Vehicle hydraulic braking systems incorporating micro-machined technology

A hydraulic braking system for a wheeled vehicle, comprising:

• a braking device adapted to provide a braking force to at least one wheel for braking the vehicle;
• at least one main hydraulic conduit extending from a source of pressurized brake fluid to said braking device, said source and said main hydraulic conduit cooperating to supply pressurized fluid to said braking device;
• and
• at least one microvalve disposed in said main hydraulic conduit between said source and said braking device, said at least one microvalve having a body including a plurality of plates defining a plurality of parallel planes, and a slider selectively movable in a plane parallel to said plurality of parallel planes for controlling the pressurized fluid to said braking device, said at least one microvalve has at least three operating states, said operating states including an open state, a selectively variable flow restricted state, and a closed state, said at least one microvalve being adapted for indefinite operation in any of these operating states.

An braking system for a motor vehicle with wheels, comprising:

• a braking device adapted to provide a braking force to at least one wheel for braking the vehicle;
• a source of pressurized brake fluid to said braking device;
• a hydraulic conduit in fluid communication with said braking device and said source, said source and said hydraulic conduit cooperating to supply pressurized fluid to said braking device;
• at least one microvalve device disposed in said hydraulic conduit between said source and said braking device, said at least one microvalve device including an micro-machined electrically operated control microvalve having a body including a plurality of plates defining a plurality of parallel planes, a port forming a portion of said hydraulic conduit for the pressurized fluid, and a slider selectively movable within a plane parallel to said plurality of parallel planes to cover and uncover said port, said microvalve device selectively controlling the pressurized fluid to said braking device through movement of said slider to selectively cover and uncover said port;
• and
• an Electronic Control Unit controlling operation of said control microvalve.