US 12,404,787 B2
Hydraulic valve actuation system with controlled valve seating velocity and method therefor
Steven E Massey, Woodland Park, CO (US); and Tibor Kiss, Manitou Springs, CO (US)
Assigned to ARA4 Consulting LLC, 25 Railroad Avenue, Warwick, NY (US)
Filed by ARA4 Consulting LLC, Warwick, NY (US)
Filed on Feb. 5, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/432,226.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/483,281, filed on Feb. 4, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0263573 A1, Aug. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. F01L 9/10 (2021.01); F01L 9/40 (2021.01); F01L 1/26 (2006.01)
CPC F01L 9/10 (2021.01) [F01L 9/40 (2021.01); F01L 1/26 (2013.01); F01L 2009/4086 (2021.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A hydraulic actuator, comprising:
a cylindrical housing including:
a top stop,
a bottom stop,
an actuating chamber defined by the housing and an inside surface of the top stop so as to extend along a central axis of the housing, and
a damping chamber defined by the housing and an inside surface of the bottom stop so as to extend along the central axis; and
a hydraulically-actuated drive piston including:
a top section formed at a first end of the drive piston, the top section configured to reciprocate within the actuating chamber along the central axis, and
a damping section formed at a second end of the drive piston opposite the first end, the damping section configured to reciprocate within the damping chamber along the central axis;
wherein an annulus consisting of an annular fluid communication path is formed between at least one surface of the damping section and at least one surface of the damping chamber such that an area of the annulus varies based on a location of the damping section relative to the damping chamber so as to controllably dampen a velocity of the drive piston during each actuation cycle of the actuator,
wherein a diameter of the damping section is greater than a diameter of the top section,
wherein a diameter of the damping chamber is greater than a diameter of the actuating chamber so as to accommodate the damping section, and
wherein the drive piston is included entirely within the housing such that, during operation of the drive piston, the damping section remains in the damping chamber, and the top section is at least partially disposed in the actuating chamber.