Abstract: In a brake system, a controller closes solenoid shut-off valves to shut off a communication between a master cylinder and wheel cylinders by pressing a brake pedal, and at the same time, drives a pump and controls the operation of brake fluid pressure control means to supply brake fluid through the pump to the wheel cylinders, thereby performing braking action. Idle travels of the wheel cylinders can be cancelled by the brake fluid from the pump, and a very short pedal stroke can be obtained. Since the brake characteristics are set by considering three factors, i.e. pedal characteristics, travel of a brake pedal, and deceleration (brake fluid pressure) of a vehicle, the brake system has a very short stroke of the brake pedal as compared to a conventional one and has optimal brake characteristics.

Abstract: In a fluid pressure booster, an input rod 7 and a valve member 6 are stroked forward during the operation so as to cause a control valve to be switched over. The atmosphere is introduced into a working pressure chamber 30 via the control valve 41 and a power piston 19 then operates to make a negative pressure booster 1 produces an output from a output rod 13. As the atmosphere in the working pressure chamber 30 acts backward on a control piston 25 at this time, the valve member 6 will not be stroke further. However, the output rod 13 is continuously stroked forward and kept producing the output. Due to the stop of stroke of the valve member 6, the stroke of the input rod 7 is suppressed and set at an extremely short stroke. When the negative pressure falls, the negative pressure booster 12 produces an output from the output rod 13 since the input rod 7, the valve member 6 and the output rod 13 integrally give a stroke forward.

Abstract: An electrically controlled braking system allows a pedal stroke produced by an operation of a brake pedal to be detected by a stroke sensor and to be input to a controller, which in turn controls a brake pressure generated by a brake pressure generator in accordance with the magnitude of the pedal stroke. A pedal reaction unit is added to the brake pressure generator. The pedal reaction unit comprises an air cylinder connected to the brake pedal, the stroke sensor which detects the pedal stroke, and a pair of solenoid operated open/close valves for feeding the air pressure from an air tank to, or displacing the air pressure from, the air cylinder. The controller causes the air to be fed to or displaced from the air cylinder in accordance with the magnitude of the pedal stroke detected by the stroke sensor, thus producing a pedal reaction having a controlled magnitude.

Abstract: An exhaust brake incorporates a slide valve with a decreasing returning or opening effort without also having an increased working or closing effort of its valve elements incorporated therein. The brake system includes a first valve piston connected to a closing slide valve and adapted to move in reciprocating motion inside a cylinder under an operating pressure supplied thereto, and in addition, a second valve piston adapted to be driven in rectilinear motion under the operating pressure in the cylinder so as to work upon a resilient member to be deformed resiliently. When opening the slide valve, a restoring effort of the resilient member is relayed effectively to the first valve piston through a transmitting member to work in assistance with the returning motion of the valve piston.

Abstract: An air dryer apparatus for making use of exhaust air from pneumatic operative devices as purging air, wherein the outlet opening of the air dryer apparatus and the exhaust port of the pneumatic devices are put in communication with each other by way of a purging passage, and wherein there are provided a second check valve means on the way of the purging passage means in such a manner that the forward working direction thereof may be headed towards the outlet opening of the air dryer apparatus; and exhaust valve means having an exhaust valve body formed integrally with the valve body of the purge valve, and adapted to operate in such a manner that the exhaust valve body is opened when the purge valve body is in a closed position, while the exhaust valve body is closed when the purge valve body reaches a preset degree of opening, or more specifically, so that the closing operation of the exhaust valve means at the time of purging operation may be provided upon the opening of the purge valve; and wherein the sec