Patent ID: 6012781
Filing Date: 2000-01-11
Classification: B60T

Abstract:
A brake control arrangement for controlling braking of a composite vehicle including a tractor and a trailer, the tractor and trailer each having a respective brake, the vehicle having a braking actuator movable between a braking position in which a brake demand is applied to the brakes to effect braking of the vehicle and a non-braking position, said brake control arrangement comprising:an electronic brake control communicating with the braking actuator and adapted for pressurizing a braking fluid to have a first braking pressure upon actuation of the braking actuator to its braking position,a mechanical brake control communicating with the braking actuator and adapted for pressurizing a braking fluid to have a second braking pressure upon actuation of the braking actuator to its braking position,a trailer control valve having a first inlet communicating with the electronic brake control for receiving the fluid having the first braking pressure and a second inlet communicating with the mechanical brake control for receiving the fluid having the second braking pressure, the trailer control valve having an outlet communicating with the brake of the trailer for delivering fluid under pressure to the trailer brake, said control valve being adapted for directing the fluid having the greater of said first braking pressure and said second braking pressure through the valve outlet for delivery to the trailer brake; anda stop valve intermediate the mechanical brake control and the trailer control valve for blocking the flow of the fluid having the second fluid pressure to the trailer control valve, the stop valve being operatively connected to the brake control such that the stop valve permits the flow of the fluid having the second fluid pressure to the trailer control valve when the electronic brake control is operating in an error mode.