Lucas Industries Public Limited Company

Lucas Industries Limited

Barry John Bridgens

Michael John Holt

Michael J Howes

Alan Leslie Harris

Robert Alan Anderson

Salvatore Oliveri

Andrew W Kingston

Benjamin J Bradshaw

Robert L Ferger

Peter Martin

Douglas W Glover

Michael James Ayres

Stephen Donald Crisp

In a pedal assembly for a brake-by-wire vehicle braking system, feedback reaction means ( ) is provided so that feedback to the driver through the pedal ( ) provides comfortable feel, similar to the pedal feel achieved in a conventional hydraulic braking system fitted to a non-EBS equipped vehicle. The feedback reaction means may comprise a two-rate spring assembly ( ) or a variable rate spring assembly, in combination with a damper (

Pedal assemblies for vehicle braking systems

An electro-hydraulic braking system for motor vehicles. The system includes a brake pedal and a braking device associated with at least one vehicle wheel which is brought into communication with an electronically controlled valve arrangement in order to apply hydraulic fluid under pressure to the braking device. A fluid pressure accumulator fed by the pump provides a pressurized hydraulic fluid which can be passed to the braking device by way of an electronically controlled valve arrangement in order to apply hydraulic fluid in proportion to the driver braking demand as sensed at the brake pedal in the &ldquo;brake by wire&rdquo; mode. A first device within the system provides a level of fluid pressure supply within the electro-hydraulic system whose highest value is less than that sufficient for the maximum possible braking demand level which may be required. A second device within the system recognizes a braking demand level which exceeds that which can be achieved by the highest value of fluid pressure available by the first device and establishes a higher level of fluid pressure supply within the system for controlling the brakes in accordance with the driver's demanded braking level.

Electro-hydraulic braking systems

Accumulator pressure control in vehicle brake systems

Measurements of wheel speed are compared to detect excessive wheel spin. An output of the wheel spin detector is supplied to a drive reducing device for reducing vehicle drive engine output in response to detection of excessive wheel spin. The reduced vehicle drive engine output is compared with a predetermined value by a subtracter. An estimate of surface friction is updated with a value dependent upon the output of the subtracter.

Method of and apparatus for estimating surface friction

A first difference is formed between the speeds of a front left wheel and a rear right wheel. A second difference is formed between the speeds of a front right wheel and a rear left wheel. The higher of the differences is compared with a threshold from a spin threshold generator to provide an indication of wheel spin, which may be used in a traction controller or in an antilock brake system.

Method of and apparatus for vehicle traction control by detecting wheel

In order to control wheel spin in a vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine, a spin calculator determines the amount of wheel spin and compares this with a target value. If the target value is exceeded, an engine controller reduces engine output demand, for instance by reducing the opening of a throttle. A fuelling controller forms a threshold value which is inversely dependent on the difference between the reduced engine output demand and the actual engine output demand. When the wheel spin exceeds the threshold value, the controller cuts off the supply of fuel for a predetermined pattern of engine fire events.

Method of and apparatus for controlling wheel spin

A traction control system is provided for a vehicle having driven wheels driven via a limited slip differential. The amount of wheel spin of each driven wheel is compared with a threshold to detect excessive wheel spin. If excessive spin is detected for both driven wheels, an engine management system reduces the demand output of a vehicle engine. If excessive wheel spin is detected for only one of the driven wheels an engine output greater than the reduced demanded output is demanded so as to allow the limited slip differential to transfer torque to the other driven wheel.

Traction control system

A wheel spin detector monitors the speeds of vehicle wheels and supplies a signal to an engine management system when excessive wheel spin is detected. The engine management system includes a fuel controller which, in response to the signal from the detector, reduces engine torque by inhibiting the supply of fuel to one or more cylinders of the engine such that either all cylinders are continuously fuelled or continuously unfuelled or one and only one cylinder is intermittently fuelled. When an unfuelled cylinder is fuelled again, the mixture supplied to it may be temporarily enriched.

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Quarry Bank, United Kingdom

Barry John Bridgens