Deceleration responsive proportioning valve for vehicle braking system

Claim 2

In a control device for use in the braking system of a vehicle: a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a bore communicating the inlet with the outlet; valve means within said bore dividing the latter into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber; said valve means being responsive to the fluid pressure level communicated into said inlet chamber and to the rate fluid communication deceleration of the vehicle to permIt substantially uninhibited fluidcommunication between said inlet and outlet chambers until a predetermined relationship exists between vehicle deceleration and the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber and thereafter metering fluid communication between said inlet and outlet chambers to establish a lower fluid pressure level in said outlet chamber than the fluid pressure level established in said inlet chamber; said valve means including a pair of valve members slidable in said bore, and a mass operatively connected to one of said valve members; said valve members moving as a unit to permit substantially uninhibited fluid communication between said inlet and outlet chambers until a predetermined relationship exists between the rate of acceleration of said mass and the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber, whereupon the other valve member moves relative to the one valve member to cooperate with the latter to meter fluid communication between the inlet and outlet chambers.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1: said valve means including axially extending fingers interconnecting said valve members, said fingers having detents to connect the valve members for movement together, but permitting the other valve member to move toward the one valve member.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 1: said valve means including passage means extending through said other valve member and check valve means permitting fluid communication from the outlet chamber to the inlet chamber when the fluid pressure level in the outlet chamber exceeds the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 1: said valve means including a first set of fingers extending from said one valve member toward the other valve member and a second set of fingers extending from said other valve member toward the one valve member; each of said finger sets having detents cooperating with detents on the other finger set to permit movement of the valve members toward one another but to prevent movement of the valve members away from one another in excess of a predetermined distance; and resilient means yieldably urging said valve members apart.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 4; and spring means yieldably urging said first and second valve means toward a predetermined position within said bore.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 1: said valve means initiating metering of fluid communication between the inlet and outlet chambers when said mass is accelerated at a higher rate when the fluid pressure level communicated to said inlet chamber is at a relatively high level and when said mass is accelerated at a lesser rate when the fluid pressure level communicated to said inlet chamber is at a lower level.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 6; and latch means responsive to movement of said mass for locking said one valve member against movement relative to the housing to thereby initiate metering of fluid communication between said chambers; said latch means including spring means disposed between a fixed portion of said housing and said mass resisting movement of the latter, said spring means being deflected an increasing amount as the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber increases, whereby an increasing rate of acceleration is required of said mass as the fluid pressure level in said inlet chamber increases to actuate said latch means for locking said one valve member against movement relative to the bore.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 1; and latch means responsive to the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber and to acceleration of said mass for locking said one valve member against movement relative to the housing when said predetermined relationship between the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber and acceleration of said mass exists; said control means including resilient means resisting acceleration of said mass with an increasing force as said resilient means is deflected.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 8: said valve means being responsive to the fluid pressure level in said housing to progressively deflect said resilient means as said fluid pressure level is increased.

Claim 11

In a control device for use in the braking system of a vehicle: a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a bore communicating the inlet with the outlet; valve means within said bore dividing the latter into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber; said valve means being responsive to the fluid pressure level communicated into said inlet chamber and to the rate of deceleration of the vehicle to permit substantially uninhibited fluid communication between said inlet and outlet chambers until a predetermined relationship exists between vehicle deceleration and the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber and thereafter metering fluid communication between said inlet and outlet chambers to establish a lower fluid pressure level in said outlet chamber than the fluid pressure level established in said inlet chamber; said valve means including a pair of valve members slidable in said bore, and a mass operatively connected to one of said valve members; said valve members moving as a unit to permit substantially uninhibited fluid communication between said inlet and outlet chambers until a predetermined relationship exists between the rate of acceleration of said mass and the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber, whereupon the other valve member moves relative to the one valve member to cooperate with the latter to meter fluid communication between the inlet and outlet chambers; and latch means responsive to the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber and to acceleration of said mass for locking said one valve member against movement relative to the housing when said predetermined relationship between the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber and acceleration of said mass exists.

Claim 12

In a control device for use in the braking system of a vehicle: a housing having an inlet, an outlet, and a bore communicating the inlet with the outlet; valve means within said bore dividing the latter into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber; said valve means being responsive to the fluid pressure level communicated into said inlet chamber and to the rate of deceleration of the vehicle to permit substantially uninhibited fluid communication between said inlet and outlet chambers until a predetermined relationship exists between vehicle deceleration and the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber and thereafter metering fluid communication between said inlet and outlet chambers to establish a lower fluid pressure level in said outlet chamber than the fluid pressure level established in said inlet chamber; said valve means including a pair of valve members slidable in said bore, and a mass operatively connected to one of said valve members; said valve members moving as a unit to permit substantially uninhibited fluid communication between said inlet and outlet chambers until a predetermined relationship exists between the rate of acceleration of said mass and the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber, whereupon the other valve member moves relative to the one valve member to cooperate with the latter to meter fluid communication between the inlet and outlet chambers; and latch means responsive to the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber and to acceleration of said mass for locking said one valve member against movement relative to the housing when said predetermined relationship between the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber and acceleration of said mass exists.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 4: said latch means including a compartment receiving said mass, and arm members operatively connected to said mass and extending through said compartment, and means within said housing for engagement by said arms, said mass deflecting said arms into locking engagement with said last-mentioned means when said predetermined relationship exists between the fluid pressure level in said inlet chamber and acceleration of said mass, to thereby lock said one valve member against movement relative to said housing.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 5; and apertures extending through the walls of said compartment, said arm members extending through said apertures; and said means within said housing for engagement by said arms including detent means, said arm members being deflected into latching engagement with said detent means when said predetermined relationship exists between the fluid pressure level in the inlet chamber and acceleration of the mass.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 6: said valve means including axially extending fingers interconnecting said valve members, said fingers having detents to connect the valve members for movement together, but permitting the other valve member to move toward the one valve member; said fingers being retained on said one valve member by said compartment.