Abstract: Methods and corresponding control devices for releasing an electric actuator in a reliable manner, such as an electric parking brake in particular, in a motor vehicle brake system. The aim of the invention is to provide an improved function and architecture which helps prevent the disadvantages of open-loop control systems when using a rationalized sensor system, thereby obviating closed-loop control systems. This is achieved by a release method and a corresponding electronic control unit which obtains an especially modulated change in the power requirement during the release process upon impacting the quasi-elastic release end stop of the electric actuating unit such that the change is fed back, the change being detected in order to be used as information for a power interruption or a termination of the power supply to the electric actuating unit.

Abstract: The pedal device includes a pedal portion which the operator depresses, a pedal effort detecting portion being configured to detect the magnitude of the pedal effort in the depression direction when the operator depresses the pedal portion and being configured to output a signal corresponding to the magnitude of the pedal effort to the outside.

Abstract: In a vehicular brake-by-wire braking system, during a four wheel simultaneous control mode when regeneration cooperative braking is implemented, a pair of electromagnetic isolation control valves and one of normally closed electromagnetic pressure relief valves corresponding to regeneration side left and right wheel brakes and normally closed electromagnetic pressure relief valves corresponding to non-regeneration side left and right wheel brakes are caused to operate to open and close, while the other of the normally closed electromagnetic pressure relief valves corresponding to the regeneration side left and right wheel brakes and the normally closed electromagnetic pressure relief valves corresponding to the non-regeneration side left and right wheel brakes are put in de-energized states in which the valves concerned are kept closed, and all normally open electromagnetic pressure supply valves are put in de-energized states in which the valves concerned are kept opened.

Abstract: A vehicle brake fluid pressure control apparatus controls operations of a fluid pressure adjusting unit capable of performing adjustment of individually increasing and decreasing brake fluid pressures acting respectively on wheel brakes for front wheels and wheel brakes for rear wheels to be within allowable differential pressures allowable between the brake fluid pressures of the wheel brakes for the left and right coaxial front wheels and the left and right coaxial rear wheels. In the apparatus, a fluid pressure acquiring device acquires a lock fluid pressure of a wheel brake of a wheel coaxial with a wheel being a control target, the lock fluid pressure being a fluid pressure at which pressure decrease by an anti-lock brake control is started. An allowable differential pressure setting device sets the allowable differential pressures matching a road surface friction coefficient on the basis of at least the lock fluid pressure obtained by the fluid pressure acquiring device.

Abstract: A balanced brake control system is provided for use in aircraft. An embodiment of the invention is presented for an aircraft having struts with both inboard and outboard braked wheels on the struts. In the detailed embodiment, an equalizer circuit is interposed between right and left brake pedals on an input side thereof and right and left inboard and outboard brakes on an output side thereof. This equalizer circuit ensures a first equal application of brake pressure to the right inboard and outboard brakes and a second equal application of brake pressure to the left inboard and outboard brakes, dependent upon pilot control of brake pedals. The first and second equal applications of brake pressure may differ to accommodate differential braking.

Abstract: A device and method are provided for determining a longitudinal force (Fx) exerted on a wheel of a motor vehicle by a ground surface supporting the wheel, the vehicle including connections means which connect the wheel to a body of the vehicle. An actual force (FAX) is measured at the level of at least one measurement point in the connection means. A force (FDx, Fx) is calculated which results from a transmission via the connection means from the at least one measurement point to the wheel, of a body-associated force (FADX, FAX), which depends at least on the actual force. The longitudinal force (Fx) exerted on the wheel by the ground surface is calculated as a function at least of the force (FDx; Fx) resulting from the transmission of the body-associated force.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems for controlling hydraulically or electrically actuated anti-lock brake systems (ABS) on air and land vehicles requiring only measurement of wheel angular speed although brake torque measurements can also be employed if available. A sliding mode observer (SMO) based estimate of net or different wheel torque (road/tire torque minus applied brake torque) derived from the measured wheel speed is compared to a threshold differential wheel torque derived as a function of a “skid signal” also based on wheel speed only to generate a braking control signal. The braking control signal can be employed to rapidly and fully applying and releasing the brakes in a binary on-off manner and, as an additional option, possibly modulating the maximum available brake hydraulic pressure or electrical current when the brakes are in the “on” state in a continuous manner.

Abstract: A motor vehicle brake system is provided having a defining unit for determining the driver's desire to brake, an observation unit for determining the desired vehicle handling and the actual vehicle handling, and a central controller which, as a function of output signals of the defining unit and of the observation unit, determines desired wheel quantities for wheel-selective controlling of the individual brake actuators of the vehicle wheels. The desired wheel quantities are the desired wheel force and the desired wheel slip. A force-slip controller mounted at the vehicle wheel is connected upstream of each brake actuator and receives as input signals at least the desired wheel force from the central controller, the desired wheel slip from the central controller, the wheel reference speed from the central controller, the measured actual wheel force, and the measured actual wheel slip or the measured actual wheel rotational speed, for calculating the actual wheel slip.

Abstract: A device for controlling a turn running behavior of a vehicle detects at least one parameter (V, &ggr;, Gy, Gyh, &ggr;t, &ggr;t−&ggr;) with respect to the turn running behavior in addition to a drive direction of the vehicle, the one parameter being indicative of a higher desirability of the turn running behavior control according to changes of a magnitude thereof, calculates an amount (&Dgr;Ter, Froq, Friq, &Dgr;Tes, Fsop, Fsiq, Fsoq) for the turn running behavior control based upon the detected turn running behavior parameters, determines a start of the turn running behavior control according to the one turn running behavior parameter traversing a threshold value (Vrp, Vrq, &ggr;rp, &ggr;rq, Gyp, Gyq, Gyhp, Gyhq, Vsp, Vsq, &ggr;sp, &ggr;sq, &ggr;tsp, &ggr;tsq, &Dgr;&ggr;p, &Dgr;&ggr;q) determined therefor, and executes the turn running behavior control by operating at least one of the engine and the brake system according to the turn running behavior control amount, wherein threshold value is changed

Abstract: In a running stability control device of an automobile having front right, front left, rear right and rear left wheels, and a brake system for selectively braking each of said wheels separately, the control device estimates a ratio of a longitudinal force to a vertical load acting at each of the front right, front left, rear right and rear left wheels, and operates the brake system so as to make said ratio of each of the front right, front left, rear right and rear left wheels be substantially equal to one another.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a brake system which is equipped with anti-lock control (ABS) and a system for electronic control of brake force distribution (EBV). The system includes two brake circuits in a black/white brake circuit split-up, the EBV function or control is principally released only when the vehicle deceleration exceeds a predetermined limit value (GWN). To identify a front-axle brake circuit failure, acceleration criteria, i.e., criteria responsive to the acceleration behavior of the vehicle wheels, are predetermined and monitored. Further, slip range monitoring in conjunction with acceleration range monitoring is performed.

Abstract: A process for reducing yaw during braking in a vehicle having an anti-lock braking system (ABS) and traveling on a roadway having different coefficients of friction on opposite sides of the vehicle, is disclosed. The process comprises detecting the braking pressures in the wheels of the vehicle, calculating a permissible braking pressure difference, and adjusting the braking pressures in the wheel on the high friction side (high wheel) so as to maintain the permissible braking pressure difference. The permissible braking pressure difference is a variable value which depends mainly on the deregulating pressure (P.sub.max) at which the ABS begins to deregulate in the low wheel.

Abstract: The system serves to control the brakes of at least two wheels of a vehicle, preferably mounted on the same axle. Means are provided for controlling the brake pressure at the so-called low wheel to prevent it from locking after it has been recognized that this wheel is showing a tendency to lock. In addition, detection means are provided for determining a variable which modifies and/or represents the driving dynamics of the vehicle. A corresponding threshold value is also derived for this variable. A comparison means is provided to compare the determined variable with the determined threshold value, and a comparison result is generated. Control means for controlling the brake system of the high wheel are provided, which, after it has been recognized that the low wheel is showing a tendency to lock, change the course of the brake pressure at the high wheel as a function of the determined comparison result.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a vehicle motion control system for maintaining stability of an automotive vehicle when the vehicle is in motion, by controlling a hydraulic braking pressure control apparatus to control a hydraulic braking pressure in each of wheel brake cylinders operatively mounted on each wheel of the vehicle to control a braking force applied thereto. A steering control unit and an anti-skid control unit are provided for actuating the apparatus to control the braking force applied to at least one of the wheels, respectively.

Abstract: Before a wheel to be controlled satisfies conditions to shift to ABS control, when a specified or larger deceleration is caused by applying a brake, a wheel for which the difference in rotational speed from that of a wheel having the maximum rotational speed as the reference is equal to or larger than a predetermined value is subjected to the brake pressure increase restraint. At this time, the magnitude of the estimated lateral acceleration value is determined, and when the vehicle is in a sharp turn, pressure increase rates of the inside wheels are set to be particularly small values.

Abstract: A method is provided to correct the wheel speed for a vehicle equipped with a mini tire as the spare tire plus a nonvolatile memory device. The presence or absence of a mounted mini tire is detected while the vehicle is moving, and if a mini tire is mounted, the mounting information is stored in the nonvolatile memory. If an antilock control is triggered after the vehicle is restarted and in motion, a correction is made for the mini tire using the mounting information stored in the nonvolatile memory.

Abstract: A total longitudinal force which is a sum total of the longitudinal forces applied to the plurality of wheels is detected or determined, and the longitudinal forces applied to the wheels are controlled on the basis of a front wheel-side target wheel longitudinal force and a rear wheel-side target wheel longitudinal force determined by distribution of the total longitudinal force at predetermined distribution proportions. When the slipping of a wheel is detected, the distribution proportions are changed, so that the target wheel longitudinal force is larger on one of the front and rear wheel sides in which more wheels are in non-slipping states.

Abstract: In a behavior control system of a vehicle by selective braking of individual wheels according to a target yaw moment and a target longitudinal force, it is judged if the vehicle is in an oversteered condition or an understeered condition, and an essential target of the behavior is changed over between the target yaw moment and the target longitudinal force according to whether the vehicle is in the oversteered condition or the understeered condition.

Abstract: A force sensing device providing an output signal indicative of applied force includes a compressible spring, preferably a Belleville type spring, inserted between a force application lever and a reaction force member and the spring is compressed when a force is applied to the lever. In one embodiment, the reaction force member is a push rod and the spring is disposed in a housing attached to a pin on the force lever and the push rod is provided with a longitudinally extending slotted opening in the area of the force pin such that the spring is compressed when the force pin is moved in the elongated area of the push rod. In another embodiment, the spring is disposed in a housing having one end connected to the force lever and a reaction force push rod engages the housing in an opening at its other end and the spring is compressed against the push rod when a force is applied to the force lever.

Abstract: A total longitudinal force which is a sum total of the longitudinal forces applied to the plurality of wheels is detected or determined, and the longitudinal forces applied to the wheels are controlled on the basis of a front wheel-side target wheel longitudinal force and a rear wheel-side target wheel longitudinal force determined by distribution of the total longitudinal force at predetermined distribution proportions. When the slipping of a wheel is detected, the distribution proportions are changed, so that the target wheel longitudinal force is larger on one of the front and rear wheel sides in which more wheels are in non-slipping states.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for carrying out an automatic braking process for motor vehicles with an anti-lock brake system. An automatic braking process is triggered when it is detected by the anti-lock brake system that at least one wheel of an axle of the vehicle reaches the locking limit. The brake pressure for the axle of this wheel starts to be controlled by the anti-lock brake system. However, a further increase in brake pressure at the wheels of the other axles of the vehicle is possible since, because of the load distribution of the vehicle and because of the distribution of braking force, the locking limit of the said wheels is not yet reached. According to the invention, a further increase in the brake pressure at the other axles takes place during the automatic braking process.

Abstract: A copy valve for an anti-lock brake system. The copy valve has a housing enclosing four chambers. A first and fourth chamber of the enclosed four chambers receives pressurized fluid directly from the first and second cylinders of a dual master brake cylinder. The third chamber receives the pressure of the controlled brake actuator while the second chamber is connectable to the uncontrolled brake actuator. In one embodiment, a single piston is enclosed in the housing and the first and second chambers are disposed at the opposite ends of the piston. The piston has an enlarged collar intermediate the two ends which is received in an annular recess provided in the housing. The third chamber is formed between a first face of the piston's enlarged collar and the annular recesses while the fourth chamber is formed between the opposite face of the piston's enlarged collar and the adjacent face of the housing. A throughbore is provided through the piston connecting the first and second chambers.