Patent Application
20080210502
This application claims the priority of German Patent Application No. 10 2007 010 199.8-21, filed Mar. 2, 2007, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a pressure medium brake system for a motor vehicle having one or more axles with two wheels and respective wheel brake cylinders assigned to the wheels as well as to a corresponding vehicle. In the following, a motor vehicle is a road vehicle which has, for example, a combustion, hybrid or electric drive, and the wheels may also be constructed as dual wheels.
The braking force that can be transferred from a wheel of a motor vehicle to the road depends mainly on the normal force experienced by this wheel. During cornering, the wheel of an axle that is on the inside during the cornering is relieved. As a result, the braking force of the axle is limited by this wheel because otherwise this wheel could lock and, for example, a braking flattening could occur. For improving the braking effect, technical systems are known which, by way of sensors assigned to the individual wheels, measure the respective slip at the wheel and ensure an improved braking effect by way of a corresponding control. For this purpose, corresponding sensors for each wheel and a high-expenditure electronic control are required. In this case, such antilock braking systems, however, mainly cause no shortening of the braking distance but principally have the effect that the motor vehicle remains steerable during the braking operation and does not swerve.
From DE 1 196 522, a braking force proportioning device is known for proportioning the braking force between the two axles of a motor vehicle as a function of its load. A balance beam system is used for this purpose in order to carry out a load-dependent adjustment by way of a hydraulic cylinder.
An object of the present invention is to provide a constructively relatively simple system which produces an increased braking effect at an axle without requiring a high-expenditure electronic control for this purpose.
This object has been achieved by providing devices for determining a cornering of the motor vehicle, in which case a respective wheel brake cylinder of an axle is controlled as a function of the curve. This causes a simple control of the brake load distribution for increasing the braking effect when cornering. It thereby now becomes possible to admit a higher braking pressure of the pressure medium brake system to the wheel of an axle that is on the outside during the cornering than to the wheel of the axle that is on the inside during the cornering, and to thus increase the braking force of the axle that can be transferred to the road. Particularly in the case of motor vehicles without an antilock system, such as racing vehicles, a reduction of the risk of wheel locking and thus of braking flattening takes place, and the lap time is positively influenced.
Preferably, the devices for determining the cornering of the motor vehicle are constructed as a function of the lateral acceleration. Since the normal force of a wheel depends on the lateral acceleration of the motor vehicle, this results in the simple possibility of determining the existence and the extent of a cornering of the motor vehicle.
A currently preferred embodiment of the invention provides a separate brake master cylinder for an individual wheel. The control of the wheel brake cylinders of an axle preferably includes a double-acting pressurized actuating cylinder that is coupled between the control rods for the wheel brake cylinders assigned to the respective wheels of the axle. In particular, the actuating cylinder tube is equipped with a joint in this case to which the actuation for the wheel brake cylinders of the axle is applied. This permits a constructively particularly simple implementation of the invention.
In the unloaded condition, that is, when driving straight ahead, the piston of the double-acting actuating cylinder is adjusted approximately in the center so that the brake application force is uniformly distributed between the respective wheel brake cylinders of axle. During a lateral acceleration, that is, during a cornering, a correspondingly different pressurization of the two actuating cylinder chambers is provided. The piston of the actuating cylinder is thereby displaced corresponding to the lateral acceleration, thus the intensity of the curve. A change of the lever arms between the respective wheel brake cylinders of the axle and the actuating cylinder therefore takes place.
Elements of a defined elasticity are preferably assigned to the actuating cylinder, for adjusting an approximate center position. As a result, when driving straight ahead, a central position, that is, a distribution of the braking force uniformly between the two wheel brake cylinders, is easily defined and maintained. Such elastic elements are, for example, gas, spring or plastic elements.
Particularly preferably, the pressurization of the double-acting cylinder is branched off the hydraulically supported steering wheel (power steering) booster. The differential chamber pressure of the power steering is proportional to the lateral acceleration and thus is very suitable for a cornering determination. Thus, the differential pressure occurring as a result of the steering forces during cornering can be used directly as a control variable for the brake load distribution to the wheel brake cylinders. Thus, no additional devices are required for operating the actuating cylinder.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The same reference numbers are used for indicating the common elements of
When a lateral acceleration occurs, i.e., during a cornering procedure, the piston of the double-acting actuating cylinders is displaced corresponding to the occurring lateral acceleration against the elements of a defined elasticity 31, 32. This is schematically illustrated in
The origin of the supply pressure is the differential chamber pressure of the hydraulically supported steering power booster (power steering). This differential chamber pressure increases proportionately to the tie rod force and thus to the lateral acceleration of the vehicle. As a result, the differential pressure occurring because of the steering forces during a cornering can be used directly as a control variable for the brake load distribution. This control variable is therefore present as a directly usable quantity and therefore operates the actuating cylinder without influencing the reason for the actuating variable. The control can therefore be easily implemented without any high-expenditure controlling of the brake load distribution of the axle.
The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2007 010 199.8 | Mar 2007 | DE | national |
