The present invention concerns a hydraulic force control method and system for controlling the clamping force exerted by a clamping assembly used, for example, as an attachment for lift trucks. Such clamping attachments are used, for example, on lift trucks for clamp-handling sensitive loads, such as appliances or other products packaged in cartons.
Damage to the product or packaging material being handled is often a problem when clamp-handling cartons or appliances. The trend is to reduce the cost of packaging material by reducing its thickness, stiffness or abrasion resistance. Consequently, current product packaging is often not as rugged as it has been in the past.
Also, lift truck drivers will often over-clamp a load, causing product or packaging damage. In existing systems, typically multiple-position relief valves are used by the lift truck driver to select different clamping forces for various loads. These valves are controlled by the lift truck driver and can be used incorrectly, either by over-clamping the load, or under-clamping the load.
Also, if the truck control valve is operated several times consecutively while revving the truck engine, the clamping force realized is higher than the intended clamping force, which may also damage the load or its packaging.
An additional source of problems with current hydraulic clamping systems is the slight internal hydraulic leakage that can occur within such systems. While transporting a load, slight internal hydraulic leakage in the system can reduce clamping pressure. This may result in an unintended dropping of the load, or, in response to load slippage, the driver may over-clamp to stop such slippage. In either case, damage to the load may occur.
Many current hydraulic force control systems for lift truck load clamping attachments use computers, proportional valves, pressure transducers, related devices, and a feedback loop to adjust the clamping force. These systems are typically very complex and expensive, and also may not react fast enough to adjust the clamping force to a desired level under variable conditions.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a hydraulic force control system and method for controlling the clamping force of conventional clamping assemblies, such as clamping attachments for lift trucks. Part of the objective is to provide such a system and method of clamping a load that is simpler, less costly, more reliable and fool-proof, and therefore, less likely to damage the clamped load than prior such systems and methods. Essentially, the system and method of the present invention will automatically adjust clamping pressure hydraulically to the minimum required to handle a particular load. If there is any shock loading from driving over bumps, etc., the clamping force will automatically be adjusted by the system to prevent load slippage. The system is also designed to automatically adjust for any hydraulic system leakage. Also, most loads have a fairly uniform coefficient of friction. The system and method of the present invention adjusts the clamping force proportionately to the load weight, maintaining the correct clamping force relative to the coefficient of friction of the load.
Referring to the drawings,
Mechanical System
The mechanical assembly 100 shown in
Referring to
The frame weldment and front carriage assembly may be mounted to the lift truck carriage 26 via top clamps or hooks 24 and bottom clamps or hooks 25 mounted to the frame weldment 1 in the manner shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Hydraulic Control Circuit of
As shown in
The lift truck hydraulic circuit 15 includes a hydraulic pump 14 that supplies hydraulic fluid to a manually operated control valve 11 and a pressure relief valve 12. In the closed positions of the control valve 11 and relief valve 12 as shown in
As further shown in
Operation of Hydraulic Force Control Circuits of
With reference to
The control valve 11 of the lift truck hydraulic system is moved by the lift truck operator in the direction that pressurizes the close port 17 and connects the open port 18 to tank 13 of the hydraulic system.
Hydraulic flow is directed through the pilot operated check valve 19 at port 2 of such valve and thereby flows through port 3 of the same valve to port 2 of check valve 30, continuing to the rod side of the load sense cylinder 5. This causes the load sense cylinder to retract because the base end of such cylinder is routed back to tank 13. As a result, the front carriage 2 (
When the front carriage 2 rises to a position sufficient to depress the plunger 21C on mechanical sequence valve 21 (also see
If the clamp arms 9 are closed further by repositioning control valve 11 to its original open position, the contact pads 9A of such arms will stop against the load. The pressure reducing valve 31 controls the clamping pressure to a manually preset value. This clamping pressure is sufficient to open port 1 to port 2 of sequence valve 22. When this happens, the rod sides of clamping cylinders 10 are connected to the rod side of the load sense cylinder 5. Thereafter, as the lift truck carriage is raised, the weight of the load on such carriage plus the clamping pressure against the load is carried by the load sense cylinder 5. As a result, pressure at the rod side of the load sense cylinder increases proportionately to the load weight. This increased pressure is transmitted to the rod sides of the clamping cylinders 10, causing the clamping cylinders to close against the load with an increased clamping force proportionate to the load weight. Hydraulic fluid flows out of the base end of clamp cylinders 10 to the base end of the load sense cylinder 5. It is important that the area ratio (rod to base) of the load sense cylinder 5 equal the area ratio of each of the clamp cylinders 10.
Preferably, a fluid pressure accumulator 28 is provided in the control circuit 16 between the load sense cylinder 5 and clamp cylinders 10. More specifically, in the control circuit 16, the accumulator 28 is positioned between sequence valve 22 and clamp cylinders 10.
Accumulator 28 functions to reduce pressure spikes in the control circuit, and specifically at the clamp cylinders. Such pressure spikes may otherwise occur, resulting in over-clamping a load, when the clamping assembly is mounted on a vehicle subject to shock loading, such as when a vehicle is driven over, for example, bumps or ruts.
To open the clamp arms 9 of the clamp assembly 8, the manual control valve 11 is moved to a position to pressurize the open port 18 of the hydraulic force control circuit 16. As a result, hydraulic fluid pressure is directed to the base end of the clamp cylinders 10, thereby opening the clamp arms. Hydraulic pressure routed through the shuttle valve 29 to port 3 of sequence valve 22 keeps port 1 of the sequence valve 22 closed. Thus, the flow path is blocked between the rod sides of clamp cylinders 10 and the rod side of load sense cylinder 5. As a result, the front carriage 2 is maintained in its extended position. Pilot pressure on port 1 of the pilot operated check valve 19 permits return flow of hydraulic fluid to tank 13.
Hydraulic Force Control Circuit of
In addition to the components of the hydraulic force control circuit of
The hydraulic force control circuit of
The hydraulic circuit of
The following table is an example wherein the pressure relief valve 37 is adjusted to reduce the clamping force by 300 lbs.
A pressure reducing valve (not shown) could also be used in place of the adjustable pressure relief valve 37. In this case, the pressure reducing valve would be used to limit the maximum clamping force that could be applied against the load.
Although not shown in the drawings, a conventional side shift cylinder could also be included in the attachment to move the load clamping assembly laterally to help align the clamping attachment with the load. This is a common feature of many lift truck clamping attachments, and is well known in the art.
Except as otherwise noted, the hydraulic force control circuit of
The foregoing are illustrative of two embodiments of a force control system in accordance with my invention.
The force control systems and methods described herein may be adapted for use with various hydraulically operated clamping assemblies, for clamping and transporting loads. For example, typical such clamping assemblies are carton clamps that are lift truck attachments used for lifting and transporting cartons filled with various products. One such carton clamp is manufactured by Loron, Inc., of Longview, Washington, U.S.A. in various sizes to various specifications.
One such model of carton clamp is the Loron L20A with a load capacity of 2000 pounds and made to various size specifications. Another is the Loron L35A with a load capacity of 3500 pounds and also made to various size specifications.
The foregoing carton clamps are intended for use with hydraulic systems having operating pressures in the 2000-2500 psi range and recommended flows of 5-10 gpm.
Hydraulic flow dividers suitable for use in the exemplary control circuits of the present invention include the Models 4F660A, 4F661A, and 4F662A, available from Haldex Hydraulics Corporation of Rockford, Ill.
A suitable shuttle valve is, for example, the Series CSH101B, available from Parker Hannifin's Integrated Hydraulics Division of Lincolnshire, Ill.
Sauer-Danfoss, Inc. (formerly Compact Controls, Inc.) of Hillsboro, Oreg., is a manufacturer of suitable sequence valves, shuttle valves, check valves, motion control valves, relief valves, and pressure reducing valves for the described exemplary hydraulic control circuits. For example, the Sauer-Danfoss Series 10 CP230-2 pressure reducing valve of the direct acting, non-relieving type is suitable for the described hydraulic control circuits.
A suitable motion control valve is the Sauer-Danfoss CP450-1. Suitable check valves include the Sauer-Danfoss CP100-2. A suitable sequence valve includes the Sauer-Danfoss Series 10 CP240-8, which is a sequence valve of the direct-acting spool type.
Suitable relief valves of the direct-acting type for the described hydraulic circuits include the Sauer-Danfoss Series 10 CP200-5.
In summary, the hydraulic force control system of the invention minimizes the clamping force required to handle loads, thereby reducing the likelihood of product damage that may otherwise result from over-clamping the load. Clamping force is automatically adjusted hydraulically, proportionally to load weight. The desired minimal clamping pressure is maintained while transporting the load, and automatically adjusts in the event of shock loading or system pressure loss so as to prevent over-clamping or under-clamping the load.
The foregoing illustrates and describes what are currently two preferred embodiments of hydraulic force control systems in accordance with my invention, and is not intended to limit the scope thereof. I claim as my invention all hydraulic force control systems and methods coming within the true spirit and scope of the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/598,921, filed Aug. 4, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60598921 | Aug 2004 | US |