Hydraulic Control Device With Electronic Gating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional hydraulic equipment controls require dedicated joysticks for each function, preventing the reuse of controls for different hydraulic equipment due to the need for physical gates that restrict simultaneous operation of certain functions, which is not feasible for joint or mutually exclusive operations.
Innovation Solution
A multifunction controller system that uses electronic gating to dynamically adjust joystick inputs, allowing the same joystick to control different hydraulic functions by determining the magnitude of movement in each axis and adjusting signals accordingly to prevent unintended simultaneous activation, enabling joint or mutually exclusive operations based on equipment profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physical gates are used to restrict simultaneous operation of hydraulic functions, then safety and appropriate operation are ensured, but control flexibility and reusability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical mechanical gates with electronic gating software that runs on the controller. The electronic gate selectively passes or blocks control signals based on programmable conditions, eliminating the need for physical mechanical restrictions while maintaining safety. This allows the same physical controller to be reused for different equipment configurations without physical modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic gate is dynamically configurable through software, allowing the gating behavior to change based on operational context, equipment type, and safety requirements. Unlike fixed physical gates, the electronic gate can be reprogrammed to adapt to different hydraulic equipment and operational modes, providing both safety and versatility.
2Ease of operation
If separate joysticks are used for each hydraulic function, then simultaneous operation control is simplified, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single physical controller universal by implementing electronic gating that can selectively enable or disable different hydraulic functions based on operational context. The same controller can safely manage multiple functions including simultaneous operations when appropriate, reducing the number of physical controls needed while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic gate acts as an intermediary between the physical controller and hydraulic functions. It intelligently manages signal routing, allowing the controller to safely operate multiple functions by selectively passing or blocking signals based on programmable safety conditions, rather than requiring separate physical controls for each function.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a single controller is used for multiple hydraulic functions, then control flexibility improves, but the risk of unintended simultaneous activation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic gate is configured with predetermined safety conditions that prevent unintended simultaneous activation of incompatible hydraulic functions. Before allowing control signals to pass, the system checks against programmed safety rules and blocks signals that would cause harmful simultaneous operations, thereby preventing potential damage before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic gating system monitors the state of multiple hydraulic functions and dynamically adjusts signal passing based on real-time feedback. When incompatible functions are detected, the gate automatically blocks appropriate signals to prevent unintended activation, ensuring safe operation while maintaining control flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for intelligently gated operation of hydraulic equipment. Control logic for operating a number of hydraulic functions of hydraulic equipment using the same physical controls is disclosed, including dynamic gating functions that allow the same controller to operate gated and ungated functions. By adjusting control inputs for each axis, the controls can be operated jointly, mutually exclusively or in a blended fashion. Additionally, control signals for one axis can be adjusted based on the control signal for the other axis to prevent abrupt transitions from controlling one function to controlling another function.