Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems – Multiple systems – Fluid pressure and electric
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-30
2001-03-20
Schwartz, Christopher P. (Department: 3613)
Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems
Multiple systems
Fluid pressure and electric
C303S020000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06203115
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a control system for a vehicle braking system, and more particularly to a control system for a vehicle braking system of the type including a brake signal transmitter and an electronic control system, and in which the electronic control system emits at least one electrical brake actuating signal dependent upon a brake signal transmitted thereto by the brake signal transmitter in response to driver actuation of same.
A known control system of this type is depicted, for example, in
FIG. 2
of German patent DE 32 30 970 A1. The brake signal transmitter disclosed therein transmits one electrical brake signal, and is therefore a single-circuit electrical system. The control electronics described in the above patent are comprised of several blocks, respectively designated as “an electronic control system,” “a load-dependent switching element” and “an electronic switching element for anti-lock protection.” The control system serves to control the application and braking effect of brakes distributed over the axles of the vehicle to be braked. An individual brake actuation signal for each axle is emitted at the outputs of the control electronics which are formed by the outputs of the last-mentioned electronic switching element for anti-lock protection. The values of the brake actuation signals are calculated by the control electronics based upon the value of the braking signal received from the brake signal transmitter, as well as upon signals received from load and wheel speed sensors. The brake actuation signals in the above disclosed control system are therefore not solely dependent on the braking signal. It is, however, also known practice to calculate a brake actuation signal, or all brake actuation signals, based exclusively on the braking signal.
The brake actuation signals are transmitted to electrically controlled energy distributors which, in turn, produce and deliver the brake application energy to the brakes, or supply the brakes with brake application energy from energy reserves, as indicated by the brake actuation signals. The brakes in turn produce braking forces with values dependent upon the supplied brake application energy.
For purposes herein, the physical nature of the term “brake application energy” is not intended to be strictly construed, but rather considered as a collective term for all physical phenomena which produce braking force when supplied to a brake. In the above-mentioned publication, the brake application energy is pressure provided in the form of compressed air. However, the pressure of some other gaseous or fluid pressure medium, or electrical phenomena such as current and voltage, can also be considered brake application energy within its intended meaning.
European patent EP 0 467 112 A2 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,962) discloses a control system of the general type mentioned above which includes a two-circuit electrical brake signal transmitter, and in which the control electronics are divided into one or several central modules and wheel modules.
In the to be published German patent application DE 197 55 431.8, the wheel modules assigned to an axle are combined into an axle module.
From EP 0 399 162 B1 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,239), it is known to combine various components into a complete electronic control system.
In the vehicle industry it is customary to design and/or tune the components of the braking system, as well as the components of other vehicle systems, in specific relation to the application and/or operational conditions of the individual vehicle models or vehicle product line, with the goal of optimizing the operational behavior of the vehicles. For this reason, it is as a rule necessary to produce and store a wide variety of differently configured brake signal transmitters, as well as many variants of the control electronics of the control system mentioned above, resulting in considerable storage costs.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simple solution for lowering the storage costs of the various components of a control system for a vehicle braking system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with these and other objects of the invention, there is provided a control system for a vehicle braking system which includes an electronic control system and a brake signal transmitter having at least one circuit actuatable by a driver of the vehicle. Each circuit of the brake signal transmitter transmits an electrical brake signal having a value which is dependent upon an actuating force and/or an actuating stroke supplied to the brake signal transmitter. The electronic control system emits at least one electrical brake actuating signal which is dependent upon the electrical brake signal transmitted by the brake signal transmitter. An electronics block which includes at least a portion of the electronic control system is provided. The brake signal transmitter and the electronics block are integrated into a combined component.
In addition to the considerable storage expenses mentioned above, the production and the storage of the many various components of the state of the art control systems also require a considerable amount of storage space. The invention makes it possible to reduce this requirement.
The separation of the brake signal transmitter and control electronics employed in heretofore known control systems requires electrical connections external of the brake signal transmitter as well as the control electronics, provided, for example, in the form of connection plugs with connection couplings for electrical connection of the brake signal transmitter with the control electronics. The invention makes it possible to reduce the number of these connections, for example, by as much as one-half. This aspect further results in a lowering of costs. By obviating the above-mentioned separation of brake signal transmitter from control electronics, the invention saves considerable installation space in the vehicle, providing further advantage.
Such external connections are also a potential source of disturbance, for example, if they allow access to moisture and/or dirt following improper repair or repair carried out under adverse conditions. The invention advantageously reduces this risk.
Electromagnetic radiation interference can also be introduced into the control system through the one or more external electrical connections between the brake signal transmitter and the control electronics, especially after improper repair. The invention removes this risk.
In many instances, the brake signal transmitter comprises a signal processing electronic system, possibly with a protective circuit, for the signals produced by its active element. An inductive or magneto-resistive stroke sensor can be used, for example, as the active element. The invention makes it possible to simplify and combine the signal processing electronic system with the internal portion of the control electronics and to achieve further cost reduction in this manner. A printed circuit according to the state of the art assigned to the signal processing electronic system can, for example, be integrated into a printed circuit of the control electronics, and can thus be dispensed with.
In state of the art control systems, the portion of the control electronics which, according to the present invention are contained in the electronics block and combined with the brake signal transmitter, are often installed at a location remote from the brake signal transmitter in the driver cabin. The required electrical connections often cause wire laying problems and/or additional costs, and may also have a negative influence on operational safety. The invention is also advantageous in this respect.
When the component according to the invention is installed on the driver cabin splash board, it can be used as a transmission point of signals into the driver cabin and to the undercarriage by using connection plugs leading to the inside and to the outside of the driver cabin. At the same time, data can also be transmitte
Groger Jens
Klein Bodo
Klik Stefan
Lichtenberg Wolfgang
Neuhaus Detlef
Proskauer Rose LLP
Schwartz Christopher P.
WABCO GmbH
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