Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems – Speed-controlled – Having a valve system responsive to a wheel lock signal
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-14
2001-02-13
Schwartz, Christopher P. (Department: 3613)
Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems
Speed-controlled
Having a valve system responsive to a wheel lock signal
C303SDIG001, C267S161000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186603
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an antilock brake system, and more specifically a solenoid-supporting device for an antilock brake system by which the vibration and noise, which are created from solenoid valves when a vehicle runs, are attenuated and the heat generated from the solenoid valves are effectively radiated, thereby preventing the damage of the solenoid valves' coils.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In general, an antilock brake system is an apparatus for securing the steering stability and driving power through the prevention of the slippage of a running vehicle. It provides the stable brake effect by properly controlling the braking pressure exerting to each wheel when braking a vehicle.
FIG. 1
is a schematic hydraulic circuit diagram of a general antilock brake system. As shown in the figure, brakes
6
generating a braking power by means of a hydraulic pressure are mounted on the respective wheels
5
, and a brake pedal
1
is provided at the driver's seat. The brake pedal
1
is connected with a pressure booster
2
for boosting the braking pressure, an oil storage tank
4
for storing the brake oil, and a master cylinder
3
for compressing the oil in the oil storage tank
4
at a high pressure through the boosting pressure of the pressure booster
2
and transmitting it to the brake
6
.
At the inlet and outlet of each brake
6
are mounted a normal open type solenoid valve
7
and a normal close type solenoid valve
8
for controlling the flow of the hydraulic oil, respectively. The operation of the solenoid valves
7
and
8
is controlled by an ECU
20
which detects a vehicle's speed through a wheel sensor
9
mounted on the wheel
5
.
At the downstream of the normal close type solenoid valve
8
are mounted a low pressure accumulator
11
and a high pressure accumulator
12
for temporarily storing the oil discharged from the brake
6
. Between the low pressure accumulator
11
and the high pressure accumulator
12
is mounted a pump
13
that pumps the oil in the low pressure accumulator
11
to the high pressure accumulator
12
.
The low and high pressure accumulators
11
and
12
, the pump
13
, and the normal open and close type solenoid valves
7
and
8
are housed in the inside of a modulator
30
, and the ECU
20
is mounted on the underside of the modulator
30
. Such a structure of the modulator
30
will be described with reference to
FIGS. 7 and 8
. Hereinafter, the normal open type solenoid valve
7
and the normal close type solenoid valve
8
will be indicated as only a solenoid valve
7
.
The modulator
30
includes a block
31
of an aluminum alloy material in which the solenoid valves
7
are mounted. The ECU
20
includes a housing
21
having four side walls and a printed circuit board
23
which is mounted at a space
22
formed at a lower portion of the housing
21
. The four corners of the housing
21
are fastened to those of the modulator block
31
by bolts
24
.
The solenoid valve
7
comprises a solenoid
7
a
which creates an electric field by an applied electric power and a valve body
7
b
which opens or closes an oil passage formed therein by interacting with the electric field created by the solenoid
7
a
. The solenoid
7
a
is mounted on the housing
21
of the ECU
20
and the valve body
7
b
is mounted on the block
31
of the modulator
30
. The solenoid
7
a
includes wounded coils
17
and a yoke
18
enclosing the coils
17
, and wires
19
which extend outside to be connected to the printed circuit board
23
.
Between the modulator block
31
and the ECU housing
21
is provided a supporting device
40
for urging the solenoids
7
a
to the ECU housing
21
to prevent the vibration and noise caused by the movement of the solenoids
7
a
in the ECU housing
21
. The supporting device
40
comprises a base plate
41
which contacts the bottom surface of the modulator block
31
and a plurality of elastic members
42
which are branched off from the base plate
41
and bent downward at a given angle so as to contact the top surface of each solenoid
7
a.
Thus, when the modulator block
31
is combined with the ECU housing
21
, the valve bodies
7
b
pass through the spaces formed between the respective elastic members
42
and are fitted to the corresponding solenoids
7
a
, and the front ends of the elastic members
42
, as shown in
FIG. 8
, support the solenoids
7
a
in a point contact with the top surfaces of the solenoids
7
a.
However, such a solenoid-supporting device for an antilock brake system as aforementioned has a disadvantage in that it does not effectively radiate the heat generated from the solenoids during the operation of the solenoid valves because it supports the solenoids in a point contact with the solenoids. That is, when the solenoid valves operates, heat is generated from the solenoids. Thus, if the heat is not radiated effectively, it may cause the problems that the coils are burnt, and therefore the brake system does not operate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention has been made in an effort to solve the above problems. It is an object of this invention to provide a solenoid-supporting device for an antilock brake system by which the vibration and noise, which are created from solenoid valves when a vehicle runs, are attenuated and the heat generated from the solenoid valves is effectively radiated, thereby preventing the damage of the solenoid valves' coils.
To achieve the above object, this invention is characterized in that in an antilock brake system which comprises: brakes mounted on each wheel of a vehicle; a master cylinder for transmitting hydraulic oil to the brakes to generate a braking power; a plurality of solenoid valves for controlling the flow of the hydraulic oil supplied from the master cylinder, each of which comprises a solenoid for creating an electric field and a valve body for opening or closing an oil passage formed therein by interacting with the electric field created by the solenoid; an ECU for controlling the solenoid valves; a modulator block in which the valve bodies are mounted; an ECU housing joined to the bottom of the modulator block, in which the solenoids are mounted; and a solenoid-supporting device provided between the modulator block and the ECU housing for supporting the solenoids, the solenoid-supporting device comprises: a base plate contacting the bottom surface of the modulator block; a plurality of penetration holes formed at the base plate in order that the valve bodies pass through the penetration holes and are combined with the solenoids; and a plurality of elastic members which are made by extending from the base plate around the respective penetration holes in order to urge the solenoids to the ECU housing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3589703 (1971-06-01), Brookman
patent: 4400861 (1983-08-01), Parker
patent: 5439279 (1995-08-01), Linkner, Jr. et al.
patent: 5462344 (1995-10-01), Jakob et al.
patent: 5482362 (1996-01-01), Robinson
patent: 5779221 (1998-07-01), Staib et al.
patent: 5820228 (1998-10-01), Schneider et al.
patent: 5921639 (1999-07-01), Hosoya
patent: 5988770 (1999-11-01), Volz
patent: 6000679 (1999-12-01), Reuter et al.
patent: 6048041 (2000-04-01), Mueller et al.
patent: WO97/10979 (1997-03-01), None
King Bradley
Ladas & Parry
Mando Machinery Corporation
Schwartz Christopher P.
LandOfFree
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