Hydraulic system with a counterbalance valve configured as a meter-out valve and controlled by an independent pilot signal

A valve assembly comprising:

• a first meter-in valve configured to be fluidly coupled to a first source of pressurized fluid and control fluid flow from the first source of pressurized fluid into a first chamber of an actuator;
• a second meter-in valve configured to control fluid flow from the first source of pressurized fluid into a second chamber of the actuator;
• a first counterbalance valve comprising:
• (i) a first port configured to be fluidly coupled to the second chamber of the actuator, (ii) a second port configured to be fluidly coupled to a tank, and (iii) a pilot port, wherein the first counterbalance valve is configured to open and control fluid flow from the second chamber to the tank in response to a pilot pressure fluid signal received at the pilot port;
• a second counterbalance valve comprising:
• (i) a respective first port configured to be fluidly coupled to the first chamber of the actuator, (ii) a respective second port configured to be fluidly coupled to the tank, and (iii) a respective pilot port, wherein the second counterbalance valve is configured to open and control fluid flow from the first chamber to the tank in response to a respective pilot pressure fluid signal received at the respective pilot port;
• a first pressure reducing valve configured to be fluidly coupled to a second source of pressurized fluid and to be fluidly coupled to the pilot port of the first counterbalance valve, wherein the first pressure reducing valve is configured to receive pressurized fluid from the second source of pressurized fluid and, when actuated, provide the pilot pressure fluid signal to the pilot port of the first counterbalance valve;
• a second pressure reducing valve configured to be fluidly coupled to the second source of pressurized fluid and to be fluidly coupled to the respective pilot port of the second counterbalance valve, wherein the second pressure reducing valve is configured to receive pressurized fluid from the second source of pressurized fluid and, when actuated, provide the respective pilot pressure fluid signal to the respective pilot port of the second counterbalance valve;
• and
• a controller configured to send a first command to the first meter-in valve or the second meter-in valve so as to provide fluid to the first chamber or the second chamber of the actuator, while sending a second command to the first pressure reducing valve or the second pressure reducing valve so as to provide the pilot pressure fluid signal or the respective pilot pressure fluid signal to the first counterbalance valve or the second counterbalance valve, such that actuation of the first meter-in valve or the second meter-in valve is decoupled from actuation of the first counterbalance valve or the second counterbalance valve.

A hydraulic system comprising:

• a first source of pressurized fluid;
• a second source of pressurized fluid;
• a tank;
• an actuator having a first chamber and a second chamber;
• a valve assembly comprising:
• a meter-in valve configured to be fluidly coupled to the first source of pressurized fluid and control fluid flow from the first source of pressurized fluid into the first chamber of the actuator,
• a counterbalance valve comprising:
• (i) a first port configured to be fluidly coupled to the second chamber of the actuator, (ii) a second port configured to be fluidly coupled to the tank, and (iii) a pilot port, wherein the counterbalance valve is configured to open and control fluid flow from the second chamber to the tank in response to a pilot pressure fluid signal received at the pilot port, and
• a pressure reducing valve configured to be fluidly coupled to the second source of pressurized fluid and to be fluidly coupled to the pilot port of the counterbalance valve, wherein the pressure reducing valve is configured to receive pressurized fluid from the second source of pressurized fluid and, when actuated, provide the pilot pressure fluid signal to the pilot port of the counterbalance valve, wherein the pilot pressure fluid signal has a reduced pressure level compared to pressurized fluid received from the second source of pressurized fluid;
• and
• a controller configured to send a first command to the meter-in valve so as to provide fluid to the first chamber of the actuator, while sending a second command to the pressure reducing valve so as to provide the pilot pressure fluid signal to the pilot port of the counterbalance valve, such that actuation of the meter-in valve is decoupled from actuation of the counterbalance valve.