Automotive hydraulic system and method

Claim 2

An automotive steering and cooling system comprising: (a) an hydraulic pump for supplying hydraulic fluid at a controlled volume rate from a reservoir to an output line; (b) an hydraulic motor driven by said hydraulic fluid; (c) a cooling fan driven by said hydraulic motor; (d) a bypass line connected in parallel with said hydraulic motor; (e) said output line supplying fluid to an hydraulically powered steering system connected in series with the parallel combination of said hydraulic motor and said bypass line; (f) a normally closed valve installed in said bypass line; and (g) pressure sensitive valve actuation means responsive to a predetermined pressure at said output line.

Claim 3

The system according to claim 1 wherein the parallel combination of said hydraulic motor and said bypass line is positioned between said hydraulic pump and said hydraulically powered steering system.

Claim 4

The system according to claim 2, further comprising: (h) a second bypass line connected in parallel with said hydraulically powered steering system; (i) a normally closed second valve installed in said second bypass line; and (j) second pressure sensitive valve actuation means responsive to a predetermined second pressure across said hydraulically powered steering system for opening said second valve.

Claim 5

The system according to claim 3, further comprising: (k) a third bypass line connected in parallel with said hydraulic motor; (l) a normally closed third valve installed in said third bypass line; and (m) means responsive to a predetermined condition of said hydraulic motor for opening said third valve.

Claim 6

An automotive steering and cooling system comprising: (a) an hydraulic pump for supplying hydraulic fluid at a controlled volume rate from a reservoir to an output line; (b) an hydraulic motor driven by said hydraulic fluid; (c) a cooling fan driven by said hydraulic motor; (d) a bypass line connected in parallel with said hydraulic motor; (e) said output line supplying fluid to an hydraulically operated power steering unit connected in series with the parallel combination of said hydraulic motor and said bypass line; and (f) a normally closed pressure sequencing valve installed in said bypass line and connected for admitting a flow of said hydraulic fluid through said bypass line when there is an hydraulic pressure differential in excess of a predetermined amount at said output line.

Claim 7

An automotive steering and cooling system comprising: (a) an hydraulic pump for supplying hydraulic fluid at a controlled volume rate from a reservoir to an output line; (b) an hydraulic motor driven by said hydraulic fluid; (c) a cooling fan driven by said hydraulic motor; (d) a bypass line connected in parallel with said hydraulic motor; (e) said output line supplying fluid to an hydraulically operated power steering unit connected in series with the parallel combination of said hydraulic motor and said bypass line; and (f) a normally closed pressure sequencing valve installed in said bypass line and connected for admitting a flow of said hydraulic fluid through said bypass line when there is an hydraulic pressure differential in excess of a predetermined amount at said output line.

Claim 10

The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising: bypassing the hydraulic motor.

Claim 11

The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising the step of: prioritizing the hydraulic motor and the power steering unit.

Claim 12

The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising: bypassing the hydraulic motor.

Claim 13

The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising the steps of: identifying the hydraulic motor as a low priority device; bypassing the hydraulic motor with the bypass line.

Claim 14

The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising the step of: using the pressure responsive valve to effect said bypassing of the hydraulic motor.

Claim 15

The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising: situating a second pressure responsive valve in operative relationship with the power steering unit; and selectively actuating the second pressure responsive to bypass the power steering unit.

Claim 16

An automotive hydraulic system comprising: (a) an hydraulic pump (10) for supplying hydraulic fluid at a controlled volume rate from a reservoir (14) to an output line; (b) a first hydraulic device (22) driven by said hydraulic fluid; (c) a bypass line (40, 74) for bypassing hydraulic fluid around said first hydraulic device; (d) a second hydraulic device (23) connected in series with said first hydraulic device; (e) a normally closed valve (41, 70) installed in said bypass line; and (f) pressure sensitive valve actuation means (45, 47, 72) responsive to a predetermined pressure at said output line.

Claim 17

An automotive hydraulic system comprising: (a) an hydraulic pump (10) for supplying hydraulic fluid at a controlled volume rate from a reservoir (14) to an output line; (b) a first hydraulic device (22) driven by said hydraulic fluid; (c) a bypass line (40, 74) for bypassing hydraulic fluid around said first hydraulic device; (d) a second hydraulic device (23) connected in series with said first hydraulic device; (e) a normally closed valve (41, 70) installed in said bypass line; and (f) pressure sensitive valve actuation means (45, 47, 72) responsive to a predetermined pressure at said output line.