MECHANICAL ATTENUATOR FOR A VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEM
An attenuator assembly for use in a vehicle braking system includes a rigid tube disposed within a bore of a hydraulic control unit (HCU) for reduced HCU package size. An attenuator is disposed in the rigid tube and includes a metallic biasing member.
1 . An attenuator assembly for use in a vehicle braking system comprising:
a rigid tube disposed within a bore of a hydraulic control unit (HCU) for reduced HCU package size; and
an attenuator disposed in the rigid tube, the attenuator including a metallic biasing member.
2 . The attenuator assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the biasing member includes a plurality of disc springs.
3 . The attenuator assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the biasing member includes a coil spring.
4 . The attenuator assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the rigid tube includes a radially outward extending flange at an open end of the rigid tube, an outer circumferential surface of the flange engaging a wall of the bore of the HCU.
5 . The attenuator assembly according to claim 1 , further including a retainer in the bore of the HCU, a portion of the retainer engaging an inside surface of the rigid tube, and a portion of the retainer engaging the flange of the rigid tube.
6 . The attenuator assembly according to claim 5 , further including a sealing member disposed between the flange of the rigid tube and the retainer.
7 . The attenuator assembly according to claim 5 , further including a piston slideably mounted within a bore of the retainer, the piston engaging the biasing member.
8 . The attenuator assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the retainer includes a first conduit defining a fluid inlet flow path to the bore of the retainer.
9 . The attenuator assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the retainer includes a second conduit defining a fluid outlet flow path from the bore of the retainer.
10 . The attenuator assembly according to claim 1 , wherein an annular space is defined between an outer surface of the rigid tube and a wall of the bore of the HCU, the annular space defining an annular fluid flow passage for fluid flow within the HCU.
11 . A vehicle braking system operable to automatically and selectively apply the brakes in an attempt to stabilize the vehicle when an instability condition has been sensed, the vehicle braking system including a variable speed motor driven piston pump for supplying pressurized fluid pressure to the brakes through a valve arrangement, the vehicle braking system further including an attenuator connected to a pump outlet for dampening pump output pressure pulses prior to application to the brakes, the vehicle braking system comprising a rigid tube disposed within a bore of a hydraulic control unit (HCU) for reduced HCU package size, wherein the attenuator is disposed in the rigid tube and includes a metallic biasing member.
12 . The vehicle braking system according to claim 11 , wherein the biasing member includes a plurality of disc springs.
13 . The vehicle braking system according to claim 11 , wherein the biasing member includes a coil spring.
14 . The vehicle braking system according to claim 11 , wherein the rigid tube includes a radially outward extending flange at an open end of the rigid tube, an outer circumferential surface of the flange engaging a wall of the bore of the HCU.
15 . The vehicle braking system according to claim 11 , further including a retainer in the bore of the HCU, a portion of the retainer engaging an inside surface of the rigid tube, and a portion of the retainer engaging the flange of the rigid tube.
16 . The vehicle braking system according to claim 15 , further including a piston slideably mounted within a bore of the retainer, the piston engaging the biasing member.
17 . The vehicle braking system according to claim 15 , wherein the retainer includes a first conduit defining a fluid flow path from the piston pump to the bore of the retainer.
18 . The vehicle braking system according to claim 17 , wherein the retainer includes a second conduit defining a fluid flow path from the bore of the retainer to an orifice.
19 . The vehicle braking system according to claim 11 , wherein an annular space is defined between an outer surface of the rigid tube and a wall of the bore of the HCU, the annular space defining an annular fluid flow passage for fluid flow within the HCU.
20 . An attenuator assembly for use in a vehicle braking system comprising:
a rigid tube disposed within a bore of a hydraulic control unit (HCU) for reduced HCU package size;
an attenuator disposed in the rigid tube, the attenuator including a metallic biasing member;
a retainer disposed in the bore of the HCU, a portion of the retainer engaging an inside surface of the rigid tube; and
a piston slideably mounted within a bore of the retainer, a first end of the piston engaging the biasing member, a second end of the piston and a closed end of the bore of the retainer defining a retainer chamber.