System and method for hydraulic actuator lock valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10487474-B2
Application number	US-201715632240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2017
Priority date	Jun 23, 2017
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

System and method for a lock valve for a hydraulic actuator. The lock valve includes a valve housing coupled to the hydraulic actuator. The valve housing defines a chamber in selective fluid communication with a hydraulic circuit. The lock valve includes a valve body received within the chamber and responsive to the hydraulic circuit to move to an unlock position in which the lock valve is unlocked. The valve body includes a rod having a first end and an opposite second end. The valve body includes a head coupled to the rod between the first end and the second end. The head is responsive to the hydraulic circuit to move the valve body to the unlock position, and in the unlock position, the first end of the rod extends outwardly from the valve housing to visually indicate the lock valve is unlocked.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lock valve for a hydraulic actuator comprising:
a valve housing coupled to the hydraulic actuator, the valve housing defining a chamber in selective fluid communication with a hydraulic circuit, the valve housing having a first window and a second window; and
a valve body received within the chamber and responsive to the hydraulic circuit to move between an unlock position in which the lock valve is unlocked and a lock position in which the lock valve is locked, the valve body including:
a rod having at least one visual indicator, the rod contained within the valve housing, in part by the first window and the second window, when the lock valve is in each of the unlock position and the lock position; and
a head coupled to the rod and responsive to the hydraulic circuit to move the valve body;

wherein the visual indicator is viewable through the first window when the lock valve is in the unlock position and the visual indicator is viewable through the second window when the lock valve is in the lock position.

2. The lock valve of claim 1 , wherein, in the lock position of the lock valve, the visual indicator is not viewable through the first window.

3. The lock valve of claim 1 , wherein, in the lock position of the lock valve, the visual indicator is viewable through the first window and the second window.

4. The lock valve of claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator is located at one end of the rod; and
wherein the first window and the second window are located on the valve housing proximate the end of the rod having the visual indicator.

5. The lock valve of claim 1 , wherein the visual indicator includes first and second visual indicators located at opposite ends of the rod; and
wherein the first window is located on the valve housing proximate the first visual indicator and the second window is located on the valve housing proximate the second visual indicator.

6. The lock valve of claim 1 , wherein the valve body further comprises a biasing member and a valve seat coupled to the rod, the biasing member biases the valve seat toward the lock position of the lock valve.

7. The lock valve of claim 1 , wherein in the unlock position, the hydraulic actuator is in fluid communication with a second hydraulic circuit to enable movement of the hydraulic actuator.

8. The lock valve of claim 1 , further including a lock pin;
wherein the valve housing further defines a first bore and the rod defines a second bore; and
wherein the lock pin is received within the first bore and the second bore to retain the valve body in the lock position.

9. An agricultural work vehicle having an engine, an operator seat and a header that is movable by actuation of a hydraulic actuator over a range of motion relative to a ground surface, the agricultural work vehicle comprising:
a lock valve coupled to the hydraulic actuator, the lock valve including:
a valve housing coupled to the hydraulic actuator that defines a chamber in selective fluid communication with a hydraulic circuit;
a valve body received within the chamber and responsive to the hydraulic circuit to move between an unlock position in which the lock valve is unlocked and a lock position in which the lock valve is locked, the valve body including:
a rod; and
a head coupled to the rod and responsive to the hydraulic circuit to

move the valve body; and
a controller that commands the hydraulic circuit to supply hydraulic fluid to the chamber to move the valve body based on inputs from an engine switch and an occupant presence switch;

wherein the controller commands the hydraulic circuit to move the valve body to the unlock position when the input from the engine switch indicates that the engine is operating and when the input from the occupant presence switch indicates that the operator seat is occupied; and
wherein in the lock position, the lock valve is configured to lock the hydraulic actuator in a plurality of positions over the range of motion.

10. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the controller commands the hydraulic circuit to move the valve body based on an input signal from a remote control switch coupled to the agricultural work vehicle.

11. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the valve housing is coupled to the hydraulic actuator.

12. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 9 , wherein in the unlock position, the hydraulic actuator is in fluid communication with a second hydraulic circuit to enable movement of the hydraulic actuator.

13. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the valve body further comprises a biasing member coupled to the head that moves the valve body to the lock position of the lock valve.

14. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the valve housing having a first window and a second window and the rod has at least one visual indicator; and
wherein the visual indicator is viewable through the first window when the lock valve is in the unlock position and the visual indicator is viewable through the second window when the lock valve is in the lock position.

15. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 14 , wherein, in the lock position of the lock valve, the visual indicator is not viewable through the first window.

16. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 14 , wherein, in the lock position of the lock valve, the visual indicator is viewable through the first window and the second window.

17. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the visual indicator is located at one end of the rod; and
wherein the first window and the second window are located on the valve housing proximate the end of the rod having the visual indicator.

18. The agricultural work vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the visual indicator includes first and second visual indicators located at opposite ends of the rod; and
wherein the first window is located on the valve housing proximate the first visual indicator and the second visual indicator is located on the valve housing proximate the second visual indicator.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Marvin Paul D
• Hochstatter Jeffrey R

Classifications

• F15B13/01 Primary

  Locking-valves or other detent {i.e. load-holding} devices · CPC title

• F15B13/015

  using an enclosed pilot flow valve · CPC title

• F15B2211/665

  Methods of control using electronic components · CPC title

• A01D41/145

  Header lifting devices · CPC title

• F15B11/16

  with two or more servomotors · CPC title