Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems – Multiple fluid-receiving devices – Multiple motors
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-17
2001-10-30
Butler, Douglas C. (Department: 3613)
Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems
Multiple fluid-receiving devices
Multiple motors
C188S10600P, C188S349000, C188S00300R, C303S009750, C303SDIG003, C303S113200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309029
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a braking device in a vehicle.
2. Background Art
A conventional braking operation in a motorcycle is carried out by operating a brake lever provided on a handle grip, and a brake pedal provided on a step. An electronic control is applied to a part of the brake system to control a front brake for braking a front wheel, and a rear brake for braking a rear wheel. Such a brake system employing electronic control is described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 7-196068.
In Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 7-196068, an operational pressure generated in a primary master cylinder operated by the brake lever or the brake pedal is detected, and an electronic control unit controls an actuator according to the operational pressure detected. An output from the actuator and the output from the primary master cylinder are separately input into a secondary master cylinder, and a hydraulic pressure generated in the secondary master cylinder is supplied through a control valve to the brake.
The above brake system is limited in that the operational input from an operator and the input from the electronic control unit interfere with one another.
To avoid such interference, it is possible to configure two independent input systems for independently applying the operational input from the operator, and the input from the electronic control unit to the brake. However, if an anti-skid brake system (“ABS”) is added to the system, control logic is complicated because the two systems are controlled independently of each other. The number of parts and the cost is thereby increased.
FIG. 10
of the present application shows another conventional brake system. In
FIG. 10
of the present application, reference numerals
02
and
05
denote front and rear hydraulic brakes, respectively. Reference numerals
06
and
011
denote a brake lever and a brake pedal, respectively, as brake operating means. The brake lever
06
is provided with a lever master cylinder
07
, and the brake pedal
011
is provided with a pedal master cylinder
012
.
A lever hydraulic system
08
extending from the lever master cylinder
07
is connected to the front brake
02
. A pedal hydraulic system
013
extending from the pedal master cylinder
012
is connected to one of the three ports of the rear brake
05
. A hydraulic circuit
014
branched from the pedal hydraulic system
013
is connected to a secondary master cylinder
010
. An output from the secondary master cylinder
010
is connected through a control valve
016
to the other two ports of the rear brake
05
.
The brake lever
06
is provided with a brake switch
040
adapted to open and close according to whether the brake lever
06
is pivotally moved. The lever hydraulic system
08
is provided with a pressure sensor
041
for detecting a hydraulic pressure generated in the lever master cylinder
07
. Detection signals from the brake switch
040
and the pressure sensor
041
are input into a control unit
031
. The control unit
031
decides a hydraulic pressure to be generated in the secondary master cylinder
010
according to the detection signals from the brake switch
040
and the pressure sensor
041
, and operates an actuator
033
through a relay
032
to thereby generate the decided hydraulic pressure in the secondary master cylinder
010
. In the case that the brake pedal
011
only is operated, only the rear brake
05
is operated.
In the case that the brake lever
06
only is operated or both the brake lever
06
and the brake pedal
011
are simultaneously operated, the hydraulic pressure generated in the lever master cylinder
07
operates the front brake
02
. At the same time, the actuator
033
is operated by the control unit
031
according to the hydraulic pressure in the lever hydraulic system
08
to generate a required hydraulic pressure in the secondary master cylinder
010
. This hydraulic pressure operates the rear brake
05
through the control valve
016
.
The output from the electronically controlled actuator
033
interferes with the pedal hydraulic pressure in the secondary master cylinder
010
, and is thereafter mechanically set by the control valve
016
. As a result, the degree of freedom of electronic control is limited.
In this manner, the electronically controlled brake system connected to the two ports of the brake caliper of the rear brake
05
is not completely independent of the pedal hydraulic system, but is affected by the pedal hydraulic pressure. Accordingly, it is difficult to electronically give priority to the pedal operation by an operator to perform brake control. As a result, braking operability by the operator is limited.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a braking device in a vehicle which can increase the degree of freedom of electronic control by making an independent electronically controlled brake system act on a part of a hydraulic brake, and which can also ensure braking operability by an operator.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a braking device in a vehicle having ABS control means which can eliminate interference between inputs, and avoid overly complicated control logic.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first embodiment of the present invention, a braking device is provided for a vehicle having a hydraulic brake for braking a wheel. The hydraulic brake has a brake caliper with a plurality of ports. The braking device includes an operational hydraulic brake system having hydraulic pressure transmitting means for applying an amount of brake operating means, such as brake fluid, to a number of said ports of said brake caliper.
The brake system also includes an electronically controlled brake system having a hydraulic actuator and an electronic control means for controlling said hydraulic actuator according to the amount of brake operating means in order to apply a hydraulic pressure to the other ports of said brake caliper.
The hydraulic brake system and the electronically controlled brake system act independently on the brake caliper of the hydraulic brake. The electronically controlled brake system independently controls the hydraulic actuator for applying a hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper without interference, thus increasing the degree of freedom of electronic control. Furthermore, a controlled condition is enabled so that selective priority may be given to the braking operation as desired.
The hydraulic brake is operated by both the operational hydraulic brake system and the electronically controlled brake system. Accordingly, if one of the two systems fails, the hydraulic brake can be operated by the other system.
The electronically controlled brake system also has a slip detecting device for detecting an amount of slip of a drive wheel on a road surface. The hydraulic brake acts on the drive wheel to brake the drive wheel, and the electronic control means controls the hydraulic actuator according to the amount of operational brake operating means and the amount of slip detected by the slip detecting device.
The electronic control means can set the slip amount from the operational amount of brake operating means to start traction control. Accordingly, by setting the slip amount to a larger value to retard the start of the traction control by the electronically controlled brake system, according to the manner of the braking, the degree of freedom of the braking operation using the operational hydraulic brake system can be increased.
According to a second embodiment of the present invention, a braking device is disclosed having a hydraulic brake for braking a wheel. The hydraulic brake has a brake caliper having a plurality of ports, and the braking device has an operational hydraulic system having hydraulic pressure transmitting means for applying an operational amount of brake operating means through ABS control means to a number of said ports of said brake caliper.
The brake device also has an electronically controlled hydraulic system having a hydrau
Tani Kazuhiko
Wakabayashi Takeshi
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Butler Douglas C.
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
LandOfFree
Vehicle braking device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Vehicle braking device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Vehicle braking device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2617600