Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
220 words
A pump control system for controlling the pump output flow at a given pump speed comprising: a variable displacement pump having a housing and a rotatably positionable swash plate therein for controlling the output of said variable displacement pump; means for altering the position of said swash plate so as to change said pump output flow in response to control signals; means for producing an electric signal representative of the desired swash plate position; an electric feedback signal producing means mounted within said pump housing and directly connected to said swash plate for indicating the actual position of said swash plate; and means for comparing said electric signals representing the desired and actual swash plate positions and producing an error signal representative of the difference between these two positions, and means for providing control signals to said means for altering the position of said swash plate as a function of said difference so as to cause said error signal to be decreased by altering swash plate position, and said means for providing control signals also includes a failsafe means generating a reference signal, comparing said feedback signal to said reference signal, and preventing said means for providing control signals from altering the position of said swash plate when the magnitude of said reference signal is greater than said feedback signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
220 words
A pump control system for controlling the pump output flow at a given pump speed comprising: a variable displacement pump having a housing and a rotatably positionable swash plate therein for controlling the output of said variable displacement pump; means for altering the position of said swash plate so as to change said pump output flow in response to control signals; means for producing an electric signal representative of the desired swash plate position; an electric feedback signal producing means mounted within said pump housing and directly connected to said swash plate for indicating the actual position of said swash plate; and means for comparing said electric signals representing the desired and actual swash plate positions and producing an error signal representative of the difference between these two positions, and means for providing control signals to said means for altering the position of said swash plate as a function of said difference so as to cause said error signal to be decreased by altering swash plate position, and said means for providing control signals also includes a failsafe means generating a reference signal, comparing said feedback signal to said reference signal, and preventing said means for providing control signals from altering the position of said swash plate when the magnitude of said reference signal is greater than said feedback signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The pump control system according to claim 1, wherein said electric signals representing the desired and actual swash plate position and the error signals are d.c. signals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The pump control system according to claim 1, wherein said control system operates on fifteen volts maximum direct current.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The pump control system according to claim 1, wherein said means for altering the position of said swash plate includes a force motor means driving spool valve means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The pump control system according to claim 1, wherein said electric feedback signal producing means includes a rotary potentiometer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The pump control system according to claim 5, wherein said rotary potentiometer creates electrical signals representative of the actual angular position of said swash plate about the axis of rotation of said swash plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The pump control system according to claim 6, wherein said rotary potentiometer is disposed such that its rotational axis is along said rotational axis of said swash plate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
The pump control system according to claim 6, wherein said swash plate includes axial flanges supported within said pump housing and which permit said swash plate to pivot about said axis of rotation, and wherein a portion of said rotary potentiometer is fixedly disposed in a bore in one of said axial flanges.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The pump control system according to claim 8, wherein said rotary potentiometer rotates through an arc of less than 20° in response to maximum rotation of said swash plate.