Hydraulic systems are commonly employed on aircraft to perform a variety of different operations. For example, hydraulic systems may be used to start one or more engines, move control surfaces and apply wheel brakes, among other things. Aircraft sometimes use multiple independent hydraulic circuits that employ altogether different componentry, even in cases in which independent componentry is redundant or unnecessary. The redundant use of hydraulic components increases the weight of the aircraft, adds to aircraft cost and occupies valuable space within the aircraft. Accordingly, a need has arisen for a hydraulic system having two or more hydraulic subsystems that share one or more components, thereby mitigating the aforementioned problems, among others, found in current hydraulic systems.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds