System and method for controlling hydraulic valve operation within a work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11608615-B1
Application number	US-202117511115-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 26, 2021
Priority date	Oct 26, 2021
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

A work vehicle a computing system configured to receive first and second input associated with controlling the operation of the first and second hydraulic load, respectively. Furthermore, the computing system is configured to control the operation of a first or second flow control valve corresponding to the one of the first or second hydraulic loads associated with the greater hydraulic fluid pressure such that the corresponding adjustable orifice is at a maximum flow position. Additionally, the computing system is configured to determine the first and second pressures of the hydraulic fluid being supplied to the first or second hydraulic loads. Moreover, the computing system is configured to control the operation of the first or second flow control valve corresponding to another of the first or second hydraulic loads based on the corresponding received first or second input and the determined first and second pressures.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A work vehicle, comprising:
a first hydraulic load;
a second hydraulic load in parallel with the first hydraulic load;
a pump configured to supply hydraulic fluid to the first and second hydraulic loads via first and second fluid conduits, respectively;
a first flow control valve defining an adjustable orifice, the first flow control valve fluidly coupled to the first fluid conduit upstream of the first hydraulic load such that the first flow control valve is configured to control a flow rate of the hydraulic fluid to the first hydraulic load;
a second flow control valve defining an adjustable orifice, the second flow control valve fluidly coupled to the second fluid conduit upstream of the second hydraulic load such that the second flow control valve is configured to control a flow rate of the hydraulic fluid to the second hydraulic load;
a first pressure sensor configured to capture data indicative of a first pressure of the hydraulic fluid being supplied to the first hydraulic load by the first flow control valve;
a second pressure sensor configured to capture data indicative of a second pressure of the hydraulic fluid being supplied to the second hydraulic load by the second flow control valve; and
a computing system communicatively coupled to the first and second pressure sensors, the computing system configured to:
receive a first input associated with controlling an operation of the first hydraulic load;
receive a second input associated with controlling an operation of the hydraulic fluid to be supplied to the second hydraulic load;
determine one of the first or second hydraulic loads associated with a greater hydraulic fluid pressure based on the received first and second inputs;
control an operation of the first or second flow control valve corresponding to the one of the first or second hydraulic loads associated with the greater hydraulic fluid pressure such that the corresponding adjustable orifice has a maximum cross-sectional area corresponding to a maximum flow position;
determine the first and second pressures of the hydraulic fluid being supplied to the first or second hydraulic loads based on the data captured by the first and second pressure sensors, respectively; and
control an operation of the first or second flow control valve corresponding to another of the first or second hydraulic loads based on the corresponding received first or second input and the determined first and second pressures.

2. The work vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electronically controlled actuator configured to control an operation of the pump.

3. The work vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the computing system is communicatively coupled to the electronically controlled actuator, the computing system further configured to control the operation of the pump based on a greater of the determined first or second pressures.

4. The work vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third pressure sensor configured to capture data indicative of a third pressure of the hydraulic fluid being supplied to the first and second fluid conduits by the pump, wherein the computing system is further configured to:
determine the third pressure based on the data captured by the third pressure sensor; and
control the operation of the first or second flow control valve corresponding to the other of the first or second hydraulic loads based on the determined third pressure, the received second input, and the determined first and second pressures.

5. The work vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the computing system is further configured to control the operation of the first or second flow control valve corresponding to the other of the first or second hydraulic loads based on a selected pressure drop across the first or second flow control valve corresponding to the one of the first or second hydraulic loads associated with the greater of the first or second pressures, the received second input, and the determined first, second, and third pressures.

6. A system for controlling hydraulic valve operation within a work vehicle, comprising:
a first hydraulic load;
a second hydraulic load in parallel with the first hydraulic load;
a pump configured to supply hydraulic fluid to the first and second hydraulic loads via first and second fluid conduits, respectively;
a first flow control valve defining an adjustable orifice, the first flow control valve fluidly coupled to the first fluid conduit upstream of the first hydraulic load such that the first flow control valve is configured to control a flow rate of the hydraulic fluid to the first hydraulic load;
a second flow control valve defining an adjustable orifice, the second flow control valve fluidly coupled to the second fluid conduit upstream of the second hydraulic load such that the second flow control valve is configured to control a flow rate of the hydraulic fluid to the second hydraulic load;
a first pressure sensor configured to capture data indicative of a first pressure of the hydraulic fluid being supplied to the first hydraulic load by the first flow control valve;
a second pressure sensor configured to capture data indicative of a second pressure of the hydraulic fluid being supplied to the second hydraulic load by the second flow control valve; and
a computing system communicatively coupled to the first and second pressure sensors, the computing system configured to:
receive a first input associated with controlling the operation of the first hydraulic load;
receive a second input associated with controlling the operation of the second hydraulic load;
determine one of the first or second hydraulic loads associated with a greater hydraulic fluid pressure based on the received first and second inputs;
control an operation of the first or second flow control valve corresponding to the one of the first or second hydraulic loads associated with the greater hydraulic fluid pressure such that the corresponding adjustable orifice has a maximum cross-sectional area corresponding to a maximum flow position;
determine the first and second pressures of the hydraulic fluid being supplied to the first or second hydraulic loads based on the data captured by the first and second pressure sensors, respectively; and
control an operation of the first or second flow control valve corresponding to another of the first or second hydraulic loads based on the corresponding received first or second input and the determined first and second pressures.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:
an electronically controlled actuator configured to control an operation of the pump.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the computing system is communicatively coupled to the electronically controlled actuator, the computing system further configured to control the operation of the pump based on a greater of the determined first or second pressures.

9. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:
a third pressure sensor configured to capture data indicative of a third pressure of the hydraulic fluid being supplied to the first and second fluid conduits by the pump, wherein the computing system is further configured to:
determine the third pressure based on the data captured by the third pressure sensor; and
control the operation of the first or second flow control valve corresponding to the other of the first or second hydraulic loads based on the determined third pressure, the received second input, and the determined first and second pressures.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computing system is further configured to control the operation of the first or second flow control valve corresponding to the other of the first or second hydraulic

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Pintore Francesco
• Fiorati Stefano
• Vacca Andrea
• Stump Patrick Michael Joseph

Classifications

• F15B21/085

  using a data bus, e.g. "CANBUS" · CPC title

• F15B2211/6054

  using shuttle valves · CPC title

• F15B2211/6309

  the pressure being a pressure source supply pressure · CPC title

• F15B2211/253

  Pressure margin control, e.g. pump pressure in relation to load pressure · CPC title

• F15B2211/327

  electrically or electronically · CPC title