Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-28
2001-06-12
Hofsass, Jeffrey (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
C340S446000, C340S453000, C340S457300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246313
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and device for operating a motor vehicle braking system, including service or foot brake and a parking or hand brake, in which an audible signal is given after the vehicle is held in the stopped condition exclusively by application of the service brake for a given period of time.
It is customary for two different braking systems to be used to brake motor vehicles. For the most part, a braking system includes the so-called service or foot brake which as already indicated by the term is used during the vehicle's driving operation. This brake, which is essentially operated by pressurized media and usually is equipped with a power assist, is used to brake or decelerate the vehicle during operation, or to briefly maintain the vehicle in a stationary condition, for example, when a vehicle is stopped at a traffic light or the like. In addition, in certain driving situations, a motor vehicle can be braked by the drag torque of the engine. This type of service brake operation information is included here to facilitate understanding of the subject matter of the present invention.
In addition, a so-called parking brake is provided in each motor vehicle to secure the vehicle in a stationary condition for extended periods of time, preventing it from rolling away, or, even more importantly, to maintain braking of the vehicle and safeguard it against rolling away, while in the parked or engine off state.
Often the service brake is applied to brake a vehicle over extended periods to keep the vehicle stopped; however, this is not normal operational use of the service brake.
Consequently, dangerous situations can arise, e.g., when the driver of a vehicle briefly leaves the vehicle, e.g., in a traffic jam, after applying the service brake only and forgetting to activate the parking brake. In such situations the vehicle can then set itself in motion automatically.
Situations of this kind become more problematic in vehicles equipped with automatic proximity-control systems, which enable the vehicle to continue to move automatically after a vehicle in front of it moves, i.e., even in the absence of the driver of the vehicle, for as long as the vehicle, i.e., the engine and the electric system, are in operation.
Moreover, even when the vehicle is shut off, all too often one forgets to activate the parking brake thereby unintentionally enabling the vehicle to roll away from the parked position.
From the related art, one can infer a number of operating methods, including, in particular, automatic hand brakes. From the German 44 21 088 Al, a braking system for motor vehicles is known, which includes an automatic hand brake that can be applied automatically as a function of the vehicle's driving state. To accomplish this two parameters are monitored. On the one hand, the accelerator gas pedal must be in the neutral position and, on the other hand, the velocity must be less than two km/h. In this case, however, the controlled application of this automatic hand brake is used merely as a so-called starting aid, and does not contribute to achieving the objective described above.
German Patent 33 257 13 Al, (USSN) discloses a braking device which is operated as a conventional braking device integrated into a proximity-control method.
German Patent 195 23 111 Al, (USSN) discloses an automatic brake which is integrated into a proximity-control system.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and device that alerts drivers to situations, resulting from prolonged braking with the service brake only, which are either undesirable from a technical standpoint and/or dangerous.
It is another object of the present invention to integrate the vehicle driver and a device for operating a braking system, in an operational method that prevents dangerous situations.
In a device operating in accordance with the present invention, starting from the instant of an executed stopping operation is initiated by applying the service brake and after a selected delay time &Dgr;t has elapsed, an acoustic signal is triggered when the stop condition is being maintained exclusively by the service brake. Thus, e.g., the driver is made aware of the fact that the vehicle which is at rest has been held in that condition, beyond the aforesaid period of time, exclusively by the service brake. The driver is, therefore, prompted or reminded to use the parking brake for the stopping time that follows.
In another advantageous embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the above procedure is integrated into a proximity-control method. This means that additional sensor technology is provided for detecting whether another vehicle driver is putting his or her vehicle into gear again, e.g., in a traffic jam situation it can be detected whether the driver in the vehicle directly in front is actually putting his or her car quickly in motion again.
According to another advantageous embodiment of the method according to the present invention, when the method according to the present invention is integrated into a proximity-control method in the above manner, the service brake is automatically operated, i.e., as a function of the determined distance to the vehicle directly in front. In this context, a further refinement of the method according to the present invention can also provide that the parking brake be automatically set following a second selected delay time &Dgr;t
2
, when, up until that point, the vehicle is kept at a standstill by the service brake. Thus, the above mentioned operation proceeds automatically.
Further embodiments relate to monitoring the vehicle driver. For this, links to open-door sensors or seat sensors can inform the system whether the vehicle driver is leaving the vehicle, e.g., with the parking brake not activated.
This means that when the driver of a running vehicle that is stopped has the intention of leaving the vehicle, and opens the door, or lifts himself up from the vehicle seat, an acoustic signal would alert him or her of the dangerous situation that has just occurred, i.e., failure to actuate the parking brake.
In this context, an appropriate device in accordance with the present invention contains a timing element and a tachosensor, which are interconnected so as to enable the acoustic signal to be transmitted in the manner described above.
In addition, other sensors may be provided for detecting the above mentioned situations.
In one aspect the present invention provides method for operating a braking system in a motor vehicle, having both a service brake and a parking brake, which comprises: starting from the instant of an executed stopping operation initiated by the service brake, and after a delay time &Dgr;t has elapsed an acoustic signal is triggered when the stop condition has been maintained exclusively by the service brake.
In another aspect the present invention is integrated into a proximity-control system and preferably the integration into the proximity-control system provides for automatic actuation of the service brake. Preferably, the proximity-control system is of the ADR type.
In yet another aspect the present invention further comprises automatically setting the parking brake following a further delay time &Dgr;t
2
, i.e.,after &Dgr;t, when, up until that point, the vehicle is kept at a standstill by the service brake.
In yet another aspect the present invention provides for open door detection, e.g., when the door is opened by the driver of the vehicle, and preferably additional or alternative seat sensors are used to detect if the driver of the vehicle leaves the vehicle.
In yet another aspect the present invention provides a device for braking a motor vehicle having both a service brake and a parking brake comprising a timing element and a tachosensor that are connected so that, starting from the instant of an executed stopping operation initiated by the service brake, and after a delay time &Dgr;t has elapsed, an acoustic signal is generated b
Baker Wolfgang
Ruchatz Thomas
Hofsass Jeffrey
Kenyon & Kenyon
Previl Daniel
Volkswagen AG
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