Steering control system for an autonomous machine
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsMark R. Hawkins, Joel L. Peterson, Kenneth E. Poppe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steering control system for an autonomous machine has a manual steering control valve for directing fluid from a pump to either a head end chamber or a rod end chamber of a hydraulic steering actuator. In one embodiment, an electrically actuated steering valve device is disposed in series flow relationship between the pump and the manual steering control valve and is operative to direct fluid from the pump to the head end and rod end chambers. In another embodiment, a electrically actuated device mechanically actuates the manual steering control valve for steering the machine.
Claims12
A steering control system for steering a machine including a hydraulic pump and at least one hydraulic steering actuator having a pair of actuating chambers comprising:
- a hand metering unit connected to the actuating chambers and having a rotatable element and an input port in communication with the pump;
- and
- means for mechanically actuating the steering control valve in response to receiving an electrical signal, the actuating means including a rotary fluid motor drivingly connected to the rotatable element.
A steering control system for steering a machine including a hydraulic pump and at least one hydraulic steering actuator having a pair of actuating chambers comprising:
- a manual steering control valve communicating with the pump and connected to the pair of actuating chambers;
- an electro-hydraulic proportional valve communicating with the pump and connected to the actuating chambers in parallel with the steering control valve to selectively direct fluid from the pump to the actuating chambers for steering;
- and
- a two-position solenoid actuated abort valve disposed between the proportional valve and the pump.
A steering control system for steering a machine including a hydraulic pump and at least one hydraulic steering actuator having a pair of actuating chambers comprising:
- a manual steering control valve communicating with the pump and connected to the pair of actuating chambers;
- and
- an electrically controlled steering valve device communicating with the pump and connected to the actuating chambers in parallel with the steering control valve
- wherein the steering control valve and the steering valve device are open centered and connected in a series flow relationship.
A steering control system for steering a machine including a hydraulic pump and at least one hydraulic steering actuator having a pair of actuating chambers comprising:
- a manual steering control valve communicating with the pump and connected to the pair of actuating chambers;
- and
- an electrically controlled steering valve device communicating with the pump and connected to the actuating chambers in parallel with the steering control valve
- and including an open center, mechanically actuated control valve connected to the pump and to the actuating chambers, and an air motor operatively connected to the mechanically actuated control valve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.