Pressure regulator

Claim 2

A hydraulic pressure regulating device including means defining a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, an orifice disposed in said inlet and having a predetermined cross-sectional area for metering the flow of pressurized fluid relative to said chamber, a source of hydraulic pressure coupled to said inlet, electroresponsive regulating means having a plunger means oriented in an opposed relation relative to said orifice and adjacent thereto, operable to move said plunger said regulating means being operable to move said plunger in a timed relation in response to each of a series of electrical pulse signals for movement from a first position relative to said orifice to a second position and for returning said plunger means to its first position upon cessation of each pulse signal for changing the effective flow area of said orifice whereby the pressure in said chamber varies with the integral of said signals, and pressure responsive means communicating with said chamber and movable from a null position in response to changes in pressure within said chamber.

Claim 3

The pressure regulating device set forth in claim 1 wherein said plunger means is displaced first and second predetermined finite distances from said orifice when it is in each of its first and second positions respectively.

Claim 4

The pressure regulator set forth in claim 2 and including means for modifying the width of said pulse signals for changing the pressure within said chamber.

Claim 5

The pressure regulator set forth in claim 3 wherein said pressure responsive means include piston means, biasing means for biasing said piston means into said null position, said piston means being movable out of its null position in response to pressure changes within said chamber.

Claim 6

The pressure regulator set forth in claim 4 and including means defining a passage for coupling a hydraulic device to a source of hydraulic pressure, said pressure responsive means being disposed in said passage means and being operative for changing the flow rate of fluid between said source and said hydraulic device upon movement into and out of its null position.

Claim 7

The pressure regulator set forth in claim 2 wherein a second orifice is disposed in said outlet.

Claim 8

The pressure regulator set forth in claim 6 wherein said pressure responsive means include piston means, biasing means for biasing said piston means into said null position, said piston means being movable out of its null position in response to pressure changes within said chamber.

Claim 9

The pressure regulator set forth in claim 7 and including means defining a passage for coupling a hydraulic device to a source of hydraulic pressure, said pressure responsive means being disposed in said passage means and being operative for changing the flow rate of fluid between said source and said hydraulic device on movement into and out of its null position.

Claim 10

The pressure regulator set forth in claim 1 and including means defining first and second chambers, first and second orifices for metering the flow of pressurized fluid relative to first and second chambers respectively,

Claim 11

first and second regulating means each having plunger means associated with one of said orifices respectively, means for selectively energizing one of said first and second regulating means with a series of pulse signals whereby the plunger associated with the energized regulating means is moved relative to its associated orifice to vary the pressure within one of said cylinders.

Claim 12

first and second regulating means each having plunger means associated with one of said orifices respectively, means for selectively energizing one of said first and second regulating means with a series of pulse signals whereby the plunger associated with the energized regulating means is moved relative to its associated orifice to vary the pressure within one of said cylinders.

Claim 13

The pressure regulator set forth in claim 9 wherein each of said first and second said orifices has a pre-determined cross-sectional area, said regulating means including first and second electroresponsive means each having a plunger means oriented in an opposed relation respectively relative to said first and second orifices, each said electroresponsive means being operative in response to an electrical pulse signal for movement from a first position relative to the one of said orifices to a second position and for returning said plunger means to its first position upon the cessation of each pulse signal.

Claim 14

The pressure regulator set forth in claim 10 and including pressure responsive means communicating with said chambers and movable from a null position in a first direction in response to a change in pressure within said first chamber and in a second direction in response to a change in pressure within said second chamber.

Claim 15

The pressure regulator set forth in claim 11 and including means for modifying the width of said pulse signals for changing pressure within said chamber and for selectively applying said pulse signals to said first or second electroresponsive means.

Claim 16

The pressure regulator set forth in claim 12 wherein said pressure responsive means includes piston means, biasing means for biasing said piston means into said null position, said piston means being movable out of its null position in response to pressure changes within said first or second chambers.

Claim 17

The pressure regulator set forth in claim 13 and including means defining a passage for coupling a hydraulic device to a source of hydraulic pressure, said pressure responsive means being disposed in said passage means and being operative for changing the direction and flow rate of fluid between said source and said hydraulic device upon movement into and out of its null position.

Claim 18

The pressure regulator set forth in claim 14 wherein each said chamber has an inlet and an outlet, said first and second orifices being disposed respectively in said inlets, the first position of said plungers, being adjacent said orifice, whereby the pressure in said chambers is related to the integral of said pulse signals.

Claim 19

The pressure regulator set forth in claim 15 wherein third and fourth orifices are disposed in the outlets of said first and second chambers respectively.

Claim 20

The pressure regulating device set forth in claim 2 wherein the electroresponsive regulating means comprises a solenoid having a response time shorter than the duration of said pulse signals or the interval therebetween whereby said plunger will move to its second position upon the initiation of each signal and return to its first position upon the cessation thereof.

Claim 23

The method set forth in claim 18 and including the steps of progressively increasing the width of said pulse signals during a first time period and progressively decreasing the width of said pulse signals during a second time period whereby the pressure within said chamber will increase during said first period and decrease during said second period.

Claim 25

The method set forth in claim 18 and including the step of progressively modifying the width of said pulse signals from a first width to a second width over a predetermined time period to modify the pressure within said chamber from a first preselected value to a second preselected value.

Claim 26

The method set forth in claim 18 wherein said pulse signals have a predetermined frequency and increasing the integral of said signals from a first value to a second value at a controlled rate so that the pressure within the chamber increases from a first value to a second value at a predetermined controlled rate.

Claim 29

A hydraulic pressure regulating device including means defining a hydraulic chamber having first and second openings, an orifice disposed in one of said openings, a source of hydraulic pressure coupled to one of said openings, pulse generating means for generating a series of discrete electrical pulse signals each having a time duration and a time interval between pulses, electroresponsive regulating means including a plunger disposed in an oppposed relation relative to said orifice, said regulating means being coupled to said pulse generating means and operable to move said plunger from a first poistion displaced a first predetermined distance from the orifice upon the initiation of each pulse signal to a second position displaced a second predetermined distance from said orifice and for returning the plunger to its first position upon the termination of a pulse signal so that the effective flow area of the orifice is a function of the time integral of the pulse signals, and means for modifying the integral of said pulse signal so that the pressure within said chamber can be modified at a controlled rate.

Claim 30

A hydraulic pressure regulating device including means defining a hydraulic chamber having first and second openings, an orifice disposed in one of said openings, a source of hydraulic pressure coupled to one of said openings, pulse generating means for generating a series of discrete electrical pulse signals each having a time duration and a time interval between pulses, electroresponsive regulating means including a plunger disposed in an oppposed relation relative to said orifice, said regulating means being coupled to said pulse generating means and operable to move said plunger from a first poistion displaced a first predetermined distance from the orifice upon the initiation of each pulse signal to a second position displaced a second predetermined distance from said orifice and for returning the plunger to its first position upon the termination of a pulse signal so that the effective flow area of the orifice is a function of the time integral of the pulse signals, and means for modifying the integral of said pulse signal so that the pressure within said chamber can be modified at a controlled rate.