Interrelated power delivery controls – including engine control – Plural engines – Electric engine
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-12
2001-10-02
Wright, Dirk (Department: 3681)
Interrelated power delivery controls, including engine control
Plural engines
Electric engine
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296592
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a braking force control unit for a vehicle, and more particularly to a braking force control unit having braking force retaining means which is capable of retaining braking force after releasing the brake pedal.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Vehicles with braking force retaining means are known. The braking force retaining means enables continuous braking force retention after releasing the brake pedal. For example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No.9-202159 discloses a vehicle having such braking force retaining means. In this vehicle, driving force is controlled to be weak while the break pedal is depressed, and when the brake pedal is released, the driving force is controlled to be strong in order to start the vehicle. Further, because of difficulty in starting the vehicle while retaining braking force as well as occurrence of brake dragging after starting, as shown in
FIG. 12
, control is made such that the braking force is immediately released as soon as the starting driving force increases to the greater condition. The vehicle disclosed in this publication detects whether or not driving force increases from the weak driving force condition, in which driving force of the starting clutch is controlled to be weak, to the strong driving force condition, in which driving force increases by way of releasing the brake pedal. The vehicle continues to retain braking force until switching to the strong driving force condition is detected, and releases the braking force retained when such a switching operation is detected. With the control of releasing the braking force retained, unnecessary driving force is not required while the vehicle stops, and a smooth starting operation is achieved without brake dragging.
As shown in
FIG. 12
, however, if braking force is instantly released when the starting driving force increases to the strong driving force condition, the driver often experiences a sudden start of the vehicle. This is more prominent on a down slope since the vehicle's own weight additionally affects on the driving force of the vehicle per se. The driver recognizes such a sudden start as an impact or brake dragging.
The present invention seeks to provide a braking force control unit which eliminates a sudden start of the vehicle, and achieves a smooth starting operation of the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the foregoing drawback of the prior art in view, there is provided
A braking force control unit, which allows transmission of driving force from a motor to driving wheels irrespective of releasing an accelerator pedal under or equal to a certain vehicle speed when a transmission is selected to a driving range, and switches said driving force to be transmitted to the driving wheels between a strong condition and a weak condition in accordance with depression of a brake pedal such that when the brake pedal is depressed, said driving force is controlled to be less than the driving force upon releasing the brake pedal, wherein the braking force control unit comprises means for retaining braking force so as to continuously retain the braking force after releasing the brake pedal, and said means releases the braking force after releasing the brake pedal and in the process of increasing the driving force to the strong condition.
There is also provided
A braking force control unit, which allows transmission of driving force from a motor to driving wheels irrespective of releasing an accelerator pedal under or equal to a certain vehicle speed when a transmission is selected to a driving range, and switches said driving force to be transmitted to the driving wheels between a strong condition and a weak condition in accordance with depression of a brake pedal such that when the brake pedal is depressed, said driving force is controlled to be less than the driving force upon releasing the brake pedal, wherein the braking force control unit continuously retains braking force after releasing the brake pedal, and it releases the braking force after releasing the brake pedal and in the process of increasing the driving force to the strong condition.
According to the present invention, braking force is retained after depression of the brake pedal is released, and is released in the process that the starting driving force occurs. It is not at the point when the starting driving force actually occurs that release of the braking force is carried out.
The term “a certain vehicle speed” indicates a vehicle speed of zero (when the vehicle stops) or a vehicle speed just before the vehicle stops. Therefore, if a certain vehicle speed is 0 km/h, “a certain vehicle speed” indicates merely a condition when the vehicle stops. Meanwhile, if “a certain vehicle speed” is 5 km/h, as an example shown in the preferred embodiment, which is one example for a vehicle speed just before the vehicle stops, the vehicle speed range “under or equal to a certain vehicle speed” includes vehicle speeds from 0 km/h (when the vehicle stops) to 5 km/h.
The terms “weak condition” as to driving force and “decrease driving force” include a condition that the driving force is zero, such as when the engine is turned off (referring to the preferred embodiment). As a result, “increasing the driving force to the strong condition” includes the following two conditions:
(1) driving force occurs from zero and increases, for example, shifting from an engine stop condition to a strong creep condition as shown in the preferred embodiment.
(2) existent driving force further increases, for example, shifting from a weak creep condition to the strong creep condition as shown in the preferred embodiment.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5713814 (1998-02-01), Hara et al.
patent: 6083139 (2000-07-01), Deguchi et al.
patent: 6142907 (2000-11-01), Minowa et al.
patent: 6159127 (2000-12-01), Loeffler et al.
patent: 7-69102 (1995-03-01), None
patent: 9-202159 (1997-08-01), None
patent: 11-78818 (1999-03-01), None
patent: 11299006-A (1999-10-01), None
patent: 2001054202-A (2001-02-01), None
Patent Abstract of Japan 09202159 May 8, 1997.
Eguchi Takahiro
Hada Satoshi
Inoue Hirotoshi
Kanda Toshiya
Sugimoto Yoichi
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Wright Dirk
LandOfFree
Braking force control unit does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Braking force control unit, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Braking force control unit will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2594167