TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a swash-plate controlling apparatus for a swash-plate
type pump or a swash-plate type motor enabling to set an input torque and an output
torque to an almost constant value by controlling a tilting angle of the swash-plate
for the swash-plate type pump and the swash-plate type motor.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A swash-plate type pump is a pump in which a discharge amount (capacity) per unit
number of rotation is controlled to be increased or decreased by tilting the swash-plate.
The capacity becomes large when a tilting angle of the swash plate is increased, while
a small capacity is given for a decreased tilting angle. An input torque of the swash-plate
type pump is calculated by multiplying a pressure of a delivered pressurized-oil by
the capacity.
[0003] A swash-plate type motor is one in which an influent amount (capacity) per unit number
of rotation is controlled to be increased or decreased by tilting the swash-plate.
The capacity becomes large when a tilting angle of the swash-plate is increased, while
a small capacity is given for a decreased tilting angle. An output torque of the swash-plate
type motor is calculated by multiplying a pressure of a supplied pressurized-oil by
the capacity.
[0004] For the purpose of retaining the input torque of the swash-plate type pump to a constant
value, it is sufficient to control the tilting angle of the swash-plate by utilizing
the pressure of the delivered pressurized oil. As an example of such apparatus for
controlling the tilting angle of the swash plate, for example, an apparatus disclosed
in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. SHO 52-90802 is well known.
[0005] The apparatus described above is constructed in a manner that a first pushing device
and a servo valve are provided in a housing, so that the first pushing device pushes
the swash-plate in a direction for decreasing the tilting angle or the servo valve
pushes the swash-plate in a direction for increasing the tilting angle.
[0006] In this regard, the servo valve comprises: a housing; a piston slidably inserted
into a first bore formed in the housing; a follow-up sleeve slidably inserted into
a second bore formed in the housing; a servo spool valve slidably inserted into the
follow-up sleeve; a load piston coaxially provided with regard to the servo spool
valve; and a spring or the like for pushing the servo spool valve. In the servo valve
described above, the tilting angle of the swash-plate is controlled by the first pushing
device and the servo valve so as to take an angle which meets the delivery pressure
of the swash-plate type pump.
[0007] However, the swash-plate controlling apparatus described above comprises the first
pushing device and the servo valve, and further comprises a large number of parts
or elements such as the housing, piston, follow-up sleeve, servo spool valve, load
piston, spring or the like, so that assembling work of the apparatus will not only
be complicated but also involve high cost due to large numbers of the parts or elements
to be worked and assembled. In addition, an overall size of the servo valve would
become disadvantageously large, so that a large space is required for installing the
housing, thereby to cause a problem that the swash-plate type pump would be assembled
in a large size.
[0008] The present invention has been achieved for solving the above problems and an object
of the present invention is to provide a swash-plate controlling apparatus for a swash-plate
type pump or a swash-plate type motor which enables to simplify the assembling work
of the apparatus due to the reduced number of the parts or elements, which can be
manufactured at a low cost, and enables to manufacture the swash-plate type pump and
the swash-plate type motor in a small size since an entire size of the apparatus is
small and a space for installing the housing can be reduced.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In order to achieve the above mentioned object, the swash-plate controlling apparatus
for the swash-plate type pump or the swash-plate type motor according to the present
invention comprises: a housing; a cylinder bore formed in the housing; a piston slidably
inserted into the cylinder bore; a large-sized pressure-receiving chamber and a small-sized
pressure-receiving chamber defined at both end sides of the piston, respectively,
for pushing the piston in one or another direction by the action of pressurized oil
charged in the large-sized pressure-receiving chamber and the small-sized pressure-receiving
chamber; a spool bore formed at an axial central portion of the piston; a spool slidably
inserted into the spool bore; a first port, a second port and a drain port each provided
between the piston and the spool for being communicated with or shut off from each
other by the action of a relative movement of the piston and the spool; another pressure-receiving
chamber defined at one end side of the spool for pushing the spool in one direction
by the action of the - pressurized oil charged in another pressure-receiving chamber;
and a spring for urging the piston and the spool in another direction,
wherein the piston is connected to the swash-plate of the swash-plate type pump
or the swash-plate type motor so that a tilting angle of the swash-plate is changed
when the piston is moved;
wherein the small-sized pressure-receiving chamber is communicated with a main
port of the swash-plate type pump or the swash-plate type motor, the first port is
communicated with the small-sized pressure-receiving chamber and the another pressure-receiving
chamber, the second port is communicated with the large-sized pressure-receiving chamber,
and the drain port is communicated with a tank through the housing;
wherein a communication between the first port and the second port is shut off
and the second port is communicated with the drain port when the piston is relatively
moved with respect to the spool in one direction; and
wherein the first port is communicated with the second port and a communication
between the second port and the drain port is shut off when the piston is relatively
moved in another direction with respect to the spool.
[0010] In the construction described above, the swash-plate controlling apparatus adopts
the basic construction in which the piston is inserted into the cylinder bore formed
in the housing, the spool is inserted into the piston, and the spring for urging the
spool is provided, so that it becomes possible to simplify the assembling work of
the apparatus due to the reduced number of the parts or elements, and to manufacture
the apparatus at a low cost. In addition, an entire size of the apparatus becomes
small and a space for installing the housing can be reduced, so that the swash-plate
type pump and the swash-plate type motor can be manufactured in a small size.
[0011] In the structure described above, it is preferable to screw a bolt into the housing
and the bolt is locked by being fastened with a lock nut, and then, the spring is
preferably interposed among the bolt and the piston and the spool.
[0012] According to this structure, when the bolt is tightened or loosened from an outside
the housing, an urging force of the spring can be controlled. This means that a set
value of the input torque of the swash-plate type pump or the output torque of the
swash-plate type motor can be changed by a manual operation to be performed from outside
the housing.
[0013] Further, in the construction described above, it is preferable that the spool is
formed in a stepped-shape having a large-sized portion and a small-sized portion,
the small-sized portion is formed so as to protrude to the small-sized pressure-receiving
chamber, and a rod member of the plug fixed to the piston is fitted into an axial
center portion of the large-sized portion formed in the spool, thereby to define a
pressure-receiving chamber for changing the input torque so that an external pressure
can be supplied to the pressure-receiving chamber for changing the input torque.
[0014] According to this construction, when the pressure of the pressurized oil to be supplied
to the pressure-receiving chamber is changed, a force for pushing the spool in one
direction can be controlled, whereby the set value of the input torque of the swash-plate
type pump or the output torque of the swash-plate type motor can be changed by an
external hydraulic pressure.
[0015] Furthermore, in the construction described above, it is preferable to form the another
pressure-receiving chamber between the plug and the large-sized portion of the spool.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The present invention will become more apparent and more easily be understood from
the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown by way
of illustrative examples.
[0017] Further, the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings are not for specifying
or limiting the scope of this invention, but for merely making the explanation and
understanding of this invention more easily.
[0018] In the accompanying drawings:
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing an operational principle of one embodiment of
a swash-plate controlling apparatus for a swash-plate type pump and a swash-plate
type motor according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the swash-plate type pump described
above;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. 2.
BEST MODE FOR EMBODYING THE INVENTION
[0019] The preferred embodiment of the swash-plate controlling apparatus for a swash-plate
type pump and a swash-plate type motor according to the present invention will be
described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0020] At first, a principle of the swash-plate controlling apparatus for a swash-plate
type pump and a swash-plate type motor will be explained hereunder.
(Structure)
[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, a swash-plate type pump 2 and a fixed-capacity type pump 3 are
constructed so as to be driven by an engine 1. A swash-plate 4 of the swash-plate
type pump 2 is tilted by a piston 6 of a cylinder 5 through a link 16, and the piston
6 is pushed in a direction for decreasing the tilting angle by the action of the pressurized
oil filling in the large-sized pressure-receiving chamber 7, or the piston 6 is pushed
in a direction for increasing the tilting angle by the action of the spring 9 and
the pressurized oil filling in the small-sized pressure-receiving chamber 8.
[0022] The large-sized pressure-receiving chamber 7 is connected to be switchable to either
one of a tank 18 or a pump delivery path 11 (through the small-sized pressure-receiving
chamber 8) by a switching operation of a change-over valve 10. The small-sized pressure-receiving
chamber 8 is normally connected to the pump delivery path 11 of the swash-plate type
pump 2. The change-over valve 10 is pushed to take a drain position A by the spring
12, or pushed to take a supply position B by the pressurized oil in a first pressure-receiving
portion 13 and a second pressure-receiving portion 14.
[0023] The first pressure-receiving portion 13 is connected to the pump delivery path 11
of the swash-plate type pump 2 through the small-sized pressure-receiving chamber
8, and the second pressure-receiving portion 14 is connected to the delivery path
15 of the fixed-capacity type pump 3. Further, the spring 12 of the change-over valve
10 is connected to the piston 6 through the link 16, whereby a movement of the piston
6 is fed back to the change-over valve 10.
(Operation)
[0024] In a condition as shown in FIG. 1, when a pressure of the delivered pressurized-oil
(hereinafter referred to as simply to "delivery pressure") of the swash-plate type
pump 2 is increased, the change-over valve 10 is pushed to take the supply position
B whereby the delivered pressurized-oil from the swash-plate type pump 2 is also supplied
to the large-sized pressure-receiving chamber 7. As the result, the piston 6 is pushed
in a direction for decreasing the tilting angle by a pressure difference dependent
on a difference in pressure-receiving areas between the large-sized pressure-receiving
chamber 7 and the small-sized pressure-receiving chamber 8, so that the tilting angle
of the swash-plate 4 is decreased thereby to reduce the capacity of the swash-plate
type pump 2.
[0025] Further, when the link 16 is moved in the right direction in FIG. 1 in accordance
with a movement of the piston 6, an urging force of the spring 12 is increased and
the change-over valve 10 is then pushed to take the drain position A, whereby the
large-sized pressure-receiving chamber 7 is communicated with the tank 18. As a result,
the piston 6 is pushed in the direction for increasing the tilting angle by the action
of the spring 9 and the delivery pressure of the pressurized oil supplied from the
swash-plate type pump 2 to the small-sized pressure-receiving chamber 8, so that the
tilting angle of the swash-plate 4 increases, thereby to increase the capacity of
the swash-plate type pump 2.
[0026] As a result, upon repeating the sequential operations described above, the swash-plate
4 is controlled so as to provide a tilting angle so that a product of the delivery
pressure and the capacity (i.e., the input torque) would be an almost constant value.
[0027] In this regard, the change-over valve 10 can be switched to take the supply position
B by also the pressure in the second pressure-receiving portion 14, so that the input
torque can be set to an arbitrary value by changing the pressure in the second pressure-receiving
portion 14.
[0028] Next, a concrete structure of the swash-plate controlling apparatus will be explained
hereunder.
(Structure of The Swash-Plate Type Pump 2)
[0029] As shown in FIG. 2, a shaft 22 is rotatably supported in the housing 20 and a cylinder
block 21 is fixed to the shaft 22. The cylinder block 21 is formed to have a plurality
of cylinder bores 23 whose axes are parallel to an axis of the cylinder block 21.
A piston 24 is slidably inserted into the respective cylinder bores 23, and an end
portion of the piston 24 is formed so as to slidably move along a front surface 4a
of the swash-plate 4 through a shoe 19 in a circumferential direction of the swash-plate
4. Whenever the cylinder block 21 rotates by a rotation angle of about 180°, a piston
chamber 25 of the cylinder bore 23 is alternately communicated with the main port
26 or the drain port (not shown). Consequently, while the cylinder block 21 rotates
by a rotation angle of about 180°, the pressurized oil is sucked into the piston chamber
25, and while rotating at the remaining angle of 180°, the oil in the piston chamber
25 is pressurized thereby to be discharged from the main port 26.
[0030] By the way, a back surface 4b of the swash-plate 4 constitutes a part of a cylinder
surface which is to be formed around a center axis contained in this specification
paper, the center axis also being normal to the shaft 22 shown in FIG. 2. The swash-plate
2 is swingably supported along a guide portion 27 which constitutes a part of the
cylinder surface mating with the back surface 4b of the housing 20. When a slider
28 connected to the swash plate 4 is moved by a control apparatus 29 in a direction
normal to this specification paper, the swash-plate 4 swings around the axis of the
cylinder surface, thereby to change the tilting angle of the swash-plate 4.
(Concrete Structure of The Controlling Apparatus 29)
[0031] As shown in FIGs. 3, 4 and 5, the housing 20 has a large-sized first screw bore 30,
a cylinder bore 31 and small-sized second screw bore 32 that are coaxially and continuously
formed along the same center axis. A first stopper 33 is screwed into the first screw
bore 30 and is locked by a lock nut 34, while a second stopper 35 is screwed into
the second screw bore 32 and is locked by another lock nut 36.
[0032] The cylinder bore 31 is formed in a stepped-shaped bore comprising a large-sized
cylinder bore 37 and a small-sized cylinder bore 38. A cutout portion 39 is formed
at a part of a circumferential wall of the large-sized cylinder bore 37 so as to open
toward a portion in the housing 20, and a slider 28 connected to the swash-plate 4
is positioned at the cutout portion 39.
[0033] Further, a piston 40 is inserted into the cylinder bore 31, and the piston 40 is
formed in a shape of stepped-piston comprising a large-sized piston 41 inserted into
the large-sized cylinder bore 37 and a small-sized piston 42 inserted into the small-sized
cylinder bore 38. Consequently, a large-sized pressure-receiving chamber 43 is formed
between the large-sized piston 41 and the first stopper 33, while a small-sized pressure-receiving
chamber 44 is formed between the large-sized piston 42 and the second stopper 35.
[0034] Furthermore, a spool bore 45 is formed at a center axial portion of the large-sized
piston 41, while a large-sized bore 46 is formed at a center axial portion of the
small-sized piston 42. The spool bore 45 is formed in a shape of stepped-bore into
which the spool 47 having a step is inserted. At an axial center of the large-sized
portion 48 formed in the spool 47, a rod member 50 provided at a plug 49 inserted
into a left end portion of the large-sized piston 41 is inserted, thereby to form
a first pressure-receiving chamber 51, and the first pressure-receiving chamber 51
is communicated with an annular groove 52 of the large-sized portion 48. In addition,
the plug 49 is locked by a screw plug 53 screwed into the large-sized piston 41, and
a second pressure-receiving chamber 54 is formed between the plug 49 and an end surface
of the large-sized portion 48.
[0035] In addition, at an axial center portion of the spool 47, a bore 55 is formed in the
axial direction, and one end portion of the bore 55 is opened toward an end surface
of the small-sized portion 56 of the spool 47, thereby to be communicated with the
small-sized pressure-receiving chamber 44. The other end portion of the bore 55 is
communicated with the first port 58 which is composed of an annular groove formed
at an outer circumferential surface of the large-sized portion 48 through a bore 57
formed in a radial direction.
[0036] In addition, as shown in FIGs. 4 and 5, the first port 58 is communicated with the
second pressure-receiving chamber 54 through a first small-sized hole 59 formed in
a radial direction, a slit-shaped recessed portion 63 and a second small-sized hole
60, while the annular recessed portion 52 is communicated with an inlet port 64 through
a third small-sized hole 61 formed in a radial direction and a slit-shaped recessed
portion 62.
[0037] Further, at the large-sized portion of the spool bore 45, a second port 65 formed
of an annular recessed portion and a drain port 66 formed of a small-sized bore are
provided. Furthermore, the second port 65 is communicated with the large-sized pressure-receiving
chamber 43 through a fourth small-sized hole 67 and a fifth small-sized hole 68. The
drain port 66 is communicated with an interior (tank) of the housing 20. In addition,
the small-sized pressure-receiving chamber 10 is communicated with the main port 26
through an oil bore 69 formed in the housing 20.
[0038] A bolt 70 is screw-engaged with the second stopper 35 and then fastened by a lock
nut 71. A spring 74 is provided between a receiver 72 provided at top end of the bolt
70 and a movable receiver 73. In this structure, the movable receiver 73 abuts against
an end portion of the small-sized portion 56 formed on the spool 47 by the action
of an urging force of the spring 74, thereby to push the spool 47 in a left direction
in the figure.
[0039] The large-sized piston 41 is formed with a cutout recessed portion 75 to which the
slider 28 is fitted and connected, whereby the piston 40 is connected to the swash-plate
4.
[0040] Next, an operation of the embodiment will be explained hereunder.
[0041] In an initial state where the pressurized oil is not supplied to the small-sized
pressure-receiving chamber 44, the spool valve 47 and the piston 40 are pushed in
a left direction by the spring 74 and the end surface of the large-sized piston 41
abuts against the first stopper 33, so that a communication between the first port
58 and the second port 65 is shut off, and the second port 65 is communicated with
the drain port 66 whereby the large-sized pressure-receiving chamber 43 is communicated
with the tank.
[0042] Namely, there can be established a state where the change-over valve 10 takes the
drain position A.
[0043] In the state described above, when the pressurized oil (delivered pressurized oil
having a pressure of P
1) in the main port 26 delivered from the swash-plate pump 2 flows into the small-sized
pressure-receiving chamber 44 through the oil bore 69, the pressurized oil flows into
the first port 58 through the bores 55 and 57, and then flows into the second pressure-receiving
chamber 54 through the first small-sized hole 59, the recessed portion 63 and the
second small-sized hole 60, and fills it.
[0044] At this time, the spool 47 is pushed and displaced in the left direction by the action
of the pressure P
1 applied to the end surface of the small-sized portion 56, or pushed in the right
direction by the action of the pressure P
1 applied to the end surface of the large-sized portion 48. In this regard, assuming
that a diameter of the small-sized portion 56 is d
1, a diameter of the rod member 50 is d
2 and a diameter of the large-sized portion 48 is d
3, wherein d
3 > d
2 > d
1, a driving force calculated from an equation of

is applied to the spool 47 so as to move the spool 47 in the right direction.
[0045] When the driving force becomes larger than the urging force of the spring 47, the
spool 47 is pushed in the right direction, so that the first port 58 is communicated
with the second port 65, and a communication between the second port 65 and the drain
port 66 is shut off, whereby the pressurized oil in the first port 58 flows into the
large-sized pressure-receiving chamber 43 through the second port 65, the third small-sized
hole 67 and the fourth small-sized hole 68. That is, the change-over valve 10 shown
in FIG. 1 will be in a state taking the supplying position B, then the delivery pressure
of the swash-plate pump 2 is applied to the large-sized pressure-receiving chamber
43.
[0046] When the pressurized oil flows into the large-sized pressure-receiving chamber 43,
the piston 40 is pushed to move in the right direction by the action of the pressure
difference caused by a difference between the pressure receiving areas of the large-sized
pressure-receiving chamber 43 and the small-sized pressure-receiving chamber 44. As
the result, the swash-plate 4 is tilted by the slider 28 in a direction for decreasing
the tilting angle.
[0047] At this time, even if the piston 40 moves in the right direction, the driving force
for moving the spool 47 in the right direction is balanced with the urging force of
the spring 74, so that the spool 47 remains unmoved, and then, the piston 40 relatively
moves with respect to the spool 47.
[0048] When the piston 40 is moved in the right direction by a predetermined distance, the
communication between the first port 58 and the second port 65 is shut off, and the
second port 65 is communicated with the drain port 66, whereby the pressurized oil
in the large-sized pressure-receiving chamber 43 flows into the tank through the drain
port 66. At this time, the piston 40 moves in the left direction by the action of
the pressure in the small-sized pressure-receiving chamber 44, so that the first port
58 is communicated with the second port 65, and the communication between the second
port 65 and the drain port 66 is shut off.
[0049] By repeating the above mentioned operations, the piston 40 is stopped to a position
corresponding to the delivery pressure. As a result, the tilting angle of the swash-plate
4 i.e., the capacity of the swash-plate type pump 2 is controlled to be a value corresponding
to the delivery pressure, whereby the input torque of the swash-plate type pump 2
can be set to a constant value as the set value.
[0050] Further, in the above explanations, an explanation regarding to an operation of the
pressurized oil in the first pressure-receiving chamber 51 is omitted. However, the
first pressure-receiving chamber 51 is equivalent to the second pressure-receiving
chamber 14. Therefore, when the spool 47 is pushed to move rightward by the action
of the pressurized oil in the first pressure-receiving chamber 51, the value of the
input torque can be changed.
[0051] Further, when the lock nut 71 is loosened and then the bolt 70 is tightened or loosened
so as to change the urging force of the spring 74, the set value of the input torque
can also be changed.
[0052] Furthermore, when the lock nuts 34 and 36 are loosened and then the first stopper
33 and the second stopper 35 are forwardly or backwardly moved to change the positions
thereof, a maximum tilting angle and a minimum tilting angle of the swash-plate can
be changed.
[0053] Though the embodiment described above relates to the swash-plate type pump, the structure
of the swash-plate controlling apparatus according to the present invention can also
be applied to the swash-plate type motor in the same manner as in the swash-plate
type pump. In such a case, the pressurized oil is supplied to the main port 26 from
a hydraulic pump, so that the apparatus may be constructed so as to introduce the
pressurized oil supplied from the hydraulic pump into the small-sized pressure-receiving
chamber 44 through the main port 26 and the oil bore 69.
[0054] As described above, according to the swash-plate controlling apparatus for the swash-plate
type pump or the swash-plate type motor of the present invention, the tilting angle
of the swash-plate is controlled to be an angle corresponding to the hydraulic pressure
of the main port 26, so that the input torque of the swash-plate type pump or the
output torque of the swash-plate type motor can be set to an almost constant value.
[0055] In addition, the swash-plate controlling apparatus according to the present invention
adopts a basic structure in which the piston 40 is inserted into the cylinder bore
31 formed in the housing 20, the spool 47 is inserted into the piston 40, and the
spring 74 for urging the spool 47 is provided, so that it becomes possible to simplify
the assembling work of the apparatus due to the reduced number of the parts or elements,
and to manufacture the apparatus at a low cost. In addition, an entire size of the
apparatus becomes small and a space for installing the housing can be reduced, so
that the swash-plate type pump and the swash-plate type motor can be manufactured
in a small size.
[0056] Furthermore, according to the swash-plate controlling apparatus of the present invention,
when the bolt 70 is tightened or loosened from outside the housing 20, the urging
force of the spring 74 can be controlled. This means that a set value of the input
torque of the swash-plate type pump or the output torque of the swash-plate type motor
can be changed by a manual operation to be performed from outside the housing.
[0057] In addition, according to the swash-plate controlling apparatus of the present invention,
when the pressure of the pressurized oil to be supplied to the pressure-receiving
chamber 51 is changed, a force for pushing the spool 47 in one direction can be controlled,
whereby the set value of the input torque of the swash-plate type pump or the output
torque of the swash-plate type motor can be changed by an external hydraulic pressure.
[0058] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the exemplified
embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications,
changes, omissions, additions and other variations can be made in the disclosed embodiments
of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the present
invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the described embodiments and shall include the scope specified by the
elements defined in the appended claims and scope equivalent to the claims.