Braking apparatus for automotive vehicles

Braking apparatus (28), comprising a master cylinder (40) for supplying pressurized fluid to the brakes of the vehicle, a hydraulic booster (42) for assisting the master cylinder to effect a brake application, a fluid pumping section (44) driven by an electric motor for supplying pressurized fluid to the hydraulic booster and a reservoir (46) supplying a single fluid to the various parts of the apparatus. … The electric motor driving the fluid pumping section (44) receives energy from the vehicle only in response to a need for braking, and the braking apparatus includes a fluid pressure accumulator (147) providing pressurized fluid to the booster (42) during the first phase of a brake application, until the fluid pumping section (44) is able to supply a greater fluid pressure to the booster to achieve a second phase of brake application while simultaneously recharging the accumulator.