Patents by Inventor Andrew J. Kleitsch

Andrew J. Kleitsch has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10001147
    Abstract: An IMV circuit includes a set of IMVs, an IMV resolver, an on/off bypass valve, and a bypass valve. The set of IMVs is fluidly coupled to an actuator to independently control a flow of a hydraulic fluid to the actuator. The IMV resolver is configured to receive a first pressure signal and a second pressure signal and output a third pressure signal. The on/off bypass valve is configured to control the flow of the hydraulic fluid to the set of IMVs in response to the third pressure signal. The bypass valve is fluidly coupled to a hydraulic fluid supply conduit downstream of an IMV circuit supply. The bypass valve is fluidly coupled to the IMV resolver and is configured to reduce the flow of hydraulic fluid through the hydraulic fluid supply conduit in response to an increase in pressure in the third pressure signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew J. Kleitsch
  • Patent number: 9869359
    Abstract: A relief valve in a hydraulic system in a machine selectively sends pressurized oil to both a brake cooling apparatus and a cylinder used to hoist a load. A relief valve lowers pressure spikes in a brake cooling line by dumping fluid in a brake cooling line to tank responsive to a pressure spikes at the head end of the cylinder during hoisting or other transitions in the hydraulic system. Reducing the pressure spikes in the brake cooling line improves reliability of the brake cooling apparatus by protecting seals from undue stresses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Carl McIlheran, Andrew J. Kleitsch, John C. Vacca, Daniel Mather, Michael D. Hudson, Derek W. Holmes
  • Patent number: 9829014
    Abstract: An independent metering valve circuit includes an actuator, a set of independent metering valves, an independent metering valve pre-compensator, an inverse resolver, and a signal conditioning element. The set of independent metering valves are fluidly coupled to the actuator and configured to independently control a flow of a hydraulic fluid to the actuator. The independent metering valve pre-compensator is configured to control the flow of the hydraulic fluid to the set of independent metering valves. The inverse resolver is configured to receive a first pressure signal from the independent metering valve circuit and a second pressure signal from a load-sense hydraulic system and output a third pressure signal. The signal conditioning element is configured to receive the third pressure signal and output a forth pressure signal configured to control a pump fluidly coupled to the load-sense hydraulic system and the independent metering valve circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Kleitsch, Pengfei Ma, Jason L. Brinkman, Mikhail Sorokin
  • Publication number: 20170108015
    Abstract: A hydraulic system includes a source of pressurized fluid, a plurality of fluid actuators, each fluid actuator associated with an implement control system for hydraulically controlling the fluid actuator, and a load sense signal conditioning passageway fluidly connecting each of the implement control systems and configured to facilitate flow sharing between each of the implement control systems. Each of the fluid actuators includes a first chamber and a second chamber, and each of the implement control systems includes: a head-end IM supply valve configured to selectively fluidly connect the source with the first chamber; a rod-end IM supply valve configured to selectively fluidly connect the source with the second chamber; and a load compensating valve configured to control a pressure of a fluid directed between the source and the head-end IM supply and rod-end IM supply valves in response to a load acting on the fluid actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew J. Kleitsch
  • Publication number: 20160333897
    Abstract: An IMV circuit includes a set of IMVs, an IMV resolver, an on/off bypass valve, and a bypass valve. The set of IMVs is fluidly coupled to an actuator to independently control a flow of a hydraulic fluid to the actuator. The IMV resolver is configured to receive a first pressure signal and a second pressure signal and output a third pressure signal. The on/off bypass valve is configured to control the flow of the hydraulic fluid to the set of IMVs in response to the third pressure signal. The bypass valve is fluidly coupled to a hydraulic fluid supply conduit downstream of an IMV circuit supply. The bypass valve is fluidly coupled to the IMV resolver and is configured to reduce the flow of hydraulic fluid through the hydraulic fluid supply conduit in response to an increase in pressure in the third pressure signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: ANDREW J. KLEITSCH
  • Publication number: 20160312807
    Abstract: An independent metering valve circuit includes an actuator, a set of independent metering valves, an independent metering valve pre-compensator, an inverse resolver, and a signal conditioning element. The set of independent metering valves are fluidly coupled to the actuator and configured to independently control a flow of a hydraulic fluid to the actuator. The independent metering valve pre-compensator is configured to control the flow of the hydraulic fluid to the set of independent metering valves. The inverse resolver is configured to receive a first pressure signal from the independent metering valve circuit and a second pressure signal from a load-sense hydraulic system and output a third pressure signal. The signal conditioning element is configured to receive the third pressure signal and output a forth pressure signal configured to control a pump fluidly coupled to the load-sense hydraulic system and the independent metering valve circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Kleitsch, Pengfei Ma, Jason L. Brinkman, Mikhail Sorokin
  • Patent number: 9422996
    Abstract: A wheel housing for a vehicle, such as a truck. The wheel housing includes a rotatable hub and stationary axle housing disposed within the hub. A wet brake assembly is disposed between the axle housing and the hub. The wet brake assembly includes a disc stack, which includes a plurality of friction plates that are coupled for rotation with the hub and that are separated from each other by a plurality of separator plates that remain stationary with the axle housing. The disc stack is cooled by coolant or oil that flows through a closed circuit. During a braking event, pressure spikes in the coolant circuit are alleviated by the placement of a compressible accumulator in the outlet passageway of the coolant circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew J Kleitsch
  • Publication number: 20160061280
    Abstract: A relief valve in a hydraulic system in a machine selectively sends pressurized oil to both a brake cooling apparatus and a cylinder used to hoist a load. A relief valve lowers pressure spikes in a brake cooling line by dumping fluid in a brake cooling line to tank responsive to a pressure spikes at the head end of the cylinder during hoisting or other transitions in the hydraulic system. Reducing the pressure spikes in the brake cooling line improves reliability of the brake cooling apparatus by protecting seals from undue stresses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Carl McIlheran, Andrew J. Kleitsch, John C. Vacca, Daniel Mather, Michael D. Hudson, Derek W. Holmes
  • Publication number: 20160040736
    Abstract: A wheel housing for a vehicle, such as a truck. The wheel housing includes a rotatable hub and stationary axle housing disposed within the hub. A wet brake assembly is disposed between the axle housing and the hub. The wet brake assembly includes a disc stack, which includes a plurality of friction plates that are coupled for rotation with the hub and that are separated from each other by a plurality of separator plates that remain stationary with the axle housing. The disc stack is cooled by coolant or oil that flows through a closed circuit. During a braking event, pressure spikes in the coolant circuit are alleviated by the placement of a compressible accumulator in the outlet passageway of the coolant circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventor: Andrew J. Kleitsch