Abstract:
A vehicular peripheral device control system includes a peripheral device, an input device, and a hydraulic control apparatus. The input device is coupled to the hydraulic control apparatus and when actuated generates an input to the hydraulic control apparatus. The peripheral device is coupled to the hydraulic control apparatus, which actuates the peripheral device in response to the input device generating the input to the hydraulic control apparatus.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority and the benefit of provisional application entitled CONTROL SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A PERIPHERAL DEVICE MOUNTED TO A VEHICLE, Ser. No. 60/742,450, filed Dec. 5, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a control system for controlling a peripheral device on a vehicle, such as a peripheral device on a truck. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a control system for controlling a peripheral device, such as a valve, on a fire truck.  
         [0003]     The present invention is particularly suitable for use on a fire truck that includes one or more peripheral devices, such as valves that have been heretofore actuated by manual push/pull linkages, rotary hand wheel linkages, electric motor operation, and/or air drive systems. Each of these systems has drawbacks. For example, electric motor actuation tends to be very expensive relative to the other systems and is subject to failures caused by wear, exposure, and corrosion of the electrical components. Mechanical linkage systems tend to be difficult to design due to the extreme distances, angles, and obstructions that exists between input controls and the valve being actuated by the mechanical linkage system. Furthermore, mechanical linkage systems have multiple joints, both linear and rotary linkages, and are difficult to design and achieve the mechanical advantage required to operate the valve, which can have extremely high operating torque characteristics. Air drive systems are typically limited to a full open position or a full close position and, therefore, do not allow for gating of the valve—that is accurate control of the valve in a partially open or closed position.  
         [0004]     Further, NFPA standards require large diameter valves to use a slow-close device to ensure that the valve cannot be closed rapidly to avoid water hammer in the water delivery system—that is the pump, hose, handling nozzle, and monitor, etc.  
         [0005]     Accordingly, there is a need for a system that will provide improved control over a peripheral device on a vehicle, such as a valve. Furthermore, when such device is a valve used on a fire truck or apparatus, the control system must be able to provide positional control of the valve in a partially open/closed condition and slow-close operation where required.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved control system for actuating peripheral devices on a vehicle that avoids many of the drawbacks of the current systems while providing improved control over the peripheral device.  
         [0007]     In one form of the invention a control system for controlling a peripheral device mounted to a vehicle includes an input device and a hydraulic control apparatus. The input device is coupled to the hydraulic control apparatus. When actuated the input device generates an input to the hydraulic control apparatus. The peripheral device is coupled to the hydraulic control apparatus, which actuates the peripheral device in response to the input device generating the input to the hydraulic control apparatus.  
         [0008]     In one aspect, the input device may comprise a push/pull mechanism, a hand wheel device, or an electric input device. For example, the electric input device may comprise a user-actuatable electric input device, such as a button or a switch.  
         [0009]     In another aspect, the hydraulic control apparatus includes a hydraulic hose and a hydraulic actuator, which is coupled to the peripheral device. For example, the hydraulic actuator may comprise a rotary hydraulic actuator or a linear hydraulic actuator.  
         [0010]     According to yet another aspect, the peripheral device comprises a valve, such as a ball valve, a butterfly valve, or a gate valve.  
         [0011]     In another form of the invention, a vehicle includes having a vehicle control system for controlling the vehicle, includes a peripheral device, which functions independently of the vehicle control system, an input device, and a hydraulic control apparatus coupled to the peripheral device. The hydraulic control apparatus receives input from the input device when the input device is actuated. The hydraulic control apparatus actuates the peripheral device in response to the input from the input device.  
         [0012]     In one aspect, the peripheral device comprises a fire control valve, such as a ball valve, a butterfly valve, or a gate valve.  
         [0013]     Accordingly, the present invention provides a hydraulic control system that provides increased control over a peripheral device, such as a valve, and allows for greater flexibility in the installation of the control system. These and other objects, advantages, purposes, and features of the invention will become more apparent from the study of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of the control system of the present invention; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a second schematic of the control system of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the numeral  10  generally designates a control system of the present invention. Control system  10  is adapted to provide increased control over a peripheral device mounted to a vehicle, such as a valve on a fire truck. As will be more fully described below, control system  10  is flexible and may incorporate a variety of different input devices and actuation devices, which streamlines manufacturing and reduces costs and, further, allows for standardization of the installation. This standardization results in reduced truck build time and, further, can reduce the inventory requirements for the system manufacturer and the installer, such as a truck manufacture. As will be more fully understood from the description that follows, control system  10  greatly simplifies the installation and building of, for example, a fire truck by requiring less space and offering enhanced flexibility so that the system can be installed around other components on the vehicle.  
         [0017]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , control system  10  is adapted to control a peripheral device  12  that is mounted on an apparatus or vehicle, for example, a valve on a fire truck. Hereinafter, reference will be made to a fire truck, though it should be understood that the invention is not so limited. For example, peripheral device  12  may comprise a ball-style or butterfly-style valve  12   a  ( FIG. 2 ) or a gate valve, which has heretofore been conventionally actuated by manual push/pull linkages, rotary hand wheel linkages, electric motor operation, or an air drive system. In the present invention, control system  10  includes an input device  14  and a hydraulic control apparatus  16 , which is responsive to input from input device  14 . For example, input device  14  may comprise a manual push/pull device  14   a  ( FIG. 2 ), a hand wheel device  14   b  ( FIG. 2 ), or an electric input device  14   c , such as an electric actuator including an electric user-actuatable device  14   d , for example an electric push button or switch, or an RF signal controlled input device.  
         [0018]     Hydraulic control apparatus  16  includes a hydraulic hose  18  and a hydraulic actuator  20 . Hydraulic hose  18  is coupled to the input device, for example, the manual push/pull device  14   a , the hand wheel device  14   b , or the electric input device  14   c , on one end of the hose and coupled to hydraulic actuator  20  on the other end of the hose. For example, hydraulic actuator  20  may comprise a rotary actuator  20   a  or may comprise a linear hydraulic actuator  20   b , which is coupled to peripheral device  12 . Hydraulic hose  18  is preferably relatively flexible and, hence, provides greater flexibility when installing system  10 . For example, hose  18  allows the connection path between the input device ( 14 ) and peripheral device  18  to be varied as needed depending on the configuration of the fire truck and the other components on the truck.  
         [0019]     Hydraulic control apparatus  16  further includes a coupling device  24 , which is configured to accept anyone of the standard input devices, such as the manual push/pull  14   a , hand wheel device  14   b , or electric input device  14   c , as previously noted above. Coupling device  24  may be any of several conventionally available mechanism—quick connect couplings, screw or swage connect couplings, etc. In addition, hydraulic control apparatus  16  includes a single coupling device  26 , which is adapted to couple hydraulic hose  18  to various valve actuators, as noted above, including a rotary hydraulic actuator  20   a  or a linear hydraulic actuator  20   b.    
         [0020]     By incorporating a flexible hydraulic hose  18  into control system  10 , control system  10  allows the transfer of control input energy from input devices  14  to the peripheral device  20  to be achieved in less space than the conventional control systems. Further, as noted, hose  18  provides greater flexibility in the routing of the system through the fire truck. Moreover, with hydraulic actuation, control system  10  can generate a greater mechanical advantage for easy manual operation of a valve and, further, greater control over the valve. For example, the hydraulic actuation will permit gating of the valve and, further, can provide for a slow-close requirement. The slow-close requirement may be accommodated using a simple bleed-off orifice to control the rate at which the hydraulic energy is transferred between the input device  14  and peripheral device  12 .  
         [0021]     Although described primarily in reference to the operation of a valve on a fire truck, the present system may be used to control various peripheral devices on vehicles.  
         [0022]     While several forms of the invention have been shown and described, other forms will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it will be understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are merely for illustrative purposes, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims which follow as interpreted under the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.