A hydraulic apparatus comprises first and second manifolds each of which is connected to a plurality of actuators via corresponding actuator valves connected in parallel and operated responsive to inputs to regulate the flow of fluid to the actuators. A plurality of working chambers are connectable to either the first or second manifold and have a net flow which is controlled responsive to a negative feedback signal. The negative feedback signal is determined in response to a calculated pressure or flow rate in virtual fluid flow paths extending from the first and second manifolds.

To improve operability and work efficiency while achieving reduction of the number of parts and simplification of circuit structure, in a hydraulic control system equipped with hydraulic actuators whose hydraulic power sources are both the first, second hydraulic pumps. The hydraulic control system is provided with the stick directional switching valve; the main-side, sub-side supply oil passages connecting the hydraulic pumps to the stick directional switching valve; and the stick flow rate control valve which is placed in the sub-side supply oil passage, and controls the supply flow rate from the hydraulic pump when the supply flow rate to the stick cylinder requires the supply flow rates from both the hydraulic pumps, wherein the stick directional switching valve is configured such that the discharge flow rate control is performed in the entire area of the spool stroke, and the supply flow rate control is performed at the first region of the former half of the spool stroke, but not performed at the second region of the latter half of the spool stroke.

A closed-loop hydraulic circuit associated with a swing mechanism of a machine is controlled to obtain both a pressure control during acceleration and deceleration of the swing mechanism and a velocity control during coasting. In this manner, a system pressure in closed-loop hydraulic circuit is maintained below a maximum allowable pressure during acceleration and deceleration, and the swing mechanism can be rotated at a desired constant speed during coasting. This is achieved by controlling a hydraulic actuator adjusting the displacement of a variable displacement pump in different control modes, depending on a comparison between a desired displacement of the pump and an actual displacement of the same.

A work machine control system includes: a pump; a cylinder operating a working equipment element in a movable range based on hydraulic oil supplied from the pump; a first path connected to the pump; a second path branching from the first path; a control valve adjusting the flow rate of the oil supplied to the cylinder via the first path; a bleed valve adjusting the flow rate of the oil discharged to a tank via the second path; a sensor detecting a posture of the element in the range; and a control device outputting a first command for adjusting the flow rate of the oil supplied to the cylinder and a second command for adjusting the flow rate of the oil discharged to the tank when element is determined to be present in an end section of the range based on detection data of the sensor.

A control method of a work machine includes: calculating a maximum flow rate of hydraulic oil discharged from a hydraulic pump; calculating a first target speed of working equipment including a bucket based on an operation amount of an operation device operated for driving a plurality of hydraulic actuators to which the hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump is supplied to drive the working equipment and a distance between the bucket and a target excavation landform; calculating a second target speed of the working equipment based on the maximum flow rate, and the operation amount of the operation device and the distance between the bucket and the target excavation landform; and outputting a control signal for controlling the hydraulic actuators based on a smaller one of the first target speed and the second target speed.

A working machine comprises an operation member for operating a hydraulic device via a control valve. An oscillation calculator acquires a specific value corresponding to a feature representing oscillation of the operation member when the feature appears in variation of an control signal output according to an operation amount of the operation member within one of a sequence of predetermined periods, and calculates an evaluation value representing a degree of oscillation of the operation member by adding up the specific value or values obtained within one or more of the predetermined periods. A control signal generator generates a control signal for controlling the control valve based on the operation signal. The control signal generator decreases a value of the control signal per a unit value of the operation signal as the evaluation value gradually increases with the elapse of one or more of the sequence of the predetermined periods.

Both a control for limiting operation of a machine body and a control for raising engine speed are achieved when an obstacle is detected. To this end, a machine controller performs operation limiting control by conducting a control for reducing the speed of the engine when the machine body does not require engine speed increase control and an obstacle is sensed by obstacle sensors, and the machine controller performs supply flow rate reduction control for reducing the flow rates of the hydraulic fluid supplied to hydraulic actuators from a hydraulic pump when the machine body requires the engine speed increase control and an obstacle is sensed by the obstacle sensors.

A hydraulic system for operating a circle drive gear of a grading machine includes a pump configured to output pressurized fluid, a directional control valve fluidly coupled to the pump, a bidirectional hydraulic motor located downstream of the directional control valve and fluidly coupled to the directional control valve via hydraulic lines. The hydraulic motor has an output shaft that is configured to be rotationally driven by pressurized fluid output by the pump. Dual counterbalance valves may be disposed within the hydraulic circuit of the directional control valve and hydraulic motor such that any gearbox driven by the hydraulic motor is protected from external opposing forces. Accordingly, motion in the circle drive system is hydraulically locked at the beginning and release of a circle rotation command with the help of fluid pressure in the hydraulic lines.

A hydraulic work system can include a continuously variable displacement hydraulic pump that is powered by an engine and is in communication with a hydraulic actuator. A run-time displacement of the hydraulic pump for movement of the hydraulic actuator can be controlled based on a speed of the engine.

A hydraulic drive system includes control valve and operating devices, a variable displacement pump, and a flow regulator. When an operating lever inclination angle becomes a value, a control valve opening area becomes a reference. When the operating lever inclination angle maximizes, the opening area maximizes. The flow regulator: until the operating lever inclination angle becomes the value, increases the pump discharge flow rate with the inclination angle, so a differential pressure between pump discharge and actuator load pressures is constant; when the operating lever inclination angle becomes the value, controls the pump discharge flow rate, so a control valve passing flow rate is an actuator maximum flow rate when the differential pressure is constant; and when the operating lever inclination angle is between the value and the maximum, defines a maximum pump discharge flow rate, so the pump discharge flow rate is kept to the actuator maximum flow rate.