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. 20, 2003
Filed:
Feb. 15, 2000
Kip Alan Ewing, Dearborn, MI (US);
Gerard Edward Baker, Stow Maries, GB;
Bruce Frederick Pease, Riverview, MI (US);
Jeffrey Dan Rupp, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A releasable brake pedal system for a vehicle includes a pedal assembly operatively engageable by the driver of the vehicle and a hydraulic actuator assembly for generating pressurized hydraulic fluid for actuating one or more brakes A- D. The pedal system further includes a pressure release valve or 30′ coupled in fluid communication with the pressurized hydraulic fluid. The pressure release valve or ′ is operative to reduce the amount of pressure applied to the brakes A- D during a detected vehicle deceleration indicative of a collision event. The pressure release valve is responsive to a deceleration sensor according to one embodiment, and valve ′ employs a deceleration sensitive inertial mass according to another embodiment. Accordingly, the pedal system reduces forces that may otherwise be transferred to the pedal assembly during a collision.