Patent ID: 7434395

Claim:
A dual mode hydraulic actuator, comprising: a housing; a rod secured to a piston, the rod and piston being slidably received within the housing; a first chamber positioned on one side of the piston and within the housing; a second chamber positioned on another side of the piston and within the housing; a sealed reservoir disposed within the housing; a fluid disposed in the first chamber, the second chamber and the reservoir; a bidirectional pump for moving the fluid between the first chamber, the second chamber and the sealed reservoir; a bi-mode control valve for providing selective fluid communication between the first chamber, the second chamber and the sealed reservoir, the bi-mode control valve being biased into a neutral position wherein fluid communication between the first chamber, the second chamber and the sealed reservoir is prevented and the bi-mode control valve being capable of being manually manipulated into an open flow position wherein fluid flow from the first chamber to the second chamber is provided and fluid flow from or to the sealed reservoir is also provided, the fluid flow from or to the sealed reservoir being dependant upon a volume of fluid in the first chamber and the second chamber.