Presented herein are systems and methods that allow for adapting at least one dimension of an accumulator in a hydraulic system when faced with certain dimensional constraints and to vary the compliance or stiffness of an accumulator.

A hydraulic control system achieves a reduction in meter-out pressure loss in accordance with variation of a negative load acting on a hydraulic actuator. A hydraulic fluid discharged from the actuator flows through meter-out flow lines having variable restrictors. A load sensor detects the magnitude of a negative load applied to the actuator by an external force in the same direction as the operating direction of the actuator. A control device reduces the sum total of the opening areas of the variable restrictors in accordance with an increase in the magnitude of the negative load detected by the load sensor and the operation amount detected by the operation amount sensor when the load abnormality sensor does not detect any abnormality. When an abnormality is detected, it reduces the sum total of the opening areas to a predetermined value in accordance with the operation amount detected by the operation amount sensor.

An asymmetric linear actuator is provided which integrates a hydraulic dissipater and an electric motor and power screw which generates small forces. The actuator is configured so that an electric motor drives a power screw which drives a rod through a cylinder to provide linear actuation. The cylinder is fluid-filled and incorporates a piston that separates the cylinder into a first and second fluid chamber which are filled with a first and second volume of working fluid. Movement of the piston and rod assembly results in fluid movement between the first and second volumes of working fluid and through the fluidic restriction. The fluidic restriction can be proportionally controllable via an electric motor which enables controllable power dissipation via control of the fluidic restriction motor and controllable power generation via control of the power screw motor.

When a tilt in a right-and-left direction occurs in a cargo bed (9) being raised due to imbalance of excavated materials, the tilt is detected as a roll angle (?R), and it is determined whether the absolute value (|?R|) of the roll angle is not less than an imbalance determination value (?2) (S4). When the absolute value is not less than the imbalance determination value (?2) (Yes in S4) and the roll angle (?R) is positive (the cargo bed (9) is rising to the right) (Yes in S8), an oil supply amount (VL) to a hoist cylinder (11) on the left side is increased, and an oil supply amount (VR) to a hoist cylinder (12) on the right side is decreased (S9). When the roll angle (?R) is negative (the cargo bed (9) is rising to the left) (No in S8), the oil supply amount (VL) on the left side is decreased, and the oil supply amount (VR) on the right side is increased (S10).

The present invention pertains to an air cylinder (10) in which flow rate controllers (24, 24A) are built into a head cover (14) and a rod cover (16), said flow rate controllers (24, 24A) being provided with a first flow rate adjustment part (28) connected between a port (14a, 16a) and a cylinder chamber (12c), a second flow rate adjustment part (32) provided adjacent to the first flow rate adjustment part (28), and a pilot check valve (38) connected in series to the second flow rate adjustment part (32). In response to the pressure of pilot air, the pilot check valve (38) switches between a state in which the passage of exhaust air from the cylinder chamber (12c) is permitted and a state in which the passage of exhaust air is prevented.

An intermittent air discharge fluid circuit includes a main valve including a discharge pilot chamber and a pilot valve including an air supply pilot chamber. The main valve is switched between a first position in which the air supply pilot chamber is connected to an air supply source and a discharge port is open to atmosphere, and a second position in which the air supply pilot chamber is open to atmosphere and the discharge port is connected to the air supply source. The pilot valve is switched between a first position in which the discharge pilot chamber is open to atmosphere and a second position in which the discharge pilot chamber is connected to the air supply source.

Disclosed are an adjustable load pressure compensation balancing system, an end cover, and a counterbalance valve. The adjustable load pressure compensation balancing system comprises: an adjustable orifice control module and a counterbalance valve control module, wherein the adjustable orifice control module is used for receiving control oil generated when a luffing system descends and oil from a descending cavity of a luffing cylinder; the counterbalance valve control module is used for receiving the control oil generated when the luffing system descends; the pressure applied to the counterbalance valve control module by the control oil is maximum when the luffing system starts to descend, and then decreases gradually; and the pressure applied to the adjustable orifice control module by the oil from the descending cavity is minimum when the luffing system starts to descend, and then increases gradually.

Systems and methods for electrohydraulic valve calibration are provided. In one aspect, a calibration circuit includes a calibration conduit isolated from a supply conduit, a first calibration orifice configured to provide fluid communication between the calibration conduit and a fluid source, and a second calibration orifice arranged in series with the first calibration orifice. The second calibration orifice is on a spool of a electrohydraulic control valve and is configured to selectively provide fluid communication between the calibration conduit and a low pressure source. The calibration circuit further includes a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure in the calibration conduit between the first calibration orifice and the second calibration orifice. The second calibration orifice is isolated from the at least one workport of the electrohydraulic control valve.

Provided is a hydraulic drive system for a work machine configured with a single solenoid proportional valve for a regeneration circuit, wherein substantially the same actuator speed can be secured irrespective of whether or not hydraulic fluid discharged from a hydraulic actuator is regenerated for driving of another hydraulic actuator. The hydraulic drive system includes: a regeneration line that connects a bottom-side hydraulic chamber of a hydraulic cylinder 4 to a portion between a hydraulic pump device 50 and a second hydraulic actuator 8, and a regeneration flow rate adjustment device that supplies, at an adjusted flow rate, at least part of the discharged hydraulic fluid to a portion between the hydraulic pump device 50 and the second hydraulic actuator; a discharge flow rate adjustment device that discharges, at an adjusted flow rate, the discharged hydraulic fluid to a tank; one electric drive device 22 that simultaneously controls the regeneration flow rate adjustment device and the discharge flow rate adjustment device; and a control unit 27 that outputs a control command to the electric drive device in such a manner that falling speed of a first driven body does not vary significantly, irrespective of the magnitude of the regeneration flow rate caused by the regeneration flow rate adjustment device.

A shovel includes a turning hydraulic motor, a hydraulic cylinder, a pilot circuit, a hydraulic control valve, a variable throttle, and a controller. The turning hydraulic motor is driven with hydraulic oil supplied from the hydraulic pump to drive a turning body of the shovel to turn. The hydraulic cylinder is driven with the hydraulic oil supplied from the hydraulic pump. The pilot circuit controls a pilot pressure in accordance with the operation of an operation lever. The hydraulic control valve controls the hydraulic oil supplied from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic cylinder in accordance with the pilot pressure supplied from the pilot circuit. The opening of the variable throttle varies in accordance with the operating state of the operation lever. The controller changes the opening of the variable throttle.