Caterpillar Inc.

Timothy L Hand

Stephen C Garnett

Andrew John Kieser

Fuaad Sayeed

Heather Armistead

Srikalyan C Puranam

Kevin Bacon

Jason Brinkman

Robert Alan Jackson

Christopher Michael Gruel

Randall A Harlow

Evan B Stumpges

Darren Joseph Hopf

Ryan Harken

Eric J Verplaetse

Matthew O Nafziger

David Guetschow

Jeffrey Jones

Timonthy J Schlack

Derek S Sorrells

Justian D Reever

Victor Wen

A system for controlling operation of a winch assembly having an electric motor, a drum, and a cable. A controller is configured to access a winch load threshold, with the winch load threshold defining a hold zone and a reel zone, and one of the hold zone and the reel zone including loads greater than the winch load threshold and another of the hold zone and the reel zone including loads less than the winch load threshold. The controller is further configured to determine whether the drum is rotating, determine whether the winch assembly is operating within the hold zone or the reel zone, generate a hold current while the winch assembly is operating within the hold zone preventing rotation of the electric motor, and generate a reel current while the drum is operating within the reel zone permitting rotation of the electric motor.

System for controlling the operation of an electric winch

A system for controlling a winch assembly having a hydraulic motor, a drum, a cable, and a cable tension sensor. A controller is configured to access a winch load threshold defining a hold zone and a reel zone, and one of the hold zone and the reel zone including loads greater than the winch load threshold and another of the hold zone and the reel zone including loads less than the winch load threshold. The controller is further configured to determine whether the winch assembly is operating within the hold zone or the reel zone, and generate a zero flow command while the winch assembly is operating within the hold zone to prevent rotation of the hydraulic winch motor, and generate a pressure differential command while the rotatable winch drum is operating within the reel zone to permit rotation of the hydraulic winch motor.

System for controlling the operation of a hydraulic winch

A hydraulic system for powering a winch assembly of a work machine includes a hydraulic reservoir, a pump, a cooling system, a first path of travel, and a second path of travel. The first path of travel is disposed between the pump and the cooling system, and the winch assembly is powered by the hydraulic fluid moving along the first path of travel. The second path of travel is disposed between the pump and the cooling system. When the winch assembly is in an active condition, a first valve is in an open position such that the hydraulic fluid moves along the first path of travel and through the cooling system. When the winch assembly is in an idle condition, a second valve is in an open position such that the hydraulic fluid moves along the second path of travel and through the cooling system.

Hydraulic system for a work machine having a hydraulic winch

A fan control system includes a tank, a pump, a hydraulic motor, a fan, and a control valve. The control valve is adapted to selectively direct a flow of hydraulic fluid from the pump through the control valve into a pressure control chamber of the hydraulic motor or from the pressure control chamber to the tank to vary the control pressure therein to move the hydraulic motor's swashplate between forward and reverse positions. The control valve is adapted to selectively direct hydraulic fluid from the pump into the pressure control chamber such that the control pressure therein is pressurized to an idle pressure to move the swashplate to an intermediate position between the forward and reverse positions such that the output shaft rotates at an idle rate which is less than the rotational speed of the output shaft when in the forward mode.

Fan control system with electro-hydraulic valve providing three fan motor operational positions

A hydraulic system for a machine is disclosed. The hydraulic system may have a tank configured to hold a supply of fluid, a pump configured to draw fluid from the tank and pressurize the fluid, a first cylinder operatively connected between a first side of a work tool and an undercarriage of the machine, and a second cylinder operatively connected between a second side of the work tool and the undercarriage of the machine. The hydraulic system may also have a first electro-hydraulic valve associated with the first cylinder and configured to selectively regulate a flow of pressurized fluid to the first cylinder independently of the second cylinder, and a second electro-hydraulic valve associated with the second cylinder and configured to selectively regulate a flow of pressurized fluid to the second cylinder independently of the first cylinder.

Hydraulic system having dual tilt blade control

A hydraulic apparatus and a method of controlling the hydraulic apparatus are disclosed. The hydraulic apparatus includes a first pump having a first fixed displacement, a second pump having a second fixed displacement, and a diverter. The diverter includes a first diverter inlet port fluidly coupled to a discharge of the second pump, a first diverter outlet port fluidly coupled to a discharge of the first pump, and a second diverter outlet port fluidly coupled to a low pressure system, the low pressure system having a fluid pressure lower than a fluid pressure of the discharge of the first pump. The diverter is operable to selectively vary fluid communication between the first diverter inlet port and either the first diverter outlet port or the second diverter outlet port based on a reference pressure.

Hydromechanical power management of fixed displacement boost pumps

A hydraulic circuit capable of both a regeneration mode of operation and a full force mode of operation includes a poppet valve controlled by a control valve operating in conjunction with a shuttle valve. The opening of the poppet valve enables the regeneration mode of operation, and the closing of the poppet valve enables the full force mode of operation.

Flow regeneration hydraulic circuit

This disclosure provides for pressure limiting a hydraulic system to a desired pressure value by a particular circuit by controlling and closing the compensator when the desired pressure setting is achieved. Closing the compensator will reduced the pressure head and flow in the circuit resulting in improved efficiency. One illustrated embodiment of the disclosure provides a relief valve in the pilot signal for a compensator. The method relates to limiting the pressure on an open side of the compensator, such that the pressure on the other side closes the compensator thereby limiting the pressure and also flow in the hydraulic circuit. In other words, the pressure on the open side is limited by the relief valve. Thus, the pressure on the other side increases thereby regulating the flow and pressure through the compensator. In another embodiment of the disclosure, instead of reducing the pressure on the open side, the pressure on the closed side is increased, thereby controlling the flow and pressure of the hydraulic circuit. The pressure can be increased by a pump or any other suitable mode.

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Metamora, IL, United States of America

Timothy L Hand