Valve module for an air braking system of a heavy vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10328918-B2
Application number	US-201715687662-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2017
Priority date	Apr 28, 2016
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

A valve module is provided for enabling a vehicle to control an autonomous event of the vehicle. The valve module comprises a relay valve, a first solenoid valve, and a second solenoid valve. A first control pressure can be delivered through the first solenoid valve and applied to a control port of the relay valve. In one embodiment, a second control pressure can be delivered through the second solenoid valve and combined with the first control pressure. The combined first and second control pressures are applied to the control port of the relay valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A valve module for a vehicle having a compressed air supply, a driver demand device for providing a driver demand pressure indicative of driver intent to apply brakes, one or more brake chambers, and a controller for controlling delivery of air flow through the valve module to the one or more brake chambers to control an autonomous braking event of the vehicle, the valve module comprising:
a relay valve having a control port, a supply port, and a delivery port, wherein (i) the supply port of the relay valve is connectable in fluid communication with the compressed air supply, and (ii) the delivery port of the relay valve is connectable in fluid communication with the one or more brake chambers;
a first solenoid valve having a first solenoid, at least one supply port, and a delivery port connected in fluid communication with the control port of the relay valve, wherein the first solenoid is responsive to a first electrical signal from the controller to deliver a first control pressure from the driver demand device through the first solenoid valve to the control port of the relay valve to control air flow from the supply port of the relay valve through the relay valve to the delivery port of the relay valve to control air flow to the one or more brake chambers; and
a second solenoid valve having a second solenoid, at least one supply port, and a delivery port, wherein (i) the second solenoid is responsive to a second electrical signal from the controller to deliver a second control pressure to the first solenoid valve to combine with the first control pressure, and (ii) the combined first and second control pressures are applied to the control port of the relay valve to control air flow from the supply port of the relay valve through the relay valve to the delivery port of the relay valve to control air flow to the one or more brake chambers and thereby to control the autonomous braking event of the vehicle;
wherein the first solenoid valve comprises an activatable 3/2 valve that, when activated in response to the first electrical signal from the controller, moves from a first position in which air is blocked from flowing through a first supply port of the first solenoid valve and air is allowed to exhaust from the control port of the relay valve through the first solenoid valve through the second solenoid valve to atmosphere to a second position in which air is allowed to flow from both the first and second supply ports of the first solenoid valve through the first solenoid valve to the control port of the relay valve.

2. The valve module according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a one-way check valve having an inlet port connectable in fluid communication with the driver demand device, wherein: after the first solenoid valve has been activated, the one-way check valve allows for increase of the first control pressure that is being applied to the control port of the relay valve in response to an increase of driver demand pressure at the driver demand device.

3. The valve module according to claim 2 , wherein the one-way check valve has an outlet port connected in fluid communication with a first supply port of the first solenoid valve to define at least in part the combined first and second control pressures that are being applied to the control port of the relay valve.

4. The valve module according to claim 3 , wherein the output port of the one-way check valve is connected in fluid communication with the first solenoid valve such that the one-way check valve is effectively connected in series with the first solenoid valve.

5. The valve module according to claim 1 , wherein the second solenoid valve comprises an activatable 3/2 valve that, when activated in response to the second electrical signal from the controller, moves from a first position in which air is blocked from flowing from a first supply port of the second solenoid valve through the second solenoid valve to the second supply port of the first solenoid valve to a second position in which air is allowed to flow from the first supply port of the second solenoid valve through the second solenoid valve to the second supply port of the first solenoid valve.

6. The valve module according to claim 1 , wherein the relay valve comprises an air-operated, graduating directional control valve.

7. The valve module according to claim 1 , wherein the autonomous braking event comprises hill start assist (HSA).

8. A valve module for a vehicle having a compressed air supply, a driver demand device for providing a driver demand pressure indicative of driver intent to apply brakes, one or more brake chambers, and a controller for controlling delivery of air flow through the valve module to the one or more brake chambers to control an autonomous braking event of the vehicle, the valve module comprising:
a relay valve having a control port, a supply port, and a delivery port, wherein (i) the supply port of the relay valve is connectable in fluid communication with the compressed air supply, and (ii) the delivery port of the relay valve is connectable in fluid communication with the one or more brake chambers;
a one-way check valve having an inlet port connectable in fluid communication with the driver demand device, and an outlet port;
a first solenoid valve having a first supply port, a second supply port, a delivery port, and a solenoid that is controllable in response to a first electrical signal from the controller, wherein (i) the first supply port of the first solenoid valve is connected in fluid communication with the driver demand device, and (ii) the delivery port of the first solenoid valve is connected in fluid communication with the control port of the relay valve; and
a second solenoid valve having a first supply port, a second supply port, a delivery port, and a solenoid that is controllable in response to a second electrical signal from the controller, wherein (i) the first supply port of the second solenoid valve is connectable in fluid communication with the compressed air supply, (ii) the second supply port of the second solenoid valve is connected in fluid communication with atmosphere, and (iii) the delivery port of the second solenoid valve is connected in fluid communication with the second supply port of the first solenoid valve.

9. The valve module according to claim 8 , wherein:
(i) the first solenoid valve comprises an activatable 3/2 valve that, when activated in response to the first electrical signal from the controller, moves from a first position in which air is blocked from flowing through the first supply port of the first solenoid valve and air is allowed to flow from the second supply port of the first solenoid valve through the first solenoid valve to the control port of the relay valve to a second position in which air is allowed to flow from the both the first and second supply ports of the first solenoid valve through the first solenoid valve to the control port of the relay valve;
(ii) the second solenoid valve comprises an activatable 3/2 valve that, when activated in response to the second electrical signal from the controller, moves from a first position in which air is blocked from flowing from the first supply port of the second solenoid valve through the second solenoid valve to the second supply port of the first solenoid valve to a second position in which air is allowed to flow from the first supply port of the second solenoid valve through the second solenoid valve to the second supply port of the first solenoid valve; and
(iii) the relay valve comprises an air-operated, graduating directional control valve.

Assignees

• Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems Llc

Inventors

• Howell David W

Classifications

• F16K31/06

  using a magnet {, e.g. diaphragm valves, cutting off by means of a liquid} · CPC title

• B60T8/362 Primary

  in pneumatic systems (B60T8/3655, B60T8/3675 and B60T8/369 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60T2201/06

  Hill holder; Start aid systems on inclined road · CPC title

• B60T8/361

  wherein the pilot valve is mounted in a circuit controlling an auxiliary fluid system · CPC title

• B60T13/662

  characterised by specified functions of the control system components · CPC title