Vacuum servo apparatus

Abstract

A vacuum servo apparatus in which, in a performance diagram having an input coordinate axis perpendicular to an output coordinate axis, the normal operation is represented by a first operating line and, after a plunger member is moved by a solenoid so that movement of the plunger member with respect to a transmission member is controlled, the operation is represented by a second operating line following additional jump biasing force to be supplemented and generated is appropriately set and an output of the apparatus is designed to be faster during the return stroke for straightforwardly reflecting the intention of the driver.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A vacuum servo apparatus comprising 
       a housing defining therein a pressure chamber,  
       a movable wall movably mounted in said housing and dividing said pressure chamber into a constant pressure and a variable pressure chamber,  
       a power piston having an outer end opening and connected to said movable wall,  
       an input rod provided in said power piston, the input rod being movable on brake actuation in a direction substantially along an input/output axis and extending to outside of said power piston,  
       a transmission member mounted for axial movement in said power piston and connected to said input rod,  
       a plunger member provided in said power piston and axially movable by movement of said transmission member,  
       a substantially annular atmosphere-controlling seal valve formed integrally with an input side end of said plunger member,  
       a substantially annular negative pressure controlling seal valve formed in an inner surface of the power piston and extending towards an input side,  
       a control valve biased by first biasing means towards said atmosphere-controlling seal valve and said negative pressure controlling seal valve and having at one end thereof an annular seal for being engagement with and being out of engagement with said atmosphere-controlling seal valve and said negative pressure controlling valve, said control valve being hermetically secured at the other end to the inner surface of said power piston and having a flexible portion at a mid part thereof,  
       second biasing means for biasing said control valve and said input rod to make said atmosphere-controlling seal valve contact said seal and actuate said seal away from said negative pressure controlling seal valve in the normal condition,  
       third biasing means interposed between said plunger member and said transmission member for biasing said plunger member towards said seal,  
       a reaction disc for applying to said transmission member a reactive force corresponding to the force of propulsion generated in said movable wall by a pressure difference between said constant pressure chamber and said variable pressure chamber,  
       an output rod for outputting, via said reaction disc, the force of propulsion of said power piston accompanying the movement of said movable wall to outside the apparatus, and  
       a solenoid connected to a power source and supplied with power for moving said plunger member substantially along said input/output axis, in which, when said solenoid is not energized, a locus of an output of said apparatus versus an input follows a first operating line in an operating diagram having an input and an output as two coordinate axes,  
       wherein said transmission member and said plunger member have limiting portions coming in operation when said plunger member is moved by said solenoid towards an output side by a first pre-set value relative to said transmission member for limiting relative movement of said plunger member in a value not exceeding said first pre-set value relative to said transmission member, and  
       when said limiting portions come in operation, said locus follows a second operating line in said operational diagram.  
     
     
       2. The vacuum servo apparatus as defined in claim  1  wherein said limiting portions are abutment surfaces provided on said transmission member and said plunger member, said limiting portions being separated in an non-operating state from each other by said first pre-set value and being abutted against each other when the plunger member is moved towards an output side by said solenoid, 
       said vacuum servo apparatus further comprising an allowing mechanism for allowing relative movement of said transmission member towards the input side with respect to the power piston by a second pre-set value, said allowing mechanism being adapted to operate when said transmission member is biased by said reaction disc towards the input side,  
       said allowing mechanism comprising a clearance between a surface of an output side end of said transmission member facing the input side and a surface facing an output side of a portion holding an output side end of the transmission member, said surfaces being spaced by a second pre-set value in a non-operating state.  
     
     
       3. The vacuum servo apparatus as defined in claim  2  wherein output/input ratios in said first and second operational lines become different by said first pre-set value being changed responsive to changes in an input load. 
     
     
       4. The vacuum servo apparatus as defined in claim  3  wherein said first pre-set value is increased with an increased input load. 
     
     
       5. The vacuum servo apparatus as defined in claim  3  wherein at least one elastic member is included among components of said transmission member for varying said first pre-set value. 
     
     
       6. The vacuum servo apparatus as defined in claim  5  wherein said transmission member has an input receiving member engaged with an output side distal end of said input rod and a first transmission element connected to said first input receiving member and having a recess, 
       wherein said elastic member is accommodated in said recess in said first transmission element, an input side end face of said elastic member faces an output side end face of said input receiving member and an output side end face thereof faces the bottom of the recess of the first transmission element, and  
       wherein a clearance is set between the abutting surface which is the input side distal end of the input receiving member and the abutment surface which is the inner peripheral flange at the input side distal end of said plunger member, said clearance having said first pre-set value in a non-operating state.  
     
     
       7. A vacuum servo apparatus comprising 
       a housing defining therein a pressure chamber,  
       a movable wall movably mounted in said housing and dividing said pressure chamber into a constant pressure chamber and a variable pressure chamber, a power piston having an outer end opening and connected to said movable wall,  
       an input member provided in said power piston, the input member being movable on brake actuation in a direction substantially along an input/output axis of said apparatus and extending to outside of said power piston,  
       a transmission member mounted for axial movement in said power piston and connected to said input member,  
       a plunger member provided in said power piston and axially movable by movement of said transmission member,  
       an atmosphere-controlling seal valve formed with said plunger member,  
       a negative pressure controlling seal valve formed in an inner surface of said power piston,  
       a control valve biased by first biasing means towards said atmosphere-controlling seal valve .and said negative pressure controlling seal valve and having a seal for being engagement with and being out of engagement with said atmosphere-controlling seal valve and said negative pressure controlling valve,  
       second biasing means for biasing said input member to make said said atmosphere-controlling seal valve contact said seal and actuate said seal away from said negative pressure controlling seal valve in the normal condition,  
       third biasing means interposed between said plunger member and said transmission member for biasing said plunger member towards said seal,  
       a reaction member for applying to said transmission member a reactive force corresponding to the force of propulsion generated in the movable wall by a pressure difference between said constant pressure chamber and said variable pressure chamber,  
       an output member for outputting, via said reaction member, the force of propulsion of said power piston accompanying the movement of said movable wall to outside the apparatus, and  
       a solenoid for moving said plunger member substantially along said input/output axis, in which, when said solenoid is not energized, a locus of an output of said apparatus versus an input follows a first operating line in an operating diagram having an input and an output as two coordinate axes,  
       wherein said transmission member and said plunger member have limiting portions coming in operation when said plunger member is moved by said solenoid towards an output side by a first pre-set value relative to said transmission member for limiting relative movement of said plunger member in a value not exceeding said first pre-set value relative to said transmission member, and  
       when said limiting portions come in operation, said locus follows a second operating line in said operational diagram.  
     
     
       8. A vacuum servo apparatus comprising 
       a housing defining therein a pressure chamber,  
       a movable wall movably mounted in said housing and dividing said pressure chamber into a constant pressure chamber and a variable pressure chamber,  
       a power piston having an outer end opening and connected to said movable wall,  
       an input member provided in said power piston, the input member being movable on brake actuation in a direction substantially along an input/output axis of said apparatus and extending to outside of said power piston,  
       a transmission member mounted for axial movement in said power piston and connected to said input member,  
       a plunger member provided in said power piston and axially movable by movement of said transmission member,  
       an atmosphere-controlling seal valve formed with said plunger member,  
       a negative pressure controlling seal valve formed in an inner surface of said power piston,  
       a control valve biased by first biasing means towards the atmosphere-controlling seal valve and the negative pressure controlling seal valve and having a seal for being engagement with, and being out of engagement with said atmosphere-controlling seal valve and said negative pressure controlling seal valve,  
       second biasing means for biasing said input member to make said atmosphre-controlling seal valve contact said seal and actuate said seal away from said negative pressure controlling seal valve in the normal condition,  
       third biasing means interposed between said plunger member and said transmission member for biasing said plunger member towards said seal,  
       a reaction membmer for applying to said transmission member a reactive force corresponding to the force of propulsion generated in said movable wall by a pressure difference between said constant pressure chamber and said variable pressure chamber,  
       an output rod for outputting, via said reaction member, the force of propulsion of said power piston accompanying the movement of said movable wall to outside said apparatus, and  
       a solenoid for moving said plunger member substantially along said input/output axis,  
       wherein said transmission member and the plunger member have limiting portions coming in operation when said plunger member is moved by said solenoid towards an output side by a first pre-set value relative to said transmission member for limiting relative movement of said plunger member in a value not exceeding said first pre-set value relative to said transmission member.  
     
     
       9. An apparatus for use in a vehicle to boost brake pressure during a normal braking operation and an emergency braking condition, comprising: 
       
         an operating member for receiving an input force;  
       
       
         and an output force generator for generating an output force as a braking power;  
       
       
         said output force generator generating an output force in response to operation of the operating member during the normal braking operation in which, on an operational line diagram having said input force and said output force as two coordinates, a locus of said output force relative to said input force follows a first operational line, said output force generator generating an output force during the emergency braking condition in which the locus of said output force relative to said input force follows a second operational line on said operational line diagram that is different from said first operational line, the second operational line having a first portion defining a basic gradient in which an increase in the input force produces an equal increase in the output force; and  
       
       
         said second operational line having a second portion in which a slope is greater than said basic gradient, and the output force on the second portion of said second operational line corresponding to a first input force is always greater than the output force on said first operational line corresponding to said first input force.  
       
     
     
       10. The apparatus as defined in claim  9 , wherein said output force generator is a booster that generates said output force to assist at least said input force received by said operating member.  
     
     
       11. The apparatus as defined in claim  10 , wherein said booster has a housing in which is defined a pressure chamber, and including a movable wall disposed in said housing for movement relative to said housing and dividing said pressure chamber into a constant pressure chamber communicated with a negative pressure source and a variable pressure chamber selectively communicated with said constant pressure chamber or atmosphere, a power piston connected to said movable wall, a valve mechanism for selectively establishing communication of said variable pressure chamber with said constant pressure chamber or with atmosphere in response to operation of said operating member, and an output member for outputting a propulsive power of said power piston as a result of movement of said movable wall.  
     
     
       12. The apparatus as defined in claim  9 , wherein a difference between the output force on said first operational line of said operational line diagram that corresponds to a second input force and the output force on said second operational line of said operational line diagram that corresponds to said second input force is larger than a difference between the output force on said first operational line that corresponds to the first input force and the output force on said second operational line that corresponds to the first input force.  
     
     
       13. An apparatus for use in a vehicle to produce brake assisting pressure, comprising: 
       
         an operating member for receiving an input force;  
       
       
         a first output force generator for generating a first output force as a part of a braking power in response to operation of said operating member; and  
       
       
         a second output force generator for generating a second output force as a part of said braking power independently of operation of said operating member;  
       
       
         said first and second output force generators producing a braking force so that on an operational line diagram having said input force and said braking power as two coordinates, a locus of said braking power with respect to said input force follows a first operational line when only said first output force generator is in operation and said locus of said braking power with respect to said input force follows a second operational line when at least said second output force generator is in operation, said second operational line having a first portion defining a basic gradient in which an increase in the input force produces an equal increase in braking power, said second operational line having a second portion in which a slope is greater than said basic gradient, the braking power on the second portion of the second operational line corresponding to a first input force is always greater than the braking power on the first operational line corresponding to said first input force.  
       
     
     
       14. The apparatus as defined in claim  13 , wherein said second output force generator adds said second output force to said first output force generated by said first output force generator, and said locus follows said second operational line when said first output force generator and said second output force generator are in operation.  
     
     
       15. The apparatus as defined in claim  14 , wherein said first output force generator is a booster for generating said first output force to assist at least said input force received by said operating member.  
     
     
       16. The apparatus as defined in claim  13 , wherein said second output force generator is operated in response to an emergency braking condition.  
     
     
       17. The apparatus as defined in claim  13 , wherein a difference between a braking power corresponding to a second input force on said first operational line of said operational line diagram and a braking power corresponding to said second input force on said second operational line of said operational line diagram is greater than a difference between a braking power corresponding to a first input force on said first operational line and a braking power corresponding to said first input force on said second operational line.  
     
     
       18. The apparatus as defined in claim  13 , wherein said first output force generator is a vacuum booster comprising a housing in which is defined a pressure chamber, a movable wall disposed in said housing for movement relative to said housing and dividing said pressure chamber into a constant pressure chamber communicated with a negative pressure source and a variable pressure chamber selectively communicated with said constant pressure chamber or atmosphere, a power piston connected to said movable wall, a valve mechanism for establishing communication of said variable pressure chamber with said constant pressure chamber or with atmosphere in response to operation of said operating member, and an output member for outputting a propulsive power of said power piston outside of said housing as a result of movement of said power piston accompanying movement of said movable wall, said second output force generator being an actuator for displacing said output member independently of said propulsive force generated by said power piston in response to operation of said valve mechanism accompanying operation of said operating member.  
     
     
       19. The apparatus as defined in claim  18 , wherein said actuator applies a pre- set auxiliary output force to said output member upon actuation of said actuator.    
     
     
       20. An apparatus for use in a vehicle to boost brake pressure during a normal braking operation and an emergency braking condition, comprising: 
       
         an operating member for receiving an input force;  
       
       
         and an output force generator for generating an output force as a braking power;  
       
       
         said output force generator generating an output force in response to operation of the operating member during the normal braking operation in which, on an operational line diagram having said input and said output force as two coordinates, a locus of said output force relative to said input force follows a first operational line, said output force generator generating an output force during the emergency braking condition in which the locus of said output force relative to said input force follows a second operational line on said operational line diagram that is different from said first operational line, the second operational line having a first portion defining a basic gradient in which an increase in the input force produces an equal increase in the output force; and  
       
       
         said second operational line having a second portion in which a differential coefficient of said output force with respect to said input force is greater than said basic gradient, and the output force on the second portion of said second operational line corresponding to a first input force is always greater than the output force on said first operational line corresponding to said first input force.  
       
     
     
       21. The apparatus as defined in claim  20 , wherein said output force generator is a booster that generates said output force to assist at least said input force received by said operating member.  
     
     
       22. The apparatus as defined in claim  21 , wherein said booster has a housing in which is defined a pressure chamber, and including a movable wall disposed in said housing for movement relative to said housing and dividing said pressure chamber into a constant pressure chamber communicated with a negative pressure source and a variable pressure chamber selectively communicated with said constant pressure chamber or atmosphere, a power piston connected to said movable wall, a valve mechanism for selectively establishing communication of said variable pressure chamber with said constant pressure chamber or with atmosphere in response to operation of said operating member, and an output member for outputting a propulsive power of said power piston as a result of movement of said movable wall.  
     
     
       23. The apparatus as defined in claim  20 , wherein a difference between the output force on said first operational line of said operational line diagram that corresponds to a second input force and the output force on said second operational line of said operational line diagram that corresponds to said second input force is larger than a difference between the output force on said first operational line that corresponds to the first input force and the output force on said second operational line that corresponds to the first input force.  
     
     
       24. An apparatus for use in a vehicle to produce braking assisting pressure, comprising: 
       
         an operating member for receiving an input force;  
       
       
         a first output force generator for generating a first output force as a part of a braking power in response to operation of said operating member; and  
       
       
         a second output force generator for generating a second output force as a part of said braking power independently of operation of said operating member;  
       
       
         said first and second output force generators producing a braking force so that on an operational line diagram having said input force and said braking power as two coordinates, a locus of said braking power with respect to said input force follows a first operational line when only said first output force generator is in operation and said locus of said braking power with respect to said input force follows a second operational line when at least said second output force generator is in operation, said second operational line having a first portion defining a basic gradient in which an increase in the input force produces an equal increase in braking power, said second operational line having a second portion in which a differential coefficient of said braking power versus said input force is greater than said basic gradient, the braking power on the second portion of the second operational line corresponding to a first input force is always greater than the braking power on the first operational line corresponding to said first input force.  
       
     
     
       25. The apparatus as defined in claim  24 , wherein said second output force generator adds said second output force to said first output force generated by said first output for generator, and said locus follows said second operational line when said first output force generator and said second output force generator are in operation.  
     
     
       26. The apparatus as defined in claim  25 , wherein said first output force generator is a booster for generating said first output force to assist at least said input force received by said operating member.  
     
     
       27. The apparatus as defined in claim  24 , wherein said second output force generator is operated in response to an emergency braking condition.  
     
     
       28. The apparatus as defined in claim  24 , wherein a difference between a braking power corresponding to a second input force on said first operational line of said operational line diagram and a braking power corresponding to said second input force on said second operational line of said operational line diagram is greater than a difference between a braking power corresponding to a first input force on said first operational line and a braking power corresponding to said first input force on said second operational line.  
     
     
       29. The apparatus as defined in claim  24 , wherein said first output force generator is a vacuum booster comprising a housing in which is defined a pressure chamber, a movable wall disposed in said housing for movement relative to said housing and dividing said pressure chamber into a constant pressure chamber communicated with a negative pressure source and a variable pressure chamber selectively communicated with said constant pressure chamber or atmosphere, a power connected to said movable wall, a valve mechanism for establishing communication of said variable pressure chamber with said constant pressure chamber or with atmosphere in response to operation of said operating member, and an output member for outputting a propulsive power of said power piston outside of said housing as a result of movement of said power piston accompanying movement of said movable wall, said second output force generator being an actuator for displacing said output member independently of said propulsive force generated by said power piston in response to operation of said valve mechanism accompanying operation of said operating member.  
     
     
       30. The apparatus as defined in claim  29 , wherein said actuator applies a pre- set auxiliary output force to said output member upon actuation of said actuator.