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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11614101-B1
Application number	US-202117511099-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 26, 2021
Priority date	Oct 26, 2021
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

A work vehicle includes computing system is configured to receive a first and seconds inputs associated with controlling an operation of first and second hydraulic loads. Furthermore, the computing system is configured to control the 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 based on the corresponding received first or second input. Additionally, the computing system is configured to determine the first or second pressure of the hydraulic fluid being supplied to another of the first or second hydraulic loads. Moreover, the computing system is configured to control the first or second flow control valve corresponding to the other of the first or second hydraulic loads based on the corresponding received first or second input and the determined first or second pressure.

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 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 based on the corresponding received first or second input;
determine the first or second pressure of the hydraulic fluid being supplied to another of the first or second hydraulic loads based on the data received from the corresponding first or second pressure sensor; and
control an operation of the first or second flow control valve corresponding to the other of the first or second hydraulic loads based on the corresponding received first or second input and the determined first or second pressure.

2. The work vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a load sense conduit fluidly coupled to the first and second fluid conduits downstream of the first and second flow control valves, wherein the operation of the pump is controlled based on a pressure of the hydraulic fluid within the load sense conduit.

3. The work vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third pressure sensor configured to capture data indicative of a 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, corresponding received first or second input, and the determined first or second pressure.

4. The work vehicle of claim 3 , 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 hydraulic fluid pressure, corresponding received first or second input, the determined first or second pressures, and the determined third pressure.

5. A system for controlling hydraulic valve operation within a work vehicle, the system 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 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 based on the corresponding received first or second input;
determine the first or second pressure of the hydraulic fluid being supplied to another of the first or second hydraulic loads based on the data received from the corresponding first or second pressure sensor; and
control an operation of the first or second flow control valve corresponding to the other of the first or second hydraulic loads based on the corresponding received first or second input and the determined first or second pressure.

6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising:
a load sense conduit fluidly coupled to the first and second fluid conduits downstream of the first and second flow control valves, wherein the operation of the pump is controlled based on a pressure of the hydraulic fluid within the load sense conduit.

7. The system of claim 5 , further comprising:
a third pressure sensor configured to capture data indicative of a 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, corresponding received first or second input, and the determined first or second pressure.

8. The system of claim 7 , 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 hydraulic fluid pressure, corresponding received first or second input, the determined first or second pressures, and the determined third pressure.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• E02F9/2228

  including an electronic controller · CPC title

• F15B2211/40515

  with variable throttles or orifices · CPC title

• F15B2211/6313

  the pressure being a load pressure · CPC title

• F15B2211/78

  Control of multiple output members · CPC title

• F15B11/163 Primary

  for sharing the pump output equally amongst users or groups of users, e.g. using anti-saturation, pressure compensation · CPC title