Control apparatus for hydraulic heavy machinery
First Claim
1. A control apparatus for hydraulic machinery having functions that are governed by the flow of hydraulic fluid through a hydraulic control block, wherein said hydraulic control block is controlled by a cab control system with a plurality of operator controls, said control apparatus comprising:
- a remote control unit having actuators that correspond to at least some of said plurality of operator controls in said cab control system, wherein said remote control unit produces control signals when said actuators are utilized;
a valve arrangement for each of said actuators, wherein each valve arrangement includes a first valve means and a second valve means; and
a controller that selectively opens and closes said first valve means in response to said control signals received from said remote control unit to control flow of said hydraulic fluid between said first valve means and said second valve means;
wherein, said first valve means and said second valve means for each said valve arrangement have a first configuration and a second configuration, said first configuration having said first valve means open to permit said hydraulic fluid to flow through said first valve means to said second valve means as said second valve means channels said hydraulic fluid received from said first valve means to said hydraulic control block to control at least one of said functions of said hydraulic machinery as directed by said control signals from said remote control unit, and a second configuration having said first valve means closed therein preventing said hydraulic fluid from flowing through said first valve means to said second valve means while enabling said hydraulic fluid to flow from said cab control system to said hydraulic control block to control said functions of said hydraulic machinery as directed by said plurality of operator controls of said cab control system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a control apparatus for a hydraulic machine comprising: a remote control unit, a valve arrangement for activation means of the remote control unit, each valve arrangement comprising a first valve means in fluid communication with a second valve means; a controller means operable to control the opening and closing of the first valve means of the associated valve arrangement to regulate the flow of hydraulic fluid from the first valve means to the second valve means, wherein, the second valve means in each valve arrangement is moved between first and second configurations to enable the functions of the hydraulic machine to switch between remote control mode and cab control mode when the conditions dictate that it may no longer be practical or safe for a user to remain in the cab. The invention also relates to a method of fitting the control apparatus to a hydraulic machine, and to an interface harness for connecting the control apparatus to such a hydraulic machine. Once the control apparatus is fitted the hydraulic machine may be operated in either manual or remote mode. When the conditions that necessitated the use of remote operation have passed the operator may return to the cab and operate the machine again as a standard machine.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A control apparatus for hydraulic machinery having functions that are governed by the flow of hydraulic fluid through a hydraulic control block, wherein said hydraulic control block is controlled by a cab control system with a plurality of operator controls, said control apparatus comprising:
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a remote control unit having actuators that correspond to at least some of said plurality of operator controls in said cab control system, wherein said remote control unit produces control signals when said actuators are utilized; a valve arrangement for each of said actuators, wherein each valve arrangement includes a first valve means and a second valve means; and a controller that selectively opens and closes said first valve means in response to said control signals received from said remote control unit to control flow of said hydraulic fluid between said first valve means and said second valve means; wherein, said first valve means and said second valve means for each said valve arrangement have a first configuration and a second configuration, said first configuration having said first valve means open to permit said hydraulic fluid to flow through said first valve means to said second valve means as said second valve means channels said hydraulic fluid received from said first valve means to said hydraulic control block to control at least one of said functions of said hydraulic machinery as directed by said control signals from said remote control unit, and a second configuration having said first valve means closed therein preventing said hydraulic fluid from flowing through said first valve means to said second valve means while enabling said hydraulic fluid to flow from said cab control system to said hydraulic control block to control said functions of said hydraulic machinery as directed by said plurality of operator controls of said cab control system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification