Hydraulic machine with electronically controlled valves

Abstract

A hydraulic machine includes a number of piston/cylinder units which are each controlled by valves positioned upstream and downstream. The valves are in turn activated by an electronic regulator to switch the hydraulic machine selectively into a pump operating mode and a motor operating mode. The regulator selectively switches the individual piston/cylinder units or unit groups separately from one another into individually selectable operating modes as a function of certain regulating variables.

1 . A hydraulic machine comprising:
 a number of valves;   an electronic regulator configured to activate the number of valves so as to switch the hydraulic machine selectively into a pump operating mode and a motor operating mode; and   a number of piston/cylinder units which are controlled by the number of valves positioned upstream and downstream,   wherein the regulator is configured to selectively switch the piston/cylinder units as individual piston/cylinder units or unit groups separately from one another into individually selectable operating modes.   
     
     
         2 . The hydraulic machine as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a setpoint pressure input device configured to predefine a setpoint pressure for the regulator, wherein the regulator is configured to switch the hydraulic machine as a whole into one of the pump operating mode and the motor operating mode in accordance with the setpoint pressure.   
     
     
         3 . The hydraulic machine as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a pressure sensor configured to detect an actual pressure value; and   a comparator configured to determine a deviation between the detected actual pressure value and the predefined setpoint pressure value, wherein the regulator is configured to select the piston/cylinder units of the hydraulic machine individually or in groups and to switch the selected piston/cylinder units into a different selected operating mode based on the deviation.   
     
     
         4 . The hydraulic machine as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein, within the operating mode individually selected for selected piston/cylinder units or unit groups, the regulator is configured to selectively switch into one of full-load operation and part-load operation. 
     
     
         5 . The hydraulic machine as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein, the regulator is configured to switch the selected piston-cylinder units or unit groups selectively into the motor operating mode and to leave unselected piston-cylinder units in the pump operating mode when the hydraulic machine is in the pump operating mode. 
     
     
         6 . The hydraulic machine as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the regulator is configured to switch the selected piston-cylinder units or unit groups selectively into the pump operating mode and to leave unselected piston-cylinder units in the motor operating mode when the hydraulic machine is in the motor operating mode. 
     
     
         7 . The hydraulic machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the regulator is configured to adjust one of a pressure, a torque and a volume flow rate. 
     
     
         8 . A regulating method for the selective operation of a hydraulic machine, which has a multiplicity of piston/cylinder units, in a pump or motor operating mode, comprising:
 detecting one of an actual pressure value and an actual torque value in a hydraulic system connected to the hydraulic machine;   comparing the one of the actual pressure value and the actual torque value with a setpoint value and determining a deviation; and   switching a present operating mode individually for selected piston-cylinder units or unit groups as a function of the deviation.   
     
     
         9 . The regulating method as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising:
 adjusting at least one of a displacement and a delivery volume of the piston/cylinder units individually or in groups exclusively for at least one of the selected piston/cylinder units and the non-selected units.