Brake energy balancing system for multiple brake units

• US 5,700,072 A
• Filed: 11/26/1996
• Issued: 12/23/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hydro-Aire Division of Crane Company
• Original Assignee: Hydro-Aire Division of Crane Company
• Inventors: Cook, Robert D., Salamat, Bijan
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Douglas C.
• Application Number:
  US08/755,838
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 303/132, 303/135, 303/7, 303/112, 303/9.61, 303/3, 303/133, 303/189, 303/188, 303/187, 188/181 T, 188/181 C, 188/181 R, 244/111, 364/426.01, 364/426.02, 364/424.024, 364/426.036, 364/426.05
• US Class Current: 303/135
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/221 Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/13 Aquaplaning, hydroplaning
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/00 Arrangements for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions, e.g. limiting or varying distribution of braking force by changing number of effective brake cylinders in power brake systems B60T17/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1703 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/3235 Systems specially adapted for rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/52 Torque sensing, i.e. wherein the braking action is controlled by forces producing or tending to produce a twisting or rotating motion on a braked rotating member
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/885 using electrical circuitry

Abstract

The brake energy balancing system balances brake torque of braking wheels of a vehicle having a plurality of cars carried by trucks, for applying and controlling the brakes of each group of braking wheels of the trucks of the vehicle. Brake torque is measured, a command brake torque signal is generated that is limited by a reference torque signal, and the command brake torque signal is compared with the measured brake torque to generate brake torque difference signals. An energy balancing brake application control signal is provided to the brakes in response to the brake torque difference signals.

Claims

1. A brake energy balancing system for controlling a wheel brake, said system comprising:

a wheel brake assembly having a wheel and a wheel brake;

a brake torquing mechanism for applying brake torque to each said wheel brake;

a torque signal generator for producing brake torque signals that are a function of the brake torque applied to said wheel brake;

a command brake torque signal generator for generating a command brake torque signal;

a torque comparator for generating brake torque difference signals indicative of the difference between said brake torque signals and said command brake torque signal; and

an energy balancing controller for providing an energy balancing control signal to said brake torquing mechanism in response to said brake torque difference signals.

2. The brake energy balance system of claim 1, wherein said command brake torque signal generator comprises autotorque reference generating means for generating a reference torque signal for limiting said command brake torque signal.

3. The brake energy balancing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a wheel velocity signal generator for producing wheel velocity signals that are a function of the rotational speed of said wheel;

a wheel velocity average generator for generating an average velocity signal based upon said wheel velocity signals;

an autobrake velocity reference generator for generating a reference velocity signal in response to a deceleration command;

a comparator for comparing said average velocity signal with said reference velocity signal for generating average velocity error signals indicative of the difference between said average wheel velocity signals and said reference velocity signal; and

a wheel velocity comparator for comparing said average wheel velocity signals with said reference velocity signal for generating wheel velocity error signals indicative of the difference between said average wheel velocity signals and said reference velocity signal.

4. The brake energy balancing system of claim 3, further comprising means for adjusting said brake torque signals.

5. A brake energy balancing system for controlling a wheel brake, comprising:

a wheel brake assembly having a wheel and a wheel brake;

a brake torquing mechanism for applying braking torque to said wheel brake;

a wheel velocity signal generator for producing wheel velocity signals that are a function of the rotational speed of said wheel;

a wheel velocity average generator for generating an average velocity signal based upon said wheel velocity signals for said wheel;

a command brake torque signal generator for generating a command brake torque signal;

a torque comparator for generating brake torque difference signals indicative of the difference between said brake torque signals and said command brake torque signal;

an autobrake velocity reference generator for generating a reference velocity signal in response to a deceleration command;

a comparator for generating average velocity error signals indicative of the difference between said average wheel velocity signals and said reference velocity signal;

a torque signal generator for producing brake torque signals that are a function of the braking torque applied to said wheel;

a wheel velocity comparator for generating individual wheel velocity error signals indicative of the difference between said wheel velocity signals and said reference velocity signal; and

an energy balancing controller for providing an energy balancing control signal to said brake torquing mechanism in response to said average velocity error signals, said individual wheel velocity error signals, and said brake torque difference signals.

6. The brake energy balancing system of claim 5, further comprising means for adjusting said brake torque signals.

7. A brake energy balancing system for controlling a wheel brake, said system comprising:

a wheel brake assembly having a wheel and a wheel brake;

a brake control valve connected to said wheel brake assembly for applying brake torque to said wheel brake;

a torque signal generator for producing brake torque signals that are a function of the brake torque applied to said wheel brake;

a command brake torque signal generator for generating a command brake torque signal;

a torque comparator for generating brake torque difference signals indicative of the difference between said brake torque signals and said command brake torque signal; and

a brake pressure wheel modulator driver for providing an energy balancing control signal to said brake control valve to control said brake control valve in response to said brake torque difference signals.

8. The brake energy balance system of claim 7, wherein said command brake torque signal generator comprises an autotorque reference generator for generating a reference torque signal for limiting said command brake torque signal.

9. The brake energy balancing system of claim 7, further comprising:

a wheel velocity signal generator for producing wheel velocity signals that are a function of the rotational speed of said wheel;

a wheel velocity average generator for generating an average velocity signal based upon said wheel velocity signals;

an autobrake velocity reference generator for generating a reference velocity signal;

a comparator for generating average velocity error signals indicative of the difference between said average wheel velocity signals and said reference velocity signal; and

a wheel velocity comparator for comparing said average wheel velocity signals with said reference velocity signal for generating individual wheel velocity error signals indicative of the difference between said average wheel velocity signals and said reference velocity signal.

10. The brake energy balancing system of claim 9, further comprising a brake torque signal adjusting circuit for adjusting said brake torque signals.