Patent US4729408A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4729408A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Control system for independent control of fluid actuated devices
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
•
Filing: 1986-12-12
•
Granted: 1988-03-08
•
Expires: 2006-12-12
Abstract
Abstract Control systems are required to selectively control fluid actuated devices, such as clutches, in a transmission. In order to reduce shock loads on the internal elements of the transmission, it is necessary to ensure that only one clutch can be engaged at one time and that no major speed changes or change in direction is allowed. The present invention provides an interlocking arrangement that operates to control a source of pressurized fluid to a plurality of valve mechanism and a plurality of signal control devices. The operation of one of the plurality of valve mechanisms interrupts the flow of fluid to other ones of the plurality of valve mechanisms and to ones of the signal control devices. With this subject arrangement, the shock loads to the transmission are substantially reduced.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan R. Coutant
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 05:24
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H61/00; F16H61/12; F16D; F16D48/00; F16D48/06; F16D48/062; F16D48/066; F16D48/02; F16D2048/0224; F16D2500/00; F16D2500/30; F16D2500/302; F16D2500/3024; F16D2500/50; F16D2500/51; F16D2500/5118; F16H61/02; F16H61/0262; F16H61/0276; F16H2061/0288; F16H2061/1204; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/8593; Y10T137/87096; Y10T137/87113; Y10T137/87169; Y10T137/87193; Y10T137/87209
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
230 words
A fluid control system for selectively controlling actuation of a plurality of fluid actuated devices, said system including a source of pressurized fluid, a reservoir, a plurality of valve mechanisms operative to valve the fluid from said source to said fluid actuated devices, and a plurality of signal control valves each being operative to actuate a respective one of the plurality of valve mechanisms, comprising: means for hydraulically interlocking a selected one of the plurality of signal control valves with respect to the source upon operation of a first one of the plurality of valve mechanisms so that only a first one of the plurality of fluid actuated devices may be connected with the source and a second one of the plurality of fluid actuated devices is prohibited from connection with the source; and the plurality of valve mechanisms includes a second valve mechanism and each of the plurality of valve mechanisms has an inlet port, an actuator port, a drain port, and first and second outlet ports, and each valve mechanism is movable between a first position at which the inlet port is in open communication with the first outlet port and the second outlet is in open communication with the drain port and a second position at which the inlet port is blocked from the first outlet port and is in open communication with the second outlet port.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
230 words
A fluid control system for selectively controlling actuation of a plurality of fluid actuated devices, said system including a source of pressurized fluid, a reservoir, a plurality of valve mechanisms operative to valve the fluid from said source to said fluid actuated devices, and a plurality of signal control valves each being operative to actuate a respective one of the plurality of valve mechanisms, comprising: means for hydraulically interlocking a selected one of the plurality of signal control valves with respect to the source upon operation of a first one of the plurality of valve mechanisms so that only a first one of the plurality of fluid actuated devices may be connected with the source and a second one of the plurality of fluid actuated devices is prohibited from connection with the source; and the plurality of valve mechanisms includes a second valve mechanism and each of the plurality of valve mechanisms has an inlet port, an actuator port, a drain port, and first and second outlet ports, and each valve mechanism is movable between a first position at which the inlet port is in open communication with the first outlet port and the second outlet is in open communication with the drain port and a second position at which the inlet port is blocked from the first outlet port and is in open communication with the second outlet port.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The fluid control system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for hydraulically interlocking also provides interlocking one of a second one of the signal control valves and the first valve mechanism with respect to the source upon initial operation of the second one of the plurality of valve mechanisms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
74 words
The fluid control system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the plurality of valve mechanisms include a third valve mechanism and the plurality of signal control devices include a third signal control device and the means for hydraulically interlocking further provides interlocking one of the first and second signal control devices and one of the first and second valve mechanisms with respect to the source upon initial actuation of the third valve mechanism.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The fluid control system, as set forth in claim 3, wherein movement in either direction of each of the plurality of valve mechanisms is initiated solely by fluid pressure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
103 words
The fluid control system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second outlet port of each of the valve mechanisms is connected respectively to first and second fluid actuated devices, and including a third fluid actuated device connected to the first outlet port of the second valve mechanisms and the hydraulically interlocking means includes a conduit connecting the first outlet port of the first valve mechanism with the inlet port of the second valve mechanism so that the third fluid actuated device is connected with the source of pressurized fluid when the first and second fluid actuated devices are free from actuation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
73 words
The fluid control system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of signal control valves is a two position valve having an inlet port, an outlet port, and a drain port and each is operatively connected between the source and the actuator port of the respective valve mechanism to selectively direct a fluid pressure signal to move the respective valve mechanism from its first position to its second position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The fluid control system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein movement in either direction of each of the plurality of valve mechanisms is initiated solely by fluid pressure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
103 words
The fluid control system, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the second outlet port of each of the plurality of valve mechanisms is connected to the respective one of the plurality of fluid actuated devices and the hydraulically interlocking means includes a conduit connecting the source of pressurized fluid to the inlet port of the first valve mechanism, a conduit connecting the first outlet port of the first valve mechanism to the inlet port of the second two position valve, and a conduit connecting the outlet port of the second two position valve to the actuator port of the second valve mechanism.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
74 words
The fluid control system, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the hydraulically interlocking means includes a conduit connecting the source to the inlet port of the second valve mechanism, a conduit connecting the first outlet port of the second valve mechanism to the inlet port of the first two position valve, and a conduit connecting the outlet port of the first two position valve to the actuator port of the first valve mechanism.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
The fluid control system, as set forth in claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of signal control valves is spring biased to a first position at which the inlet port is blocked while the outlet port is connected with the drain port and each is solenoid actuated to a second position at which the inlet port is connected with the outlet port and the drain port is blocked.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
160 words
The fluid control system, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the plurality of valve mechanisms includes a third valve mechanism and the plurality of signal control devices includes a third signal control device; the third valve mechanism is located in the conduit upstream of the first valve mechanism by connecting the supply conduit from the source of pressurized fluid to the inlet port of the third valve mechanism and connecting the first outlet port of the third valve mechanism to the portion of the conduit that is connected to the inlet port of the first valve mechanism; the conduit that connects the first outlet port of the second valve mechanism to the inlet port of the first two position valve also connects to the inlet port of the third two position valve; and the hydraulically interlocking means includes a conduit connecting the outlet port of the third two position valve to the actuator port of the third valve mechanism.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
177 words
The fluid control system, as set forth in claim 11, wherein the plurality of valve mechanisms include third and fourth valve mechanisms and the plurality of signal control devices include third and fourth signal control devices each respectively connected to the actuator port of the respective third and fourth valve mechanisms, and the means for hydraulically interlocking provides interlocking the third and fourth valve mechanisms by connecting the inlet port of the third valve mechanism to the conduit that connects the first outlet port of the first valve mechanism to the inlet port of the second two position valve, by connecting the inlet port of the fourth valve mechanism to the conduit that connects the first outlet port of the second valve mechanism to the inlet port of the first two position valve, by connecting the first outlet port of the third valve mechanism to the inlet port of the fourth two position valve, and by connecting the first outlet port of the fourth valve mechanism to the first inlet port of the third two position valve.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
212 words
A fluid control system for selectively controlling actuation of a plurality of fluid actuated devices, said system including a source of pressurized fluid, a reservoir, a plurality of valve mechanisms operative to valve the fluid from said source to said fluid actuated devices, and a plurality of signal control valves each being operative to actuate a respective one of the plurality of valve mechanisms, comprising: means for hydraulically interlocking a selected one of the plurality of signal control valves with respect to the source upon operation of a first one of the plurality of valve mechanisms so that only a first one of the plurality of fluid actuated devices may be connected with the source and a second one of the plurality of fluid actuated devices is prohibited from connection with the source; and the plurality of valve mechanisms includes a second valve mechanism and each of the first and second valve mechanisms are arranged in a single bore of a common housing so that movement of one of the first and second valve mechanisms to actuate one of the first and second fluid actuated devices physically blocks movements of the other valve mechanism so that the other fluid actuated device cannot be actuated while the one fluid actuated device is actuated.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
212 words
A fluid control system for selectively controlling actuation of a plurality of fluid actuated devices, said system including a source of pressurized fluid, a reservoir, a plurality of valve mechanisms operative to valve the fluid from said source to said fluid actuated devices, and a plurality of signal control valves each being operative to actuate a respective one of the plurality of valve mechanisms, comprising: means for hydraulically interlocking a selected one of the plurality of signal control valves with respect to the source upon operation of a first one of the plurality of valve mechanisms so that only a first one of the plurality of fluid actuated devices may be connected with the source and a second one of the plurality of fluid actuated devices is prohibited from connection with the source; and the plurality of valve mechanisms includes a second valve mechanism and each of the first and second valve mechanisms are arranged in a single bore of a common housing so that movement of one of the first and second valve mechanisms to actuate one of the first and second fluid actuated devices physically blocks movements of the other valve mechanism so that the other fluid actuated device cannot be actuated while the one fluid actuated device is actuated.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2464986A
Cited
US2591201A
Cited
US3289701A
Cited
US3473418A
Cited
US3540556A
Cited
US3757822A
Cited
US3973595A
Cited
US3927579A
Cited
US3990553A
Cited
DE2604593A1
Cited
US4188976A
Cited
US4262554A
Cited
US4252148A
Cited
US4492251A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-03-08 | 1991-09-07 | 1992-03-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-03-08 | 1995-09-07 | 1996-03-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-03-08 | 1999-09-07 | 2000-03-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |