GB2196078A

GB2196078A - Electrically controlled brake system

Info

Publication number: GB2196078A
Application number: GB08723455A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Frederick Gibbons; Glenn Stephen Bowker
Original assignee: Bendix Ltd
Current assignee: Honeywell UK Ltd
Priority date: 1986-10-07
Filing date: 1987-10-06
Publication date: 1988-04-20
Anticipated expiration: 2007-10-06
Also published as: EP0263668A3; GB8723455D0; GB2196078B; DE3752155D1; EP0263668B1; EP0263668A2; ES2110393T3; GB8623988D0; DE3752155T2

Abstract

A multi-circuit fluid pressure operable vehicle braking system includes a driver-operable electric dual signal control device (27) operable to apply control signals to respective controllers (23, 22) which apply digital signals to modulator valves (19, 18) for closed loop control of fluid pressures to brake actuators of wheels (1, 2) of respective vehicle axles in dependence upon signals derived from brake fluid pressure transducers (21, 20) and wheel-speed sensors (33, 32) and including a supervisory unit (26) which selects the most reliable output of the control device (27) when imbalance of the brake circuits is detected. An appropriate vehicle speed signal is selected from the output of the speed sensors for anti-skid control of the modulator valves (18, 19). Vehicle suspension pressure or either transducers (31, 34) input to the controllers (22, 23) to provide vehicle load responsive braking. <IMAGE>

Description

GB2196078A 1

SPECIFICATION being analogue and/or digital.

Preferably however, said control signals are Fluid pressure operable vehicle braking sys- electronic signals representing desired vehicle tems decleration and are supplied via electronic con 70 trollers with respective wheel speed sensing This invention relates to fluid pressure oper- means for closed loop deceleration control.

able multi-circuit vehicle braking systems, In order that the invention may be more especially but not exclusively compressed air clearly understood and readily carried into ef braking systems. fect, the same will now be further described Multi-circuit compressed air braking systems 75 by way of a particular example with reference have been proposed for normal service brak- to the accompanying drawings of which; ing of a vehicle provided with a dual circuit Fig. 1 illustrates a multi- circuit fluid pressure compressed air driver's control valve device, operable vehicle braking system in accordance controlling two separate brake circuits. Typi- with the invention cally, such separate brake circuits operate to 80 Fig. 2 illustrates an enlarged block schema- control brake actuators on separate axles so tic view of a system supervisor unit and, that failure of braking by one circuit will leave Fig. 3 illustrates an enlarged block schema- the braking by the other circuit unaffecteed. In tic view of an axle control unit.

addition to the service braking facility, heavy Referring to Fig. 1, the system illustrated commercial vehicles are usually prpvided with 85 therein is intended to be applied to a heavy a driver's secondary and parking brake control commercial vehicle having a front axle with valve typically operating spring brakes on wheels denoted by reference 1 and one or vehicle rear axles. more rear axles. In this case a single rear axle It is well recognised that total response time is provided with wheels denoted by reference of a brake system, that is the time taking for 90 2. The wheels 1 of the front axle are provided the system to respond to driver action after with conventional compressed air diaphragm his recognition that a brake application is to actuators 3 for service braking and the rear be made, is an important contributory factor wheels 2 are provided with combined service affecting the distance a moving vehicle will and spring brake actuators 4. As will be seen, travel before braking will result in the vehicle 95 various actuators are supplied with fluid pres being brought to rest or reduced to a desired sure from reservoirs denoted by references 5, lower speed. Stopping or decelerating dis- 6 and 7, charged through a multicircuit protec tances are, of course, improved by optimising tion valve 8 by an engine driven compressor driver alertness and response but appreciable 9, supplying compressed air through an air delay in commencing deceleration can result 100 dryer 10. A further reservoir 11 for vehicle from the time taken for air pressure signals to auxiliaries is also charged via 10 through a be actually transmitted from the driver's con- single circuit protection valve 1 la to protect trol valve through pipes and valves Or other the brake reservoirs in the event of a failure control means to the brake actuators and one associated with 11.

object of the present invention is to provide 105 The compressor 9 is provided with a fluid an improved system in which such times are pressure operable clutch device 12 by means reduced to a minimum. of which it is connected to or disconnected A further object of the invention is to profrom the engine, the clutch device 12 and a vide a system wherein there can be reduced purge valve 13 of the air dryer 10 being con servicing requirements. 110 trolled by a conventional governor 14 which According to the present invention there is senses in known manner the pressure existing provided a vehicle multi-circuit fluid pressure in an input chamber of the multi-circuit protec oerable braking system including first and sec- tion valve 8.

ond fluid pressure operable actuator means Referring briefly to the secondary braking connected to brakes of respective separate 115 system operation, this is supplied with com wheels or axles pressure modulator valves lo- pressed air pressure by reservoir 6 and is cated adjacently or near to the respective ac- controlled by a pneumatic hand valve 15 of tuators and operable by applied control signals suitable known form operation of which ap to control the application of fluid pressure to plies pressure via a differential protection the actuators and characterised by said modu- 120 valve 16 via a quick release valve 17 to the lator valves being operable by electromagnetic spring brake portions of actuators 4. The dif signals including a driver operable electric sigferential protection valve 16 further receives nal control device and electric or magnetic sig- an input from the service modulating valves nal control means operable to apply electric 18, to be referred to, for preventing com control signals to said modulating valves. 125 pounding of service brake and spring brake The term electro-magnetic signals is to be forces as is well known in the art. In normal construed as including electrical or electronic running the valve 15 is placed in a release signals which are transmissible conductively, position and pressure is applied from reservoir inductively or capacitively or signals which are 6 to the spring brake portions of actuators 4 transmissible optically or sonicly the signals 130 but these can be applied by moving the hand 2 GB2196078A 2 lever of valve 15 to an applied position quency of which is proportional to wheel whereby partial venting of air pressure in the speed.

spring brakes can result, assuming this is not Optionally provided in the electronic service prevented by the presence of service brake system supervisor unit 26, there are also con pressure, in the protection valve 16, from the 70 nections and means which control and monitor service system. Parking is achieved by total the operation of a control input 28 for retar venting of the spring brakes via valve 15. ders (not shown) if fitted to the vehicle, and a Having referred to portions of the apparatus cab-mounted driver's retarder control switch which are more or less conventional, reference 29. The block reference 30 furthermore repre will now be made to the service braking por- 75 sents a diagnostic link for connection of a tions of the system wherein fluid pressure diagnostic tester (not shown) for quickly locat from reservoirs 5 and 7 is controlled by elec- ing faults that may occasionally occur in the tro-pneumatic modulating valves 19 for the electronic system. A warning light display 35 front axle service brake actuators 3 and elec- is provided on the dash panel of the driver's tro-pneumatic modulating valves 18 for the 80 cab to warn the driver of the presence of service portions of the rear wheel actuators 4. such faults even though they may not be ap The modulator valves are mounted on the parent from the immediate performance of the chassis or axle adjacently or near to the re- vehicle. The operation of the service brake spective actuators such that minimum time de- system of Fig. 1 will now be better appreci lay is suffered by pressure signals passing 85 ated with reference also to the schematic dia from the modulator valves to respective actua- grams of Figs. 2 and 3 representing one of tors. The rear axle modulator valves 18 are the two axle controllers 22 and 23 and sys controlled by electric current signals supplied tem supervisor unit 26 respectively.

to them by an electronic rear axle controller For normal service brake operation the denoted by reference 22. The modulator 90 driver's foot pedal unit comprises a dual cir valves 18 also incorporate pressure tranducers cuit device 27 which replaces the hitherto whereby they can feed back to 22 electric more conventional dual foot valve of a pure signals indicative of their output pressures, for pneumatic system. Device 27 provides one closed loop control. Again the front axle moelectrical analogue output to each of the front dulator valves 19 are controlled by electric 95 and rear axle controllers 23 and 22 to which current signals supplied to them by an elec- electric current is also supplied from repsec tronic front axle controller denoted by refer- tive battery sources 25 or 24.

ence 23. The modulator valves 19 also incor- The following description will now be mainly porate pressure tranducers 21 whereby they with reference to the front axle controller 23.

can feed back to 23 electric signals indicative 100 The respective foot pedal analogue output sig of their output pressures for closed loop connal from device 27 is applied to converter trol. The axle controllers 22 and 23 are sup- means 41 of the controller 23, as seen in Fig.

plied by independent vehicle battery supplies 2, for effecting analogue to digital conversaion denoted by references 24 and 25 respectively to produce a digital signal representative of each of which is also available as a source of 105 desired vehicle deceleration. This signal is supply to an electronic service system super- then modified in a function block represented visor unit denoted by reference 26. Unit 26 by reference 42 in response to a plurality of includes means to monitor the braking prescontrolling inputs from the respective axle sures produced under the control respectively controller and which includes means to pro of the axle controllers 22 and 23 in response 110 duce a comuted digital signal representing to separate electronic command signals from a pressure depending also upon wheel speed -dual circuit driver's foot operate brake unit 27. signals from sensors 33 or 32. The axle con- Associated with the rear axle controller 22, troller also includes means for making the digithere are pressure transducers 31 which pro- tal output conditional in each case upon a sig vide electrical analogue signals corresponding 115 nal representative of vehicle speed derived to the axle loading and associated with front from the system supervisor unit 26 (to be axle controller 23 similar pressure transducers referred to with reference to Fig. 3. Unit 26 34 are provided. These pressure transducers includes means whereby the vehicle speed are mounted on or adjacent to air suspension signal is computed as a result of its interpre bags of the vehicle to continously sense the 120 tation of the outputs of all the wheel sensor pressure therein. signals on the vehicle namely by selecting the In order moreover to complete the control highest wheel speed signal. The signal repre- loops for the respective braked wheels and senting the desired brake pressure is com provide sensing for skid protection of the pared by comparison means in 22 and 23 braking of the respective wheels, the rear 125 with the feed back signals indicative of pres wheels are provided with electro mechanical sure transducer outputs of the respective wheel speed sensors 32 and the front wheels pressure modulators. In the case of axle con are provided with electro mechanical wheel troller 23 these are the outputs of transducers speed sensors 33. These sensors produce 21 associated with modulators 19.

pulsating signals in known manner, the fre- 130 The thereby computed required pressure 3 GB2196078A 3 representing digital signal output from func- perations sensed by the front and rear axle tional block 42 is applied individually to con- controllers 22 and 23 each of which has a trol the respective left and right hand modula- diagnostic logic function as represented by tor valves of the respective axle. In each case block 47 in Fig. 2 in the case of the front axle the signal fed to the respective left or right 70 unit.

modulator valve is further influenced by load- Although in the foregoing description of a dependent modification means 43 each depen- preferred embodiment of the invention, the dent upon analogue to digital ccnversion func- vehicle is assumed to have an air suspension, tions 44 of respective analogue pressure sig- it will be appreciated that other forms of sus nal derived from the suspension pressure 75 pension system may be employed and the transducers 31 or 34. In the case of the front pressure transducers such as 31 and 34 will axle these are transducers 34. Subject then to be replaced by alternative load-dependent antilock control provided by antilock control means.

means 45, the respective digital right and left Other variants on or modifications of the hand modulator valve control signals are supsystem within the broad concept of the pre plied via respective modulator drivers 46 to sent invention may be readily developed and the modulating valves. put into practice in accordance with the re- The respective left and right hand modulat- quirements of vehicle designers and operators.

ing valve; 19 then operate in response to

Claims

these control signals to apply output pres- 85 CLAIMS sures to the

respective service actuators 3, in 1. A vehicle multi- circuit fluid pressure oper- the case of the front axle. Precise and stable able braking system including first and second pressure control is then achieved by virtue of fluid. pressure operable actuator means con the pressure transducer analogue feed-back nected to brakes of respective separate signals to the axle controller23 from respec- 90 wheels or axles pressure modulator valves lo tive pressure tranducers 21. These analogue cated adjacently or near to the respective ac signals are converted to digital signals by con- tuators and operable by applied control signals verters 48. As a result of any wheel tending to control the application of fluid pressure to to decelerate excessively the anti-lock func- the actuators and said modulator valves being tions in 45 also operate to modify the modu- 95 operable by electro- magnetic signals including lator control signals to Modulator drivers 46 a driver operable electro- magnetic signals con to reduce the braking force and prevent incip- trol device and electro- magnetic signal control ient skidding. means operable to apply electro-magnetic con- Whilst the foregoing discussion primarily trol signals to said modulating valves.

concerns the front axle controller 23, the rear 100
2. A vehicle multicircuit fluid pressure oper- axle controller 22 operates in identical fashion able braking system as claimed in claim 1, and both controllers 22 and 23 operate under including transducers operable to sense the supervision of the system supervisor unit 26. fluid pressures applied to the respective actua- The functions included in the functional tors and apply electrical signals corresponding blocks of controllers 22 and 23 are preferably 105 thereto to a controller said controller being built into a programmed micro computer de- responsive thereto and to control signals from vice and as indicated in Fig. 2, multiple inputs the control device for closed loop control of and outputs are provided connected to the the respective actuator pressures.

7 system supervisor unit 26.
3. A vehicle multi-circuit fluid pressure oper- As seen in Fig. 3, the system supervisor 110 able braking system as claimed in claim 2, unit 26 has corresponding multiple connec- including respective wheel speed sensing tions to the front an ' d rear axle controllers 23 means for said separate wheels or axles and and 22. These include inputs carrying signals said controller being responsive to signals de dervied from the foot pedal unit 27 which, if rived therefrom to control the modulator detected by an imbalance comparator function 115 valves to apply brake pressures to produce 51 as being inconsistent, will result in a warn- vehicle deceleration corresponding to an elec ing indication, via a fault detection function tro-magnetic signal from the control device.

52, appearing visually on panel lights indicated
4. A vehicle multicircuit fluid pressure oper- at 35. Logic means is also included to deterable braking system as claimed in any pre mine and return to units 22 and 23 whichever 120 ceeding claim having a first controller operable deceleration signal, derived from 27, is deter- to apply electro-magnetic control signals to mined to be the more reliable. Thus unit 26 the modulating valves a first axle and a sec includes means whereby if one signal is ra- ond controller operable to apply electro-mag pidly fluctuating the other will be selected to netic control signals to modulating valves of a be used. Again, if one is a steady output 125 second axle each controller being connected valve whereas the other is zero the former will to receive signals derived operably from the be selected to be used. signal control device.

Stop-light indication and proving is also pro-
5. A vehicle multi-circuit fluid pressure oper- vided in 26 over a connection link 36 along able braking system as claimed in claim 5, the with multiple fault detection and other malo- 130 supervision means being operable to condition 4 GB2196078A 4 the controllers to utilise whichever of said in dependent signals is deemed to be the more reliable.
6. A vehicle multi-circuit fluid pressure oper - 5 able braking system as claimed in claim 5, the supervion means being operable to condition the controllers to utilise whichever of said in dependent signals is deemed to be the more reliable.
7. A vehicle multi-circuit fluid pressure oper- able braking system as claimed in claims 5, said controllers having separate battery sup plies and said supervision being alternatively supplied by either or both said battery sup- plies.
8. A vehicle multi-circuit fluid pressure oper- able braking system substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

Published 1988 at The Patent Office, State House, 66/71 High Holborn, London WC 1 R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from The Patent Office, Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD.

Printed by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd. Con. 1/87.