# US 8,783,791 B2 · Dual circuit pneumatic foot valve with electronically controlled proportional modulator (ECPM) and operator input sensing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,783,791 B2 - Document ID: US8783791B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/483,314 - Filed: 2012-05-30 - Published: 2013-12-05 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-30 - Assignees: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC - Applicants: Charles E. Eberling; Mark A. Bennett - Inventors: Charles E. Eberling; Mark A. Bennett - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783791B2 ## CPC - B60T 7/042: {by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors} - B60T 13/662: {characterised by specified functions of the control system components} - B60T 13/683: {in pneumatic systems or parts thereof (in vacuum systems B60T13/72)} - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES ## Abstract A foot valve that can be activated either by the driver or an electronic control unit, wherein the foot valve can be the central driving device for automated braking applications such as Hill Start Aid and Work Brake Systems. Pneumatic pressure delivered by an electronically controlled proportional modulator to the foot valve activates either primary and/or secondary portions of the brake valve. The driver can mechanically override the electronic intervention when he presses on the brake pedal. For applications such as ESC and ATC, driver demand can be sensed by sensors in the foot valve and transmitted to the braking system electronic controller on the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A foot control valve assembly for operating a vehicle brake system having an associated brake pedal and at least one braking circuit associated with one or more wheels of the vehicle, the valve assembly comprising: a brake valve for selectively applying braking pressure to the at least one braking circuit of the vehicle, the brake valve being proportionally actuatable by a vehicle operator via a plunger operatively connectable to the associated brake pedal; a brake valve actuator for selectively actuating the brake valve to effect an autonomous braking function, the brake valve actuator responsive to a pneumatic control signal; an electronically controlled proportional modulator responsive to an electronic control signal received from an associated controller, the electronically controlled proportional modulator configured to modulate the pneumatic control signal provided to the brake valve actuator to control actuation of the at least one brake valve during an autonomous braking event; and at least one sensor for sensing driver braking demand, the sensor configured to communicate sensed driver braking demand to the associated controller. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The foot control valve assembly of claim 1, wherein said plunger can be actuated via the associated brake pedal to operate the brake valve to deliver pressure to the braking circuit regardless of the state of the electronically controlled proportional modulator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The foot control valve assembly of claim 1, wherein a first end of the plunger is adapted for connection to the associated brake pedal, and a second end of the plunger is adapted to actuate the at least one brake valve. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The foot control valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the brake valve, plunger, the brake valve actuator and the electronically controlled proportional modulator are supported by a common housing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The foot control valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the brake valve actuator is a pneumatically actuated device that is configured to actuate the at least one brake valve. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The foot control valve assembly of claim 5, wherein the brake valve actuator includes a pneumatic piston. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The foot control valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronically controlled proportional modulator is provided with supply air, the electronically controlled proportional modulator being responsive to the associated controller for selectively directing supply air to the brake valve actuator for actuating the at least one brake valve independently of the vehicle brake pedal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The foot control valve assembly of claim 7, wherein the electronically controlled proportional modulator includes a normally closed solenoid valve supplied with line pressure and a normally open solenoid valve, wherein during an autonomous braking event, the normally closed solenoid valve opens to supply the brake valve actuator with a supply of pressurized air, and the normally open solenoid valve is cycled to selectively vent air to atmosphere to thereby control the pressure supplied to the at least one brake valve. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The foot control valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a Hall effect sensor for sensing a position of the plunger. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The foot control valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising the brake pedal operatively connected to the plunger. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The foot control valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronically controlled proportional modulator includes a port for receiving a command signal from the associated controller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A vehicle braking system including at least one brake chamber, the foot valve control assembly of claim 1 operatively connected to the at least one brake chamber for supplying pressurized air thereto, and a controller operatively connected to the electronically controlled proportional modulator for supplying a control signal to the modulator for actuating the brake valve independently of actuation by a vehicle operator. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A vehicle braking system as set forth in claim 12, further comprising at least one sensor for sensing a dynamic vehicle condition, the electronic control unit generating the electronic control signal for actuating the brake valve actuator as a function of the dynamic vehicle condition. ### Claim 14 A method of operating a vehicle brake system having a brake pedal and at least one braking circuit associated with one or more wheels of the vehicle, the method comprising: selectively applying braking pressure to the at least one braking circuit of the vehicle with a brake valve, the brake valve being proportionally actuatable by a vehicle operator via a plunger operatively connectable to the brake pedal; selectively actuating the brake valve independently of an operator input via the associated brake pedal with a brake valve actuator to effect an autonomous braking event, the brake valve actuator responsive to a pneumatic control signal; modulating the pneumatic control signal provided to the brake valve actuator to control actuation of the at least one brake valve with an electronically controlled proportional modulator responsive to an electronic control signal received from a controller; and sensing driver braking demand with at least one sensor adapted to sense a position of the plunger. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising comparing the sensed-data corresponding to driver braking demand to the controller to a level of braking associated with the autonomous braking event, and terminating the autonomous braking event when the driver braking demand exceeds the level of braking associated with the autonomous braking event. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the modulating further includes generating with the controller a control signal and communicating the control signal to the proportional modulator. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising sensing a dynamic vehicle condition with at least one sensor, and wherein the generating includes generating a control signal based at least in part on the dynamic vehicle condition sensed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising supplying the electronically controlled proportional modulator with supply air and modulating the delivery of the supply air to the brake valve actuator to actuate the brake valve independently of the brake pedal, wherein the modulating includes exhausting a portion of the supply air to atmosphere.