Shared reservoir for service brake circuits

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12257986-B2
Application number	US-202217899129-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2022
Priority date	Aug 30, 2022
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

When a leak occurs in one service circuit of a multi-circuit braking system, the leak can prevent replenishing the non-leaking service reservoir. To address this problem, a shared backup reservoir can be used to replenish the non-leaking service reservoir. A valve can be used to allow flow from the backup reservoir to whichever service reservoir is under higher pressure, as low pressure would indicate a leak. Additional valve(s) can be used to impede flow from the service reservoirs to the backup reservoir to prevent the service reservoirs from being drained if the backup reservoir is subject to a leak.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A braking sub-system comprising:
a first air reservoir coupled with a first braking circuit of a vehicle;
a second air reservoir coupled with a second braking circuit of the vehicle;
an air supply reservoir coupled with the first and second air reservoirs; and
a backup air supply reservoir coupled with the first and second air reservoirs via a valve, wherein the valve is configured to provide air from the backup air supply reservoir to whichever one of the first and second air reservoirs contains air under a higher pressure.

2. The braking sub-system of claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises a select-high valve.

3. The braking sub-system of claim 1 , wherein the backup air supply reservoir is further coupled to each of the first and second air reservoirs via respective orifice check valves, wherein the orifice check valves are configured to allow air to flow from the first and second air reservoirs to the backup air supply reservoir at a slower rate than air is allowed to flow from the backup air supply reservoir to the first and second air reservoirs.

4. The braking sub-system of claim 1 , wherein the backup air supply reservoir is further coupled to each of the first and second air reservoirs via respective pressure protection valves, wherein the pressure protection valves are configured to allow air to flow freely from the backup air supply to the first and second air reservoirs but allow air to flow from the first and second air reservoirs to the backup air supply reservoir only when the first and second air reservoirs contains air under a pressure greater than a threshold pressure.

5. The braking sub-system of claim 1 , wherein the backup air supply reservoir is further coupled to each of the first and second air reservoirs via respective pilot-controlled shut-off valves, wherein the pilot-controlled shut-off valves are configured to allow air to flow freely from the backup air supply to the first and second air reservoirs but allow air to flow from the first and second air reservoirs to the backup air supply reservoir only when the first and second air reservoirs contains air under a pressure greater than a threshold pressure.

6. The braking sub-system of claim 1 , wherein the backup air supply reservoir is further coupled to the first and second air reservoirs via a pressure protection valve positioned between the valve and the backup air supply reservoir, wherein the pressure protection valve is configured to allow air to flow freely from the backup air supply reservoir to the valve but allow air to flow from the valve to the backup air supply reservoir only in response to air pressure received from the valve by the pressure protection valve exceeding a threshold pressure.

7. The braking sub-system of claim 1 , wherein the backup air supply reservoir is coupled with the air supply reservoir, and wherein a check valve is positioned between the backup air supply reservoir and the valve and is configured to prevent air from flowing from the valve to the backup air supply reservoir.

8. A method comprising:
performing the following in a braking sub-system comprising a first service brake tank, a second service brake tank, a source of air pressure, and a backup tank:
detecting a loss of pressure in one of the first and second service brake tanks which renders the source of air pressure incapable of replenishing the other of the first and second service brake tanks; and
allowing the backup tank to provide additional air to the other of the first and second service brake tanks.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method is performed by a valve configured to place the backup tank in fluidic communication with whichever one of the first and second service brake tanks is under a higher pressure.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the valve comprises a select-high valve.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising at least partially impeding flow from the first and second service brake tanks to the backup tank.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the flow is at least partially impeded using one or more orifice check valves.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the flow is at least partially impeded using one or more pressure protection valves.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the flow is at least partially impeded using one or more shut-off valves.

15. The method of claim 8 , further comprising using the first and second service brake tanks to fill the backup tank.

16. The method of claim 8 , further comprising using the supply tank or source of air pressure to fill the backup tank.

17. A braking sub-system comprising:
a backup reservoir configured to be shared by primary and secondary reservoirs that are couplable with respective primary and secondary braking circuits of a vehicle; and
means for placing the backup reservoir in fluidic communication with only one of the primary and secondary reservoirs when the other of the primary and secondary reservoirs is subject to a leak.

18. The braking sub-system of claim 17 , wherein the means for placing comprises a select-high valve.

19. The braking sub-system of claim 17 , further comprising means for at least partially impeding flow from the primary and secondary reservoirs to the backup reservoir.

20. The braking sub-system of claim 17 , further comprising the primary and secondary reservoirs.

Assignees

• Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems Llc

Inventors

• Howell David W

Classifications

• B60T17/02

  Arrangements of pumps or compressors, or control devices therefor · CPC title

• B60T17/18

  Safety devices; Monitoring · CPC title

• B60T11/326 Primary

  in pneumatic systems · CPC title