Machine control system having hydraulic warmup procedure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9803665-B2
Application number	US-201514660192-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2015
Priority date	Mar 18, 2014
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A control system for a machine is disclosed. The control system may have a bypass passage situated to allow fluid to bypass an actuator, and a warmup valve disposed within the bypass passage that is movable between flow-passing and-blocking positions. A controller is configured to move the warmup valve to the flow-passing position, fix a displacement position of the pump, compare the pressure of the fluid of the actuator with a threshold, and move the warmup valve to the flow-blocking position and reduce a pump outlet pressure when the pressure of the fluid is greater than the threshold. The controller may be configured to move the warmup valve to the flow-passing position, fix a displacement position of the pump, and adjust an input speed of the pump in response to the signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A machine control system, comprising:
a pump driven to pressurize fluid;
a low pressure reservoir;
at least one actuator connected to receive fluid pressurized by the pump and discharge fluid to the low pressure reservoir;
a bypass passage situated to allow fluid pressurized by the pump to bypass the at least one actuator and flow to the low pressure reservoir;
a warmup valve disposed within the bypass passage and being movable between a flow-passing position and a flow-blocking position;
a hydraulic temperature sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a temperature of the fluid;
a pressure sensor associated with the at least one actuator and configured to generate a signal indicative of a pressure of the fluid; and
a controller in communication with the pump, the warmup valve, the hydraulic temperature sensor, and the pressure sensor, the controller being configured to move the warmup valve to the flow-passing position, fix a displacement position of the pump, and compare the pressure of the fluid of the at least one actuator with a pressure threshold, and move the warmup valve to a flow-blocking position and reduce a pump outlet pressure when the pressure of the fluid is greater than the pressure threshold.

2. The machine control system of claim 1 , wherein the warmup valve provides a restriction on the fluid passing through the warmup valve to warm the fluid.

3. The machine control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to fix the displacement of the pump at a maximum displacement position when the signal indicates a temperature of the fluid less than a desired hydraulic temperature.

4. The machine control system of claim 3 , wherein the desired hydraulic temperature is about 40° C.

5. The machine control system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to set the input speed of the pump to a speed greater than a low-idle speed when the signal indicates the temperature of the fluid less than the desired hydraulic temperature.

6. The machine control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to destroke the pump when signals indicate the pressure of the fluid is greater than the pressure threshold.

7. The machine control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to move a bypass valve disposed downstream of the pump between the pump and the low pressure reservoir to a flow passing position to allow the fluid to flow to said low pressure reservoir when signals indicate the pressure of the fluid is greater than the pressure threshold.

8. The machine control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to return the input speed of the pump to the low-idle speed, reduce a displacement of the pump to a minimum displacement position, and move the warmup valve to the flow-blocking position when the temperature of the fluid increases to about the desired hydraulic temperature.

9. The machine control system of claim 1 , wherein a pressure sensor associated with a first chamber and a second chamber of the at least one actuator and configured to generate a signal indicative of a pressure of the fluid of the corresponding chamber.

10. The machine control system of claim 1 , further comprising an engine temperature sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a temperature of the engine fluid, wherein the pump is driven by an engine to pressurize fluid, and the controller is configured to move the warmup valve to the flow-passing position and fix a displacement position of the pump, in response to the signal only after a temperature of the engine has increased to a desired engine temperature.

11. The machine control system of claim 10 , wherein the desired engine temperature is about equal to 25° C.

12. The machine control system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator includes a plurality of actuators and the machine control system further includes:
a valve stack;
a plurality of control valves disposed within the valve stack and configured to selectively regulate fluid flow to and from the plurality of actuators;
a supply passage extending from the pump through the valve stack to communicate with each of the plurality of control valves in parallel; and a drain passage extending through the valve stack to the low pressure reservoir and fluidly communicating with each of the plurality of control valves in parallel, wherein the bypass passage fluidly connects the supply passage to the drain passage to bypass fluid around the plurality of control valves.

13. The machine control system of claim 12 , wherein the supply passage is disposed within the valve stack on an opposing side of the plurality of control valves from the drain passage.

14. The machine control system of claim 13 , wherein the warmup valve is located at an end of the valve stack.

15. A method of warming a machine control system, comprising:
pressurizing a fluid with a pump;
directing pressurized fluid to an actuator;
determining a temperature of the fluid;
determining a pressure of the fluid; and
in response to the sensed temperature, selectively directing pressurized fluid to bypass the actuator, fixing the displacement amount, and comparing the pressure of the fluid of the actuator with a pressure threshold, moving the warmup valve to a flow-blocking position and reducing an outlet pressure of the pump when the pressure of the fluid is greater than the pressure threshold.

16. The method of claim 15 , further including restricting a flow of the pressurized fluid bypassing the actuator to warm the pressurized fluid.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the reducing step includes destroking the pump.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the reducing step includes modulating a bypass valve disposed downstream of the pump between the pump and a low pressure reservoir to a flow passing position to allow the fluid to flow to said low pressure reservoir.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the method further includes reducing a displacement amount of the pump to a minimum amount, and blocking the pressurized fluid from bypassing the actuator when the temperature of the fluid increases above about 40° C.

20. A machine, comprising:
an engine;
an engine temperature sensor configured to generate an engine temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the engine;
a pump driven by the engine to pressurize fluid;
a low pressure reservoir;
a work tool;
at least one actuator connected to receive fluid pressurized by the pump and discharge fluid to the low pressure reservoir to move the work tool;
a valve stack having:
a supply passage fluidly connected to the pump;
a drain passage fluidly connected to the drain passage;
at least one control valve fluidly connected between the supply and the drain passages and being configured to selectively regulate fluid flow to and from the at least one actuator;
a bypass passage fluidly connecting the supply and drain passages; and
a warmup valve disposed within the bypass passage and being movable between a flow-passing position and a flow-blocking position;
a hydraulic temperature sensor configured to generate a hydraulic temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the fluid;
a pressure sensor associated with the at least one actuator and configured to generate a signal indicative of a pressure of the fluid; and
a controller in communication with the engine, the engine temperature sensor, the pump, the warmup valve, and the hydraulic temperature sensor, the controller being configu

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Beschorner Matthew J
• Hughes Eric
• Funabiki Naoto
• Oyama Tomohiro
• Janson Brett J

Classifications

• E02F9/2292

  Systems with two or more pumps · CPC title

• F15B2211/6313

  the pressure being a load pressure · CPC title

• F15B2211/6652

  Control of the pressure source, e.g. control of the swash plate angle · CPC title

• F15B2211/41563

  being connected to a pressure source and a return line · CPC title

• F15B21/042 Primary

  Controlling the temperature of the fluid · CPC title