A braking control system and method to synchronize the operation of the braking system of a towed vehicle with the braking system of a towing vehicle to match the deceleration and acceleration of the towed vehicle with the deceleration and acceleration of the towing vehicle wherein the braking control system includes a braking device comprising an electrically driven linear actuator coupled between an electric motor and the brake pedal of the towed vehicle and a control device coupled to the electric motor and including logic to control operation of the electrically driven linear actuator to selectively extend and retract the electrically driven linear actuator to selectively depress and release the brake pedal of the towed vehicle as the towing vehicle decelerates and accelerates.

A sealing assembly for installation on a port of a spring brake actuator includes a plug, a one-way valve and a cap. The plug receives the one-way valve for providing one-way air flow through the orifices and maintaining about two psi in the spring brake chamber at zero stroke. An elastomeric piece is affixed to a first set of segments of the plug for sealing against an inner surface of the port. The cap has arms sized to extend around a third set of segments of the plug and snap onto the plug. A fourth set of segments of the plug elastically deform so the sealing assembly can be installed and removed from the port easily.

Valves having a sprung gate of various constructions are disclosed. In one embodiment, the sprung gate includes a first endless elastic band having an inner perimeter defining an open space sandwiched between a first gate member and a second gate member that each define an opening therethrough in an open position portion thereof. The first endless elastic band is sandwiched therebetween with its open space oriented for alignment with the opening in both of the first and second gate members, which are aligned with one another to form a passage through the sprung gate. In one aspect, the first endless elastic band in positioned inward a distance from the outer sides of the first and second gate members and spaces the first gate member a distance apart from the second gate member thereby defining a channel having a bottom defined by the first endless elastic band.

Valves having a sprung gate of various constructions are disclosed. In one embodiment, the sprung gate includes a first endless elastic band having an inner perimeter defining an open space sandwiched between a first gate member and a second gate member that each define an opening therethrough in an open position portion thereof. The first endless elastic band is sandwiched therebetween with its open space oriented for alignment with the opening in both of the first and second gate members, which are aligned with one another to form a passage through the sprung gate. In one aspect, the first endless elastic band in positioned inward a distance from the outer sides of the first and second gate members and spaces the first gate member a distance apart from the second gate member thereby defining a channel having a bottom defined by the first endless elastic band.

A method for operating a hydraulic brake system of a motor vehicle having a brake booster and a hydraulic brake boost wherein a brake pressure is detected and an underpressure, prevailing in an underpressure chamber of the brake booster is estimated on the basis of the detected brake pressure. The hydraulic brake boost controlled based on the estimated underpressure, with the estimated underpressure taking into account an actuation of the hydraulic brake boost.

A vacuum generator/amplifier system for gas applications and a brake booster generation method uses a vacuum amplifier system including a multi-lumen defining member comprising a modified venturi geometry having a converging section leading to a throat (lumen segment of minimum ID diameter), followed by a straight section culminating in to a diverging section and a port for output vacuum which is located after the throat at the beginning of the straight section. The converging section has a sinusoidal shape leading to the point of convergence, also called the throat, with a minimum internal lumen diameter D, and generates an amplified vacuum at the output with a gain ratio of four to one, with substantially reduced parasitic losses, even at low flows.

A system for and a method of controlling driving of a continuously-operable electronic vacuum pump includes determining conditions for allowing and disallowing first and second electronic vacuum pumps to operate for each braking situation according to vehicle state information associated with braking. The first and second electronic vacuum pumps are driven individually or concurrently according to the determined braking situation. Thus, an optimal negative pressure optimal suitable for the vehicle state information is easily supplied to a booster.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a start-up of an electric vacuum pump for a vacuum system of a vehicle, wherein the start-up can occur according to at least two different start-up modes, i.e., according to a standard mode and according to at least one special mode, wherein in the standard mode the vacuum pump is connected to a supply voltage in a non-clocked manner and in the special mode the vacuum pump is connected to a supply voltage in a dynamically clocked manner.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a start-up of an electric vacuum pump for a vacuum system of a vehicle, wherein the start-up can occur according to at least two different start-up modes, i.e., according to a standard mode and according to at least one special mode, wherein in the standard mode the vacuum pump is connected to a supply voltage in a non-clocked manner and in the special mode the vacuum pump is connected to a supply voltage in a dynamically clocked manner.

An arrangement of an electric vacuum pump, for example, in a vehicle, wherein a mounting element is provided on which the vacuum pump is installed, and wherein the vacuum pump comprises a pump chamber part and a motor part, and wherein a longitudinal axis extends through the pump chamber part and the motor part. According to the invention, the vacuum pump has a horizontal arrangement with respect to a gravitational direction, wherein the installation of the vacuum pump on the mounting element is limited to two mounting points, and wherein a center of gravity of the vacuum pump lies on a connection axis between the two mounting points.