Face mount interface for an electro-hydraulic actuator

A hydraulic cylinder has a main body portion with a piston bore extending in a longitudinal direction of the main body portion from a first end to a second end of the main body portion. A first cylinder mounting bracket extends in the longitudinal direction and has at least one aperture disposed along the length of the bracket for locating and securing the hydraulic cylinder to a structure. A manifold mounting portion extends in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion and has a first fluid passageway extending in the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end. Thus, a manifold can be mounted to the manifold mounting portion at one of a plurality of different positions and/or orientations along the length of the hydraulic cylinder while allowing fluid communication between a fluid port of the manifold and the fluid passageway of the manifold mounting portion.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to hydraulic actuators, and more particularly to a face mount interface allowing for a number of orientations and positions of the manifold with respect to the cylinder.

BACKGROUND

Mounts for electro-hydraulic actuators are typically located in one or more fixed positions and require special banjo bolts to affix the mount to the cylinder.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In order to provide more manufacturing flexibility, proposed is an electr0-hydraulic actuator mounting interface that allows for customizable orientation and location of a hydraulic manifold to a cylinder housing.

According to one aspect of the invention, a hydraulic cylinder has a main body portion with a piston bore extending in a longitudinal direction of the main body portion from a first end to a second end of the main body portion. A first cylinder mounting bracket extends in the longitudinal direction and has at least one aperture disposed along the length of the bracket for locating and securing the hydraulic cylinder to a structure. A manifold mounting portion extends in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion and has a first fluid passageway extending in the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end. Thus, a manifold can be mounted to the manifold mounting portion at one of a plurality of different positions and/or orientations along the length of the hydraulic cylinder while allowing fluid communication between a fluid port of the manifold and the fluid passageway of the manifold mounting portion.

Optionally, the the manifold mounting portion further includes a fluid aperture selectively positioned along the length of the manifold mounting portion, the aperture extending from a mounting surface of the manifold mounting portion to the fluid passageway.

Optionally, the manifold mounting portion further includes a second fluid passageway extending in the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end.

Optionally, the manifold mounting portion further includes a pair of fluid apertures selectively positioned along the length of the bracket, the apertures extending from a mounting surface of the manifold mounting portion to respective fluid passageways.

Optionally, the cylinder mounting bracket extends from the first end to the second end.

Optionally, the hydraulic cylinder further includes a second cylinder mounting bracket laterally juxtaposed to the first cylinder mounting bracket.

Optionally, the hydraulic cylinder is in combination with a hydraulic manifold mounted to the manifold mounting portion and fluidly connected to the fluid passageways.

Optionally, the manifold is fastened to the mounting bracket by at least one fastener.

Optionally, the at least one fastener is not a banjo bolt.

Optionally, the manifold mounting portion is a solid, monolithic structure that is formed as one piece with the cylinder housing.

Optionally, the cylinder housing is formed by casting or extrusion, the manifold mounting portion being formed with the cylinder housing as a single monolithic structure.

Optionally, the fluid passageway is parallel with the cylinder piston bore.

Optionally, the at least one aperture is a plurality of apertures regularly spaced along the length of the mounting bracket.

According to another aspect of the invention, a piston-cylinder manifold is configured to mount to the hydraulic cylinder.

Optionally, the piston-cylinder manifold includes a mounting face having fluid ports spaced correspondingly to fluid passages of the hydraulic cylinder to which the manifold is intended to be mounted.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method of manufacturing a hydraulic cylinder includes casting or extruding a body including a main body portion and a manifold mounting portion; machining the body, wherein the machining does not include machining the manifold mounting portion to include one or more apertures extending from a mounting surface to fluid passageways extending along the length of the body; and machining one or more apertures in the manifold mounting portion at a selected location along a length of the manifold mounting portion.

Optionally, the method further includes mounting the manifold to the manifold mounting portion.

Optionally, the method further includes machining a flat mounting surface on the manifold mounting portion for attachment of a corresponding flat surface of a manifold.

Optionally, the method further includes receiving a specification from a customer; and thereafter machining the one or more apertures in the manifold mounting portion at a selected location along the length of the manifold mounting portion based on the specification.

Optionally, the body is cast or extruded as a single monolithic piece.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG. 1, the face mount interface assembly for an electro-hydraulic actuator (EHA) is shown generally at10. The assembly includes a cylinder housing12and a manifold14of the EHA secured to the cylinder body of the EHA through the use of through-hole bolts15. The cylinder housing12may use an extrusion design with through holes (fluid passageways)16that extend along the length of the cylinder housing12and allow the manifold14to be positioned anywhere on the cylinder housing12.

In particular, the hydraulic cylinder housing12includes a main body portion18having a main cylinder piston bore20extending along a longitudinal axis in a longitudinal direction from a first end22to a second end24. One or more cylinder mounting brackets26extending in the longitudinal direction and having a plurality of apertures28selectively positioned along the length of the bracket may be rigidly coupled to the main body portion18. The fluid passageways16may extend through a manifold mounting portion30which extends in the longitudinal direction from the first end to the second end and is rigidly coupled to the cylinder housing, opposite the cylinder mounting brackets.

The cylinder mounting brackets26may extend from the first end22to the second end24, but may also extend various other lengths. For example, other embodiments might include one or more cylinder mounting brackets extending from one of the first or second ends to approximately the middle of the cylinder housing12. In some embodiments, the cylinder body may include only one mounting bracket23, while others may include a second cylinder mounting bracket laterally juxtaposed to the first cylinder mounting bracket, as shown in the figures.

Referring now toFIGS. 4-7, the manifold mounting portion30may include one or more fluid passageways16, but preferably includes two fluid passageways16that extend parallel to each other and to the cylinder piston bore20. The manifold mounting portion30may include one or more, preferably two, fluid apertures32selectively positioned along the length of the bracket30, the aperture extending from a mounting (register) surface34of the manifold mounting portion30to the respective fluid passageways16to provide fluid communication between fluid passageways in an attached manifold and the fluid passageways16of the cylinder housing12. The mounting surface34may be, for example, a separately machined, rectangular pad that allows for proper hydraulic sealing between the manifold and the cylinder body. The fluid apertures32may include counter-bores36for receiving respective seal members37(for example, O-rings) to seal corresponding manifold hydraulic ports52to the fluid apertures32.

The manifold mounting portion30may also include positioning holes38for receiving positioning pins39(received in corresponding positioning holes41on the manifold) used to precisely locate the manifold14with respect to the cylinder housing12.

The manifold may be fastened to the mounting bracket by a plurality of fasteners15(e.g., bolts) extending through holes43in the manifold and fastened at, for example, fastener holes40(e.g., threaded holes). In exemplary embodiments, the fasteners are not banjo bolts. Rather, the fasteners are dedicated fasteners and fluid communication is provided through the separately formed fluid apertures32.

In some embodiments, the manifold mounting portion30is a solid, monolithic structure that is formed as one piece with the cylinder housing20. For example, the cylinder housing20may be formed by casting or extrusion, the manifold mounting portion30being cast or extruded with the cylinder housing20as a single monolithic structure. The one or more cylinder mounting brackets may be similarly formed as part of the monolithic structure.

The hydraulic cylinder housing12may be formed, for example, by extruding the body as a single monolithic piece including the cylinder mounting bracket26, the cylinder housing20, and the manifold mounting portion30. Then, the body may be machined to include one or more of the other-described features (or other features not described herein), but not to include the one or more apertures32in the manifold mounting portion that extend from the mounting surface34to the fluid passageways16extending along the length of the body12. Then, an order from a customer may be received. From such an order, the location and orientation of the manifold14(for example, the orientation shown inFIG. 1, or one in which the manifold is rotated180degrees about an axis parallel to the axes of the locating pins39and fasteners15) may be determined. Thereafter, one or more apertures in the manifold mounting portion at a desired location may be machined.

Alternatively, the cylinder mounting bracket(s)26may be separately formed and suitably mounted to the main body portion by, e.g., welding or the like.

Such a process allows the body may be machined to include all features except those associated with the mounting of the manifold14so that upon receipt of customized orders, the cylinder body may be quickly and efficiently finished. This process results in smaller inventory requirements, quick order fulfillment, and flexible configurations for the customer.

FIG. 3shows an example port configuration used on the manifold14. The through holes43where bolts15connect to threaded holes40is shown. The method of putting the holes through the manifold allows for a low cost die cast manifold14that allows minimal additional material and significantly reduces the profile of the assembly10. The hydraulic ports52communicate to the fluid apertures32on the cylinder housing12.