Trw Limited

Nelson P Mark

George M Harpole

Michael B Petach

An apparatus comprises a reservoir (14) containing hydraulic fluid (68), a gear pump (16) with a suction hole (74), and a hydraulic muffler (18). The gear pump (16) has gears (78) with meshing teeth (80) that convey a flow of hydraulic fluid (68) from the reservoir (14) into the pump (16) through the suction hole (74). The muffler (18) attenuates noise by damping flow rate fluctuations that are caused by the meshing gear teeth (80). The muffler (18) includes a compliant element (92) and a fluid inertia structure (90) interposed between the suction hole (74) and the fluid (68) in the reservoir (14). The inertia structure (90) responds to the flow rate fluctuations by directing corresponding hydraulic pressure fluctuations to deflect the compliant element (92). As a result, noise is attenuated upon deflection of the compliant element (92).

Growing community of inventors

Long Beach, CA, United States of America

Nelson P Mark