A switching valve includes a sleeve on which a plurality of ports are disposed; a spool that is disposed inside the sleeve to move in an axial direction by a pilot hydraulic pressure to switch between switching lines each serving as a flow channel for hydraulic fluid that is formed by a combination of the ports; a first energizing unit that energizes the spool against the pilot hydraulic pressure; a relief hole that is disposed on the spool to discharge the hydraulic fluid with the pilot hydraulic pressure; a valve body that closes the relief hole; and a second energizing unit that energizes the valve body toward the relief hole of the spool against the pilot hydraulic pressure, and when the pilot hydraulic pressure exceeds a predetermined value, opens the relief hole.

In a hydraulic system for a working machine, a controller is configured or programmed to increase an output-port pressure of one activation valve for one hydraulic device and an output-port pressure of another activation valve for another hydraulic device to a normal pressure higher than a preloading pressure from a state where the output-port pressure of the one activation valve is equal to the preloading pressure and the output-port pressure of the other activation valve is lower than the preloading pressure, by causing the output-port pressure of the one activation valve to be lower than the preloading pressure and increasing the output-port pressure of the other activation valve to the normal pressure.

To achieve improvement in work efficiency of calibration work and improvement in calibration accuracy, by performing control so that the time taken to increase the sweep of an applied current becomes substantially constant, upon the calibration of a valve opening position current value when a valve operated by electrical current applied to an electrical actuator opens a flow passage. There is provided a predicted value calculating means for predicting a calibration value of a valve opening position current value on the basis of information concerning valve opening position current values, and the sweep starting current value is set so that the time taken to increase the sweep to a predicted value predicted by the predicted value calculating means from a sweep start becomes a fixed time.

An example valve includes: (i) a valve body comprising a supply port and an operating port; (ii) a sleeve comprising a first opening fluidly coupled to the supply port, a second opening fluidly coupled to the operating port, and a seat; (in) a spool configured to move axially within the sleeve, wherein the spool is configured to he seated on the seat of the sleeve when the valve is unactuated, and wherein when the valve is actuated, the spool moves such that a gap is formed at the seat; and (iv) a flow restriction disposed downstream of the gap, wherein when the valve is actuated, fluid is allowed to flow from the supply port through the first opening and the gap and through die flow′ restriction prior to flowing through the second opening to the operating port, such that the flow restriction generates an increased pressure level at the gap.

When a first control valve and a second control valve are in non-neutral positions, respectively, a fifth fluid passage and a second fluid passage are closed, thereby generating a first pressure within a fifth portion of the fifth fluid passage and a second pressure within a second portion of the second fluid passage, so that the first pressure is applied to a first valve through a fourth fluid passage to move the first valve to close the third fluid passage and a second pressure is applied to the confluence valve through a first fluid passage to move the confluence valve to a confluence position. When the confluence valve is in the confluence position, the confluence valve directs working fluid from a first working fluid supply to the second control valve.

A hydraulic system for a working machine includes a hydraulic pump to output a hydraulic fluid, an operation device operable to supply a pilot fluid in accordance with an amount by which the operation device is operated, a hydraulic actuator to be operated by the hydraulic fluid, a pilot fluid passage connected to the operation device, a first control valve connected to the pilot fluid passage and to be operated by the pilot fluid to control a flow of the hydraulic fluid, a second control valve to be operated by the pilot fluid to control a flow of the hydraulic fluid, a proportional valve to change a pressure of the pilot fluid to operate the second control valve, a pressure detector provided in the pilot fluid passage to detect a pressure in the pilot fluid passage, and a controller to control the proportional valve based on the pressure.

A system and method for detecting the functional state of a piloted or direct-operated isolation valve in a hydraulic circuit is presented. In some examples the hydraulic circuit is a steering circuit and the isolation valve provides selective isolation between a hydraulic actuator and one or more metering valves. In some examples, the isolation valve assembly is movable between a first position, in which fluid flow between the metering valve and the actuator is enabled, and a second position, in which fluid flow between the metering valve and the actuator is blocked. When the isolation valve assembly is moved to one of the first and second positions, an inlet port and a pressure sensing port of the isolation valve assembly are placed in fluid communication with each other. When the isolation valve assembly is moved to the other of the first or second position, a second inlet port and the pressure sensing port are placed in fluid communication.

A hydraulic system for controlling an implement on a work machine may include a hydraulic reservoir, a hydraulic pump in fluid communication with the reservoir, a central valve in fluid communication with the pump and configured for controlling the implement, a pressure relief system arranged in fluid communication with the hydraulic pump and the central valve, and a controller. The controller may be configured for controlling the hydraulic pump, the central valve and the pressure relief system and selecting between operating the hydraulic system at a first pressure and a second pressure based on a factor relating to implement position.

A hydraulic system includes: an arm hydraulic cylinder; a first hydraulic pump and a second hydraulic pump; an arm first direction switching valve; an arm second direction switching valve; and a controller that controls an operation of the arm second direction switching valve when the arm hydraulic cylinder is extended and operated. Further, the arm first direction switching valve incorporates an arm regeneration passage capable of supplying oil when the arm hydraulic cylinder is extended and operated, and the controller monitors a pressure state of the arm hydraulic cylinder, and when determining that oil flow through the arm regeneration passage is possible, the controller blocks oil flow between the arm hydraulic cylinder and the arm second direction switching valve, and otherwise, the controller operates the arm second direction switching valve so that oil can be supplied from the second hydraulic pump to the bottom chamber.

A valve device that changes the direction of flow of a hydraulic fluid supplied to and discharged from a cylinder mechanism to actuate the cylinder mechanism, the valve device including: a control valve including a main spool axially movable between different positions; a lock valve including a plunger and a pressure chamber; and a selector valve including a selector spool operable in conjunction with the main spool to axially move between different positions, the selector spool being located adjacent to the main spool and having an axis crossing an axis of the main spool.