Other

Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Purex Corporation

Richard H Sheppard

John M Kasunich

David W Pfeifer

An electronic converter assembly including a liquid cooled heat sink member having a sink length dimension, at least one mounting surface and first and second oppositely facing lateral surfaces, the mounting surface and first and second lateral surfaces forming first and second lateral edges, respectively, the sink member also forming at least one internal channel that extends substantially along the entire sink length, an inlet and an outlet that open into opposite ends of the channel, a plurality of power switching devices mounted side by side to the mounting surface thereby forming a single device row that extends substantially along the sink length, each device including intra-converter terminals that are substantially within a single connection plane, a plurality of capacitors, each capacitor including capacitor connection terminals, the capacitors linked for support to and adjacent the sink member with the capacitor terminals juxtaposed substantially within the connection plane and a linkage assembly including a plurality of conductors that link the capacitor terminals to the intra-converter terminals to form a power conversion topology.

Compact liquid converter assembly

An electronic converter assembly comprising first and second liquid cooled heat sink members, each sink member having at least one sink mounting surface, first and second pluralities of power switching devices, each switching device including connection terminals, the first and second pluralities of switching devices mounted to the first and second sink mounting surfaces, respectively and a planar laminated bus bar including a plurality of conductors that link the power switching device connection terminals to form a power conversion topology.

An electronic converter assembly comprising a first heat sink member having at least a first mounting surface and a length dimension, a plurality of power switching device modules wherein each module includes at least four separate power switching devices, the modules mounted to the first sink mounting surface such that the switching devices are aligned along the length of the sink member, each switching device including inter-converter connection terminals linkable to at least one of a load and a source and intra-converter connection terminals linkable, each intra-converter connection terminal linkable to at least one of a positive and a negative DC bus, first, second and third bus bars, each bus bar linked to the inter-converter connection terminals of at least first and second pairs of the power switching devices where the at least first and second pairs of power switching devices linked to specific ones of the bus bars are from different switching device modules and a linkage assembly including a plurality of conductors that link the intra-converter connection terminals of the power switching devices to form a power conversion topology.

Bus bar assembly for use with a compact power conversion assembly

An apparatus for linking together power switching devices having intra-converter connection terminals to form a power conversion assembly, the apparatus comprising a planar bus bar including positive and negative DC bus layers and insulating layers that insulate each of the DC bus layers, the bar also including at least a first external insulating layer that forms a first external surface of the bar, the bar also forming at least first and second linking edges and first and second pluralities of linkages formed along the first and second linking edges, respectively, each linkage linked to one of the positive and negative DC bus layers and configured to be linkable to at least one of the power switching device intra-converter connection terminals, in some cases positive and negative DC bus linkages are also provided to render the conversion assembly extremely versatile.

Laminated bus bar for use with a power conversion configuration

An integral power steering gear includes a valve within the piston exhibiting improved responsiveness and overall operation. The piston incorporates a rack along the side in engagement with an output pinion. Dual washer springs are provided at the ends of the valve mounted in face-to-face, sliding contact. The spring rate that is thus doubled provides an improved response pattern for the power steering gear. The neutral flow of hydraulic fluid is reduced by narrowing the opening between the adjacent grooves in the valve and the piston. These features together give an improved performance envelope in both of the critical parameters; i.e., steering wheel movement versus net output and steering wheel torque input versus net output. Essentially, the envelope is substantially closed with these improvements giving the desirable improved responsiveness and better feel to the steering. With the spring rate doubled, better mechanical action of the valve including centering of the valve is obtained even under heavy loading and deflection of the piston due to engagement between the rack and pinion. Reduced travel of the springs results from the increased spring rate giving longer lived springs and assuring against permanent set in the springs. Because of quicker response, there is reduced incidence of bottoming out of the valve in the piston. The dual springs are also provided with a pre-load feature that can further increase the spring rate and insures the improved responsiveness and obviates any tendency for sponginess.

Power steering gear with improved responsiveness

Axle mounting of integral power steering is provided by a central adjustable locating pin that prevents lateral movement of the mounting base plate of the steering gear with respect to the axle. The locating pin includes an opening adjacent the slightly oversized hole in the vehicle axle with radially extensible ball bearings positioned in the opening. The bearings are spaced around the pin to provide engagement against the periphery of the wall of the hole. The pin is accurately positioned in the base plate of the mounting bracket by employing a tight fit in a reamed mounting aperture in the bracket. The locating pin includes a central bore having a cam screw including a frusto-conical section on the lower end to force the ball bearings outwardly against the wall of the hole in the axle. The opening for the bearings is filled with high viscosity grease to hold the ball bearings in position during mounting and for lubrication. A removable cap fits over the lower end of the pin to protect the ball bearings prior to mounting.

Universal locating pin for axle mounted power steering

An integral power steering gear with a valve in the piston is provided having a short piston and cylinder to conserve space and weight. The input shaft is mounted on a bearing carried by an inwardly projecting annular portion on the bearing cap. The projecting portion mates with a recess in the end of the piston when the piston is moved to the full extreme in that direction. The valve guide pin has been relocated at the input shaft end of the valve where maximum support of the valve is realized and improved reversibility of the valve under all conditions is gained. In the bearing cap, both a high pressure seal and a low pressure weather seal are provided. An insert ring between the two seals serves as backup to the high pressure seal. In an alternative embodiment, the insert ring may be tapered toward the inside of the gear to allow use of a thin wiper-type seal. Lubricating grooves in the piston adjacent the output rack provide fluidized bearings to counteract the force of the fluid bearing provided on the top of the piston at the pressurized input slot. Dual feed passageways extending to opposite ends of the piston have connecting ports drilled from opposite sides of the piston to add further lubrication, but also prevent cross-bleeding between the ports.

Power steering gear with short piston and fluid bearings

A bracket is provided for mounting an integral power steering unit on the axle of a vehicle wherein the forces of reaction of the unit are accommodated. The bracket is provided with a base mounting plate having at least one locating pin cooperating with the pad on the axle for mounting of the spring. The pin has a locational interference fit with the apertures in both the plate and the pad. U-bolts clamp together the plate, the pad and the spring of the vehicle. Locking means is provided to positively resist pivoting of the mounting bracket about the pin under the powerful reaction forces of the power steering gear unit. Preferably, this locking means takes the form of four spaced set screws mounted on depending skirts at the front and rear of the mounting plate at the spring mounting pad. In an alternative embodiment, this locking means may take the form of one or more additional interference fitting pins extending through the bracket and the mounting pad. The additional pins are provided as may be necessary for the particular vehicle in accordance with the steering force requirements. In the preferred embodiment, all that need be done to adapt the standard axle to the new mounting system is reaming of the existing locating aperture for a larger locating pin, whereby the required interference fit may be effected. The set screws are individually adjusted and engage the front and rear edges of the spring pad on the axle without the need for additional machining.

Axle mounting of integral power steering gear

A dual power steering system has a master and slave steering combination, valve means on the master unit, interconnecting linkage and each unit having a built-in mechanical advantage factor. The mechanical advantage of the master unit is made to be greater than the mechanical advantage of the slave unit to assure that the master always dominates the slave during operation to prevent feedback of power through the tie rod of the steering linkage and thereby prevent preemptive change in positioning of the valve means of the slave unit. This, in turn, eliminates chattering or fighting between the units that occurs especially in left-turn operation. In one embodiment, the mechanical advantage factor is defined by the angle of movement of the crank divided by the angle of movement of the steering arm (or wheel). The ratio of the master unit factor to that of the slave unit must be greater than one. The cranks on the steering units are preferably positioned beyond the position of maximum throw. In a second embodiment, the output power rating of the master unit is sufficiently greater than that of the slave unit to provide the desired mechanical advantage ratio. In either embodiment, the ratio is selected to be only slightly greater than the threshold value to maximize the output power of the steering units.

Dual hydraulic power steering system with adjusted mechanical advantage

Equipment for cleaning metal or plastic parts by immersion in a tank-contained agitated liquid cleaning solution in which the parts are loaded into open side cages mounted on a powered carrier wheel immersed in the solution and having interrupted rotation to carry the parts from a loading station at one side of the carrier above the solution downwardly therethrough and upwardly to an unloading station at the opposite side of the carrier, the tops of the cages being slotted to accommodate mechanical displacement of the parts through the cages and the tank containing stationary barriers blocking movement of the parts through the open sides of the immersed cages.

Semi automatic parts cleaning machine

A fluid control system for master-slave power steering combinations includes master and slave steering units, a pump, a low pressure discharge line from the master unit, a low pressure transfer space in the slave unit and a low pressure return line to the pump. The transfer space receives heated, low pressure exhaust fluid through the discharge line from the exhaust chamber or space of the master unit. The fluid return line is connected to the transfer space of the slave unit to feed the intake side of the pump. Build-up of pressure in the slave unit is prevented. Secondly, the fluid circulated through the transfer space of the slave unit transfers heat generated in the pump and the master unit. The temperature gradient between the master and slave unit is thereby minimized to effect cooling or heating in the system, as needed. Further, build-up or accumulation of air bubbles in the slave unit is alleviated. The steering units are preferably integral steering gears with the discharge means of the master unit and the transfer space of the slave unit including the space that encloses the output pinion. Single fluid transfer hoses interconnect the power chambers of the steering units. The piston of the slave unit is hollow with plugs closing the ends.

Growing community of inventors

Hanover, PA, United States of America

Richard H Sheppard