Patent ID: 7520572
Filing Date: 2009-04-21
Classification: B60T

Abstract:
1. A vehicle braking system for a vehicle having a brake pedal and a first braking circuit associated with driven wheels of the vehicle and having a second braking circuit associated with non-driven wheels of the vehicle, the system comprising: a dual brake valve operable by the vehicle brake pedal for, when actuated, simultaneously applying braking pressure to both the first and second braking circuits of the vehicle, the dual brake valve being proportionally actuatable by a vehicle operator; an electronic control unit; a manual input device that is selectively operable independently of the vehicle brake pedal and independently of the electronic control unit to produce a manual control signal; a brake valve actuator, for selectively actuating the dual brake valve independently of the vehicle brake pedal, responsive to (i) the manual control signal and (ii) an electronic control signal from the electronic control unit; at least one sensor for sensing a dynamic vehicle condition, the electronic control unit generating the electronic control signal for actuating the brake valve actuator as a function of the dynamic vehicle condition; and a brake valve actuator controller that is connected between the electronic control unit and the brake valve actuator and that is also connected between the manual input device and the brake valve actuator, the brake valve actuator controller being responsive to (i) the manual control signal and (ii) the electronic control signal for selectively actuating the dual brake valve independently of the vehicle brake pedal.