# US 10,371,176 B2 · Selectable flow divider drive system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,176 B2 - Document ID: US10371176B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/703,967 - Filed: 2011-07-06 - Published: 2013-04-11 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2010-07-06 - Assignees: JLG Industries, Inc. - Applicants: Richard A. Shade - Inventors: Richard A. Shade - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371176B2 ## CPC - F15B 13/022: {Flow-dividers; Priority valves} - B60K 7/0015: {the motor being hydraulic} - B66F 11/04: for movable platforms or cabins, e.g. on vehicles, permitting workmen to place themselves in any desired position for carrying out required operations ({Working platforms on fork-lift trucks B66F9/127; } vehicle aspects of service vehicles B60P3/14; platforms for cleaning windows A47L3/02; devices for rescuing persons from buildings A62B1/02; liftable or lowerable platforms for use on ladders E06C7/16; maintenance travellers for bridges E01D19/10; scaffolds on an extensible sub-structure E04G1/22) - F16H 61/4035: Control of circuit flow - F16H 61/456: Control of the balance of torque or speed between pumps or motors - B60K 17/14: the motor of fluid or electric gearing being disposed in, or adjacent to, traction wheel - B60W 2720/30: Wheel torque - F15B: SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B66F: HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD ({invalid lifting devices A61G7/10; } mounting artificial islands on piles or like supports E02B17/00; scaffolding combined with lifting devices E04G1/22; lifting devices for sliding forms E04G11/24; lifting of buildings E04G23/06; shores or struts E04G25/00; lifts or other hoisting devices on ladders E06C7/12; props for mining E21D15/00) - F16H: GEARING - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT ## Abstract A selectable flow divider drive system includes a hydraulic fluid reservoir and a plurality of drive motors in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid reservoir. A hydraulic pump is connected between the hydraulic fluid reservoir and the plurality of drive motors and directs hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid reservoir to the plurality of motors. The hydraulic pump is operable in a high flow condition and a low flow condition. A flow divider component is interposed between the hydraulic pump and the plurality of motors. The flow divider component selectively divides hydraulic fluid flow to each of the plurality of drive motors, where a flow divider of the flow divider component is sized for the low flow condition of the hydraulic pump. A bypass valve is disposed upstream of the flow divider that selectively bypasses the flow divider when the hydraulic pump is operated in the high flow condition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A selectable flow divider drive system comprising: a hydraulic fluid reservoir; a plurality of drive motors in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid reservoir; a hydraulic pump connected between the hydraulic fluid reservoir and the plurality of drive motors, the hydraulic pump directing hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid reservoir to the plurality of motors, wherein the hydraulic pump is operable in a high flow condition and a low flow condition; a flow divider component interposed between the hydraulic pump and the plurality of motors, the flow divider component selectively dividing hydraulic fluid flow to each of the plurality of drive motors, wherein a flow divider of the flow divider component is sized for the low flow condition of the hydraulic pump; a bypass valve disposed upstream of the flow divider, the bypass valve selectively bypassing the flow divider when the hydraulic pump is operated in the high flow condition; and a fluid circuit downstream of the flow divider component and the bypass valve, the fluid circuit directing the hydraulic fluid in parallel flow to each of the plurality of drive motors regardless of a position of the bypass valve. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A selectable flow divider drive system according to claim 1, further comprising a bypass solenoid valve in fluid communication with the bypass valve, the bypass solenoid valve acting to selectively close the bypass valve. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A selectable flow divider drive system according to claim 2, wherein the bypass valve is biased open. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A selectable flow divider drive system according to claim 2, further comprising a filter interposed between the hydraulic pump and the bypass solenoid valve. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A selectable flow divider drive system according to claim 1, comprising four drive motors, wherein the flow divider component comprises a plurality of flow dividers including one first stage flow divider and two second stage flow dividers, in a dividing mode, the first stage flow divider dividing the hydraulic fluid flow for input to the two second stage flow dividers, and the two second stage flow dividers further dividing the hydraulic fluid flow for input to the four drive motors, wherein the first stage flow divider and the second stage flow dividers are sized for the low flow condition of the hydraulic pump. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A selectable flow divider drive system according to claim 5, wherein in a combining mode, exhaust fluid from the motors is directed to the second stage flow dividers, which combine the fluid for input to the first stage flow divider. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A selectable flow divider drive system according to claim 1, further comprising a check valve associated with each of the drive motors, the check valve maintaining a preset pressure through the drive system. ### Claim 8 An aerial work platform machine comprising: a vehicle chassis supporting a liftable work platform; a plurality of wheels secured to the vehicle chassis; and a selectable flow divider drive system for driving the plurality of wheels, the selectable flow divider drive system including: a hydraulic fluid reservoir, a plurality of drive motors in fluid communication with the hydraulic fluid reservoir, each of the plurality of drive motors driving one of the plurality of wheels, a hydraulic pump connected between the hydraulic fluid reservoir and the plurality of drive motors, the hydraulic pump directing hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid reservoir to the plurality of motors, wherein the hydraulic pump is operable in a high flow condition and a low flow condition, a flow divider component interposed between the hydraulic pump and the plurality of motors, the flow divider component selectively dividing hydraulic fluid flow to each of the plurality of drive motors, wherein a flow divider of the flow divider component is sized for the low flow condition of the hydraulic pump, a bypass valve disposed upstream of the flow divider, the bypass valve selectively bypassing the flow divider when the hydraulic pump is operated in the high flow condition; and a fluid circuit downstream of the flow divider component and the bypass valve, the fluid circuit directing the hydraulic fluid in parallel flow to each of the plurality of drive motors regardless of a position of the bypass valve. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An aerial work platform machine according to claim 8, further comprising: operator controls coupled with operating components for lifting and lowering the work platform and for driving the aerial work platform machine; and a control system receiving input from the operator controls and controlling operation of the operating components according to said input, the control system communicating with the selectable flow divider drive system and controlling the selectable flow divider drive system according to operating parameters of the aerial work platform machine. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) An aerial work platform machine according to claim 9, wherein the control system controls output of the hydraulic pump between the high flow condition and the low flow condition based on the operating parameters of the aerial work platform machine. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An aerial work platform machine according to claim 10, wherein the selectable flow divider drive system further comprises a bypass solenoid valve in fluid communication with the bypass valve, the bypass solenoid valve acting to selectively close the bypass valve. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) An aerial work platform machine according to claim 11, wherein the control system is configured to energize the bypass solenoid valve when the output of the hydraulic pump is changed from the high flow condition to the low flow condition. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An aerial work platform machine according to claim 12, wherein an operator controls output of the hydraulic pump between the high flow condition and the low flow condition via the operator controls. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) An aerial work platform machine according to claim 8, wherein the selectable flow divider drive system comprises four drive motors, and wherein the flow divider component comprises a plurality of flow dividers including one first stage flow divider and two second stage flow dividers, the first stage flow divider dividing the hydraulic fluid flow for input to the two second stage flow dividers, and the two second stage flow dividers further dividing the hydraulic fluid flow for input to the four drive motors, wherein the first stage flow divider and the second stage flow dividers are sized for the low flow condition of the hydraulic pump. ### Claim 15 A method of driving a plurality of hydraulic motors using a selectable flow divider drive system, the method comprising: (a) interposing a flow divider component between a hydraulic pump and the plurality of hydraulic motors, the flow divider component selectively dividing hydraulic fluid flow to each of the plurality of drive motors; (b) selectively operating a hydraulic pump in a high flow condition and a low flow condition, the hydraulic pump directing hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid reservoir to the plurality of hydraulic motors; (c) bypassing a flow divider of the flow divider component with a bypass valve when the hydraulic pump is operated in the high flow condition, wherein the flow divider is sized for the low flow condition of the hydraulic pump; (d) directing the hydraulic fluid to a fluid circuit downstream of the flow divider component and the bypass valve; and (e) directing via the fluid circuit the hydraulic fluid in parallel flow to each of the plurality of drive motors regardless of a position of the bypass valve. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, wherein when the hydraulic pump is operated in the low flow condition, the method comprises energizing a bypass solenoid valve to close the bypass valve. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A method according to claim 16, wherein step (c) is practiced by de-energizing the bypass solenoid valve. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, wherein step (c) is practiced by manually bypassing the flow divider. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) A method according to claim 15, wherein step (c) is practiced by automatically bypassing the flow divider according to operating parameters of the hydraulic motors.