Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080206073 | Fluid-Working Machines - A fluid-working machine comprises at least one primary working chamber such as a cylinder ( | 08-28-2008 |
20080245322 | Valvetrain Control Arrangement - A valvetrain control arrangement for an internal combustion engine. A fluid-working machine ( | 10-09-2008 |
20100037604 | FLUID POWER DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL SYSTEM - A fluid power system comprises a pump with multiple independently variable outlets ( | 02-18-2010 |
20100243067 | OPERATING METHOD FOR A HYDRAULIC MACHINE - A hydraulic machine has at least one working chamber ( | 09-30-2010 |
20100287692 | WATER CONSERVING TOILET - Disclosed is a toilet ( | 11-18-2010 |
20110123354 | Fluid-working machine and operating method - A fluid-working machine has a plurality of working chambers, e.g., cylinders, of cyclically changing volume, a high-pressure fluid manifold and a low-pressure fluid manifold, at least one valve linking each working chamber to each manifold, and electronic sequencing means for operating said valves in timed relationship with the changing volume of each chamber, wherein the electronic sequencing means is arranged to operate the valves of each chamber in one of an idling mode, a partial mode in which only part of the usable volume of the chamber is used, and a full mode in which all of the usable volume of the chamber is used, and the electronic sequencing means is arranged to select the mode of each chamber on successive cycles so as to infinitely vary the time averaged effective flow rate of fluid through the machine. | 05-26-2011 |
20110253918 | VALVE ACTUATOR - The invention relates to a valve actuator ( | 10-20-2011 |
20110315003 | VALVE ASSEMBLY - A valve assembly for regulating the flow of fluid between a working chamber of a fluid-working machine and a fluid manifold. The valve assembly comprising a valve body comprising a valve seat, a fluid passage extending through the valve body, and a travelling member comprising a valve member and operable between an open position in which the valve member is spaced apart from the valve seat and fluid can flow through the fluid passage and a closed position in which the valve member is in sealing contact with the valve seat preventing fluid from flowing through the fluid passage. The valve assembly further defines a fluid flow path passing in a first fluid flow mode, between the valve member and the valve seat, and into the fluid passage. The valve assembly is characterised by a barrier upstream of the valve member, to the barrier reduces one or more forces which would otherwise act on the valve member as a result of the flow of fluid to urge the valve member towards the valve seat. Thus, one or more forces which would otherwise act on the valve member to urge the valve member to the closed position due to the flow of fluid past the valve member in the first fluid flow mode are reduced or removed. There is also disclosed a valve assembly in which fluid flowing along the said fluid flow path is incident on the downstream surface of the valve member at an angle of at least 80° to the direction in which the valve member is operable to travel between the open position and the closed position. | 12-29-2011 |
20110315004 | VALVE ASSEMBLY - A valve assembly suitable for regulating the flow of fluid between a working chamber of a fluid-working machine and a fluid manifold. The valve assembly comprises a valve body comprising a valve seat, a fluid passage extending through the valve body, and a travelling member comprising a valve member, which valve member is operable between an open position in which the valve member is spaced apart from the valve seat and fluid can flow through the fluid passage and a closed position in which the valve member is in sealing contact with the valve seat preventing fluid from flowing through the fluid passage. The valve assembly defining a fluid flow path passing, in a first fluid flow mode, between the valve member and the valve seat, and into the fluid passage. The valve assembly is characterised by defining a fluid flow path including a constricted flow region and further comprising a reduced pressure chamber in communication with both a first surface of the travelling member and the constricted flow region, arranged to exert a force on the travelling member by way of a pressure reduction in the reduced pressure chamber when fluid is flowing along the fluid flow path, through the constricted flow region, which force acts to resist closure of the valve. Thus, a force is generated which opposes forces acting on the valve member due to the flow of fluid past the valve member. | 12-29-2011 |
20110315251 | ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED VALVES - An electronically controlled valve includes a travelling member with a sealing member and operable between a closed position in which the sealing member forms a seal with a valve seat, and an open position. The valve further has a decelerating mechanism operable to slow the movement of the armature during closure of the valve. The sealing member and armature are decoupled and thereby moveable relative to each other such that the armature can continue to move and decelerate due to the action of the damping mechanism after the sealing member has impacted the valve seat. The peak deceleration force on the armature is thereby reduced, increasing the lifetime of the valve or the maximum rate at which it can be closed without damage. | 12-29-2011 |
20120045327 | Fluid-Working Machine with Multi-Lobe Ring Cam - A fluid-working machine for a renewable energy generation device, the fluid-working machine comprising a ring cam and a plurality of working chambers, the ring cam having an annular working surface extending around an axis of rotation of the ring cam, the annular working surface defining a plurality of waves, each working chamber having a piston, each piston in operative engagement with the ring cam working surface, the ring cam and working chambers being mounted to rotate relative to each other, cycles of working chamber volume being thereby coupled to rotation of the ring cam relative to the working chambers, characterised in that the individual waves of the ring cam working surface have an asymmetric profile. | 02-23-2012 |
20120057991 | FLUID-WORKING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING A FLUID-WORKING MACHINE - In a method of detecting a fault in a fluid-working machine including a plurality of working chambers of cyclically varying volume, each working chamber is operable to displace a volume of working fluid which is selectable for each cycle of working chamber volume to carry out a working function responsive to a received demand signal. An output parameter of the fluid working machine, which is responsive to the displacement of working fluid by one or more of the working chambers to carry out the working function, is measured. It is determined whether the measured output parameter fulfils at least one acceptable function criterion, taking into account the previously selected net displacement of working fluid by a working chamber during a cycle of working chamber volume to carry out the working function. | 03-08-2012 |
20120059523 | FLUID-WORKING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING A FLUID-WORKING MACHINE - The present invention relates to a method of operating a fluid-working machine wherein the volume of working fluid displaced each cycle is selectable and wherein the volume of working fluid displaced by a first working chamber takes into account the suitability of the working chamber to displace fluid. The invention extends in further aspects to power absorbing structures such as renewable energy devices comprising such fluid working machines. The invention allows the operation of fluid working machines and power absorbing structures which are more long lived. | 03-08-2012 |
20120060685 | VARIABLE DISPLACEMENT RADIAL PISTON FLUID WORKING MACHINE - A variable displacement fluid working machine includes an inward ring and an outward ring, one of the inward ring and the outward ring including a rotatable ring cam coupled to a drive shaft, the other including a plurality of radially extending piston cylinders circumferentially spaced around the respective ring. The outward ring has first and second axially spaced structural members and a plurality of demountable blocks demountably retainable therebetween, the demountable blocks having either piston cylinders or ring cam segments. The demountable blocks are removable radially to facilitate maintenance and repair and to facilitate radial access to the inward ring. | 03-15-2012 |
20120063919 | FLUID-WORKING MACHINE VALVE TIMING - A fluid-working machine has a working chamber of cyclically varying volume, high and low pressure manifolds, and high and low pressure valves for regulating the flow of fluid between the working chamber and the high and low pressure manifolds respectively. A controller actively controls at least one said valve to determine the net displacement of working fluid of the working chamber on a cycle by cycle basis. At least one said valve is a variable timing valve and the controller causes the valve to open or close at a time determined taking into account one or more properties of the performance of the fluid working machine measured during an earlier cycle of working chamber volume. | 03-15-2012 |
20120076670 | FLUID-WORKING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING A FLUID-WORKING MACHINE - In a method of operating a fluid-working machine, the volume of working fluid displaced during each cycle of working chamber volume is selected taking into account the availability of other working chambers. The status of each working chamber is monitored and a working chamber treated as unavailable if it is found to be malfunctioning. A working chamber may be treated as unavailable if it is allocated to an alternative working function. A fault may be detected in a working chamber by determining whether a measured output parameter of the fluid working machine fulfils at least one acceptable function criterion taking into account the previously selected net displacement of working fluid by a working chamber during a cycle of working chamber volume to carry out the working function. | 03-29-2012 |
20120141303 | FLUID CONTROL SYSTEM - The present invention provides a fluid system ( | 06-07-2012 |
20120174585 | CLOSED LOOP THERMODYNAMIC MACHINE - According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a thermodynamic machine operating according to the Brayton cycle and including a closed loop fluid circuit for circulating working fluid. A fluid compressor ( | 07-12-2012 |
20120260765 | RING CAM AND FLUID-WORKING MACHINE INCLUDING RING CAM - A ring cam for a fluid-working machine is formed from a plurality of segments. The segments have piston facing surfaces together defining a working surface of the fluid-working machine. The segments comprise a leading cooperating formation which has a piston facing surface which forms part of the working surface, at a trailing end, and which is recessed from the working surface at a leading end, and a trailing cooperating formation which has a piston facing surface which forms part of the working surface at a leading end, and which is recessed from the working surface at a trailing end. The cooperating formations interlock and rollers are thereby handed over smoothly from one segment to the next irrespective of slight variations in alignment due to manufacturing tolerance or wear. | 10-18-2012 |
20120260795 | RING CAM AND FLUID-WORKING MACHINE INCLUDING RING CAM - A fluid-working machine comprising a ring cam, at least one piston defining a working chamber, and at least one valve associated with the or each working chamber for connecting the working chamber alternately to low and high pressure manifolds in phased relationship to cycles of working chamber volume. The ring cam has a wave-like cam working surface for operative engagement with the at least one piston. The waves of the wave-like cam surface each having a leading face and a trailing face and discontinuities, such as apertures to retain bolts, are located in the working surface on whichever of the leading face and the trailing face the at least one piston does least work during normal operation resulting from the flow of fluid into and out of the working chamber in phased relationship to cycles of working chamber volume. | 10-18-2012 |
20120312158 | RING CAM AND FLUID-WORKING MACHINE INCLUDING RING CAM - A ring cam for a fluid-working machine is formed from a plurality of segments. The segments comprise a leading cooperating formation which has a piston facing surface which forms part of the working surface, at a trailing end, and which is recessed from the working surface at a leading end, and a trailing cooperating formation which has a piston facing surface which forms part of the working surface at a leading end, and which is recessed from the working surface at a trailing end. The segments having piston facing surfaces which are in compressive stress such as to partially or fully compensate for tensile stress arising from the action of rollers in use. The segments form a wavelike cam surface and attachment means are provided, through the working surface, on whichever of the leading or trailing surfaces thereof is subject to lowest forces from pistons in use. | 12-13-2012 |
20130149171 | FLUID-WORKING MACHINE WITH MULTI-LOBE RING CAM - A fluid-working machine for a renewable energy generation device, the fluid-working machine comprising a ring cam and a plurality of working chambers, the ring cam having an annular working surface extending around an axis of rotation of the ring cam, the annular working surface defining a plurality of waves, each working chamber having a piston, each piston in operative engagement with the ring cam working surface, the ring cam and working chambers being mounted to rotate relative to each other, cycles of working chamber volume being thereby coupled to rotation of the ring cam relative to the working chambers, characterised in that the individual waves of the ring cam working surface have an asymmetric profile. | 06-13-2013 |