Hydraulic by-pass circuit for a hydraulic shovel

• US 5,890,303 A
• Filed: 12/26/1996
• Issued: 04/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kowatari, Youichi, Sugiyama, Genroku, Toyooka, Tsukasa, Ishikawa, Kouji, Hirata, Toichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Melius, Terry Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): BATSON, VICTOR D
• Application Number:
  US08/774,703
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 37/348, 37/382, 60/421, 60/422, 60/429, 60/430, 414/699, 414/694, 701/50
• US Class Current: 37/348
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2242 including an electronic controller
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2282 Systems using center bypass type changeover valves
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2292 Systems with two or more pumps

Abstract

A pilot pressure sensor detects a pilot pressure from an arm operating unit and outputs a pilot pressure signal. A drive signal corresponding to the pilot pressure signal is then outputted from a controller to a solenoid-operated proportional valve. Through the solenoid-operated proportional valve, a pilot pressure is fed to an auxiliary selector valve so that an opening of said auxiliary selector valve becomes greater. Of pressure oil delivered from a first hydraulic pump, a flow rate of the pressure oil to be branched to a side of a by-pass circuit is hence increased. The pressure oil fed through the by-pass circuit passes through a merging directional control valve and is caused to merge with pressure oil fed from a second hydraulic pump. The thus-merged pressure oil is then fed to a hydraulic arm cylinder.

Claims

1. A hydraulic circuit for a hydraulic shovel, comprising:

at least a first hydraulic pressure source and a second hydraulic pressure source;

a first directional control valve for controlling a flow of pressure oil delivered from said first hydraulic pressure source;

a first hydraulic actuator operable by the pressure oil fed thereto via said first directional control valve;

first operating means for designating operation of said first directional control valve;

a second directional control valve for controlling a flow of pressure oil delivered from said second hydraulic pressure source;

a merging directional control valve arranged on a downstream side of said first directional control valve for causing the pressure oil fed from said first hydraulic pressure source and the pressure oil fed from said second hydraulic pressure source through said second directional control valve to merge with each other;

a second hydraulic actuator operable by the thus-merged pressure oil;

second operating means for designating operation of said second directional control valve and operation of said merging directional control valve;

a by-pass circuit connecting an upstream side of said first directional control valve and an oil-feeding side of said merging directional control valve with each other;

an auxiliary selector valve arranged in said by-pass circuit for being operated by a signal from said second operating means; and

detection means for detecting an operated quantity of said second operating means and control means for being inputted with the signal from said detection means and outputting to said auxiliary selector valve a control signal responding to the thus-inputted signal.

2. The hydraulic circuit according to claim 1, wherein said first hydraulic actuator is a hydraulic boom cylinder for driving a boom, and said second hydraulic actuator is a hydraulic arm cylinder for driving an arm.

3. The hydraulic circuit according to claim 1, wherein said control means is provided with storage means for storing beforehand therein a data map of operated quantities of said second operating means versus actuated quantities of said auxiliary selector valve.

4. The hydraulic circuit according to claim 3, wherein said storage means can be updated.

5. The hydraulic circuit according to claim 3, wherein said hydraulic circuit further comprises mode change means connected to said control means, and a plurality of data maps of operated quantities of said second operating means versus actuated quantities of said auxiliary selector means, said data maps corresponding to a like plural number of modes, respectively, are stored in said storage means.