Braking device of motorcycle

• US 7,841,671 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Takenouchi, Kazuya, Nakayama, Masanobu, Tani, Kazuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): King; Bradley T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rashid; Mahbubur
• Application Number:
  US11/311,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20060138858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,806 Days
• Field of Search: 303/9.64, 303/9.61, 303/137
• US Class Current: 303/9.64
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/261 specially adapted for use in motorcycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62L 3/023 acting on fluid pressure systems

Abstract

To enhance a brake feel of a motorcycle adopting a combined brake system. In a braking device for adjusting hydraulic pressure supplied to a brake caliper at a rear wheel according to hydraulic pressure at a front wheel produced by a brake operation at the front wheel of a motorcycle, a pattern for adjusting a brake caliper pressure at the rear wheel is different between a case when a temporal increasing rate of master cylinder pressure at the front wheel is equal to or exceeds a predetermined value and a case when the temporal increasing rate is below the predetermined value. Further, to provide a braking device for a motorcycle wherein a variation of a vertical load of a rear wheel when a brake is applied at a front wheel is inhibited.

Claims

1. A braking device for a motorcycle in which hydraulic pressure supplied to a wheel braking means at the rear wheel is adjusted according to hydraulic pressure at the front wheel produced by a brake operation at the front wheel, wherein:

a first pressure sensor senses hydraulic pressure at the front wheel produced by a brake operation at the front wheel;

a second pressure sensor senses hydraulic pressure supplied to a wheel braking means at the front wheel;

a third pressure sensor senses hydraulic pressure supplied to a wheel braking means at the rear wheel;

a controller effects control of a hydraulic modulator that determines the value of hydraulic pressure at the rear wheel, based upon (1) pressure sensed by the first and third pressure sensors and (2) a hydraulic pressure map selected from hydraulic pressure maps stored in the controller; and

wherein

the hydraulic pressure at the rear wheel is controlled according to a temporal increasing rate of the hydraulic pressure at the front wheel;

the selected hydraulic pressure map is different between (1) a case when the temporal increasing rate of the hydraulic pressure at the front wheel is equal to or exceeds a predetermined value and (2) a case when the temporal increasing rate is below the predetermined value; and

more particularly

hydraulic pressure at the rear wheel is set larger for a case when the temporal increasing rate of the hydraulic pressure at the front wheel is equal to or exceeds the predetermined value than for a case when the temporal increasing rate is below the predetermined value.

2. The braking device for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic pressure map selected when the temporal increasing rate is equal to or exceeds the predetermined value is determined according to elapsed time after the temporal increasing rate reaches the predetermined value;

and wherein

at first, the hydraulic pressure at the rear wheel abruptly increases;

afterward, the hydraulic pressure at the rear wheel becomes a substantially fixed value; and

then

the hydraulic pressure at the rear wheel gradually decreases.

3. The braking device for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic pressure map selected when the temporal increasing rate of the hydraulic pressure at the front wheel is below the predetermined value causes hydraulic pressure at the rear wheel to (1) increase when the hydraulic pressure at the front wheel is small, (2) become fixed when the hydraulic pressure at the front wheel is at a middle level and (3) gradually decrease when the hydraulic pressure at the front wheel is large.

4. The braking device for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein, for a hydraulic pressure map employed when the temporal increasing rate of the hydraulic pressure at the front wheel is equal to or exceeds the predetermined value, a fixed value is set that is larger than the substantially fixed value.

5. The braking device for a motorcycle according to claim 4, wherein a hydraulic pressure value retrieved based upon the hydraulic pressure map gradually decreases after a predetermined time elapses.

6. The braking device for a motorcycle according to claim 5, wherein

a hydraulic pressure value employed when the temporal increasing rate of the hydraulic pressure at the front wheel is equal to or exceeds the predetermined value and a hydraulic pressure value employed when the temporal increasing rate is below the predetermined value are compared;

and

the larger hydraulic pressure value is set as a hydraulic pressure value at the rear wheel.

7. A braking device for a motorcycle provided with an input state detecting means for detecting the behavior of a braking member at a front wheel and a hydraulic pressure modulator for producing hydraulic pressure according to a detection signal from the input state detecting means and applying the hydraulic pressure to wheel braking means at the front wheel, comprising:

a master cylinder for producing hydraulic pressure according to a manipulated variable of a braking member;

a pressure sensor on an input side for sensing the hydraulic pressure of the master cylinder; and

a pressure sensor on an output side for sensing the hydraulic pressure of wheel braking means at a front wheel; and

wherein

in braking, feedback control is applied to the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic pressure modulator based upon signals from the pressure sensor on the input side and the pressure sensor on the output side;

full braking judging means for judging whether a rider fully applies, or does not fully apply the brake at the front wheel based upon the behavior of the braking member at the front wheel, the full braking judging means judging whether full braking is, or is not applied based upon the rate of a change of master cylinder pressure acquired based upon a value sensed by the pressure sensor on the input side and a value sensed by the pressure sensor on the output side;

wherein when the full braking judging means judges that full braking is applied by the rider, the full braking judging means increases hydraulic pressure produced by the hydraulic pressure modulator according to a detection signal from the input state detecting means and changes a pressure intensification characteristic of the wheel braking means at the front wheel.

8. The braking device for a motorcycle according to claim 7, wherein hydraulic pressure to be applied to wheel braking means at the front wheel from the hydraulic pressure modulator is electrically controlled based upon a detection signal of the input state detecting means.

9. The braking device for a motorcycle according to claim 7, wherein a state of a slip of a front wheel is detected and wheel braking means at the front wheel is controlled by ABS.

10. The braking device for a motorcycle according to claim 8, wherein a state of a slip of a front wheel is detected and wheel braking means at the front wheel is controlled by ABS.

11. A braking device for a motorcycle in which hydraulic pressure supplied to a wheel braking means at the rear wheel is adjusted according to hydraulic pressure at the front wheel produced by a brake operation at the front wheel, comprising:

a controller that (1) ascertains a value of a temporal increasing rate of the hydraulic pressure at the front wheel produced by brake operation at the front wheel, (2) stores control schemes for adjusting hydraulic pressure and (3) effects control of the hydraulic pressure at the rear wheel according to the value of the temporal increasing rate of the hydraulic pressure at the front wheel; and

wherein

the controller effects (1) a first control scheme for adjusting the hydraulic pressure at the rear wheel when the value of the temporal increasing rate of the hydraulic pressure at the front wheel is equal to or exceeds a predetermined value and (2) another control scheme for adjusting the hydraulic pressure at the rear wheel when the value of the temporal increasing rate is below the predetermined value.

12. The braking device for a motorcycle according to claim 11, wherein, in the first control scheme, a larger hydraulic pressure at the rear wheel is set than for a case when the temporal increasing rate is below the predetermined value.