CONTROL SYSTEM FOR INTEGRATING WORK ATTACHMENT TO FLUID SYSTEM

Japanese Patent JP3805383

B2

PURPOSE: To improve controllability of a fluid system by integrating the flow characteristics of a work attachment into the general control system of a fluid system, generating demand signals by control elements, and determining priority of fluid distribution. CONSTITUTION: A work attachment 26 having a control valve 36 is added to the fluid system 12. Operator control elements 54, 56, 58, 60 provide demand signals in response to selected settings. Each demand signal is indicative of a requested fluid flow to a respective work element 20, 22, 24 or work attachment 26. A memory device 83 stores select parameters of the fluid system. One of the select parameters is a predetermined priority value representing the precedence in which fluid is delivered from the pump 18 to the control valve 36 of the work attachment 26. A controller 64 receives the predetermined priority value of the work attachment 26 and demand signals, determines the sequence in which fluid is distributed from the pump 16 to the respective control valves 30, 32, 34. Then the controller delivers control signals to the respective control valves in response to the determination, selectively positioning the stem of the respective control valves. Thus, controllability of the system improves.