Method to Detect Uncommanded Spool Valve Positioning and Stop Fluid Flow to Hydraulic Actuators
First Claim
1. A method for detecting uncommanded positioning of at least one valve spool in a plurality of valve spools and for stopping a flow of fluid to a plurality of hydraulic actuators fluidly connected to the plurality of valve spools, the plurality of valve spools disposed downstream of a hydraulic pump and upstream of a reservoir, each valve spool having a neutral position and at least one active position, each valve spool configured to block flow of the fluid to at least one of the plurality of hydraulic actuators when the valve spool is in the neutral position and further configured to provide flow of the fluid to at least one of the hydraulic actuators when the valve spool is not in the neutral position, the plurality of valve spools fluidly connected to a plurality of pilot pressure reducing valves, each valve spool configured to maintain the active position when a pilot solenoid of one of the pilot pressure reducing valves is activated, the pilot solenoid activated when an activation command associated with a function of a machine controlled by the valve spool is enabled, the activation command received by a controller from a user interface, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the controller, a signal fluid pressure detected in a signal passageway;
identifying, by the controller, whether at least one activation command is currently enabled; and
stopping, by the controller, the flow of the fluid to the plurality of hydraulic actuators if no activation command is enabled for any of the plurality of valve spools, and the signal fluid pressure when detected (1) upstream of the plurality of valve spools is greater than a first threshold or (2) downstream of the plurality of valve spools is less than a second threshold,wherein, when each valve spool of the plurality of valve spools is in the neutral position, the signal passage extends through each valve spool of the plurality of valve spools, wherein further, when any valve spool of the plurality of valve spools is not in the neutral position or is in the active position, the signal passageway is blocked by the valve spool that is not in the neutral position or in the active position.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for detecting uncommanded positioning of at least one valve spool in a plurality of valve spools and for stopping fluid flow to a plurality of hydraulic actuators fluidly connected to the plurality of valve spools is disclosed. The method may comprise receiving a signal fluid pressure detected in a signal passageway, identifying whether at least one activation command is currently enabled, and stopping the flow of fluid to the plurality of hydraulic actuators if no activation command is enabled for any of the plurality of valve spools, and the signal fluid pressure when detected (1) upstream of the plurality of valve spools is greater than a first threshold or (2) downstream of the plurality of valve spools is less than a second threshold.
7 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for detecting uncommanded positioning of at least one valve spool in a plurality of valve spools and for stopping a flow of fluid to a plurality of hydraulic actuators fluidly connected to the plurality of valve spools, the plurality of valve spools disposed downstream of a hydraulic pump and upstream of a reservoir, each valve spool having a neutral position and at least one active position, each valve spool configured to block flow of the fluid to at least one of the plurality of hydraulic actuators when the valve spool is in the neutral position and further configured to provide flow of the fluid to at least one of the hydraulic actuators when the valve spool is not in the neutral position, the plurality of valve spools fluidly connected to a plurality of pilot pressure reducing valves, each valve spool configured to maintain the active position when a pilot solenoid of one of the pilot pressure reducing valves is activated, the pilot solenoid activated when an activation command associated with a function of a machine controlled by the valve spool is enabled, the activation command received by a controller from a user interface, the method comprising:
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receiving, by the controller, a signal fluid pressure detected in a signal passageway; identifying, by the controller, whether at least one activation command is currently enabled; and stopping, by the controller, the flow of the fluid to the plurality of hydraulic actuators if no activation command is enabled for any of the plurality of valve spools, and the signal fluid pressure when detected (1) upstream of the plurality of valve spools is greater than a first threshold or (2) downstream of the plurality of valve spools is less than a second threshold, wherein, when each valve spool of the plurality of valve spools is in the neutral position, the signal passage extends through each valve spool of the plurality of valve spools, wherein further, when any valve spool of the plurality of valve spools is not in the neutral position or is in the active position, the signal passageway is blocked by the valve spool that is not in the neutral position or in the active position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for detecting uncommanded positioning of a first valve spool of a plurality of valve spools and for stopping a flow of a fluid to a plurality of hydraulic actuators fluidly connected to the plurality of valve spools, the system comprising:
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the plurality of hydraulic actuators disposed on a machine; the plurality of valve spools disposed downstream of a hydraulic pump and upstream of a reservoir, the first valve spool of the plurality of valve spools having a neutral position and at least one active position, the first valve spool configured to block flow of the fluid to a first hydraulic actuator of the plurality of hydraulic actuators when in the neutral position and further configured to provide flow of the fluid to the first hydraulic actuator when not in the neutral position or when in the active position; a plurality of pilot pressure reducing valves, each pilot pressure reducing valve fluidly connected to one of the plurality of valve spools, each pilot pressure reducing valve including a pilot solenoid configured to activate the pilot pressure reducing valve, each pilot pressure reducing valve configured to place one of the valve spools in the neutral position or in the active position; a signal passageway that extends, when each valve spool of the plurality of valve spools is in the neutral position, through each valve spool of the plurality of valve spools to a reservoir, wherein when any valve spool of the plurality of valve spools is in the active position, the signal passageway is blocked by the valve spool in the active position; a hydraulic pump configured to supply a fluid to the signal passageway and configured to supply the fluid to the plurality of hydraulic actuators via the plurality of valve spools; a user interface configured to receive an activation command from a user, the activation command associated with a machine function controlled by one or more of the plurality of valve spools; and a controller configured to; receive a signal fluid pressure detected in a signal passageway; identify whether at least one activation command is currently enabled; and stop the flow of the fluid to the plurality of hydraulic actuators if no activation command is enabled for any of the plurality of valve spools, and the signal fluid pressure when detected (1) upstream of the plurality of valves spools is greater than a first threshold or (2) downstream of the plurality of valve spools is less than a second threshold. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for detecting uncommanded positioning of a first valve spool of a plurality of valve spools and for stopping flow of a fluid to a first hydraulic actuator that is fluidly connected to the first valve spool, the plurality of valve spools disposed downstream of a hydraulic pump and upstream of a reservoir, the first valve spool having a first position and a second position, the first valve spool configured to block flow of the fluid to the first hydraulic actuator when the first valve spool is in the first position and further configured to provide flow of the fluid to the first hydraulic actuator when the first valve spool is not in the first position or is in the second position, the first valve spool configured to maintain the second position when a pilot supply is activated, the pilot supply activated when an activation command for a function of a machine controlled by the first valve spool is enabled, the activation command received by a controller from a user interface, the method comprising:
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receiving, by the controller, a signal fluid pressure detected in a signal passageway; identifying, by the controller, whether the activation command is currently enabled; and stopping, by the controller, the flow of the fluid to the first hydraulic actuator if no activation command is enabled for the first valve spool and the signal fluid pressure (1) when detected upstream of the plurality of signal valves is greater than a first threshold or (2) when detected downstream of the plurality of signal valves is less than a second threshold, wherein, when the first valve spool is in the first position, the signal passage extends through the first valve spool, wherein further when the first valve spool is in the second position or is not in the first position, the signal passageway is blocked by the first valve spool. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification