A control loop for a double-acting pneumatic actuator is configured to generate two control signals, one for each of the two pneumatic chambers for the purpose of controlling the actuator position in view of operating constraints on the chamber pressures or the stiffness of the actuator. A numerical indicator of the stiffness may be computed in a variety of ways, for example, as the average of the two chamber pressures. In one embodiment a numerical indicator of stiffness is treated as an output of the system along with the position of the actuator. A multi-input multi-output control loop with position and pressure feedback may be used to simultaneously control the position and the stiffness of the actuator.

A hydraulically actuated liftable and lowerable hook of a crane has a hydraulic system comprises at least one working machine with a hydraulic motor driving a winch. At least one drive machine comprising a pump is connected directly or indirectly to at least one of the working machines by means of two connections via corresponding working lines, which serve as a feed or return depending on the operating state of the working machine. A lowering brake valve is provided in one working line and is connected to the other working line via a control line such that the lowering brake valve is displaceable against a restoring force by pressure, which prevails in the other working line and is forwarded via the control line, from the blocking position of said valve into a through-flow position for lowering the hook by means of a primary winch.

A hydraulically actuated liftable and lowerable hook of a crane has a hydraulic system comprises at least one working machine with a hydraulic motor driving a winch. At least one drive machine comprising a pump is connected directly or indirectly to at least one of the working machines by means of two connections via corresponding working lines, which serve as a feed or return depending on the operating state of the working machine. A lowering brake valve is provided in one working line and is connected to the other working line via a control line such that the lowering brake valve is displaceable against a restoring force by pressure, which prevails in the other working line and is forwarded via the control line, from the blocking position of said valve into a through-flow position for lowering the hook by means of a primary winch.

An energy regeneration device which can regenerate energy of a working fluid discharged from an actuator while controlling a flow rate of the working fluid, and a work machine including the device. The regeneration device includes a boom cylinder, an inertial fluid container, an oil tank, an accumulator, a low-pressure-side opening/closing device, and a high-pressure-side opening/closing device. A calculation unit calculates an opening area of each of the low-pressure-side opening/closing device and the high-pressure-side opening/closing device in accordance with a desired flow rate of a hydraulic fluid discharged from the boom cylinder. A regeneration control unit adjusts an opening area of each of the low-pressure-side opening/closing device and the high-pressure-side opening/closing device, and selects alternately the low-pressure-side opening/closing device and the high-pressure-side opening/closing device as a destination with which the inertial fluid container communicates, to supply a discharged hydraulic fluid to an accumulator.

A first fluid circuit is a fluid circuit of an air cylinder provided with an air cylinder with a first air chamber and a second air chamber that are defined by a piston; a switching valve that is switched between the drive step and return step of the piston; a first flow channel between the first air chamber and the switching valve; and a second flow channel between the second air chamber and the switching valve. Two speed control valves are provided in series in the second flow channel.

A first fluid circuit is a fluid circuit of an air cylinder provided with an air cylinder with a first air chamber and a second air chamber that are defined by a piston; a switching valve that is switched between the drive step and return step of the piston; a first flow channel between the first air chamber and the switching valve; and a second flow channel between the second air chamber and the switching valve. Two speed control valves are provided in series in the second flow channel.

An apparatus includes a hydraulic circuit that is configured to selectively open fluid communication between one portion of the hydraulic circuit and another portion of the hydraulic circuit, such as a reservoir, based on the flow of the hydraulic fluid in the one portion. When the flow of hydraulic fluid exceeds a selected threshold in the one portion of the hydraulic circuit, the flow of fluid urges the opening of a hydraulic component of the hydraulic circuit to allow fluid communication between the one portion and the reservoir to discharge fluid from the one portion.

A valve arrangement for pressure medium supply of a hydraulic consumer according to the invention, wherein said valve arrangement has two utility ports (A, B) for fluid connection to the consumer, having a first control valve, which has a first intake (24), via which a first intake flow from the first utility port (A) to the consumer (10) is controllable, and having a first return control orifice (26), via which a first return flow (28) from the consumer (10) via the second utility port (B) is controllable simultaneously with the first intake (24), and has a second intake (34), via which a second intake flow from the second utility port (B) to the consumer (10) is controllable, and having a second return control orifice (36), via which a second return flow (38) from the consumer (10) via the first utility port (A) is controllable simultaneously with the second intake (34), and having a second control valve (40) having an intake control orifice (42), which can be used to control the respective intake (24, 34) of the first control valve (20).

A valve arrangement for pressure medium supply of a hydraulic consumer according to the invention, wherein said valve arrangement has two utility ports (A, B) for fluid connection to the consumer, having a first control valve, which has a first intake (24), via which a first intake flow from the first utility port (A) to the consumer (10) is controllable, and having a first return control orifice (26), via which a first return flow (28) from the consumer (10) via the second utility port (B) is controllable simultaneously with the first intake (24), and has a second intake (34), via which a second intake flow from the second utility port (B) to the consumer (10) is controllable, and having a second return control orifice (36), via which a second return flow (38) from the consumer (10) via the first utility port (A) is controllable simultaneously with the second intake (34), and having a second control valve (40) having an intake control orifice (42), which can be used to control the respective intake (24, 34) of the first control valve (20).

An example valve assembly includes a meter-in valve configured to be fluidly coupled to a first source of pressurized fluid and control fluid flow from the first source of pressurized fluid into a first chamber of an actuator; a counterbalance valve including configured to open and control fluid flow from a second chamber of the actuator to a tank in response to a pilot pressure fluid signal received at a pilot port of the counterbalance valve; and a pressure reducing valve configured to be fluidly coupled to a second source of pressurized fluid and to be fluidly coupled to the pilot port of the counterbalance valve, where the pressure reducing valve is configured to receive pressurized fluid from the second source of pressurized fluid and, when actuated, provide the pilot pressure fluid signal to the pilot port of the counterbalance valve.