A hydraulic control device for a forklift includes a hydraulic pump, a single electric motor for driving the hydraulic pump, an outflow control mechanism provided between a lift cylinder and the hydraulic pump, a flow control valve provided between the outflow control mechanism and a draining portion, and a controller. When a lowering operation of a fork and either forward or rearward mast tilting operations of a mast are performed at the same time, the controller controls the electric motor based on a target speed of the hydraulic pump. The flow control valve controls the flow rate of hydraulic fluid from the lift cylinder to the hydraulic pump and the flow rate from the lift cylinder to the draining portion in accordance with the difference between the actual rotation speed of the hydraulic pump and the target rotation speed of the hydraulic pump.

Disclosed is a flow control valve for construction machinery, the flow control valve being adapted to reduce pressure loss due to flow on return to a hydraulic tank during the boom-down operation of a large-scale excavator. The flow control valve for construction machinery according to the present invention comprises: first and second boom spools which are respectively coupled to first and second boom valve blocks, and which regulate working fluid that is respectively supplied from first and second hydraulic pumps to a boom cylinder during direction reversal; a boom-up flow-adjusting means which, in direction reversal of the first and second boom spools for boom-up drive, supplies working fluid from the first and second hydraulic pumps into a large chamber of the boom cylinder via the first and second boom spools respectively, and causes part of the flow of working fluid from the second hydraulic pump to pass via the second boom spool so as to be combined with working fluid being supplied from the first hydraulic pump to the large chamber of the boom cylinder due to direction reversal of the first boom spool; and a boom-down flow-adjusting means which, in direction reversal of the first and second boom spools for boom-down drive, causes part of the flow of working fluid coming back from the large chamber of the boom cylinder to return to the hydraulic tank via the first and second boom spools respectively, and causes part of the flow of working fluid coming back from the large chamber of the boom cylinder to combine as respective regenerative flows for working fluid on the small chamber side of the boom cylinder.

A hydraulic valve assembly includes an inlet; an outlet; a pressure compensator upstream of the inlet; and a pressure limited flow priority boost valve spool movable between a first position and a second position and comprising an outer spool body and an inner spool body. The outer spool body includes deadhead meter notches disposed such that, in the first position, the spool closes fluid communication between the inlet and the pressure compensator, and such that, in the second position, the spool opens fluid communication between the inlet and the pressure compensator. The inner spool body is movable relative to the outer spool body and is configured to open fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet so as to bypass the compensator. The flow between the inlet and the compensator is a reduced pilot flow.

A hydraulic valve assembly includes an inlet; an outlet; a pressure compensator upstream of the inlet; and a pressure limited flow priority boost valve spool movable between a first position and a second position and comprising an outer spool body and an inner spool body. The outer spool body includes deadhead meter notches disposed such that, in the first position, the spool closes fluid communication between the inlet and the pressure compensator, and such that, in the second position, the spool opens fluid communication between the inlet and the pressure compensator. The inner spool body is movable relative to the outer spool body and is configured to open fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet so as to bypass the compensator. The flow between the inlet and the compensator is a reduced pilot flow.

The present invention relates to a hydraulic control system for construction machinery capable of variably adjusting a set pressure of a relief valve, which controls a set pressure of a hydraulic system, according to a value inputted by means of pressure in the hydraulic system or the manipulation of a joystick. The hydraulic control system comprises: a flow control valve installed in a passage between a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic actuator, for controlling the driving of the hydraulic actuator by being switched by a control signal according to the manipulation of the joystick; a main relief valve installed in a passage between an upstream-side discharge passage of the hydraulic pump and a hydraulic tank, for returning a working fluid to the hydraulic tank when a high load exceeding a set pressure occurs in the system; a pressure controlling means for controlling, either continuously or in stages, a set pressure of the main relief valve; a pressure sensing means for sensing a pressure at a discharge side of the hydraulic pump; and a controller for determining the value inputted by the manipulation of the joystick, and a required set pressure for the relief valve according to the system pressure sensed by the pressure sensing means, and then outputting a control signal to the pressure controlling means to enable a set pressure of the relief valve to be variably adjusted to a determined set pressure.

A hydraulic system (600) and method for reducing boom dynamics of a boom (30), while providing counter-balance valve protection, includes a hydraulic actuator (110), first and second counter-balance valves (300, 400), first and second independent control valves (700, 800), and first and second blocking valves (350, 450). The actuator includes first and second corresponding chambers. In a first mode, the second counter-balance valve is opened by the first control valve, and the first counter-balance valve is opened by the second control valve. In a second mode, at least one of the counter-balance valves is closed. A meter-out control valve (800, 700) may be operated in a flow control mode, and/or a meter-in control valve (700, 800) may be operated in a pressure control mode. Boom dynamics reduction may occur while the boom is in motion (e.g., about a worksite). By opening the counter-balance valves, sensors at the control valves may be used to characterize external loads. The control valves may respond to the external loads and at least partially cancel unwanted boom dynamics. The system may further detecting faults in actuators with counter-balance valves and prevent any single point fault from causing a boom falling event and/or mitigate such faults.

A hydraulic system (600) and method for reducing boom dynamics of a boom (30), while providing counter-balance valve protection, includes a hydraulic actuator (110), first and second counter-balance valves (300, 400), first and second independent control valves (700, 800), and first and second blocking valves (350, 450). The actuator includes first and second corresponding chambers. In a first mode, the second counter-balance valve is opened by the first control valve, and the first counter-balance valve is opened by the second control valve. In a second mode, at least one of the counter-balance valves is closed. A meter-out control valve (800, 700) may be operated in a flow control mode, and/or a meter-in control valve (700, 800) may be operated in a pressure control mode. Boom dynamics reduction may occur while the boom is in motion (e.g., about a worksite). By opening the counter-balance valves, sensors at the control valves may be used to characterize external loads. The control valves may respond to the external loads and at least partially cancel unwanted boom dynamics. The system may further detecting faults in actuators with counter-balance valves and prevent any single point fault from causing a boom falling event and/or mitigate such faults.

A construction machine includes a hydraulic actuator and a processor. The processor is configured to detect a predetermined object present within a predetermined area around the construction machine, impose a motion restriction on the construction machine by decreasing the flow rate of hydraulic oil supplied to the hydraulic actuator, in response to detection of the object present within the predetermined area, and relax or cancel the motion restriction by increasing the flow rate to a level lower than before a start of the motion restriction or a level substantially same as before the start of the motion restriction, in response to a predetermined operation for relaxing or canceling the motion restriction being performed or in response to the object being no longer detected within the predetermined area, after the start of the motion restriction.

A construction machine includes a hydraulic actuator and a processor. The processor is configured to detect a predetermined object present within a predetermined area around the construction machine, impose a motion restriction on the construction machine by decreasing the flow rate of hydraulic oil supplied to the hydraulic actuator, in response to detection of the object present within the predetermined area, and relax or cancel the motion restriction by increasing the flow rate to a level lower than before a start of the motion restriction or a level substantially same as before the start of the motion restriction, in response to a predetermined operation for relaxing or canceling the motion restriction being performed or in response to the object being no longer detected within the predetermined area, after the start of the motion restriction.

A hydraulic actuator control system that includes an actuator. A pump pumps a hydraulic fluid to move the actuator. A first control valve fluidly couples to the pump. The first control valve provides a first hydraulic fluid flow to the actuator. A maximum first hydraulic fluid flow through the first control valve is less than a maximum required hydraulic fluid flow of the actuator. A second control valve fluidly couples to the pump. The second control valve provides a second hydraulic fluid flow to the actuator. A maximum second hydraulic fluid flow through the second control valve is less than the maximum required hydraulic fluid flow of the actuator. A controller controls the first control valve and the second control valve to provide the hydraulic fluid to the actuator.