Hydraulic steering device

• US 6,896,092 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Still Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (Superlift Holding SARL)
• Original Assignee: Still Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (Superlift Holding SARL)
• Inventors: Stall, Eugen
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US10/418,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20040011587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 180/403, 180/417, 180/421, 180/422, 180/423
• US Class Current: 180/403
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/09 characterised by means for actuating valves

Abstract

A hydraulic steering device (1) has a steering angle transmitter (2) in communication with a steering valve (3) which, as a function of the actuation of the steering angle transmitter (2), controls the communication between a steering drive (11), e.g., a steering cylinder (12) with a hydraulic pressure source (5) and a reservoir (9), and a correction device (15). The correction device (15) provides synchronization of the position of the steering angle transmitter (2) with the position of the steering angle drive (11) when the steering drive (11) or steering angle transmitter (2) is in a reference range and the position of the steering angle transmitter (2) and/or of the steering drive (2) varies from the reference range.

Claims

1. A hydraulic steering device, comprising:

a steering drive comprising a steering cylinder;

a steering angle transmitter;

a steering valve connected to a hydraulic pressure source and a reservoir; and

a correction device to provide synchronization of the position of the steering angle transmitter and the position of the steering drive,

wherein the steering angle transmitter is in communication with the steering valve,

wherein the steering valve controls the connection between the steering cylinder with the pressure source and the reservoir as a function of the actuation of the steering angle transmitter,

wherein the correction device provides synchronization of the position of the steering angle transmitter and the position of the steering drive when the steering drive or steering angle transmitter are in a reference range and when the position of the steering angle transmitter or of the steering drive are not within the reference range, and

wherein the steering device further includes a switching device, wherein the switching device is a make contact electrical switch located in an electrical control line, and wherein the switch is moved into a closed position when the steering drive or steering angle transmitter is in the straight-ahead travel position.

2. The hydraulic steering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reference range is in the vicinity of a straight-ahead travel position of the steering drive or of the steering angle transmitter.

3. The hydraulic steering device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the correction device has a position detection device in effective communication with the steering drive or the steering angle transmitter, by means of which position detection device a straight-ahead travel position and at least one non-straight-ahead travel position of the steering drive or of the steering angle transmitter can be detected.

4. The hydraulic steering device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the correction device includes a changeover device connected with the steering angle transmitter or the steering drive, by means of which changeover device a straight-ahead travel position and at least one non-straight-ahead travel position of the steering angle transmitter or of the steering drive can be detected.

5. The hydraulic steering device as claimed claim 1, wherein the steering cylinder is a dual-action cylinder having a first control compression chamber and a second control compression chamber, wherein the first control compression chamber is in communication with the steering valve by a first control line and the second control compression chamber is in communication with the steering valve by a second control line, wherein to synchronize the position of the steering angle transmitter with the position of the steering drive, the first control compression chamber or the second control compression chamber of the steering cylinder can be put in communication with the reservoir.

6. The hydraulic steering device as claimed in claim 5, including a stop valve provided for communication between at least one of the control compression chambers and the reservoir.

7. The hydraulic steering device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stop valve is located in a connecting line that connects the control line with the reservoir.

8. The hydraulic steering device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stop valve is an electrically actuated, controllable stop valve.

9. The hydraulic steering device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the changeover device is a hydraulic valve.

10. The hydraulic steering device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the hydraulic valve is a proportional valve.

11. The hydraulic steering device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the stop valve is located on the steering valve or is integrated into the steering valve.

12. The hydraulic steering device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the connecting lines are formed in the steering valve.

13. A fork-lift truck comprising the hydraulic steering device as claimed in claim 1.

14. The hydraulic steering device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the position detecting device is a switching device.

15. The hydraulic steering device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the correction device has a changeover device connected with the steering angle transmitter or the steering drive, by means of which changeover device a straight-ahead travel position and at least one non-straight-ahead travel position of the steering angle transmitter or of the steering drive can be detected.

16. A hydraulic steering device,comprising:

a steering drive comprising a steering cylinder;

a steering angle transmitter;

a steering valve connected to a hydraulic pressure source and a reservoir; and

a correction device to provide synchronization of the position of the steering angle transmitter and the position of the steering drive,

wherein the steering angle transmitter is in communication with the steering valve,

wherein the steering valve controls the connection between the steering cylinder with the pressure source and the reservoir as a function of the actuation of the steering angle transmitter,

wherein the correction device provides synchronization of the position of the steering angle transmitter and the position of the steering drive when the steering drive or steering angle transmitter are in a reference range and when the position of the steering angle transmitter or of the steering drive are not within the reference range and,

wherein the steering device further includes a switching device, wherein by means of the correction device, when the switching device is in the straight-ahead travel position and when a changeover device is in the non-straight-ahead travel position, it is possible to establish communication between a control line in communication via the steering valve with the hydraulic pressure source and the reservoir by actuating the a stop valve into an open position.

17. A hydraulic steering device, comprising:

a steering drive comprising a steering cylinder;

a steering angle transmitter;

a steering valve connected to a hydraulic pressure source and a reservoir; and

a correction device to provide synchronization of the position of the steering angle transmitter and the position of the steering drive,

wherein the steering angle transmitter is in communication with the steering valve,

wherein the steering valve controls the connection between the steering cylinder with the pressure source and the reservoir as a function of the actuation of the steering angle transmitter,

wherein the correction device provides synchronization of the position of the steering angle transmitter and the position of the steering drive when the steering drive or steering angle transmitter are in a reference range and when the position of the steering angle transmitter or of the steering drive are not within the reference range,

wherein the reference range is in the vicinity of a straight-ahead travel position of the steering drive or of the steering angle transmitter,

wherein the correction device includes a changeover device connected with the steering angle transmitter or the steering drive, by means of which changeover device a straight-ahead travel position and at least one non-straight-ahead travel position of the steering angle transmitter or of the steering drive can be detected,

wherein the changeover device is a hydraulic valve, and

wherein the hydraulic valve is in effective communication with the steering angle transmitter and is attached to the steering valve or integrated into the steering valve.

18. A hydraulic steering device, comprising:

a steering drive comprising a steering cylinder;

a steering angle transmitter;

a steering valve connected to a hydraulic pressure source and a reservoir; and

a correction device to provide synchronization of the position of the steering angle transmitter and the position of the steering drive,

wherein the steering angle transmitter is in communication with the steering valve,

wherein the steering valve controls the connection between the steering cylinder with the pressure source and the reservoir as a function of the actuation of the steering angle transmitter,

wherein the correction device provides synchronization of the position of the steering angle transmitter and the position of the steering drive when the steering drive or steering angle transmitter are in a reference range and when the position of the steering angle transmitter or of the steering drive are not within the reference range,

wherein the reference range is in the vicinity of a straight-ahead travel position of the steering drive or of the steering angle transmitter,

wherein the correction device includes a changeover device connected with the steering angle transmitter or the steering drive, by means of which changeover device a straight-ahead travel position and at least one non-straight-ahead travel position of the steering angle transmitter or of the steering drive can be detected,

wherein the changeover device is a hydraulic valve, and

wherein the hydraulic valve has a straight-ahead travel position, a first non-straight-ahead travel position, and a second non-straight-ahead travel position and is connected on the input side to the control lines and on the output side to a connecting line that leads to the reservoir, in which connecting line a stop valve is located.

19. The hydraulic steering system as claimed in claim 18, wherein in the first non-straight-ahead travel position of the valve, the first control line is in communication via the steering valve with the hydraulic pressure source, the first control line is in communication with the connecting line which is in communication with the reservoir and in the second non-straight-ahead travel position of the valve, wherein the second control line is in connection via the steering valve with the hydraulic pressure source, and the second control line is connected to the connecting line.

20. The hydraulic steering device as claimed in claim 18, including a switching device, wherein the stop valve can be actuated electrically, wherein the switching device is a make contact electrical switch, which is in effective communication with the steering drive or the steering angle transmitter and is connected on the input side to an electric energy source, wherein the switch is connected on the output side to an electrical control line, which leads to the electrically actuatable stop valve located in the connecting line, wherein the switch is moved into a closed position when the steering drive or steering angle transmitter is in the straight-ahead travel position.