US 6,561,076 B2 · Differential configuration of remote hydraulic valve flow rates for extend and retract modes of operation

Abstract

A method of individually adjusting auxiliary hydraulic valves for work vehicles is provided such that they provide different maximum flow rates for opposite flow directions through the valve. The valve is controlled by a flow rate control for setting a maximum flow rate and is also controlled by a proportional control input device having one range of positions for providing a corresponding first range of flow rates in the one direction, a central position for providing substantially no flow, and another range of positions for providing a corresponding second range of flow rates in the other direction. The method of adjusting the valves includes the steps of electronically selecting a first auxiliary valve from a plurality of available auxiliary valves, electronically selecting a first direction of operation of the first auxiliary valve, electronically selecting a desired first offset signal for the first direction of operation of the first auxiliary valve, and saving the first offset signal in association with an identifier of the first valve and the first direction in an electronic memory.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method of individually configuring an auxiliary hydraulic valve for a work vehicle such that it provides different maximum flow rates for hydraulic fluid flows in opposite directions through the valve, wherein the valve is controlled by a flow rate control for setting a maximum flow rate in both the opposite directions, and is also controlled by a proportional control device having one range of positions for providing a corresponding first range of flow rates in one direction, a central position for providing substantially no flow, and another range of positions for providing a corresponding second range of flow rates in another direction opposite the one direction, the method comprising the steps of:

electronically selecting a first auxiliary valve from a plurality of available auxiliary valves;
electronically selecting a first direction of operation of the first auxiliary valve;
electronically selecting a desired first offset signal for the first direction of operation of the first auxiliary valve;
and
saving the first offset signal in association with an identifier of the first valve and the first direction in an electronic memory.

2 more elements

An apparatus for selecting and applying separate auxiliary hydraulic valve flow rate offsets from a plurality of offsets for an auxiliary hydraulic valve comprising:

a first proportional control input device associated with the auxiliary hydraulics valve;
a flow rate control input device associated with the auxiliary hydraulics valve;
a microprocessor-based controller coupled to the proportional control input device and the flow rate control input device and configured to periodically scan both the proportional control input device and the flow rate control input device to determine their respective positions;
an electronic display coupled to and driven by the microprocessor-based controller and configured to display indicia indicative of (1) the auxiliary hydraulic valve, (2) two opposing directions of flow through the auxiliary hydraulic valve, and (3) a plurality of valve offsets;
and
an operator input device coupled to the controller and configured to respond to operator manipulations indicative of (1) manual selection of the auxiliary hydraulic valve, (2) manual selection of each of the two opposing directions of flow, and (3) manual selection of a desired valve offset of the plurality of valve offsets, and further wherein the controller is configured to monitor the operator input device and, in response to manipulation of the operator input device, to save a first selected valve offset in association with a first selected direction of flow.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Differential configuration of remote hydraulic valve flow rates for extend and retract modes of operation

Life of this patent

Differential configuration of remote hydraulic valve flow rates for extend and retract modes of operation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15