Force feedback poppet valve having an integrated pressure compensator

A valve comprising:

• a valve body including a main chamber having a first port and a second port;
• a main poppet disposed within the main chamber and being movable between an open position and a closed position to control fluid flow between the first port and the second port, the main poppet forming a control chamber within the main chamber;
• a first passage communicating the control chamber with the second port;
• a second passage communicating the control chamber with the first port;
• a third passage communicating the control chamber with the first port;
• a fourth chamber communicating the control chamber with the second port;
• a pilot valve having a pilot poppet for controlling fluid flow between the control chamber and the first port through the second passage and between the control chamber and the second port through the fourth passage;
• a pressure compensator disposed at least partially within the main poppet, and fluidly connected to the second port via the first passage and to the first port via the third passage, and
• a spring coupled between the pressure compensator and the pilot poppet to provide a force proportional to a distance between the pressure compensator and the pilot poppet.

A hydraulic system, comprising:

• a source of pressurized fluid;
• a tank;
• a fluid actuator having a first chamber and a second chamber;
• a first valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the first chamber with the tank;
• and
• a second valve configured to selectively fluidly communicate the source with the first chamber, wherein at least one of the first and second valves includes:
• a valve body including a main chamber having a first port and a second port;
• a main poppet disposed within the main chamber and being movable between an open position and a closed position to control fluid flow between the first port and the second port, the main poppet forming a control chamber within the main chamber;
• a first passage communicating the control chamber with the second port;
• a second passage communicating the control chamber with the first port;
• a pilot valve having a pilot poppet for controlling fluid flow between the control chamber and the first port through the second passage;
• a first spring coupled between the main poppet and the pilot poppet to provide a force proportional to a distance between the main poppet and the pilot poppet;
• a pressure compensator disposed at least partially within the main poppet, and fluidly connected to the second port via the first passage;
• and
• a second spring coupled between the pressure compensator and the pilot poppet to provide a force proportional to a distance between the pressure compensator and the pilot poppet.