Electropneumatic assembly including integrated failure safety-valve arrangement for multiple fault, electronically controllable pneumatic braking system, and method for operating a braking system

An electronically controllable pneumatic braking system for a vehicle including a commercial vehicle;

• the electronically controllable pneumatic brake system comprising:
• a front axle modulator for providing a front-axle service-brake pressure at a first front-axle service-brake actuator and at a second front-axle service-brake actuator on a front axle of the vehicle;
• a rear-axle modulator for providing a rear-axle service-brake pressure at least at a first rear-axle service-brake actuator and at a second rear-axle service-brake actuator on a rear axle of the vehicle;
• and,
• an electropneumatic assembly including:
• a first compressed-air reservoir;
• a reservoir port for receiving a reservoir pressure from said first compressed-air reservoir;
• a first redundancy brake-pressure port for providing a first redundancy brake pressure for at least one of the following:
• a first axle of the vehicle and a first axle of a trailer of the vehicle;
• a failure supply port for providing a failure supply pressure limited with respect to and lower than the reservoir pressure;
• and,
• a failure safety-valve arrangement having a first failure brake valve realized as a monostable valve;
• wherein:
• said failure safety-valve arrangement is connected to said failure supply port and said first redundancy brake-pressure port and said first failure brake valve being switchable in an event of a fault in order to, based on the failure supply pressure, deliver the first redundancy brake pressure at said first redundancy brake-pressure port;
• or,
• said failure safety-valve arrangement is connected at least to a first redundancy control port and said first failure brake valve being switchable in the event of the fault in order to, based on the failure supply pressure, deliver at least a first redundancy control pressure at said first redundancy control port;
• wherein said first redundancy brake-pressure port is connected to at least one of the following:
• i) a front-axle redundancy port of the front-axle modulator to cause redundant delivery of the front-axle service-brake pressure;
• and, ii) to a rear-axle redundancy port of said rear-axle modulator to cause redundant delivery of the front.

A method for controlling an electronically controllable pneumatic braking system which includes a front axle modulator for providing a front-axle service-brake pressure at a first front-axle service-brake actuator and at a second front-axle service-brake actuator on a front axle of the vehicle;

• a rear-axle modulator for providing a rear-axle service-brake pressure at least at a first rear-axle service-brake actuator and at a second rear-axle service-brake actuator on a rear axle of the vehicle;
• and, an electropneumatic assembly including:
• a first compressed-air reservoir;
• a reservoir port for receiving a reservoir pressure from said first compressed-air reservoir;
• a first redundancy brake-pressure port for providing a first redundancy brake pressure for at least one of the following:
• a first axle of the vehicle and a first axle of a trailer of the vehicle;
• a failure supply port for providing a failure supply pressure limited with respect to and lower than the reservoir pressure;
• and, a failure safety-valve arrangement having a first failure brake valve realized as a monostable valve;
• wherein:
• said failure safety-valve arrangement is connected to said failure supply port and said first redundancy brake-pressure port and said first failure brake valve being switchable in an event of a fault in order to, based on the failure supply pressure, deliver the first redundancy brake pressure at said first redundancy brake-pressure port;
• or,
• said failure safety-valve arrangement is connected at least to a first redundancy control port and said first failure brake valve being switchable in the event of the fault in order to, based on the failure supply pressure, deliver at least a first redundancy control pressure at said first redundancy control port;
• wherein said first redundancy brake-pressure port is connected to at least one of the following:
• i) a front-axle redundancy port of the front-axle modulator to cause redundant delivery of the front-axle service-brake pressure;
• and, ii) to a rear-axle redundancy port of said rear-axle modulator to cause redundant delivery of the front-rear-axle service-brake pressure;
• the method comprising:
• providing the reservoir pressure at the reservoir port of the electropneumatic assembly;
• providing, at the failure supply port of the electropneumatic assembly, at least while the vehicle is moving, the failure supply pressure limited with respect to and lower than the reservoir pressure;
• and,
• locking out the failure supply pressure when the electronically controllable pneumatic braking system is in a fault-free state.

A vehicle including a commercial vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

• a front axle;
• a first rear axle and an electronically controllable pneumatic braking system;
• the electronically controllable pneumatic braking system including:
• a front axle modulator for providing a front-axle service-brake pressure at a first front-axle service-brake actuator and at a second front-axle service-brake actuator on a front axle of the vehicle;
• a rear-axle modulator for providing a rear-axle service-brake pressure at least at a first rear-axle service-brake actuator and at a second rear-axle service-brake actuator on a rear axle of the vehicle;
• and, an electropneumatic assembly including:
• a first compressed-air reservoir;
• a reservoir port for receiving a reservoir pressure from said first compressed-air reservoir;
• a first redundancy brake-pressure port for providing a first redundancy brake pressure for at least one of the following:
• a first axle of the vehicle and a first axle of a trailer of the vehicle;
• a failure supply port for providing a failure supply pressure limited with respect to and lower than the reservoir pressure;
• and,
• a failure safety-valve arrangement having a first failure brake valve realized as a monostable valve;
• wherein:
• said failure safety-valve arrangement is connected to said failure supply port and said first redundancy brake-pressure port and said first failure brake valve being switchable in an event of a fault in order to, based on the failure supply pressure, deliver the first redundancy brake pressure at said first redundancy brake-pressure port;
• or,
• said failure safety-valve arrangement is connected at least to a first redundancy control port and said first failure brake valve being switchable in the event of the fault in order to, based on the failure supply pressure, deliver at least a first redundancy control pressure at said first redundancy control port;
• wherein said first redundancy brake-pressure port is connected to at least one of the following:
• i) a front-axle redundancy port of the front-axle modulator to cause redundant delivery of the front-axle service-brake pressure;
• and, ii) to a rear-axle redundancy port of said rear-axle modulator to cause redundant delivery of the rear-axle service-brake pressure;
• said electronically controllable pneumatic braking system being configured to:
• provide the reservoir pressure at said reservoir port of said electropneumatic assembly;
• providing, at said failure supply port of the electropneumatic assembly, at least while the vehicle is moving, the failure supply pressure limited with respect to and lower than the reservoir pressure;
• and,
• lock out the failure supply pressure when the electronically controllable pneumatic braking system is in a fault-free state.