Caterpillar Inc.

Other

Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Thomas J Hajek

Srikrishnan T Tolappa

Michael Anthony A'Hearn

Vincent Triffaux

David P Smith

James Alvin Aardema

Edward William Mate

Larry W Lorimor

Daniel T Mather

Tony L Marcott

Michael D Hudson

Lawrence F Schexnayder

Matthew James Beschorner

Chad Timothy Brickner

Douglas W Koehler

John R Connolly

Eric Hughes

Rudy Van Mills

Mikhail A Sorokine

David J Carlson

Patrick Quinn

Paul Gilbert

Aleksandra M Egelja

Andy Hatcher

James D Linderode

A system can include one or more valve arrangements with a working chamber to receive a working fluid at a first pressure, and a control chamber to receive fluid at a second pressure. A dynamic seal can be disposed on a land of a valve element. The valve arrangement may include a sleeve against which the dynamic seal is slidably engaged. The valve element may include a check stem. A pressure compensating system may be in communication with bores formed in with the valve element. A pressure system to monitor dynamic seal wear may be in communication with the control chamber of the valve arrangement.

Hydraulic system with a dynamic seal

A fluid circuit is provided to independently control the flow of fluid into and out of each end of an actuator. This is accomplished by having two different independently controlled valves controlling the flow of fluid into and out of one end of the actuator and by having two other independently controlled valves controlling the flow of fluid into and out of the other end of the actuator. Regeneration of the fluid flow from one end of the actuator to the other end of the actuator is provided by blocking the exhaust flow of fluid to the reservoir by one of the independently controlled valves and redirecting the flow across the other of the independently controlled valves to join with the flow of the pump that is being directed to the other end of the actuator. This arrangement permits a portion or all of the fluid from one end of the actuator to be regenerated to the other end of the actuator.

Hydraulic system with an actuator having independent meter-in meter-out control

An edge filter assembly is disclosed. The edge filter assembly may include a housing having an inlet and an outlet. The edge filter assembly may further include a filter element disposed within the housing including first and second filter plates and first and second spacers disposed between the first and second filter plates. The spacers and filter plates may be configured and arranged to form a flow channel extending generally radially within the housing and defined between the first and second filter plates and the first and second spacers. The flow channel may have an inner flow gate and an outer flow gate. The inner flow gate may be disposed radially inward of the outer flow gate and may have a different cross-sectional configuration than the outer flow gate. The first filter plate may have an axial projection extending therefrom generally aligned with a fluid path within the housing.

Edge filter assembly

A fluid system is provided wherein two different fluid circuits are connected in parallel with a single source of pressurized fluid and the two fluid circuits can function together even when one of the loads is lighter than the other. This is accomplished by having the lightly loaded circuit having a directional control that when operated in one of its operative positions the flow from the rod end of the cylinder is directed through the directional control valve and combined with the supply flow being directed to the head end of the cylinder. With the other heavier loaded circuit also being actuated, the pressure of the fluid from the rod end of the fluid cylinder is equalized with the pressure of the heavier loaded circuit. Consequently, the speed of the heavier loaded circuit does not stall or slow down relative to the lightly loaded circuit. In the case of a machine having a bucket used for backdragging, the circuit needs a diverter system that provides protection from the cylinder rod of the fluid cylinderfrom buckling during backdragging while maintaining the ability for pressure equalization when not performing a backdragging operation.

Hydraulic circuit having pressure equalization during regeneration

A system and method for starting an engine having a crankshaft is provided. Pressurized fluid is stored in an accumulator. A flow of pressurized fluid is released from the accumulator. The flow of pressurized fluid released from the accumulator is directed to a pump that is operatively engaged with the crankshaft of the engine. The flow of pressurized fluid drives the pump to generate a rotation of the crankshaft and thereby start the engine.

System and method for starting an engine

A joystick controller is provided in a hydraulic circuit having a pair of hydraulic actuators and oriented with respect to the operator so that movement of a control lever of the joystick controller relative to a reference axis oriented perpendicular to the operator results in control signals being generated and delivered to the first and second main control valves so that the respective cylinders are moved in a direction that is intuitive to the operator. For example, forward movement of the control lever results in both hydraulic actuators moving in the same forward or downward direction and movement of the control lever rearwardly results in both actuators moving in the rearward or upward direction. Likewise, movement of the control lever along an axis that is oriented forty five degrees from the reference axis results in control of one of the actuators independent of the other one.

Dual cylinder circuit having a joystick with intuitive control

A fluid control system is disclosed that includes a reservoir, a pump in fluid communication with the reservoir, a first double-acting actuator having a first head end chamber and a first rod end chamber, a second double-acting actuator having a second head end chamber and a second rod end chamber. The first and second double-acting actuators are selectively fluidly connected via a conduit. A first independent metering valve is configured to selectively provide fluid flow to the first and second double-acting actuators, and a second independent metering valve is configured to selectively provide fluid flow to the first and second double-acting actuators. The fluid control system also includes a proportional valve attached to the conduit between the first double-acting actuator and the second double-acting actuator. The proportional valve is capable of operating the fluid control system in either an independent function mode or a regenerative function mode.

Independent and regenerative mode fluid control system

A fluid control system is disclosed that includes a first double-acting actuator and a second double-acting actuator. A first independent metering valve has a first control port connected to the first double-acting actuator, a second control port connected to the second double-acting actuator, first and second independently operable valves disposed between the inlet port and the first and second control ports, and a first check control mechanism having a main check valve between the inlet port and the first and second independently operable valves. The first check control mechanism controls the main check valve to allow the first and second actuators to operate in either an independent function mode or a regenerative function mode. A second independent metering valve has a first control port connected to the first double-acting actuator, a second control port connected to the second double-acting actuator, first and second independently operable valves disposed between the inlet port and the first and second control ports, and a main check valve disposed between the inlet port and the first and second independently operable valves.

A single lever control assembly that limits motion due to the inherent design of the assembly. In other words, no additional components are required to limit the motion of the single lever control assembly. The assembly includes two U-shaped members each having a base and parallel legs extending from the base, a lever connected to one of the U-shaped members and a pivot block interconnecting the parallel legs for allowing the U-shaped members to rotate relative to one another. The assembly has at least one of the parallel legs having a projection that engages one of the parallel legs of the other U-shaped member. In general, the single lever control assembly is a type of modified universal joint whose movement is limited by a projection.

System for definable single lever control shift pattern joint

A fluid translating device is provided that includes a first member having fluid inlet/outlet ports and a second member having a plurality of pistons disposed therein secured to a stationary central shaft. A camplate and port plate is disposed in the fluid translating device about the stationary central shaft and located between the first and second members. The camplate is in communication with the fluid inlet/outlet ports and the plurality of pistons is in mating contact with the port plate. An outer input/output member is secured about the camplate and is rotatably disposed about the first and second members to form a compact arrangement.

Compact pump or motor with internal swash plate

A hydraulic ride control system is disclosed and adapted to control the ride of a machine having a load. The ride control includes an accumulator arrangement that is selectively connected with the actuator that is carrying the load to provide a cushion ride during traveling and to enable the pressure in the accumulator arrangement to be maintained substantially the same as the pressure in the actuator when raising the load and to permit the pressure in the accumulator arrangement to be lowered to that of the pressure in the actuator in the event the load is lessened. The ride control system also provides an arrangement that permits the accumulator arrangement to be bled down whenever the machine becomes disabled or when the machine is shut off.

Hydraulic ride control system

A ride control system adapted for use in a fluid system of a machine to cushion the ride of the machine, the machine having a frame with an actuator arrangement disposed between the frame and a load to raise the load relative to the frame, the actuator arrangement having a raise port and being operative in a raise mode to raise the load to a desired height in response to pressurized fluid being directed to the raise port from a source of the pressurized fluid, the ride control system including an accumulator arrangement and a valve arrangement connected between the accumulator arrangement, the actuator arrangement, and the source of pressurized fluid, and operative to selectively connect the accumulator arrangement to the raise port of the actuator arrangement when in the raise mode while maintaining the load at the desired height.

Growing community of inventors

Lockport, IL, United States of America

Thomas J Hajek