Variable displacement piston pump with electronic control unit to provide direct metering control

A direct metering control variable displacement piston pump, comprising:

• a pump housing defining a housing cavity, a pivot assembly configured to pivot within the pump housing between minimal and maximum pivot angles;
• a pump cover disposed against the pump housing, the pump cover defining an actuator bore, an actuator piston in the actuator bore, an actuator arm extending from the actuator piston to the pivot assembly;
• and
• an electronic control unit (ECU) operationally coupled to the pump, the ECU comprising:
• a pump controller, a linear variable differential transducer (LVDT) operationally coupled to the pump controller and the actuator piston, and an electrohydraulic solenoid valve (EHSV) operationally coupled to the pump controller,
• wherein the ECU is configured to:
• determine parameters indicative of a pivot assembly angle;
• control the EHSV to thereby move the actuator piston;
• and
• determine, from the LVDT, that the actuator piston moved;
• the ECU is further configured to:
• monitor to identify pressure perturbations in the pump resulting from pressure changes to a fluid flow;
• and react to pressure perturbations in the pump with controlled metered movement of the actuator piston;
• and
• the pump cover further includes:
• an inlet port and an inlet passage that extends from the inlet port to the pump housing;
• an outlet port and an outlet passage that extends from the outlet port to the EHSV and to the pump housing;
• a return passage that extends from the EHSV to the pump housing;
• and a coupling passage that extends between the actuator bore and the EHSV.