The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 22, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 11, 1999
Hiroaki Yoshida, Mishima, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota, JP;
Abstract
A braking force control apparatus adapted to change a magnitude of a braking force produced in response to a braking operation based on a condition of the braking operation, and control a braking force in an appropriate manner meeting an operating feeling of a vehicle operator. The braking force control apparatus performs either a normal control to produce a braking force by a braking operation or a brake-assist control to produce an increased braking force larger than the braking force produced during the normal control. In the apparatus, a stroke sensor (,) detects a stroke amount (L) of a brake pedal (,). When a stroke amount (L) of the brake pedal (,) detected at a predetermined time (T,) after the normal control is changed to the brake-assist control is below a predetermined value (&agr;), the apparatus determines that a brake releasing operation is intended by the operator, and terminates the brake-assist control.