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US 2026/0285270 A1Published application
Lift Axle Braking System
AssigneeKB Intellectual Property GmbH & Co. KG
InventorsChristopher H. Hutchins, Alexander J. Augoustidis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lift axle can be provided on a truck during or after manufacturing to allow the truck to carry more load. The lift axle can be selectively lifted above the road (e.g., when the truck is empty) and lowered onto the road (e.g., when carrying load requiring an extra axle). There are various challenges in designing a braking system for a lift axle. The embodiments presented herein provide a lift axle brake system that can overcome these challenges.
Claims20
A brake system comprising:
- an electro-pneumatic module (EPM) configured to allow pressurized air to flow to a brake of a non-lift axle of a vehicle in response to movement of a brake pedal of the vehicle;
- and
- a lift axle brake sub-system for a lift axle of the vehicle, the lift axle brake sub-system comprising:
- at least one brake;
- and
- a valve configured to selectively open to allow pressurized air to flow to the at least one brake of the lift axle of the vehicle;
- wherein a control port of the valve is coupled with a delivery port of the EPM, and wherein the valve is configured to receive pressurized air from the EPM in response to movement of the brake pedal, which causes the valve to open and allow pressurized air to flow to the at least one brake of the lift axle of the vehicle;
- and
- wherein the at least one brake of the lift axle of the vehicle is controlled to a same pressure provided to an anti-lock braking system (ABS) modulator on the non-lift axle of the vehicle.
6 more elements
A brake system comprising:
- an electro-pneumatic module (EPM) configured to allow pressurized air to flow to a brake of a non-lift axle of a vehicle in response to movement of a brake pedal of the vehicle;
- and
- a lift axle brake sub-system for a lift axle of the vehicle, the lift axle brake sub-system comprising:
- at least one brake;
- and
- a towed vehicle anti-lock brake system (TABS) comprising a valve configured to allow pressurized air to flow to the at least one brake of the lift axle of the vehicle;
- wherein a control port of the TABS is coupled with a delivery port of the EPM, and wherein the TABS is configured to receive pressurized air from the EPM in response to movement of the brake pedal, which causes the TABS to allow pressurized air to flow to the at least one brake of the lift axle of the vehicle;
- and
- wherein the TABS is configured to use an output of a wheel speed sensor on the non-lift axle of the vehicle to perform closed-loop slip control on the lift axle of the vehicle.
6 more elements
A brake system comprising:
- an electro-pneumatic module (EPM) configured to allow pressurized air to flow to a brake of a non-lift axle of the vehicle in response to movement of a brake pedal of a vehicle;
- and
- a lift axle brake sub-system for a lift axle of the vehicle, the lift axle brake sub-system comprising:
- at least one brake;
- and
- a lift axle brake system (LABS) comprising a valve configured to allow pressurized air to flow to the at least one brake of the lift axle of the vehicle;
- wherein a control port of the LABS is coupled with a delivery port of the EPM, and wherein the LABS is configured to receive pressurized air from the EPM in response to movement of the brake pedal, which causes the LABS to allow pressurized air to flow to the at least one brake of the lift axle of the vehicle;
- and
- wherein the LABS is further configured to receive information from an electronic braking system controller and adjust application of the at least one brake on the lift axle in response to the information.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.