A dual pressure margin priority circuit and method for controlling flow from a pump to steering valve and low priority inlets. A steering pressure valve controls flow from pump to steering valve inlets, and provides a steering valve load sense pressure. A priority valve controls flow from pump to low priority inlets. A load sense cutoff valve has a first inlet receiving the steering valve load sense pressure. The load sense cutoff valve controls flow through the priority valve based on steering valve load sense pressure at the first cutoff valve inlet. The cutoff valve can include a second inlet coupled to tank, and a load sense input coupled to the steering valve load sense pressure. The cutoff valve can be a pressure limiter valve. The priority and steering pressure valves can be 2-way proportional flow spool valves with bias springs, and contributing and opposing load sense inputs.

A hydraulic system for a machine includes a plurality of hydraulic component, wherein the hydraulic components include hydraulic actuators and hydraulic motors. The hydraulic system also includes a plurality of hydraulic circuits, and a plurality of hydraulic pumps for supplying hydraulic fluid to the plurality of hydraulic components via the hydraulic circuits. At least one hydraulic component receives hydraulic flow exclusively from a designated one of the hydraulic pumps and at least another, different hydraulic component receives shared hydraulic flow from a flow sharing set of the hydraulic pumps.

A dual pressure margin priority circuit and method for controlling flow from a pump to steering valve and low priority inlets. A steering pressure valve controls flow from pump to steering valve inlets, and provides a steering valve load sense pressure. A priority valve controls flow from pump to low priority inlets. A load sense cutoff valve has a first inlet receiving the steering valve load sense pressure. The load sense cutoff valve controls flow through the priority valve based on steering valve load sense pressure at the first cutoff valve inlet. The cutoff valve can include a second inlet coupled to tank, and a load sense input coupled to the steering valve load sense pressure. The cutoff valve can be a pressure limiter valve. The priority and steering pressure valves can be 2-way proportional flow spool valves with bias springs, and contributing and opposing load sense inputs.

A control system for construction machinery, includes a hydraulic pump, first and second actuators connected to the hydraulic pump through first and second parallel lines respectively, first and second control valves installed in the first and second parallel lines respectively and configured to control operations of the first and second actuators, first and second spool displacement adjusting valves configured to control displacement amounts of the spools of the first and second control valves, and a controller configured to output a control signal to the first and second spool displacement adjusting valves corresponding to a manipulation signal of an operator, and configured to limit a spool displacement amount of the second control valve according to the manipulation signal for the first actuator when the manipulation signal for a multiple operation of the first and second actuators is received.

An actuation pressure to actuate one or more hydraulic actuators may be determined based on a load on the one or more hydraulic actuators of a robotic device. Based on the determined actuation pressure, a pressure rail from among a set of pressure rails at respective pressures may be selected. One or more valves may connect the selected pressure rail to a metering valve. The hydraulic drive system may operate in a discrete mode in which the metering valve opens such that hydraulic fluid flows from the selected pressure rail through the metering valve to the one or more hydraulic actuators at approximately the supply pressure. Responsive to a control state of the robotic device, the hydraulic drive system may operate in a continuous mode in which the metering valve throttles the hydraulic fluid such that the supply pressure is reduced to the determined actuation pressure.

A fluid power system comprises a pump with multiple independently variable outlets, each of which is capable of delivering fluid in individually controllable volume units and a plurality of hydraulic loads. A system of switching valves is configured to create fluid connections between the pump outlets and the loads. A control system commands both the pump and the switching valves, so as to create valve state combinations to satisfy load conditions as demanded by an operator. The number of pump outlets connected to one or more of the loads is changeable to satisfy the flow required of the load due to the operator demand, each pump outlet being commanded to produce a flow depending on the status of other outlets connected a load to which the outlet is connected and the operator demand for that load.

A control system for controlling a work machine including a working unit including elements and actuators that drives the elements includes: a first hydraulic pump and a second hydraulic pump each of which supplies operating oil to at least one of the actuators; and a control device that calculates a distribution flow rate of operating oil distributed to each of the actuators based on an operating state of the working unit and switches, based on the calculated distribution flow rate, between a first state in which the operating oil supplied from both the first hydraulic pump and the second hydraulic pump is supplied to the actuators and a second state in which the actuator to which the operating oil is supplied from the first hydraulic pump is different from the actuator to which the operating oil is supplied from the second hydraulic pump.

The aerial work platform includes a chassis, a basket, a hydraulic lifting structure and a hydraulic system. A control unit includes a circulation circuit, an electric motor pump and a flow regulator. To simultaneous displace two different parts of the lifting structure, the actuators are divided between first and second groups and the control unit determines first and second target flow rates, while controlling the motor pump with a delivery flow rate greater than or equal to the sum of the target flow rates. The control unit controls the flow rate controller to send toward the groups a regulated proportion of the fluid from the motor pump, presenting a flow rate equal to the sum of the target flow rates, and then to divide this regulated proportion into two adjusted parts, respectively presenting the first and second target flow rates and respectively sent to the first and second groups.

An actuation pressure to actuate one or more hydraulic actuators may be determined based on a load on the one or more hydraulic actuators of a robotic device. Based on the determined actuation pressure, a pressure rail from among a set of pressure rails at respective pressures may be selected. One or more valves may connect the selected pressure rail to a metering valve. The hydraulic drive system may operate in a discrete mode in which the metering valve opens such that hydraulic fluid flows from the selected pressure rail through the metering valve to the one or more hydraulic actuators at approximately the supply pressure. Responsive to a control state of the robotic device, the hydraulic drive system may operate in a continuous mode in which the metering valve throttles the hydraulic fluid such that the supply pressure is reduced to the determined actuation pressure.

A hydraulic arrangement is disclosed for distributing a fluid in pressure coming from a source of fluid in pressure among hydraulic units of a work vehicle. The hydraulic arrangement includes a priority valve configured to divide the flow of the fluid source between a subset of the hydraulic units on the base of an equivalent load sensing signal derived from the hydraulic units. The hydraulic arrangement further includes by-pass means fluidly interposed between the source and the subset of the hydraulic units and configured to allow direct passage of fluid by-passing priority valve from the source to the subset of the hydraulic units according to a predefined condition.