Caterpillar Inc.

Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd.

Caterpillar Sarl

Caterpillar Global Mining LLC

Caterpillar Japan Ltd.

Jiao Zhang

Pengfei Ma

Tonglin Shang

Dayao Chen

Peter Spring

Rustu Cesur

Bryan Jacob Hillman

Lawrence J Tognetti

Aleksandar M Egelja

Gang Victor Wen

Randal Peterson

Kalpesh Patel

Michael Schwab

John Ferraz, Jr

Vickram Murugesan

Bryan Edward Nelson

Tetsuya Yoshino

Jeremy Todd Peterson

Jeffrey Lee Kuehn

Matthew James Beschorner

Jason Brinkman

Michael L Knussman

Michael Todd Verkuilen

Douglas W Koehler

Bryan A Johnson

Mark Vonderwell

James William Fuerst

Benjamin Yoo

Sean Johnson

Gene Richard St Germain

Pengfel Ma

Sharath Cugati

Jeff L Kuehn

Salik Abdul Syed

Lawrence C Tognetti

Chris R Cesur

Sudheer Holenarasipura

Robert Scot Lehmann

Christoper Williamson

Michael A Sorokine

Kalpesh N Patel

Michael R Schwab

A hydraulic system for a machine includes a plurality of hydraulic component, wherein the hydraulic components include hydraulic actuators and hydraulic motors. The hydraulic system also includes a plurality of hydraulic circuits, and a plurality of hydraulic pumps for supplying hydraulic fluid to the plurality of hydraulic components via the hydraulic circuits. At least one hydraulic component receives hydraulic flow exclusively from a designated one of the hydraulic pumps and at least another, different hydraulic component receives shared hydraulic flow from a flow sharing set of the hydraulic pumps.

System and method for providing hydraulic power

A hydraulic control system for a machine is provided. The hydraulic control system includes a fluid reservoir and a pump motor. The pump motor is fluidly coupled to the fluid reservoir. The pump motor is configured to provide pressurized fluid and to receive fluid to provide a power output to the shaft. The hydraulic control system further includes an actuator and an accumulator fluidly coupled to the pump motor and the actuator. The hydraulic control system further includes an accumulator valve and a controller. The accumulator valve is fluidly coupled between the accumulator and the pump motor. The controller is in communication with the pump motor and the accumulator valve. The controller is configured to detect an operator command to operate the power source; determine pressure at the accumulator; and selectively move the accumulator valve to fluidly connect the accumulator with the pump motor.

System and method of hydraulic energy recovery for machine start-stop and machine ride control

A fluid system for a machine that includes a linkage. The fluid system includes an actuator, an accumulator, a pilot circuit, and a pressure reducing valve. The actuator is configured to manipulate the linkage. The accumulator is configured to store a fluid discharged by the actuator under pressure. The pilot circuit is fluidly coupled to the accumulator and is configured to receive the fluid from the accumulator. Further, the pressure reducing valve is positioned between the accumulator and the pilot circuit to regulate the pressure of the fluid delivered to the pilot circuit from the accumulator.

Fluid systems for machines with integrated energy recovery circuit

A hydraulic control system for a machine is provided. The hydraulic control system includes a fluid reservoir, a pump motor and an accumulator. The pump motor is configured to provide pressurized fluid and to receive fluid to provide a power output. The hydraulic control system further includes a hydraulic actuator having a first and a second chamber, a first valve, a regenerative valve, and a controller. The controller is in communication with the first valve and the regenerative valve to selectively actuate the regenerative valve to allow flow of a first portion of the fluid from the first chamber to the second chamber. The controller is further configured to selectively actuate the first valve to allow flow of a second portion of the fluid from the first chamber through the pump motor to provide the power output to a shaft of a power source.

System and method for hydraulic energy recovery

A hydraulic system for a machine is disclosed. The system may have a pump and a motor driven by pressurized fluid from the pump. An accumulator is configured to receive fluid discharged from the motor and to discharge fluid to the motor. The system may include a first valve to selectively communicate the higher pressure of conduits coupled between the pump and motor to the accumulator. A second valve and a third valve can be used to facilitate charging and discharging of the accumulator. The system may include a controller configured to implement a plurality of modes of operation, which each mode of operation may include a different combination of motor deceleration and motor acceleration segments during which the accumulator receives and discharges fluid, respectively. An input may be used to determine the segment of the work cycle.

Hydraulic system having energy recovery

Swing kinetic and boom potential energy may be recovered in a machine having a movable work tool, a swing motor for rotating the work tool, a hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering the work tool, a pump selectively connected to the swing motor and the hydraulic cylinder, and a power source outputting power to drive the pump. The machine may further include a first accumulator, a swing charge valve having a charge set pressure, and a boom charge valve. The swing charge valve selectively fluidly connect the swing motor to the first accumulator, and open to fluidly connect the swing motor to the first accumulator when a swing motor fluid pressure is greater than a charge set pressure of the swing charge valve. The boom charge valve may selectively fluidly connect a head-end chamber of the hydraulic cylinder to the first accumulator when the work tool is lowered.

Hydraulic system recovering swing kinetic and boom potential energy

A hydraulic apparatus and a method of operating the hydraulic apparatus are disclosed. The hydraulic apparatus includes a flow control module, a first pump fluidly coupled to the flow control module via a first conduit, a first rotating group fluidly coupled to the flow control module via a second conduit, a first actuator fluidly coupled to the flow control module, a second actuator fluidly coupled to a second pump, a first accumulator, and a controller operatively coupled to the flow control module, the first charge valve, and the discharge valve. The first rotating group is configured to perform a pumping function and a motor function. The first accumulator is in selective fluid communication with the first actuator via a third conduit and a first charge valve, the second actuator via a fourth conduit and the first charge valve, and the first rotating group via a discharge valve.

Hybrid apparatus and method for hydraulic systems

A hydraulic control system is disclosed for use with a machine. The hydraulic control system may have a tank, a pump, a swing motor, and at least one control. The hydraulic control system may further have an accumulator configured to receive fluid from and supply fluid to the swing motor, a charge valve movable to allow fluid flow from the swing motor into the accumulator, and a discharge valve movable to allow fluid flow from the accumulator to the swing motor. The hydraulic control system may additionally have a controller in communication with the at least one control valve, the charge valve, and the discharge valve. The controller may be configured to detect an acceleration of the swing motor, selectively cause the discharge valve to assist the acceleration, and selectively move the charge valve to an open position to recover energy associated with pressure spikes occurring during the acceleration.

Hydraulic control system having swing motor energy recovery

A hydraulic control system is disclosed for use in a machine. The hydraulic control system may have a work tool, a motor configured to swing the work tool, a tank, a pump configured to draw fluid from the tank and pressurize the fluid, and a control valve operable to control fluid flow from the pump to the motor and from the motor to the tank via first and second chamber passages to affect motion of the motor. The hydraulic control system may also have an accumulator, and an accumulator circuit configured to selectively direct fluid discharged from the motor to the accumulator for storage and to direct stored fluid from the accumulator to the motor to assist the motor. The hydraulic control system may further have a selector valve configured to selectively connect a higher pressure one of the first and second chamber passages with the accumulator, and a single pressure relief valve disposed within the accumulator circuit and configured to relief pressure from opposing sides of the motor.

A hydraulic control system for a machine is disclosed. The hydraulic control system may have a tank, a pump, and a fluid actuator. The hydraulic control system may further have an accumulator configured to selectively receive pressurized fluid discharged from the fluid actuator and selectively supply pressurized fluid to the fluid actuator. The hydraulic control system may also have a pressure sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a pressure of the accumulator, a charge valve, a discharge valve, and a controller in communication with the control valve, the charge valve, and the discharge valve. The controller may be configured to detect stall of the fluid actuator, to make a comparison of the pressure of the accumulator with a threshold pressure, and to selectively move the charge valve to charge the accumulator or move the discharge valve to discharge the accumulator during the stall based on the comparison.

Hydraulic control system having swing energy recovery

An energy recovery system is disclosed for use with a hydraulic machine. The energy recovery system may have a tank, a pump configured to draw fluid from the tank and pressurize the fluid, an actuator, and an actuator control valve movable to direct pressurized fluid from the pump to the actuator and from the actuator to the tank to move the actuator. The energy recovery system may also have a motor mechanically connected to a rotary device and configured to selectively receive fluid discharged from the actuator, and at least one valve movable to selectively redirect fluid exiting the motor back to the actuator.

Energy recovery system for hydraulic machine

An energy recovery system for a machine is disclosed. The energy recovery system may have a boom circuit with at least a one linear actuator configured to move a work tool, and a boom accumulator configured to selectively collect pressurized fluid from the at least one linear actuator and to discharge pressurized fluid back to the at least one linear actuator. The energy recovery system may also have a swing circuit with a swing motor configured to move the work tool, and a swing accumulator configured to selectively collect pressurized fluid from the swing motor and discharge pressurized fluid back to the swing motor. The energy recovery system may further have a common accumulator passage fluidly connecting the boom accumulator and the swing accumulator.

Energy recovery system having integrated boom/swing circuits

A hydraulic system includes a hydraulic actuator, a pump configured to supply fluid to the hydraulic actuator, and a first accumulator fluidly connected to the hydraulic actuator. The first accumulator is configured to store fluid received from the hydraulic actuator. The hydraulic system also includes a motor drivingly connected to the pump and fluidly connected to the first accumulator. The motor is configured to receive the stored fluid from the first accumulator to drive the pump. The hydraulic system further includes a first discharge valve fluidly connected between the first accumulator and the hydraulic actuator. The first discharge valve is configured to supply the stored fluid from the first accumulator to the hydraulic actuator without the stored fluid from the first accumulator circulating through the pump.

Electro-hydraulic system for recovering and reusing potential energy

A hydraulic system and methods for conserving energy in such system is disclosed. The hydraulic system includes a hydraulic actuator having a head end, a rod end and a piston disposed therebetween. The system also includes a pump that pumps fluid to the actuator, a first valve disposed downstream of the rod end, and a second valve disposed between the pump and the head end of the actuator. When the system is in a load overrunning condition, the second valve is partially closed to restrict the flow of a combined fluid. The combined fluid including fluid received from the pump and fluid received from the rod end of the actuator. When the system is in the light resistive load condition, the second valve is open to allow the combined fluid to flow through the second valve.

Boom cylinder dig flow regeneration

A hydraulic control system is disclosed. The hydraulic control system may have an input device to generate a first signal indicative of a desired swing motor movement, and a control valve configured to selectively pass fluid to the swing motor and drain from the swing motor to drive the swing motor based on the first signal. The hydraulic control system may also have a pressure sensor to generate a second signal indicative of a swing motor pressure, a speed sensor configured to a third signal indicative of a swing motor speed, and a controller configured to make a comparison of at least one of the swing motor speed and the swing motor pressure with a threshold speed and a threshold pressure, and open the control valve to drain fluid from the swing motor to the tank based on the comparison when the input device is in a neutral condition.

Hydraulic control system having swing oscillation dampening

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Naperville, IL, United States of America

Jiao Zhang