Hydraulic cylinder cushioning
AssigneeCNH America LLC
InventorPeter Dix
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for damping the extension and retraction of a hydraulic cylinder of a work vehicle at the ends of the cylinder's stroke.
Claims19
A system for damping the extension and retraction of a hydraulic cylinder of the work vehicle at the ends of the cylinder's stroke, the system comprising:
- a manually operable operator input device configured to generate a command signal indicative of desired direction of cylinder movement and speed of cylinder movement for movement over the cylinder's entire range of motion;
- a hydraulic cylinder having a retraction limit position and an extension limit position;
- a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of hydraulic cylinder position;
- a valve coupled to the cylinder to control flow rate of hydraulic fluid to and from the cylinder;
- and
- an electronic controller that is coupled to the operator input device to receive the input device signal, wherein the controller is coupled to the sensor to receive the sensor signal and is coupled to the valve to command valve opening and closing;
- wherein the controller is configured to (1) damp retraction of the cylinder near its retraction limit position, (2) damp extension of the cylinder near its extension limit position, and (3) automatically stop damping retraction and extension upon receipt of a damping cancellation signal from the input device.
A system for damping the extension and retraction of a hydraulic cylinder of the work vehicle at the ends of the cylinder's stroke, the system comprising:
- means for generating a command signal indicative of desired cylinder movement direction and cylinder movement rate over the cylinder's entire range of motion;
- a hydraulic cylinder having a retraction limit position and an extension limit position;
- means for sensing a position of the hydraulic cylinder;
- means for controlling fluid flow to and from the hydraulic cylinder;
- and
- means (1) for receiving the command signal, (2) for receiving the sensor signal, and (3) for commanding the means for controlling;
- wherein the means for commanding is configured to (1) damp retraction of the cylinder near its retraction limit position, (2) damp extension of the cylinder near its extension limit position, and (3) automatically stop damping retraction and extension upon receipt of a damping cancellation signal from the input device.
An electronic controller configured to damp the extension of a hydraulic cylinder in a work vehicle, the work vehicle including a hydraulic cylinder having a retraction limit position and an extension limit position, a means for sensing a position of the hydraulic cylinder, a valve coupled to the electronic controller for controlling fluid flow to and from the hydraulic cylinder, an operator input device coupled to the electronic controller for generating a command signal indicative of desired cylinder movement over the cylinder's entire range of motion, the electronic controller comprising:
- at least one digital microprocessor;
- and
- at least one ROM memory coupled to the at least one digital microprocessor;
- wherein the at least one ROM memory includes instructions that direct the digital microprocessor to (1) damp retraction of the cylinder near its retraction limit position, (2) damp extension of the cylinder near its extension limit position, and (3) automatically stop damping retraction and extension upon receipt of a damping cancellation signal from the input device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.