Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Indication or control of braking – acceleration – or deceleration
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-13
2002-04-09
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Indication or control of braking, acceleration, or deceleration
C701S084000, C303S089000, C303S141000, C192S01300A, C188S110000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06370466
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a braking force retaining unit for continuously retaining braking force after releasing a brake pedal such that the braking force continuously acts on a vehicle until driving force exerted on the vehicle increases to a certain value.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Braking force retaining units are known for continuously retaining braking force on a vehicle after releasing a brake pedal such that the braking force continuously acts on the vehicle until driving force is exerted on the vehicle. These braking force retaining units facilitate a smooth starting operation of the vehicle on a slope without unintentional backward displacement of the vehicle.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 9-202159 discloses a braking force control unit utilizing a traction control system. Such a braking force control unit retains a certain level of braking force by the control of the traction control system until driving force detecting means detects strong driving force switched from weak driving force, i.e., driving force for starting the vehicle reaches to a certain value. When the driving force is switched to the strong driving force, braking force to be retained is released, thereby preventing unintentional backward displacement of the vehicle on an up slope.
The applicant also discloses a brake fluid pressure retaining unit utilizing a brake fluid pressure reduction speed control means in Japanese Patent Application No. 10-370249. The brake fluid pressure retaining unit retains braking force until driving force is exerted on the vehicle in such a way that reduction speed of brake fluid pressure within a wheel cylinder is less than to that of brake pedal load applied by a driver and the brake fluid pressure is gradually reduced. When driving force is exerted to start the vehicle, the brake fluid pressure retaining unit releases the brake fluid pressure within the wheel cylinder so as to release the braking force. Therefore, the driver can start the vehicle on an up slope without unintentional backward displacement. on a down slope, the driver can start the vehicle by releasing or partly loosening the brake pedal.
As shown in
FIG. 14
, the conventional braking force retaining unit instantly releases braking force when driving force reaches to a certain value (for example strong creep condition to be described later in the preferred embodiments). For this reason, the driver experiences a sudden start of the vehicle when the braking force is released. Especially at a down slope, since the vehicle weight affects to the driving force, the driver often experiences a sudden start of the vehicle, which is recognized as an impact or brake dragging upon starting the vehicle.
In view of the above, the present invention seeks to provide a braking force retaining unit, which eliminates the aforementioned sudden impact due to release of the braking force upon starting the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a braking force retaining unit, which retains braking force until driving force for starting a vehicle increases to a certain value such that the braking force continues to act on the vehicle after releasing a brake pedal, wherein the braking force retaining unit comprises means for decreasing the braking force in accordance with the increasing driving force.
There is also provided a braking force retaining unit, which retains braking force until driving force for starting a vehicle increases to a certain value such that the braking force continues to act on the vehicle after releasing a brake pedal, wherein said braking force retaining unit decreases the braking force in accordance with the increasing driving force.
In such braking force retaining units, reduction of the braking force is initiated before the driving force reaches to a certain value, and the braking force decreases in accordance with the increasing driving force. Since the braking force is not released instantly upon starting the vehicle, the driver does not experience such a sudden impact.
The term “a certain value” means a driving force value sufficient to retain the vehicle on a slope without depressing the brake pedal. In the preferred embodiments, the driving force value is determined for stationarily retaining the vehicle on a slope at 5 degrees. The driving force value is optional and is determined based on the slope angle for stationarily retaining the vehicle with the brake pedal released. The driving force value may be obtained by measuring driving torque of driving wheels or alternatively by measuring torque transmission capacity of the clutch engagement upon starting the vehicle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4572335 (1986-02-01), Kobelt
patent: 5457363 (1995-10-01), Yoshii et al.
patent: 5935041 (1999-08-01), Tsukamoto et al.
patent: 07-069102 (1995-03-01), None
patent: 09202159 (1997-05-01), None
patent: 11-78818 (1999-03-01), None
Eguchi Takahiro
Hada Satoshi
Inoue Hirotoshi
Kanda Toshiya
Sugimoto Yoichi
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Hernandez Olga
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
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