US 2002/0167218 A1 · Use of steering control to produce deceleration in a vehicle while remaining on a straight ground path

Abstract

A braking system for a vehicle having a pair of primary steering members, each primary steering member being independently steered. Each of the primary steering members further has a primary steering direction. The primary steering directions of the primary steering members are adapted to be substantially parallel when the vehicle is not braking. The primary steering directions of the primary steering members are further adapted to be substantially parallel to a direction of travel of the vehicle when the vehicle is not braking. However, the primary steering directions of the primary steering members are non-parallel during braking of the vehicle. Furthermore, the primary steering directions of the primary steering members are nonparallel to the direction of travel during braking of the vehicle. Therefore, the braking system provides a force to the vehicle opposite to the direction of travel to slow the vehicle.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A braking system for a vehicle comprising:

a pair of primary steering members, each primary steering member being independently steered, each primary steering member further having a primary steering direction;
the primary steering directions of the primary steering members being adapted to be substantially parallel when the vehicle is not braking, the primary steering directions of the primary steering members further being adapted to be substantially parallel to a direction of travel of the vehicle when the vehicle is not braking;
and
the primary steering directions of the primary steering members being adapted to be non-parallel during braking of the vehicle, the primary steering directions of the primary steering members further being adapted to be non-parallel to the direction of travel during braking of the vehicle, thereby providing a force to the vehicle opposite to the direction of travel to slow the vehicle.

1 more element

A method of braking a vehicle comprising:

providing the vehicle with a pair of primary steering members, each primary steering member being independently steered and having a primary steering direction, the primary steering directions of the primary steering members being substantially parallel to each other and the direction of travel when the vehicle is not braking;
and
turning the primary steering members such that the primary steering directions of each of the primary steering members are non-parallel to each other and to the direction of travel to thereby provide a force to the vehicle opposite to the direction of travel to slow the vehicle.

A method of responding to at least a partial failure of a primary brake system of a vehicle, the vehicle having a pair of steering members, each steering member being independently steered and having a steering direction, the steering directions of the steering members being substantially parallel to each other and the direction of travel when the vehicle is not braking and when the primary brake system does not at least partially fail, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing the failure of the primary brake system;
and
rotating the steering directions of each of the steering members such that the steering directions of each of the steering members are non-parallel to each other and to the direction of travel.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Use of steering control to produce deceleration in a vehicle while remaining on a straight ground path

Life of this patent

Use of steering control to produce deceleration in a vehicle while remaining on a straight ground path

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20