Variable displacement hydraulic pump system with over-temperature prevention

A pressure compensation valve assembly for a pump system, comprising:

• a valve body having an inlet for fluid communication with a discharge port of a pump of the system for communicating a discharge pressure of the pump to the pressure compensation valve assembly, and an outlet for fluid communication with a control actuator of the system for communicating a control pressure to the control actuator;
• a compensator spool movable in the valve body between the inlet and the outlet;
• a compensator spring configured to apply a biasing force against one side of the compensator spool which counteracts the discharge pressure exerted against an opposite side of the compensator spool, and wherein the compensator spool moves between the inlet and the outlet in response to opposing forces exerted on the compensator spool by the biasing spring on the one side and the discharge pressure on the opposite side to thereby control fluid exiting the outlet at the control pressure for being received by the control actuator which is operative to increase or decrease pump displacement in response to the control pressure;
• and
• a thermally-responsive control component made with a thermally-responsive material having an activation temperature that causes a transformation of the material, the thermally-responsive control component being located in the pressure compensation valve assembly such that when the activation temperature of the thermally-responsive material is reached or exceeded, the thermally-responsive control component transforms to alter the biasing force of the compensator spring on the compensator spool thereby changing the control pressure in a way that decreases pump output pressure.