US 5,680,760 AGranted

Hydraulic drive system

AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.

InventorStephen V. Lunzman

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Abstract

A hydraulic drive system for a construction machine includes a pump for delivering fluid under pressure from a fluid reservoir, at least one hydraulic actuator selectively driven by the pressurized fluid, and at least one closed-center directional control valve connected in parallel to the pump. The control valve has an "off" position which blocks fluid flow therethrough and at least one "on" position for controlling the flow of fluid to the hydraulic actuator. A control device generates a signal for actuation of the hydraulic actuator. A control unit receives the control device signal for operating the control valve associated with the hydraulic actuator. A bypass line leads from the pump back to the reservoir. A variable position bypass valve is interposed in the bypass line and controls flow through the bypass line. The control unit modulates the bypass valve for optimum operation. A hybrid control senses pressure in the actuator and modifies the control signal in response to the load pressure.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A hydraulic drive system for a construction machine having a pump for delivering fluid under pressure from a fluid reservoir;

at least one hydraulic actuator selectively driven by the pressurized fluid;
at least one closed-center directional control valve connected in parallel to the pump, and having an "off" position which blocks fluid flow therethrough and at least one "on" position for controlling the flow of fluid to the hydraulic actuator;
at least one control device for generating a signal for the hydraulic actuator;
a control unit responsive to the control device signal for operating the control valve, the control unit includes a pressure map which defines what the pump pressure will be relative to the position of the control device, a second pressure map which modifies the pump pressure relative to the sensed load pressure and means for selecting the modified pump pressure;
a bypass line leading from the pump back to the reservoir;
an infinite positioning bypass valve interposed in the bypass line;
and a hybrid control which senses load pressure of the hydraulic actuator and modifies a control signal in response to the load pressure.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.