the valve device for actuation, and wherein the electronic control device is configured so that the valve device is controlled as a function of the actuation of the operating element.

12. The hydraulic system according to claim 11, wherein the electronic control device is configured so that when the operating element is actuated, the valve device is actuated into the switched on position or into the switched off position, and when the operating element is not actuated, the valve device is actuated into the switched off position or into the switched on position.

13. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein an electronic control device is provided which is in communication on the input side with a sensor that measures the load pressure on the lift drive and on the output side with the valve device for actuation, and wherein the electronic control device is configured so that the valve device is controlled as a function of the load pressure on the lift drive.

14. The hydraulic system according to claim 13, wherein the electronic control device is configured so that the valve device is actuated into the switched on position at a load pressure on the lift drive below a limit load pressure, and is actuated into the switched off position at a load pressure on the lift drive above the limit load pressure.

15. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein the first hydraulic pump and the second hydraulic pump are driven by a common drive motor, in particular an electric motor.

16. The hydraulic system according to claim 7, wherein the control valve device is in the form of a switched valve or a proportional valve.

17. The hydraulic system according to claim 7, wherein the control valve device is actuated electrically by an electric actuator device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Additional advantages and details of the invention are described in greater detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the accompanying schematic figures, in which

[0037] FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a first embodiment of the invention.

[0038] FIG. 2 is a variant of the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 and

[0039] FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a second embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] In FIGS. 1 to 3, identical components are identified by the same reference numbers.

[0041] FIGS. 1 to 3 each show a hydraulic system 1 of an industrial truck, for example of a battery-powered, electrically operated industrial truck.

[0042] The hydraulic system 1 has a lift drive 2 to raise and lower a load handling device which is not illustrated in any further detail, such as a load fork comprising forks. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the lift drive 2 has one or more lifting cylinders 3.

[0043] The hydraulic system 1 has a first hydraulic pump 5 which supplies the lift drive 2 with hydraulic fluid and a second hydraulic pump 6 which can be switched on by means of a valve device 7 for the supply of the lift drive 2.

[0044] A common drive motor 8 is provided for the drive of the first hydraulic pump 5 and the second hydraulic pump 6. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the drive motor 8 is an electric motor.

[0045] The first hydraulic pump 5 and the second hydraulic pump 6 are in the form of a hydraulic double pump unit 10. The valve device 7 is integrated and thereby incorporated into the hydraulic double pump unit 10.

[0046] For this purpose the hydraulic double pump unit 10 has a housing 11 into which the valve device 7 is incorporated.

[0047] The first hydraulic pump 5 has an intake port S1 and a delivery port P1. Correspondingly, the second hydraulic pump 5 has an intake port S2 and a delivery port P2.

[0048] In the housing 11 of the hydraulic double pump unit 10 there is an intake channel 12 which is connected with the intake port S1 of the first hydraulic pump 5 and with the intake port S2 of the second hydraulic pump 6. The intake channel 12 is also in communication with a reservoir 13, for example by means of a reservoir line 14 connected to the intake channel 12, from which the two hydraulic pumps 5, 6 take in hydraulic fluid.

[0049] In the housing 11 of the hydraulic double pump unit 10 there is a first delivery channel 20 which is connected with the delivery port P1 of the first hydraulic pump 5. A connecting line 21 is connected to the first delivery channel 20 and connects the first delivery channel 20 with a multi-way valve block 22 of the hydraulic system 1. The lifting cylinder 3 is connected to the multi-way valve block 22 by means of an additional connecting line 23. The multi-way valve block 22 is provided with a multi-way control valve device with which the lifting operation and the lowering operation of the lift drive 2 can be controlled. In the lifting operation of the lift drive 2, the first delivery channel 20 is connected by means of the multi-way control valve device with the connecting line 23. In the lowering operation of the lift drive 2, the connecting line 23 is connected by means of the multi-way control valve device with the reservoir 13.

[0050] It is noted that additional hydraulic consumers can be connected to the multi-way control valve block 22 and controlled by means of corresponding multi-way control valve devices, for example a tilting operation of the load handling device and/or a sideshifter of the load handling device.

[0051] In the housing 11 of the hydraulic double pump unit 10 there is also a second delivery channel 30 which is connected with the delivery port P2 of the second hydraulic pump 6. The second delivery channel 30 is also connected to the first delivery channel 20 inside the housing 11.

[0052] The valve device 7 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 has a switched on position in which the delivery port P2 of the second hydraulic pump 6 is connected with the first delivery channel 20, and a switched off position in which the delivery port P2 of the second hydraulic pump 6 is connected with the intake channel 12.

[0053] In the exemplary embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the valve device 7 has a check valve 40 located in the second delivery channel 30, which opens toward the first delivery channel 20. In the exemplary embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the check valve 40 is a spring-loaded check valve. The valve device 7 in FIGS. 1 and 2 also has a control valve device 45 which is located in a connecting channel 46 that connects the second delivery channel 30 with the intake channel 12. The connecting channel 46 is connected to the second delivery channel 30 between the delivery port P2 and the check valve 40 and leads to the intake channel 12.

[0054] In the exemplary embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the control valve device 45 is a two-port, two-position valve and has a closed position 45a that forms the switched on position and an open position 45b that forms the switched off position.

[0055] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the control valve device 45 is a switch valve.

[0056] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the control valve device 45 is a proportional valve that has a throttling action in intermediate positions.

[0057] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the control valve device 45 can be actuated electrically by means of an electric actuator device 50, such as by means of a magnet, in particular a switching magnet, for example. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the control valve device can be actuated by means of a spring 51 toward the closed position 45a and by means of the electric actuator device 50 toward the open position 45b.

[0058] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the control valve device 45 can be actuated electrically by means of an electric actuator device 50, such as by means of a magnet, in particular a proportional-action magnet, for example. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the control valve device can be actuated toward the open position 45a by means of a spring 51 and toward the closed position 45a by means of the electric actuator device 50.

[0059] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the valve device 7 has a control valve device 60 which is located in the second delivery channel 30 and is connected to a connecting channel 61 connected with the intake channel 12.

[0060] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the control valve device 60 is a three-port, two-position valve which is connected at a first port A1 to the segment of the second delivery channel 30 in communication with the delivery port P2 of the second hydraulic pump 6, at a second port A2 to the segment of the second delivery channel 30 in communication with the first delivery channel 20 and at a third port A3 to the connecting channel 61.

[0061] The control valve device 60 has a first control position 60a that forms the switched on position, in which the first port A1 is connected with the second port A2 and the third port A3 is shut off. In the control position 60a, therefore, the second delivery channel 30 is open and the connection of the second delivery channel 30 with the connecting channel 61 is closed. The control valve device 60 has a second control position 60b that forms the switched off position, in which the first port A1 is connected with the third port A3 and the second port A2 is closed. In the control position 60b, therefore, the second delivery channel 30 is connected with the connecting channel 61 and the connection of the second delivery channel 30 with the first delivery channel 20 is closed.

[0062] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the control valve device 60 is a proportional valve that has a throttling action in intermediate positions. Alternatively, the control valve device 60 can be a switch valve.

[0063] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the control valve device 60 can be actuated electrically by means of an electric actuator device 70, such as by means of a magnet, in particular a proportional-action magnet, for example. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the control valve device 60 can be actuated toward the first control position 60a by means of a spring 71 and toward the second control position 60b by means of the electric actuator device 50. Alternatively, the control valve device 60 can be actuated toward the second control position 60b by means of a spring 71 and toward the first control position 60a by means of the electric actuator device 70.

[0064] For the actuation of the valve device 7 formed by the control valve device 45 in FIGS. 1 and 2 or the control valve device 60 in FIG. 3, an electronic control device 80 is provided which is in communication on the input side with a sensor device 81 that measures the load pressure of the lift drive 2 present in the connecting line 23, and is in communication on the output side with the actuator device 50 or 70. The electronic control device 80 is designed so that the control valve device 45 or 60 of the control valve device 7 is controlled as a function of the load pressure on the lift drive 2.

[0065] The electronic control device 80 is designed so that the valve device 7 is actuated into the switched on position at a load pressure on the lift drive 2 below a limit load pressure, and is actuated into the switched off position at a load pressure on the lift drive 2 above the limit load pressure.

[0066] In FIGS. 1 and 2, for this purpose the control valve device 45 is actuated by the control device 80 during lifting operation of the lift drive 2, when a load pressure on the lift drive 2 measured by means of the sensor device 81 is below the limit load pressure, into the closed position 45a that forms the switched on position 45a, and by the control device 80, during lifting operation of the lift drive 2 at a load pressure on the lift drive 2 measured by means of the sensor device 81 above the limit load pressure into the open position 45b that forms the switched off position.

[0067] In FIG. 3, for this purpose the control valve device 60 is actuated by the control device 80 during lifting operation of the lift drive 2, when a load pressure on the lift drive 2 measured by means of the sensor device 81 is below the limit load pressure, into the first control position 60a that forms the switched on position, and by the control device 80, during lifting operation of the lift drive 2 at a load pressure on the lift drive 2 measured by means of the sensor device 81 above the limit load pressure into the second control position 60b that forms the switched off position.

[0068] In the switched on position of the valve device 7 in FIGS. 1 to 3, it therefore becomes possible to achieve an increased lifting speed of the load handling device.

[0069] Alternatively or additionally, the electronic control device 80 can be in communication on the input side with an operating element 85 such as a lever or switch, for example, which can be actuated by the operator of the industrial truck, and on the output side with the actuator device 50 or 70, wherein the electronic control device 80 is designed so that the control valve device 45 or 60 of the valve device 7 is controlled as a function of the actuation of the operating element 85.

[0070] The electronic control device 80 is configured, for example, so that when the operating element 85 is actuated, the valve device 7 is actuated into the switched on position, and when the operating element of not actuated, the valve device 7 is actuated into the switched off position.

[0071] In FIGS. 1 and 2, for this purpose the control valve device 45 is actuated by the control device 80 during lifting operation of the lift drive 2 when the operating element 85 is additionally actuated into the closed position 45a that forms the switched on position, and by the control device 80 during lifting operation of the lift drive 2, when the operating element 85 is not actuated, into the open position 45b that forms the switched off position.

[0072] In FIG. 3, for this purpose the control valve device 60 is actuated by the control device 80 during lifting operation of the lift drive 2 when the operating element 85 is also actuated into the first control position 60a that forms the switched on position, and by the control device 80 during lifting operation of the lift drive 2 when the operating element 85 is not actuated into the second control position 60b that forms the switched off position.

[0073] When the lift drive 2 is in lifting operation, the operator, by additionally actuating the operating element 85, can actively activate the switched on position of the valve device 7 in FIGS. 1 to 3 and therefore order an increased lifting speed of the load handling device.

[0074] Alternatively, the electronic control device 80 can be configured, for example, so that when the operating element 85 is actuated, the valve device 7 is actuated into the switched off position, and when the operating element is not actuated, the valve device 7 is actuated into the switched on position.

[0075] In the hydraulic system 1 according to the invention, the valve device 7 is integrated into the hydraulic double pump unit 10. The second hydraulic pump 6 is switched on and off as a function of the load pressure during lifting operation of the lift drive 2, as measured by the sensor device 81 in the connecting line 23 that leads to the lift drive 2. Alternatively or additionally, the second hydraulic pump 6 can be switched on or off as a function of the actuation of the operating element 85.

[0076] In the hydraulic system 1 according to the invention, if the flow of the second hydraulic pump 6 is not required and the valve device 7 is in the switched off position, the volume flow of the second hydraulic pump 6 is short-circuited directly to the intake channel 12 of the two hydraulic pumps 5, 6 inside the housing 11. In the hydraulic system 1 according to the invention, if the volume flow of the second hydraulic pump 6 is required to increase the lifting speed of the load handling device and the valve device 7 is in the switched on position, the volume flow of the second hydraulic pump 6 is transported directly inside the housing 11 into the first delivery channel 20. The second hydraulic pump 6 therefore does not require any external hoses or piping.

[0077] If the load pressure on the lift drive 2 in lifting operation is below the defined limit load pressure, e.g. 100 bar, the second hydraulic pump 6 can be switched on in the closed position 45a of the control valve device 45 in FIGS. 1 and 2 or in the first control position 60a of the control valve device 60 in FIG. 3. It is therefore possible to achieve very high lifting speeds of the load handling device without a load and with a partial load. If, during lifting operation, the load pressure on the lift drive 2 exceeds the defined limit load pressure and, therefore, the pump torque of the two hydraulic pumps 5, 6 exceeds the maximum torque or the maximum output of the drive motor 8, the second hydraulic pump 6 is short-circuited to the intake channel 12 and, therefore, to the reservoir 13 by an actuation of the control valve device 45 in FIGS. 1 and 2 into the open position 45b or the control valve device 60 in FIG. 3 is actuated into the second control position 60b. During lifting operation, at a load pressure on the lift drive 2 that is above the defined limit load pressure, only the first hydraulic pump 5 therefore acts to lift the load handling device. The check valve 40 in FIGS. 1 and 2 thereby prevents a short-circuiting of the first hydraulic pump 5 to the reservoir 13.

[0078] The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0079] In FIG. 1, the control valve device 45 can alternatively be a proportional valve.

[0080] In FIG. 2, the control valve device 45 can alternatively be a switch valve.

[0081] In FIG. 3, the control valve device 60 can alternatively be a switch valve.