Patent · US Expired

Cruise control based retarder control

US5634446A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
15References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 1, 1995
Grant dateJun 3, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 1, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB60T10/02
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A cruise control based retarder control. If the vehicle speed exceeds the cruise control set speed, the cruise control system continuously checks the vehicle speed and acceleration order to determine the optimum auxiliary brake level based upon the amount of overspeed and acceleration. The cruise control system allows the vehicle driver to select which auxiliary brakes will be applied to slow down the vehicle to the desired speed by means of the normal cabin brake switches, limited by the determined optimum brake level. The driver can therefore control which auxiliary brakes are applied, however the application of these brakes is controlled by the cruise control system without the need to exit cruise control mode. Operation of the auxiliary brakes by the cruise control system will normally reset in increased fuel economy over prior art systems which require exiting of the cruise control system, manual activation of the auxiliary brakes and resumption of the cruise control system.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.