Optimization in Brake Pedal of All-Terrain Vehicle

Abstract

One of the most necessary systems of a vehicle is its braking system. It de-accelerates a moving vehicle by transforming its kinetic energy into heat energy and sound energy by modes of friction between components. Since it is a system, it consists of a number of parts which are inside as well as outside the cabin of that vehicle. Braking system is an assembly of many parts working together to retard of control vehicle intentionally or in some unwanted emergency condition. These parts are brake pedal, vacuum booster, master cylinder, brake lines (both metallic and non-metallic), brake caliper, brake pads, disk rotors and brake fluid (in hydraulic brakes). Only brake pedal is the part of braking system which is inside driver’s cabin and by which brakes can be employed in real time of performance. It works like any of three classes of lever, which consists of load, effort and fulcrum. It transfers the force from driver’s lower limbs to the hydraulic fluid inside master cylinder, through a plunger attached to piston. Sometime, the force applied by driver’s feet is not enough to slow large vehicles such as trucks and land movers. Therefore, a proportion (leverage) or a vacuum booster or both are taken into account. This magnifies the force applied by driver many times, by which a large pressure is created inside the master cylinder which is conveyed by brake fluid to the caliper. This pressurized brake fluid when comes in contact with the piston of caliper creates an axial force that depends on the surface area of the piston of brake caliper. The pressure of the brake fluid pushes the caliper piston outwards by which is in contact with the brake pads that grasp the disk rotor and slow down or stop the vehicle according to the driver’s requirement. Therefore, the movement of the brake pedal should be enough and must be comfortable for driver which will push the piston outside to an optimum length to retard the motion of vehicle.