Apparatus and method of automatically braking in a stop state of a vehicle

An apparatus for automatically braking a vehicle in a stop state, which has a vehicle-speed sensor 10 generating a rectangular shaped signal for representing a running speed of the vehicle, and brakes the vehicle by operating a wheel brake device 80 by means of a brake pedal, the apparatus comprising:

• a stop signal conversion means 20 for outputting a running signal of a rectangular shape using the rectangular shaped signal during the running state of the vehicle, and for outputting a stop signal of a low-level signal or a high-level signal after converting the rectangular shaped signal of a high-level signal or a low-level signal generated by the vehicle-speed sensor 10 during the stop state of the vehicle until the vehicle is moved or running;
• an accelerator pedal sensing means 40 installed so as to detect the pressing of an accelerator pedal, outputting an acceleration signal of a high-level signal or a low-level signal during an accelerator pedal pressing state, and outputting a stoppage signal during an acceleration pedal releasing state;
• a stopping/running judgement means 50 having a first input terminal and a second input terminal each of which is connected to each output terminal of the stop signal conversion means 20 and the accelerator pedal sensing means 40, respectively, outputting an open signal in the running state in which the running signal or the acceleration signal is inputted from one output terminal of the stop signal conversion means 20 and the accelerator pedal sensing means 40 to the first input terminal or the second input terminal, and outputting a close signal in the stop state in which the stop signal and the stoppage signal are inputted from both output terminals of the stop signal conversion means 20 and the accelerator pedal sensing means 40 to the first input terminal and the second input terminal;
• a switch means 60 which is operated or is not operated by the open signal or the close signal outputted from the stopping/running judgement means 50;
• and
• an electromagnetically operated switching valve 70 which is installed in a hydraulic or pneumatic brake line L connected to the wheel brake device 80, and is controlled by the switch means 60 in such a manner that the hydraulic or pneumatic brake line L becomes open when the switch means 60 is operated or is not operated by the open signal from the stopping/running judgement means 50 and the hydraulic or pneumatic brake line L becomes closed when the switch means 60 is operated or is not operated by the close signal from the stopping/running judgement means 50, thereby maintaining the braked stop state of the vehicle and preventing the movement of the vehicle before the running of the vehicle
• or just before the pressing of the accelerator pedal after the stoppage of the vehicle although the brake pedal may be released.