System and method for providing hydraulic power

Abstract

A hydraulic system for a machine includes a plurality of hydraulic component, wherein the hydraulic components include hydraulic actuators and hydraulic motors. The hydraulic system also includes a plurality of hydraulic circuits, and a plurality of hydraulic pumps for supplying hydraulic fluid to the plurality of hydraulic components via the hydraulic circuits. At least one hydraulic component receives hydraulic flow exclusively from a designated one of the hydraulic pumps and at least another, different hydraulic component receives shared hydraulic flow from a flow sharing set of the hydraulic pumps.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A hydraulic system for a machine, including:
 a plurality of engines; 
 a plurality of hydraulic components, including at least three hydraulic components, wherein the hydraulic components include hydraulic actuators and hydraulic motors; 
 a plurality of hydraulic circuits, including at least three hydraulic circuits; and 
 a plurality of hydraulic pumps configured to supply hydraulic fluid to the plurality of hydraulic components via the hydraulic circuits, the plurality of hydraulic pumps including at least three hydraulic pumps, and each of the plurality of hydraulic pumps being configured to receive independent pump control commands to provide hydraulic flow exclusively to a corresponding hydraulic component of the plurality of hydraulic components in response to a command to activate the corresponding hydraulic component, 
 wherein at least one hydraulic component of the plurality of hydraulic components receives the hydraulic flow exclusively from a designated one of the hydraulic pumps, and at least another hydraulic component of the plurality of hydraulic components, different from said at least one hydraulic component, receives shared hydraulic flow from a flow sharing set of the hydraulic pumps, excluding the designated one of the hydraulic pumps, and 
 wherein at least one of the engines has associated therewith two of the plurality of hydraulic pumps. 
 
     
     
       2. The hydraulic system of  claim 1 , further including a plurality of electronic control valves configured to regulate the hydraulic flow between the hydraulic pumps and the plurality of hydraulic components. 
     
     
       3. The hydraulic system of  claim 1 , further including a travel motor configured to receive the hydraulic flow exclusively from the designated one of the hydraulic pumps. 
     
     
       4. The hydraulic system of  claim 3 , wherein the travel motor receives the hydraulic flow exclusively from the designated one of the hydraulic pumps during a travel work cycle segment of the machine. 
     
     
       5. The hydraulic system of  claim 1 , further comprising a hydraulic actuator configured to receive the hydraulic flow exclusively from the designated one of the hydraulic pumps. 
     
     
       6. The hydraulic system of  claim 5 , further comprising a clam actuator configured to receive the hydraulic flow exclusively from the designated one of the hydraulic pumps. 
     
     
       7. The hydraulic system of  claim 6 , wherein the clam actuator receives the hydraulic flow exclusively from the designated one of the hydraulic pumps during a dumping work cycle segment of the machine. 
     
     
       8. The hydraulic system of  claim 1 , further comprising a boom actuator, a stick actuator, and a bucket actuator configured to receive the shared hydraulic flow from the flow sharing set of hydraulic pumps. 
     
     
       9. The hydraulic system of  claim 8 , wherein the boom actuator, the stick actuator, and the bucket actuator receive the shared hydraulic flow from the flow sharing set of hydraulic pumps during a dumping work cycle segment. 
     
     
       10. The hydraulic system of  claim 1 , further including an electronic controller configured to provide the independent pump control commands to each of the plurality of hydraulic pumps. 
     
     
       11. A hydraulic excavator, including:
 a machine frame supporting a hydraulic system; 
 the hydraulic system including:
 a plurality of hydraulic components, wherein the hydraulic components include hydraulic actuators and hydraulic motors; 
 a plurality of hydraulic circuits; 
 a plurality of hydraulic pumps configured to supply hydraulic fluid to the plurality of hydraulic components via the hydraulic circuits, each of the plurality of hydraulic pumps being configured to receive independent pump control commands to provide hydraulic flow exclusively to a corresponding hydraulic component of the plurality of hydraulic components in response to a command to activate the corresponding hydraulic component; and 
 an electronic controller configured to provide the independent pump control commands to each of the hydraulic pumps such that at least one hydraulic component of the plurality of hydraulic components receives the hydraulic flow exclusively from a designated one of the hydraulic pumps, and at least another hydraulic component of the plurality of the hydraulic components, different from said at least one hydraulic component, receives shared hydraulic flow from a flow sharing set of the hydraulic pumps; 
 
 wherein the hydraulic excavator further comprises a boom actuator, a stick actuator, and a bucket actuator configured to receive the shared hydraulic flow from the flow sharing set of hydraulic pumps. 
 
     
     
       12. The hydraulic excavator of  claim 11 , further comprising a travel motor configured to receive the hydraulic flow exclusively from the designated one of the hydraulic pumps. 
     
     
       13. The hydraulic excavator of  claim 11 , further comprising a hydraulic actuator configured to receive the hydraulic flow exclusively from the designated one of the hydraulic pumps. 
     
     
       14. A method of controlling hydraulic flow for a hydraulic system of a machine, the method including:
 circulating hydraulic fluid from a plurality of hydraulic pumps to a plurality of hydraulic components, wherein at least a first hydraulic pump of the plurality of hydraulic pumps is associated with a first engine, at least a second hydraulic pump of the plurality of hydraulic pumps is associated with a second engine different from the first engine, the hydraulic components include hydraulic actuators and hydraulic motors, via a plurality of hydraulic circuits, each of the plurality of hydraulic pumps being configured to receive independent pump control commands to provide the hydraulic flow exclusively to a corresponding hydraulic component of the plurality of hydraulic components in response to a command to activate the corresponding hydraulic component; 
 providing the hydraulic flow to at least one hydraulic component of the plurality of hydraulic components exclusively from a designated one of the hydraulic pumps; and 
 providing shared hydraulic flow to at least another hydraulic component of the plurality of hydraulic components, different from said at least one hydraulic component from a flow sharing set of the hydraulic pumps, excluding the designated one of the hydraulic pumps. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further including providing the hydraulic flow to a travel motor exclusively from the designated one of the hydraulic pumps. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , further including providing the hydraulic flow to a hydraulic actuator exclusively from the designated one of the hydraulic pumps. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further including providing the hydraulic flow exclusively to a clam actuator from the designated one of the hydraulic pumps. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 14 , further including providing the shared hydraulic flow to a boom actuator, a stick actuator, and a bucket actuator from the flow sharing set of the hydraulic pumps.