Artemis Intelligent Power Limited

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited

Danfoss Power Solutions Gmbh & Co Ohg

Fergus Robert McIntyre

Uwe Stein

Gordon Paul Voller

Jens Eilers

Niall James Caldwell

Stephen Michael Laird

Alexis Dole

Jack Samuel Lavender

Jens Dominik Willy Eilers

A fluid working machine of the type comprising working chambers of cyclically varying volume and low and high pressure valves to regulate the flow of working fluid into and out of the working chamber, from low and high pressure manifolds, in which the valves are electronically controlled on each cycle of working chamber volume, by way of valve actuation signals, to determine the net displacement of working chambers. Additional valve actuator signals are generated in response to determination that a valve or working chamber has been inactive to adapt the valve to operate more reliably when subsequently actuated, but without significantly altering the net displacement of working chambers.

Fluid working machine and method of operating a fluid working machine

The invention to a valve unit () for a synthetically commutated fluid working machine (), comprising a valve body (), a movably arranged valve unit () and a separate fluid flow influencing unit (). The fluid flow influencing unit () comprises a fluid flow influencing means part () and an attachment means part () for mechanical connection with the valve body (). The attachment means part () and the fluid flow influencing unit () are connected to each other by a connection means part (). The circumferential extent of the attachment means part () is larger as compared to the circumferential extent of the connection means part ().

Attachment of a fluid flow hat for actuated valve

A fluid working machine has at least one working chamber of cyclically varying volume and low and high pressure valves to regulate the flow of working fluid into and out of the working chamber, from low and high pressure manifolds. The low and high pressure valves are actuated by electronically controlled valve actuation means which, when actuated, applies forces to the low and high pressure valve members to open and/or close the respective valves. The low and high pressure valve members are independently moveable and, although the low pressure valve member typically begins to move quickly in response to a shared valve control signal, the high pressure valve member typically moves only after a change in the pressure within the working chamber. The electronically controlled valve actuation means may be a shared electronically controlled valve actuator, such as a solenoid within a magnetic circuit which directs magnetic flux through both low pressure and high pressure valve armatures which are connected to the respective valve members.

Fluid working machine with valve actuator and method for controlling the same

In a face sealing annular valve, an annular valve member is retained around or within a guide. The annular valve member is configured so that, when the annular valve member and the annular valve seat are coaxial, the spacing between the guide means and the guide-engaging surface region increases with distance along the central axis from a minimum of spacing between the annular valve member and the guide means. An end stop limits the tilt of the annular valve member. Advantageously, the annular valve member has restricted radial movement, enabling a good seal to be formed, while being unable to simultaneously contact diametrically opposite sides of the guide and jam.

Face sealing annular valve

An electro-magnetic mechanism comprises a spring-operated rod () having a recess () and a latching member () engageable in the recess to block motion of the rod. A release member () retains the latching member engaged in the recess () in a first position of the release member and allows the latching member to be disengaged from the recess in a second position of the release member (). A magnet () retains the release member in the first position and the mechanism includes an element such as a spring () for urging the release member () to the second position. A coil () is arranged to demagnetize the magnet () at least such that the release member moves to the second position, the latching member () is disengaged from the recess () and the rod () moves axially by spring force.

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Scotland, United Kingdom

Fergus Robert McIntyre