Air treatment system and method for securely releasing a parking brake system

• US 20060244305A1
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme Fur Nutzfahrzeuge GMBH (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme Fur Nutzfahrzeuge GMBH (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Inventors: Hilberer, Eduard
• Granted Patent: US 7,513,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/15
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/38 Brakes applied by springs or weights and released by compressed air B60T13/261 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/385 Control arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/683 in pneumatic systems or parts thereof in vacuum systems B60T13/72
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices

Abstract

An air treatment system and method are provided for supplying a brake system of a utility vehicle with compressed air. The air treatment system includes a compressed air outlet that is used for feeding a parking brake system, more specifically for ventilating at least one spring-loaded cylinder of a parking brake and thus for releasing the parking brake. An electrically actuated valve, by which the compressed air outlet can be prevented from being supplied with compressed air, is provided, along with an indicator that can be electrically evaluated to determine if a person is present for driving the vehicle. The electrically actuated valve prevents the compressed air outlet from being supplied with compressed air when the indicator is not provided.

Claims

1. An air treatment system for supplying a commercial vehicle brake system with compressed air, having a compressed air outlet which is provided for supplying a parking brake system and which is intended for ventilating at least one spring-loaded cylinder of a parking brake to release the parking brake, the system comprising:

an electrically actuable valve, by which a supply of the compressed air outlet with compressed air is preventable;

an electrically evaluatable indicator signal, which is made available when a person for driving the commercial vehicle is present;

wherein the electrically actuable valve operates to prevent the supply of the compressed air outlet with compressed air when the indicator signal is absent.

2. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compressed air outlet is supplied with compressed air via an overflow valve;

and

further wherein the electrically actuable valve is a solenoid valve which shuts off the overflow valve in at least one switching state.

3. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the solenoid valve is a 3/2-way valve which, in a first switching state, ventilates a control inlet of the overflow valve and, in a second switching state, acts with pressure upon the control inlet of the overflow valve, whereby the overflow valve is shut off.

4. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second switching state of the 3/2-way solenoid valve is brought about by application of a current to the 3/2-way solenoid valve.

5. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solenoid valve is supplied centrally with compressed air.

6. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solenoid valve is supplied with compressed air by at least one service brake circuit.

7. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compressed air outlet is connected to the at least one spring-loaded cylinder via a handbrake valve.

8. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically evaluatable indicator signal is made available as a result of actuation of a pedal in a driver'"'"'s cab of the commercial vehicle.

9. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically evaluatable indicator signal is made available as a result of the fastening of a safety belt in a driver'"'"'s cab of the commercial vehicle.

10. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrically evaluatable indicator signal is supplyable directly or indirectly to an electrical control via a data bus;

and

further wherein the electrically actuable valve is actuable by the electrical control.

11. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a signal device provided in a driver'"'"'s cab of the commercial vehicle, said signal device indicating that a minimum pressure for operating the service brake system is overshot; and

wherein the compressed air outlet is supplied with compressed air in an event of the overshooting of the minimum pressure and with the indicator signal present.

12. The air treatment system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the signal device is a light, which conventionally indicates a detention of the vehicle, due to the parking brake system;

and

further wherein the light flashes when the minimum pressure is overshot and the parking brake is locked; and

still further wherein the light is extinguished when a pressure threshold in the spring-loaded cylinder is overshot.

24. A commercial vehicle having an air treatment system as claimed in claim 1.

13. A method for ventilating at least one spring-loaded cylinder of a parking brake to release the parking brake of a commercial vehicle brake system, which system is supplied with compressed air by an air treatment system, the air treatment system having a compressed air outlet provided for supplying the parking brake system, the method comprising the acts of:

when a person for driving the commercial vehicle is present, making available an electrically evaluatable indicator signal; and

preventing a supply of the compressed air outlet with compressed air via an electrically actuable valve when the indicator signal is absent.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the compressed air outlet is supplied with compressed air via an overflow valve; and

the electrically actuable valve is a solenoid valve which shuts off the overflow valve in at least one switching state.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the solenoid valve is a 3/2-way valve which, in a first switching state, ventilates a control inlet of the overflow valve and, in a second switching state, acts with pressure upon the control inlet of the overflow valve, whereby the overflow valve is shut off.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the second switching state of the 3/2-way solenoid valve is brought about by application of a current to the 3/2-way solenoid valve.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the solenoid valve is supplied centrally with compressed air.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the solenoid valve is supplied with compressed air by at least one service brake circuit.

19. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electrically evaluatable indicator signal is made available as a result of actuation of a pedal in a driver'"'"'s cab of the commercial vehicle.

20. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electrically evaluatable indicator signal is made available as a result of fastening of a safety belt in a driver'"'"'s cab of the commercial vehicle.

21. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the electrically evaluatable indicator signal is supplied directly or indirectly to an electrical control via a data bus; and

the electrically actuable valve is actuated by the electrical control.

22. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

a signal device is provided in the driver'"'"'s cab of the commercial vehicle, said signal device indicating that a minimum pressure for operating the service brake system is overshot; and

the compressed air outlet is supplied with compressed air in an event of the overshooting of the minimum pressure and with the indicator signal present.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein:

the signal device is a light which conventionally indicates a detention of the vehicle due to the parking brake system;

the light flashes when the minimum pressure is overshot and the parking brake is locked; and

the light is extinguished when a pressure threshold in the spring-loaded cylinder is overshot.