Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems – Speed-controlled – Braking pressure demand or braking force desire
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-22
2001-02-27
Graham, Matthew C. (Department: 3613)
Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems
Speed-controlled
Braking pressure demand or braking force desire
C303S113400, C303S087000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193330
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention related to an electrically controlled brake system of a vehicle such as an automobile, and more particularly, to an improvement of an electrically controlled brake system of a vehicle so as to be shut down with a more prudent confirmation of the driver's will for resting the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally in a vehicle such as an automobile, the ignition switch controls the supply of electric currents to all parts and devices of the vehicle adapted to be powered by its battery, except those devices such as time pieces, retention memories of a micro-computer and the like which need a continuous supply of an electric current and are therefore directly connected to the battery, so that the turn off of the key of the ignition switch instantly disables all those electrically operated parts and devices.
In this connection, however, it has been proposed by Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication based upon German Patent Application P 4421774.9 to prevent the ignition switch being turned off when a changeover valve of the brake system is being operated. Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication 6-127317 it has been proposed to let the motor of a pressure booster of the brake system be started by the brake pedal being depressed even when the ignition switch has been turned off.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It would happen more often in future that a driver stops his or her modern automobile incorporating a computer-controlled electric brake system on a roadside, removes his or her foot from the brake pedal, and turns off the ignition switch, before setting on the parking brake, without noticing that the place is slightly sloped. Then, in a few seconds, the automobile will start to creep forward or rearward. If the automobile is equipped with an auto brake startup system such as proposed by the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication 6-127317, when the driver notices the creeping of the automobile and hurries to depress the brake pedal again but without turning on the ignition switch, the electric brake system will effectively operate. However, it will be more prudent on such an occasion that the brake system is prepared for such a re-operation from the beginning, so as not to need any rush startup of the electrically controlled brake system which may still include hydraulic means such as an oil pump having an inertia substantially great as compared with electricity.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved electrically controlled brake system of a vehicle such as an automobile, so that it has a higher adaptability to such an occasion that a re-operation of the brake system is required just after the ignition switch was turned off.
According to the present invention, the above-mentioned object is accomplished by an electrically controlled brake system of a vehicle such as an automobile having a plurality of wheels, and an ignition switch adapted to be changed over between an on-state for operating the vehicle and an off-state for resting the vehicle, the electrically controlled brake system comprising:
means for applying a braking force to at least one of the plurality of wheels according to a supply of energy thereto;
means for generating the energy to be supplied to the braking force application means;
a brake pedal adapted to be depressed by a driver; and
means for electrically controlling operation of the energy generation means and the supply of the energy generated thereby to the braking force application means of at least the one wheel according to a depth of the depression of the brake pedal by the driver;
wherein the electric control means comprises means for detecting a changeover of the ignition switch from the on-state to the off-state, means for detecting a depression of the brake pedal by the driver beyond a predetermined depth, means for counting a predetermined time duration when the ignition switch changeover detection means detect a changeover of the ignition switch from the on-state to the off-state, and means for shutting down the electrically controlled brake system when the time count means has counted the predetermined time duration with the brake pedal depression detection means detecting no depression of the brake pedal beyond the predetermined depth.
The electrically controlled brake system of the above-mentioned construction may further be so modified that, when the vehicle comprises means for detecting vehicle speed, the electrically controlled brake system shut down means shut down the electrically controlled brake system on a further condition that the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detection means is zero.
Further, the electrically controlled brake system of the abovementioned construction may further be so modified that, when the vehicle comprises a parking brake adapted to be actuated by an energy not dependent on the energy generation means, while the electrically controlled brake system further comprises means for detecting a substantial actuation of the parking brake, the electrically controlled brake system shut down means override the time count means counting the predetermined time duration for shutting down the electrically controlled brake system when the parking brake actuation detection means detect the substantial actuation of the parking brake.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3684049 (1972-08-01), Kimura
patent: 3852613 (1974-12-01), Wienecke
patent: 4667471 (1987-05-01), Fulmer et al.
patent: 4934492 (1990-06-01), Hayes-Sheen
patent: 5975648 (1999-11-01), Rump
patent: 4421 774 A1 (1996-01-01), None
patent: 6-127317 (1994-05-01), None
patent: 8-2390 (1996-01-01), None
Ohnuma Yutaka
Sakamoto Jun-ichi
Soga Masayuki
Graham Matthew C.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
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