Hydraulic control valve brake system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10814847-B2
Application number	US-201815982107-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2018
Priority date	Jul 6, 2017
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A hydraulic control valve for an ATV or motorcycle takes hydraulic input from a hand brake lever as an input to a first cavity of the control valve with a movable piston therein, and from a foot brake lever as an input to a second cavity of the control valve with a movable piston therein, with the two pistons being linked. A bypass channel extends around the piston in the first cavity, which is closed off when the first piston moves longitudinally. The output of the first cavity hydraulically controls braking of the front wheel(s). The foot brake lever also pressurizes a direct line to brake the rear wheel(s) that doesn't go through the control valve.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hydraulic control valve for a vehicle braking system, the control valve comprising:
a valve body defining a first brake fluid cavity;
a first piston which is longitudinally moveable within the first brake fluid cavity;
a first input port in the valve body and accessible on an outside of the valve body for receiving brake fluid, the first input port always being in fluid communication with a first area of the first piston;
a first output port in the valve body and accessible on an outside of the valve body for delivering brake fluid, the first output port always being in fluid communication with a second area of the first piston;
a bypass channel for the first brake fluid cavity, the bypass channel allowing pressurized brake fluid flow from the first input port around the first piston and out the first output port when the first piston is in a first longitudinal position, the bypass channel being closed off when the first piston is in a range of second longitudinal positions, wherein the bypass channel is defined in the valve body;
a machining port in the valve body for machining the bypass channel, the machining port being closed off by a removable plug;
a spring providing a spring force which can bias the first piston longitudinally toward the first longitudinal position; and
a linkage for selectively moving the first piston from the first longitudinal position to the range of second longitudinal positions against the spring force of the spring, wherein, when the first piston is within the range of second longitudinal positions with the bypass channel being closed off, either greater pressure on the first area of the first piston through the first input port and/or greater force through the linkage biases the first piston in a direction further away from the first longitudinal position.

2. The hydraulic control valve of claim 1 ,
wherein the valve body defines a second cavity,
wherein the control valve comprises:
a second piston which is longitudinally moveable within the second cavity; and
a second input port in the valve body and accessible on an outside of the valve body for receiving brake fluid, the second input port being in fluid communication with a first area of the second piston; and

wherein the linkage comprises:
a piston rod extending from the first piston through a divider wall to the second piston, such that the first and second pistons move simultaneously in a longitudinal direction against the spring force of the spring when brake fluid introduced to the second cavity through the second input port acts on the first area of the second piston.

3. The hydraulic control valve of claim 2 , wherein the piston rod has a cross-sectional area where the piston rod enters the divider wall which is equal to a cross-sectional area where the piston rod exits the divider wall.

4. The hydraulic control valve of claim 2 , wherein the spring biases both the first and second pistons longitudinally toward the first longitudinal position.

5. The hydraulic control valve of claim 2 , wherein the first area of the first piston is larger than the first area of the second piston.

6. The hydraulic control valve of claim 2 , wherein the valve body has a first end and a second end defining the longitudinal direction, and sides extending from the first end to the second end, wherein the first input port, the first output port and the second input port are disposed on the sides of the valve body.

7. A hydraulic control valve for a vehicle braking system, the control valve comprising:
a valve body defining a first brake fluid cavity and a second cavity, wherein the first and second cavities are collinearly arranged on the same center line through the valve body, and a formed as a single through hole in the valve body, closed off by one or more plugs threadably received on the valve body;
a first piston which is longitudinally moveable within the first brake fluid cavity;
a first input port in the valve body and accessible on an outside of the valve body for receiving brake fluid, the first input port always being in fluid communication with a first area of the first piston;
a first output port in the valve body and accessible on an outside of the valve body for delivering brake fluid, the first output port always being in fluid communication with a second area of the first piston;
a bypass channel for the first brake fluid cavity, the bypass channel allowing pressurized brake fluid flow from the first input port around the first piston and out the first output port when the first piston is in a first longitudinal position, the bypass channel being closed off when the first piston is in a range of second longitudinal positions;
a spring providing a spring force which can bias the first piston longitudinally toward the first longitudinal position;
a second piston which is longitudinally moveable within the second cavity;
a second input port in the valve body and accessible on an outside of the valve body for receiving brake fluid, the second input port being in fluid communication with a first area of the second piston; and
a linkage for selectively moving the first piston from the first longitudinal position to the range of second longitudinal positions against the spring force of the spring, wherein, when the first piston is within the range of second longitudinal positions with the bypass channel being closed off, either greater pressure on the first area of the first piston through the first input port and/or greater force through the linkage biases the first piston in a direction further away from the first longitudinal position, wherein the linkage comprises:
a piston rod extending from the first piston through a divider wall to the second piston, such that the first and second pistons move simultaneously in a longitudinal direction against the spring force of the spring when brake fluid introduced to the second cavity through the second input port acts on the first area of the second piston.

8. The hydraulic control valve of claim 7 , wherein the bypass channel is defined in the valve body, and further comprising a machining port in the valve body for machining the bypass channel, the machining port being closed off by a removable plug.

9. A brake system for a vehicle, comprising:
a first braking control mountable on the vehicle for control by a driver, the first braking control pressurizing brake fluid, wherein the first braking control is a hand brake lever;
a second braking control mountable on the vehicle for separate control by the driver, the second braking control pressurizing brake fluid, a brake on a first wheel of the vehicle being in fluid communication with brake fluid pressurized by the second braking control, so the brake on the first wheel is solely controlled by the second braking control, wherein the second braking control is a foot brake lever;
a control valve mounted in the vehicle, the control valve comprising:
a valve body mounted on the vehicle;
a first input port in the valve body and accessible on an outside of the valve body, the first input port receiving brake fluid pressurized by the first braking control;
a second input port in the valve body and accessible on an outside of the valve body, the second input port receiving brake fluid pressurized by the second braking control; and
a first output port in the valve body and accessible on an outside of the valve body, the first output port output being in fluid communication with a brake on a second wheel of the vehicle, wherein the first output port can be pressurized solely through pressurization from the first braking control, can alternatively be pressurized solely through pressurization from the second braki

Assignees

• Zhejiang Cfmoto Power Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhang Xiaolei

Classifications

• B60T11/34 Primary

  Pressure reducing or limiting valves {(for arrangements for adjusting wheel-braking force responsive to vehicle weight or load B60T8/1831)} · CPC title

• B60T7/08

  hand actuated · CPC title

• B60T11/20

  Tandem, side-by-side, or other multiple master cylinder units · CPC title

• B60T8/265 Primary

  for hydraulic brake systems · CPC title

• B60T8/261

  specially adapted for use in motorcycles · CPC title