Hydraulic systems and methods for powering auxiliary circuits

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10774850-B2
Application number	US-201815957172-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2018
Priority date	Apr 19, 2018
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

A hydraulic system for a machine includes a first pump, an implement pump, a control valve, and an auxiliary circuit. The first pump is configured to supply a first fluid flow to a first circuit, such as a steering circuit. The implement pump is configured to supply a second fluid flow to an implement circuit to actuate a primary implement function. The auxiliary circuit is configured to deliver fluid flow to actuate an auxiliary implement function. The auxiliary circuit is fluidly coupled to the implement circuit. The auxiliary circuit is also coupled to the first circuit by the control valve. The control valve is located downstream, in the direction of fluid flow, of the implement pump and the first pump. The control valve is configured to allow at least a portion of the first fluid flow to enter the auxiliary circuit and be delivered to the auxiliary implement function.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a machine, the method comprising:
providing power to a first pump configured to provide a first fluid flow to a first module configured to actuate functions of the machine;
providing power to an implement pump configured to provide a second fluid flow to a primary function of an implement and an auxiliary function of the implement;
receiving an input from a user control to actuate the primary function of the implement;
sending an instruction to an implement valve to provide at least a portion of the second fluid flow to the primary function of the implement;
receiving an input from the user control to actuate the first module;
sending an instruction to a priority valve to provide at least portion of the first fluid flow to the first module;
receiving an input from the user control to operate the auxiliary function of the implement;
sending an instruction to the implement valve to provide at least a portion of the second fluid flow to the auxiliary function of the implement;
monitoring a load of the first module;
determining, based on the load, that the load has crossed a threshold load; and
sending an instruction to the priority valve to divert at least a portion of the first fluid flow to a control valve configured to provide fluid to the auxiliary function of the implement;
sending an instruction to the control valve to deliver at least a portion of the first fluid flow to the auxiliary function of the implement; and
monitoring an auxiliary function load;
determining, based on the auxiliary function load, that the auxiliary function load has crossed an auxiliary threshold load; and
sending an instruction to the priority valve to divert a variable amount of the first fluid flow from the first pump to the auxiliary function of the implement.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first pump is a steering pump configured to provide a first fluid flow to a steering module, and wherein the steering module is configured to actuate steering functions of the machine.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising combining at least a portion of the first fluid flow and at least a portion of the second fluid flow to actuate the auxiliary function of the implement, and wherein the control valve is configured to provide a variable amount of the first fluid flow to the auxiliary function of the implement.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sensing an operating condition at the control valve; and
diverting fluid to a drain line if a predefined operating condition is exceeded.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Juricak Steven J
• Lomax David J
• Rousseau Paul A

Classifications

• F15B11/162

  for giving priority to particular servomotors or users · CPC title

• E02F9/2292 Primary

  Systems with two or more pumps · CPC title

• F15B11/17 Primary

  using two or more pumps · CPC title

• F15B2211/781

  one or more output members having priority · CPC title

• F15B2211/35

  Directional control combined with flow control · CPC title