Vehicle braking
First Claim
1. A braking system for a vehicle having a front wheel and a rear wheel, the system comprising front braking means, which includes a friction surface, for applying a braking torque to the front wheel, rear braking means for applying a braking torque to the rear wheel, brake torque proportioning means for controlling the ratio of braking torque at the rear wheel to the braking torque at the front wheel, brake temperature determining means for determining the temperature of said friction surface of the front braking means, cornering detection means for detecting cornering of the vehicle, and control means arranged to increase the proportion of braking torque applied to the rear wheel in response to an increase in said temperature when the vehicle is travelling straight ahead, but to at least partially override said increase of the proportion of braking torque applied to the rear wheel if cornering of the vehicle is detected.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a vehicle braking system with electronic brake distribution the threshold level of slip of the rear wheels is increased when the front brake temperature is estimated to have increased to a level where brake fade will occur. This allows more braking torque to be applied to the rear wheels to counteract the brake fade at the front wheels. This increase in threshold slip is, however, overridden if the vehicle is cornering, as detected by a lateral accelerometer or a wheel speed difference across the vehicle, to avoid a reduction in vehicle stability during cornering.
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Citations
6 Claims
- 1. A braking system for a vehicle having a front wheel and a rear wheel, the system comprising front braking means, which includes a friction surface, for applying a braking torque to the front wheel, rear braking means for applying a braking torque to the rear wheel, brake torque proportioning means for controlling the ratio of braking torque at the rear wheel to the braking torque at the front wheel, brake temperature determining means for determining the temperature of said friction surface of the front braking means, cornering detection means for detecting cornering of the vehicle, and control means arranged to increase the proportion of braking torque applied to the rear wheel in response to an increase in said temperature when the vehicle is travelling straight ahead, but to at least partially override said increase of the proportion of braking torque applied to the rear wheel if cornering of the vehicle is detected.
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6. A braking system for a vehicle having a front wheel and a rear wheel, the system comprising a front brake, which includes a friction surface, for applying a braking torque to the front wheel, rear brake for applying a braking torque to the rear wheel, a modulator for controlling the ratio of braking torque at the rear wheel to the braking torque at the front wheel, brake temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of said friction surface of the front brake, cornering sensor for detecting cornering of the vehicle, and a controller arranged to increase the proportion of braking torque applied to the rear wheel in response to an increase in said temperature when the vehicle is travelling straight ahead, but to at least partially override said increase of the proportion of braking torque applied to the rear wheel if cornering of the vehicle is detected.
Specification