Directional Control Valve
First Claim
1. A valve section comprising:
- a valve body having (i) a longitudinal bore, (ii) a fluid inlet passage, and (iii) a workport configured to be fluidly connected to an actuator;
a spool axially movable in the longitudinal bore to shift between (i) a neutral position at which the spool is configured to block fluid flow to the workport, and (ii) a shifted position at which the spool is configured to permit fluid flow thereacross, wherein the valve body further includes a flow path disposed downstream from the spool and configured to fluidly couple the spool to the actuator through the workport;
a pressure compensator valve located downstream from the fluid inlet passage and upstream from the spool and configured to regulate fluid flow from the fluid inlet passage to the spool, wherein the valve body further includes a regulated-flow fluid passage configured to communicate fluid from the pressure compensator valve to the spool; and
a counterbalance valve disposed in the flow path, wherein the counterbalance valve includes a pilot pressure port, wherein the counterbalance valve is configured to open the flow path in response to a pilot pressure received at the pilot pressure port, wherein the valve body further includes a pilot pressure passage configured to communicate fluid to the pilot pressure port, and whereinwhen the spool is in the neutral position, the pilot pressure passage is disconnected from the regulated-flow passage, and when the spool is in the shifted position, the pilot pressure passage is connected across the spool to the regulated-flow fluid passage, such that the pilot pressure is derived from the regulated-flow fluid passage downstream from the pressure compensator valve to open the counterbalance valve.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An example valve section includes: a valve body configured to be fluidly coupled to the source and the actuator; a spool movable in the valve body intermediate the source and the actuator; a pressure compensator valve disposed upstream from the spool and configured to regulate flow received from the source, where the valve body defines (i) a first passage disposed upstream from the spool and configured to fluidly couple the pressure compensator valve to the spool, and (ii) a second passage disposed downstream from the spool and configured to fluidly couple the spool to the actuator; and a counterbalance valve disposed in the second passage downstream from the spool, where the counterbalance valve is opened to permit flow therethrough from the actuator to the spool in response to a pilot pressure derived from the first passage when the spool is shifted from a neutral position.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A valve section comprising:
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a valve body having (i) a longitudinal bore, (ii) a fluid inlet passage, and (iii) a workport configured to be fluidly connected to an actuator; a spool axially movable in the longitudinal bore to shift between (i) a neutral position at which the spool is configured to block fluid flow to the workport, and (ii) a shifted position at which the spool is configured to permit fluid flow thereacross, wherein the valve body further includes a flow path disposed downstream from the spool and configured to fluidly couple the spool to the actuator through the workport; a pressure compensator valve located downstream from the fluid inlet passage and upstream from the spool and configured to regulate fluid flow from the fluid inlet passage to the spool, wherein the valve body further includes a regulated-flow fluid passage configured to communicate fluid from the pressure compensator valve to the spool; and a counterbalance valve disposed in the flow path, wherein the counterbalance valve includes a pilot pressure port, wherein the counterbalance valve is configured to open the flow path in response to a pilot pressure received at the pilot pressure port, wherein the valve body further includes a pilot pressure passage configured to communicate fluid to the pilot pressure port, and wherein when the spool is in the neutral position, the pilot pressure passage is disconnected from the regulated-flow passage, and when the spool is in the shifted position, the pilot pressure passage is connected across the spool to the regulated-flow fluid passage, such that the pilot pressure is derived from the regulated-flow fluid passage downstream from the pressure compensator valve to open the counterbalance valve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A hydraulic valve assembly comprising:
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a valve body having (i) a longitudinal bore, (ii) a fluid inlet passage, (iii) a first workport configured to be fluidly connected to a first side of an actuator, (iv) a first flow path configured to communicate fluid to and from the first side of the actuator through the first workport, (v) a second workport configured to be fluidly connected to a second side of an actuator, and (vi) a second flow path configured to communicate fluid to and from the second side of the actuator through the second workport; a spool axially movable in the longitudinal bore to shift between (i) a neutral position at which the spool blocks fluid flow to the workport, (ii) a first shifted position that defines a first variable area orifice configured to meter flow from the fluid inlet passage across the spool through the first flow path to the first workport, and (iii) a second shifted position that defines a second variable area orifice configured to meter flow from the fluid inlet passage across the spool through the second flow path to the second workport; a pressure compensator valve located downstream from the fluid inlet passage and upstream from the first and second variable area orifices to regulate flow from the fluid inlet passage to the first or second variable area orifice, and wherein the valve body further includes a regulated-flow fluid passage configured to communicate fluid from the pressure compensator valve to the first or second variable area orifice; a first counterbalance valve disposed in the first flow path, wherein the first counterbalance valve includes a first pilot pressure port, wherein the first counterbalance valve is configured to open the first flow path in response to a pilot pressure received at the pilot pressure port, wherein the valve body further includes a first pilot pressure passage configured to communicate fluid to the first pilot pressure port; and a second counterbalance valve disposed in the second flow path, wherein the second counterbalance valve includes a second pilot pressure port, wherein the second counterbalance valve is configured to open the second flow path in response to a respective pilot pressure received at the second pilot pressure port, wherein the valve body further includes a second pilot pressure passage configured to communicate fluid to the second pilot pressure port, wherein (i) when the spool is in the neutral position, the first and second pilot pressure passages are disconnected from the regulated-flow passage, (ii) when the spool is in the first shifted position, the second pilot pressure passage is connected across the spool to the regulated-flow fluid passage, such that the respective pilot pressure is derived from the regulated-flow fluid passage downstream from the pressure compensator valve and the second counterbalance valve is opened, and (iii) when the spool is in the second shifted position, the first pilot pressure passage is connected across the spool to the regulated-flow fluid passage, such that the pilot pressure is derived from the regulated-flow fluid passage downstream from the pressure compensator valve and the first counterbalance valve is opened. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A hydraulic system comprising:
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a source of pressurized fluid; an actuator; a valve body configured to be fluidly coupled to the source and the actuator; a spool movable in the valve body intermediate the source and the actuator; a pressure compensator valve disposed upstream from the spool and configured to regulate flow received from the source, wherein the valve body defines (i) a first passage disposed upstream from the spool and configured to fluidly couple the pressure compensator valve to the spool, and (ii) a second passage disposed downstream from the spool and configured to fluidly couple the spool to the actuator; and a counterbalance valve disposed in the second passage downstream from the spool, wherein the counterbalance valve is opened to permit flow therethrough from the actuator to the spool in response to a pilot pressure derived from the first passage when the spool is shifted from a neutral position. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification