Directional control valve with the ability to "dangle"

The majority of double-acting hydraulic cylinders are controlled via a 4/3 spool valve, which allows for the active movement of the cylinder in two directions, as well as holding its current position. These control valves lack the ability to "dangle," or rather, the ability to permit the hydraulic cylinder to freely sway passively in response to external forces. Including the ability to dangle within a control valve is of particular interest for a number of reasons. It allows for much more naturalistic actuation of the hydraulic cylinder, making it further compatible with bio-inspired platforms, such as driving the legs of a prosthetic limb or an exoskeleton for human augmentation. Additionally, dangle offers an opportunity for considerable efficiency gains. This is possible because the momentum of the load, gravity, among other external forces, can be utilized to move the actuator instead of solely relying on an active input. A novel control valve that integrates all of the features of a 4/3 spool valve in addition to dangle is reported herein.