Vehicle braking apparatus and related control method

A braking apparatus for a motorcycle, said braking apparatus comprising:

• a brake actuating unit;
• a master cylinder working in conjunction with the brake actuating unit;
• a brake member for applying braking force to a wheel by means of hydraulic pressure operation;
• a main brake path which connects the master cylinder and the wheel brake member;
• a normally-open electromagnetic on-off valve provided in the main brake path, the electromagnetic on-off valve being closed during a braking operation;
• a hydraulic modulator driven by an electric actuator;
• and
• an ABS which adjusts the hydraulic pressure of the main brake path on the side closer to the wheel brake member relative to the electromagnetic on-off valve by means of the hydraulic modulator to control the slip ratio between a braking wheel and a road surface,
• the hydraulic modulator being controlled to supply hydraulic pressure to the wheel brake member, during the braking operation, according to the operational state of the brake actuating unit,
• wherein when the vehicle speed has become a predetermined speed or less when the vehicle is being braked by the brake actuating unit, the pressure of the main brake path on the side closer to the master cylinder relative to the electromagnetic on-off valve, and the pressure of the main brake path on the side closer to the wheel brake member relative to the electromagnetic on-off valve are detected and equalized by means of the hydraulic modulator before opening the electromagnetic on-off valve.

A braking apparatus for a motorcycle, the braking apparatus comprising

• a brake actuating unit;
• a master cylinder which operates in conjunction with the brake actuating unit;
• a wheel brake member which applies braking force to a motorcycle wheel by means of hydraulic pressure operation;
• a hydraulic pressure modulator configured to generate hydraulic pressure;
• wherein the braking apparatus is configured to
• detect a first hydraulic pressure adjacent to the master cylinder and a second hydraulic pressure adjacent to the wheel brake member;
• operate the hydraulic modulator to generate hydraulic pressure;
• and
• electrically control the hydraulic pressure applied to the wheel braking mechanism so as to correspond with the first hydraulic pressure, and
• wherein when there is a difference between the first hydraulic pressure and the second hydraulic pressure after the vehicle speed has become a predetermined vehicle speed or less, the hydraulic modulator is operated and the hydraulic modulator is controlled to equalize the hydraulic pressure so that the first hydraulic pressure is substantially equal to the second hydraulic pressure.

A method of controlling a braking apparatus for a vehicle, wherein the braking apparatus is configured to activate an antilock brake system (ABS) by means of hydraulic pressure when slippage of a wheel is detected during a brake operation, the braking apparatus comprising:

• a brake member configured to brake the wheel;
• a hydraulic modulator for generating hydraulic pressure applied to the brake member;
• and
• a hydraulic pressure sensor for detecting hydraulic pressure applied to the brake member,
• the method of controlling the braking apparatus comprising the steps of:
• determining whether ABS activation is required;
• detecting a hydraulic pressure applied to the brake member;
• and
• reducing the hydraulic pressure applied to the brake member to a pressure reduction target value based on the detection result of the hydraulic pressure sensor at the time when the ABS is activated.

A method of controlling a braking apparatus for a motorcycle, the braking apparatus comprising:

• a brake actuating unit;
• a master cylinder working in conjunction with the brake actuating unit;
• a brake member for applying braking force to a wheel by means of hydraulic pressure operation;
• a main brake path which connects the master cylinder and the wheel brake member;
• a normally-open electromagnetic on-off valve provided in the main brake path, the electromagnetic on-off valve being closed during a braking operation;
• a hydraulic modulator driven by an electric actuator;
• and
• an ABS which adjusts the hydraulic pressure of the main brake path on the side closer to the wheel brake member relative to the electromagnetic on-off valve by means of the hydraulic modulator to control the slip ratio between a braking wheel and a road surface,
• the hydraulic modulator being controlled, during a braking operation, according to the operational state of the brake actuating unit to supply hydraulic pressure to the wheel brake member,
• the method steps comprising
• determining whether the vehicle speed is equal to or less than a predetermined speed when the vehicle is being braked by the brake actuating unit,
• detecting the pressure of the main brake path on the side closer to the master cylinder relative to the electromagnetic on-off valve,
• detecting the pressure of the main brake path on the side closer to the wheel brake member relative to the electromagnetic on-off valve,
• determining whether the pressure of the main brake path on the side closer to the master cylinder relative to the electromagnetic on-off valve is substantially equal to the pressure of the main brake path on the side closer to the wheel brake member relative to the electromagnetic on-off valve,
• adjusting the hydraulic pressure of the main brake path on the side closer to the wheel brake member relative to the electromagnetic on-off valve by means of the hydraulic modulator so that the hydraulic pressure of the main brake path on each side of the electromagnetic on-off valve is substantially equal, when it is determined that the pressure of the main brake path on the side closer to the master cylinder relative to the electromagnetic on-off valve is not substantially equal to the pressure of the main brake path on the side closer to the wheel brake member relative to the electromagnetic on-off valve, and
• opening the electromagnetic on-off valve.

A braking apparatus for a motorcycle comprising:

• a brake actuating unit;
• a master cylinder working in conjunction with the brake actuating unit;
• a brake member for applying braking force to a wheel by means of hydraulic pressure operation;
• a main brake path which connects the master cylinder and the wheel brake member;
• a normally-open first electromagnetic on-off valve provided in the main brake path, the first electromagnetic on-off valve being closed during a braking operation;
• a hydraulic modulator driven by an electric actuator, the hydraulic modulator being connected to the main brake path on the side closer to the wheel brake member relative to the first electromagnetic on-off valve, the hydraulic modulator being controlled during the braking operation according to the operational state of the brake actuating unit to supply hydraulic pressure to the wheel brake member;
• an ABS which adjusts the hydraulic pressure of the main brake path on the side closer to the wheel brake member relative to the first electromagnetic on-off valve by means of the hydraulic modulator to control the slip ratio between a braking wheel and a road surface;
• a fluid loss modulator connected to the main brake path on the side closer to the master cylinder relative to the first electromagnetic on-off valve;
• a normally-closed second electromagnetic on-off valve provided between the fluid loss modulator and the main brake path, the second electromagnetic on-off valve being open during a braking operation,
• a normally-closed third electromagnetic on-off valve provided between the hydraulic modulator and the main brake path, the third electromagnetic on-off valve being open during a braking operation;
• wherein when the vehicle speed has become a predetermined speed or less when the vehicle is being braked by the brake actuating unit, the pressure of the main brake path on the side closer to the master cylinder relative to the first electromagnetic on-off valve, and the pressure of the main brake path on the side closer to the wheel brake member relative to the first electromagnetic on-off valve are detected and equalized by means of the hydraulic modulator before opening the first electromagnetic on-off valve, and closing of the second and third electromagnetic on-off valves.