Brake system for automotive vehicles

• US 5,066,073 A
• Filed: 01/14/1986
• Issued: 11/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alfred Teves GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Alfred Teves GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Frigger, Heinz, Blum, Klaus-Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): OBERLEY, ALVIN E
• Application Number:
  US07/003,139
• Time in Patent Office: 2,135 Days
• Field of Search: 303/92, 303/119, 303/84 A, 188/181
• US Class Current: 303/122.09
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/142 Systems with master cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/446 replenishing the released brake fluid volume via the master cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/94 on a fluid pressure regulator

Abstract

A brake system intended for automotive vehicles provided with a brake pressure transmitter (1) which is linked to the wheel brakes through pressure medium lines, and with sensors (19 to 22, 24) which are responsive to the brake pressure or to the behavior of rotation of the wheels and by means of which the braking effect at the wheels brakes is detectable. Furthermore, separating valves (SO₁, SO₂, SO₃, SO₄, SO_HA ) for shutting off the flow of pressure medium in one switching position are incorporated in the pressure medium paths leading to the wheel brakes. A monitoring circuit (3'"'"', 25'"'"') to which the sensor signals are transmittable recognizes the failure of one wheel brake and thereupon automatically commutates the separating valve located in the pressure medium path leading to the wheel brake which has failed into a valve position locking the flow of pressure medium.

Claims

1. A brake system for automotive vehicles, said system comprising a brake pressure transmitter linked to wheel brakes through pressure medium lines, sensor means for detecting the braking effect at wheels to which the brakes are respectively attached, separating valve means for shutting off the flow of pressure medium in one switching position and located in at least one of the pressure medium paths leading to the wheel brakes, monitoring means responsive to the sensor signals for detecting failure of one wheel brake upon operation of the brakes, said monitoring means automatically switching over the separating valve means in the path leading to the failed wheel brake into a closed valve position, shutting off its flow of pressure medium, said sensor means being configured in the shape of electrical or electro-magnetic measured value pick-up units positioned at the individual wheels and generating an electric signal corresponding to the rotational behavior of the relevant wheel for input to an electronic linkage switching circuit.

2. A brake system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said measured value pick-up units generate signals whose frequency is proportional to the speed of rotation of the wheel adjacent the corresponding pick-up unit.

3. A brake system for automotive vehicles, said system comprising a brake pressure transmitter linked to wheel brakes through pressure medium lines, sensor means for detecting the braking effect at wheels to which the brakes are respectively attached, separating valve means for shutting off the flow of pressure medium in one switching position and located in at least one of the pressure medium paths leading to the wheel brakes, monitoring means responsive to the sensor signals for detecting failure of one wheel brake upon operation of the brakes, said monitoring means automatically switching over the separating valve means in the path leading to the failed wheel brake into a closed valve position, shutting off its flow of pressure medium, said sensor means including torque measuring elements located at the wheels and, said sensor means, in conjunctio with measuring or bridge circuits, generating electric signals proportional to the brake torque or to the brake power at the wheel at which they are located.