Kelsey-hayes Company

Kelsey-hayes Corporation

Gerald M Sivulka

Edward Nelson Fuller

Richard J Barron

Leonard T Tribe

Peter Every

Gregory P Campau

Charles Darnell

John R Bruder

Blaise J Ganzel

Wendell D Tackett

Mark D Lubbers

Stephen H Youtsey

Edward M Fuller

Herbert L Linker, Jr

Hydraulic or electro-hydraulic braking systems which include at least one wheel braking device and micro-machined technology, such as microvalves, are described herein. The use of the microvalves helps to eliminate audible noise produced in the hydraulic systems as well as allows for reduced package size of the system. In particular, many of the braking systems described herein have Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) capabilities, and as such employ apply microvalves, dump microvalves and changeover microvalves. The microvalves may be digitally or proportionally controlled for selectively controlling the pressure supplied to the wheel brake cylinders.

Vehicle hydraulic braking systems incorporating micro-machined technology

A vehicle hydraulic system is disclosed comprising a pressure source supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid to a discharge header, a vehicle braking system having a hydraulically operated boost piston assembly for supplementing a force exerted by a vehicle operator to operate brakes of the vehicle braking system; a boost pressure control valve for selectively directing pressurized hydraulic fluid from the discharge header to boost piston assembly and venting hydraulic fluid from the boost piston assembly; and a sensor for receiving an input from a vehicle operator and supplying an electrical signal to the boost pressure control valve to control the operation thereof.

Hydraulic brake booster

A valve control unit for anti-lock and traction control systems for automotive vehicles and valve structures for the valve control unit. The valve control unit has a valve body housing having cylindrical cavities for receiving the internal portion of the valves and a counterbore forming an annular shoulder. Each valve has a radial flange received in the counterbore and seated on the annular shoulder. The periphery of the counterbore is swaged to form an inwardly directed annular lip securing the radial flange in the counterbore. The swaged annular lip also forms a fluid tight seal between the radial lip and the valve body housing. The annular lip is formed by a swaging tool orbited in a rosette pattern. The swaging of the annular lip permits closer spacing between the valves reducing the size and weight of the valve control unit.

Hydraulic valve control unit for vehicular anti-lock brake and traction

An antilock/traction control/vehicle stability braking system hydraulic circuit using a fluid flow intensifier to provide a rapid application of fluid pressure to brakes during a TC/vehicle stability control operation at a flow rate that is greater than is normally available from an ABS pump alone. The intensifier increases the fluid flow as a function of using a stepped piston operating within respective input and output chambers having different effective diameters. The intensifier also includes an intermediate chamber into which fluid dumped from a brake cylinder is drawn rather than being lost to a master cylinder reservoir. The fluid thus remains in the hydraulic circuit, ensuring that a desired ratio of pedal travel versus pressure is maintained after a transition from TC/vehicle stability braking to ABS-base braking.

Switchable fast-fill hydraulic circuit for use in vehicle braking systems

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. A valve disposed in the throughbore is open when the piston is in the second chamber and closed when the piston is displaced from the second chamber.

Copy valve for an anti-lock brake system

An accumulator assembly for a vehicle anti-lock brake system receives and temporarily stores fluid during pressure reduction phases of the anti-lock operation, and maintains fluid stored therein substantially at or near zero pressure during anti-lock operation. The accumulator enables the fluid pressure to the controlled brakes to be reduced to substantially near zero pressure. The accumulator is further operative, after braking of the vehicle, to apply a predetermined pressure above zero pressure to the brake fluid stored therein to enable the fluid to be returned to the brake system. The accumulator is advantageously used in a pumpless anti-lock system which is operative to control the rear disc brakes of a light pick-up truck.

Fluid accumulator for use in a vehicle anti-lock brake system

The present invention provides an automatic cut off switch which grounds the magneto-spark plug circuit of a small gasoline engine shutting the engine down when the quantity of lubricating oil within the sump falls below a predetermined quantity. The switch is operated by a balance beam float assembly housed within a protective shroud. The protective shroud acts to collect a relatively stable pool of oil, representative of the quantity of oil remaining in the sump, for activation of the balance beam float. Upon refilling of the oil sump the switch automatically resets thereby permitting re-start of the engine.

Liquid level detector

Electrical cut off float switch

A hydraulic braking system is provided for vehicles which frequently experience variable loading conditions ranging from maximum to near minimum gross vehicle weights. The system comprises dual proportioning valves, hydraulically in series with one another, one valve includes a unique spring driven digital cam which, in response to compression of the vehicle suspension system, selects the desired master cylinder to brake pressure relationship for the vehicle load condition.

Vehicle hydraulic brake system and apparatus

A switched noise filter circuit for a skid control system which is adapted to filter out noise signals picked up by the wheel sensors as a result of brake squeal which often occurs at low vehicle speeds. Unfiltered, the sudden termination of a noise signal of this type could be interpreted as a rapid wheel deceleration by the skid control system causing a dumping of the brake pressure, resulting in an inadvertent release of the brakes.

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Gerald M Sivulka