Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Sarl

Shogo Tada

Justin Douglas Speichinger

Tetsuya Yoshino

Matthew James Beschorner

Rustin Glenn Metzger

Hideki Nakajima

Pengfei Ma

Aleksandar M Egelja

Corey Lee Gorman

Nobuaki Matoba

Bryan A Johnson

Yuya Kanenawa

Anthony Dean McNealy

Kouji Kishida

Shigeo Kajita

Yozo Nakamoto

Aleem Junaidi

Shinya Ohmura

Shuhei Orimoto

Masafumi Ohkubo

A kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) for a machine having a swing motor and/or an actuator includes a hydraulic motor/pump that can output pressurized fluid for operating at least one of: the swing motor and the actuator. A first shaft of the hydraulic motor/pump can be rotated by fluid returning from at least one of: the swing motor and the actuator back to the hydraulic motor/pump. Further, the KERS also includes a flywheel that can selectively couple with the first shaft with the help of a first clutch. The flywheel stores drive power generated by the hydraulic motor/pump from the return flow of fluid when the first clutch couples the flywheel with the first shaft of the hydraulic motor/pump. A gearing arrangement is coupled to the flywheel and can selectively engage with a second shaft associated with a prime mover of the machine with the help of a second clutch.

Kinetic energy recovery system for a machine

A method of using sensor feedback for controlling fluid pressures in a machine includes receiving signals from each of a plurality of Inertial Measurement Units (IMU's) mounted on different components of the machine, receiving a signal from at least one non-IMU sensor, fusing the signals received from the IMU's with each other and with a signal from the at least one non-IMU sensor, determining best estimates of current output joint angles for each of the plurality of components of the machine with reference to a machine reference frame, solving a kinematic equation using the best estimates of current output joint angles for the components of the machine and structural design information characterizing the machine, and applying a determination from the solution of the kinematic equation in an implementation of a controlled adjustment to a fluid pressure supplied to a fluid actuation cylinder.

Sensor fusion feedback for controlling fluid pressures in a machine

A hydraulic system is disclosed. The hydraulic system may include a source of pressurized fluid; a tank; a hydraulic actuator including a first chamber and a second chamber; a first independent metering valve disposed between and fluidly connected to the source, the tank, and the first chamber of the hydraulic actuator; and a second independent metering valve disposed between and fluidly connected to the source, the tank, and the second chamber of the hydraulic actuator. Each of the first independent metering valve and the second independent metering valve may include a spool and a valve actuator disposed on one side of the spool. The valve actuator may include a push coil, a pull coil, and a force feedback mechanism configured to balance a force of the push coil and the pull coil.

Split spool valve

A work machine has a work device mounted on a machine body including a fluid pressure motor for travelling. A controller reduces engine speed to be lower than rated engine speed during normal working mode. The controller controls engine speed so as to obtain a pump flow rate in accordance with a target travelling speed during travelling low-load mode when engine load is lower than a threshold. The controller controls both the engine speed and output torque for pump control so that the engine output becomes maximum in travelling high-load mode when the engine load is higher than the threshold.

Working machine

An inexpensive engine assist device capable of performing stable energy regeneration from an accumulator and a working machine on which the engine assist device is mounted are provided. A variable capacity type main pump and a variable capacity type assist pump are directly connected to an engine. A return pressure oil flowing out from a fluid pressure actuator is temporarily accumulated by a sub-accumulator and is supplied to an inlet of the assist pump, and the assist pump pressurizes the return fluid pressure oil and supplies the return fluid pressure oil to a main accumulator. A controller calculates and controls an assist pump swash plate angle, and assist starting torque or charge starting torque, and introduces a pressure-accumulated fluid discharged from the main accumulator to the inlet of the assist pump or introduces a pressurized fluid discharged from an outlet of the assist pump into the main accumulator.

Engine-assist device and industrial machine

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Shogo Tada