HYDRAULIC UNIT WITH SEQUENTIAL PISTON PUMPS OPERATED BY ROLLING WEIGHTS

Abstract

The present patent of invention refers to a hydraulic unit (U) that uses at least one rolling weight (8) having radial movement, connected to a drive shaft (3) moved by at least one servomotor (1), in order to exert the force, favored by the action of gravity, on the hydraulic pistons (11) of sequential pumps positioned on a circular track (12), which force can be enhanced by the activation of a pneumatic cylinder (13), the speed of the servomotor (1) or the quantity of rolling weights (8), thereby obtaining volumes of pressurized hydraulic oil, using small/low-power electric motors.

Claims

1. A HYDRAULIC UNIT WITH SEQUENTIAL PISTON PUMPS OPERATED BY ROLLING WEIGHTS, comprising at least one upper servomotor (1) which activates a speed reducer (2) which has the function of turning a drive shaft (3), in the vertical position, supported and guided on an upper bearing (4) and on a lower bearing (5), in addition to a safety system, wherein the drive shaft (3) derives at least one conductor shaft (6), fastened thereon in a swivel joint (7), at whose distal end there is prominently at least one rolling weight (8) in disk form, of known magnitude, seated on bearings (10): in rotating, the rolling weight (8) exerts a force, making use of the action of gravity, on the hydraulic pistons (11) of the sequential pumps supported on a circular track (12): the force exerted on the hydraulic pistons (11) can be enhanced by the action of at least one pneumatic cylinder (13) mounted at the end of a support (14) equally connected to the drive shaft (3), by the very rotation of the servomotor (1) and by the quantity of rolling weights: the hydraulic unit suctions the oil from the reservoir (15) and when the rolling weight (8) passes by the hydraulic piston (11) it displaces the volume of oil accumulated in its chamber (16) to the hydraulic ring (11) (17), pressure chamber (18), output connection (19) and external connection (20) to the user's manifold (21) at a high pressure and outflow.

2. The HYDRAULIC UNIT WITH SEQUENTIAL PISTON PUMPS OPERATED BY ROLLING WEIGHTS, according to claim 1, wherein the support (14) of the pneumatic cylinder (13) and the conductor shaft (6) of the hydraulic pistons (11) rotate in solidarity with each other around the drive shaft (3) travelling the circuit of the circular track (12).

3. The HYDRAULIC UNIT WITH SEQUENTIAL PISTON PUMPS OPERATED BY ROLLING WEIGHTS, according to claim 1, wherein the rolling weight (8) is conducted in the radial direction and moves supported by the bearings (10) at the end of the conductor shaft (6).

4. The HYDRAULIC UNIT WITH SEQUENTIAL PISTON PUMPS OPERATED BY ROLLING WEIGHTS, according to claim 1, wherein the enhancement of the force applied, increased or decreased by means of the pneumatic cylinder (13), occurs by action of a pneumatic directional valve (22) which is powered by a source of compressed air (23).

5. The HYDRAULIC UNIT WITH SEQUENTIAL PISTON PUMPS OPERATED BY ROLLING WEIGHTS, according to claim 4, wherein the pneumatic directional valve (22) directs the compressed air to the upper pneumatic chamber (24), or to the lower pneumatic chamber (25).

6. The HYDRAULIC UNIT WITH SEQUENTIAL PISTON PUMPS OPERATED BY ROLLING WEIGHTS, according to claim 1, wherein the rolling weight (8) upon reaching the centerline of the shaft of the hydraulic piston (11), displaces it downwards compressing the spring (26) of the hydraulic piston (11): the volume of oil that is in the chamber (16) is directed to the pressure chamber (18) of the hydraulic ring (11) (17), through the guide pipe (27) of pressurized oil, after opening the hydraulic check valve (28): the rolling weight (8) upon leaving from the top of the hydraulic piston (11) enables the spring (26) to start the displacement thereof upwards, suctioning hydraulic oil from the reservoir (15) through the suction pipe (29).

7. The HYDRAULIC UNIT WITH SEQUENTIAL PISTON PUMPS OPERATED BY ROLLING WEIGHTS, according to claim 6, wherein the rolling weight (8) in pressing the hydraulic piston (11) makes the oil in the hydraulic chamber (16) move and starts opening the hydraulic check valve (28), enabling this oil to move through the guide pipe (27) of pressurized oil and reach the hydraulic ring (17) continuing to move through its pressure chamber (18), reaching the output connection (19) of the hydraulic ring (11), passing through the hydraulic oil output pipe (30) arriving at the external oil pressure connection (17) and being conducted to the user's manifold block (21).

8. The HYDRAULIC UNIT WITH SEQUENTIAL PISTON PUMPS OPERATED BY ROLLING WEIGHTS, according to claim 1, wherein the safety system, by means of an external command, changes the position of the pneumatic directional valve (22) reversing the position of the air in the pneumatic chambers of the pneumatic cylinder (13) resulting in raising the rolling weight (8) by means of its conductor shaft (6).

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The invention will next be described in its embodiment form, and for improved understanding, references will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which the following are represented:

[0031] FIG. 1: Side cutaway view of the hydraulic unit with sequential piston pumps operated by rolling weights:

[0032] FIG. 2: Top view of the hydraulic unit with sequential piston pumps operated by rolling weights:

[0033] FIG. 3: Blown-up side cutaway view of the driving mechanism of the rolling weight of the hydraulic unit with sequential piston pumps operated by rolling weights, with detail of the hydraulic check valve:

[0034] FIG. 4: Schematic cutaway view illustrating the action of the rolling weight on the hydraulic pistons of the hydraulic unit with sequential piston pumps operated by rolling weights:

[0035] FIG. 5: Schematic cutaway view illustrating the sporadic action of the rolling weight on a hydraulic piston of the hydraulic unit with sequential piston pumps operated by rolling weights:

[0036] FIG. 6: Schematic top cutaway view illustrating the movement direction of the rolling weight on the hydraulic pistons of the hydraulic unit with sequential piston pumps operated by rolling weights:

[0037] FIG. 7: Schematic side cutaway view of the connection of the hydraulic unit with sequential piston pumps operated by rolling weights, in the user's hydraulic valve manifold block:

[0038] FIG. 8: Schematic side cutaway view of the hydraulic pressure relief mechanism of the hydraulic unit with sequential piston pumps operated by rolling weights.

DETAILED TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] The HYDRAULIC UNIT WITH SEQUENTIAL PISTON PUMPS OPERATED BY ROLLING WEIGHTS refers to a hydraulic unit (U) that uses at least one rolling weight (8) having radial movement, connected to a drive shaft (3) moved by at least one servomotor (1), in order to exert the force, favored by the action of gravity, on the hydraulic pistons (11) of sequential pumps positioned on a circular track (12), which force can be enhanced by the activation of a pneumatic cylinder (13), the speed of the servomotor (1) or quantity of rolling weights (8), thereby obtaining volumes of pressurized hydraulic oil, using small/low-power electric motors.

[0040] More particularly, the hydraulic unit (U) claimed comprises at least one upper servomotor (1) which activates a speed reducer (2) which has the function of turning a drive shaft (3), in the vertical position, supported and guided on an upper bearing (4) and on a lower bearing (5). From the drive shaft (3) there derives at least one conductor shaft (6), fastened thereto on a swivel joint (7) which gives it a certain freedom of movement, at whose distal end there is prominently at least one rolling weight (8) in disk form, of known magnitude, seated on bearings (10), to the extent that upon turning, said rolling weight (8) will exert a force, making use of the action of gravity, on the hydraulic pistons (11) of the sequential pumps supported on a circular track (12). The force exerted on the hydraulic pistons (11) may also be enhanced by the action of at least one pneumatic cylinder (13) mounted at the end of a support (14) equally connected to the drive shaft (3), and by the very rotation of the servomotor (1). The process exerted by the hydraulic unit invented involves suctioning oil from the reservoir (15) and when the rolling weight (8) passes by the hydraulic piston (11) it displaces the volume of oil accumulated in its chamber (16) to the hydraulic ring (11) (17), pressure chamber (18), output connection (19) and external connection (20) to the user's manifold (21) at a high pressure and outflow:

[0041] Operationally, the support (14) of the pneumatic cylinder (13) and the conductor shaft (6) of the hydraulic pistons (11) rotate in solidarity with each other around the drive shaft (3) travelling the circuit of the circular track (12). Accordingly, the rolling weight (8) is conducted in the radial direction and is displaced, supported by the bearings (10) in a continuous trajectory of 360. The rolling weight (8), as already mentioned, has the function of acting as a force applied, by gravity, on the hydraulic pistons (11) with the objective of forcing them downwards and displacing the volume of oil which is accumulated in the chamber (16). The enhancement of the force applied, increased or decreased by means of the pneumatic cylinder (13) occurs by action of a pneumatic directional valve (22) which is powered by a source of compressed air (23), and which has the function of directing compressed air to the upper pneumatic chamber (24), or to the lower pneumatic chamber (25), depending on the work intended to be carried out. When the servomotor (1) begins to rotate, it moves the speed reducer (2) and makes the drive shaft (3) turn, which is fastened in the vertical position, and with it the rolling weight (8) by means of the conductor shaft (6) which is positioned horizontally, and at the same time the pneumatic cylinder (13) which thereafter receives the compressed air in the upper pneumatic chamber (24) causing it to advance, resulting in a force applied on the rolling weight (8). As the drive shaft (3) begins to turn the assembly, the rolling weight (8) begins to shift on the track (12) of the assembly of sequential pumps and respective hydraulic pistons (11). As the rolling weight (8) reaches the centerline of the shaft of the hydraulic piston (11), it moves downwards compressing the spring (26) of the hydraulic piston (11) and displacing the volume of oil that is in the chamber (16) to the pressure chamber (18) of the hydraulic ring (11) (17), through the guide pipe (27) of pressurized oil, after opening the hydraulic check valve (28). In continuing its trajectory rolling on the hydraulic pistons (11), the rolling weight (8) begins to come out of the top of the hydraulic piston (11) and at this point the spring (26) begins the displacement thereof upwards, suctioning hydraulic oil from the reservoir (15) through the suction pipe (29). The hydraulic output pressure is the result of the force applied on the area of the hydraulic piston (11), and this force is the magnitude of the rolling weight (8) added to the force exerted by the pneumatic cylinder (13), and this force of the pneumatic cylinder (13) may vary to more or to less, in accordance with the regulated pneumatic pressure, which can be controlled at the source of compressed air (23). The rolling movement of the rolling weight (8) does the continuous work of displacing the volume of oil from the hydraulic chamber (16) of the piston, whose total volume is displaced is the sum of the quantity of hydraulic pistons (11) existing on the circular track (12), and this quantity may vary to more or to less, according to the configuration thereof. Another factor that contributes to obtaining a greater or lesser volume of displaced oil in one full turn in the perimeter of the circular track (12) and respective hydraulic pistons (11) is the quantity of rolling weights (8) placed in the configuration to activate the pumping, besides the variation of the rotation of the servomotor (1), which may vary to more or to less, resulting in a greater or lesser volume of oil displaced in a given time period. Considering that the rolling weight (8), which is the force applied on the hydraulic pistons (11), and the rotation of the drive shaft (3) as well, the oil pumping process will begin with the force of the rolling weight (8) being applied to the hydraulic piston (11), making the oil stored at rest in the hydraulic chamber (16) of the piston to begin to move and start to open the hydraulic check valve (28), allowing this oil to move through the guide pipe (27) of pressurized oil and to reach the hydraulic ring (11) (17) continuing to move through its pressure chamber (18), reaching the output connection (19) of the hydraulic ring (11), passing through the hydraulic oil output pipe (30) arriving at the external oil pressure connection (17) and being conducted to the user's manifold block (21), where it will be used to perform the works according to the cycle programming of each equipment.

[0042] The hydraulic unit (U) has a safety system that enables the instantaneous hydraulic depressurization of the system wherein, by means of an external command, from some emergency device, the position of the pneumatic directional valve (22) is changed, causing the pressurized air, which was applied to the upper pneumatic chamber (24) now to act upon the lower pneumatic chamber (25) and as a result raises the rolling weight (8) by means of the its conductor shaft (6), which is fastened on the swivel joint (7), making all the hydraulic pistons (11) return to the rest position, which occurs with the decompression of the spring (26), causing the pressure of the hydraulic system to drop to zero, even if the servomotor (1) continues to spin out of inertia for some moments before it comes to a complete stop.

[0043] The pressurized hydraulic oil which leaves though the external oil pressure connection (17) is conducted, through hydraulic hoses or pipes, directly to the user's manifold block (21), and can be used according to the user's equipment cyclogram without the need of creating an electronic interface with the equipment that will receive the pressurized hydraulic oil.