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A brake assembly includes an operator brake pedal configured to be depressed at a brake pedal angle, and brake pedal linkage operatively connected to the operator brake pedal. The brake pedal linkage is configured to apply a braking force in response to the depression of the operator brake pedal. A

A brake assembly includes an operator brake pedal configured to be depressed at a brake pedal angle, and brake pedal linkage operatively connected to the operator brake pedal. The brake pedal linkage is configured to apply a braking force in response to the depression of the operator brake pedal. A brake pedal effort input is associated with the brake pedal angle, and a first rate of change of the brake pedal effort input with respect to the brake pedal angle may be associated with an initial range of motion of the operator brake pedal. A second rate of change of the brake pedal effort input with respect to the brake pedal angle may be associated with a subsequent range of motion of the operator brake pedal. The second rate of change may be greater than the first rate of change.

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1. A brake assembly, comprising: an operator brake pedal configured to be depressed at a brake pedal angle, wherein a resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal corresponds to the brake pedal angle; anda brake pedal linkage operatively connected to the operator brake pedal and configured t

1. A brake assembly, comprising: an operator brake pedal configured to be depressed at a brake pedal angle, wherein a resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal corresponds to the brake pedal angle; anda brake pedal linkage operatively connected to the operator brake pedal and configured to apply a vehicle braking force in response to depression of the operator brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal linkage is configured to affect a first rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through an initial range of motion of the operator brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal linkage is further configured to affect a second rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through a subsequent range of motion of the operator brake pedal, and wherein the second rate of change is greater than the first rate of change;wherein the brake pedal angle relates to an effective radius of rotation of the brake pedal linkage, wherein the initial range of motion affects an initial rate of change of the effective radius, wherein the subsequent range of motion affects a subsequent rate of change of the effective radius, and wherein the subsequent rate of change of the effective radius is greater than the initial rate of change of the effective radius. 2. The brake assembly according to claim 1, wherein both the first rate of change and the second rate of change correspond to positive mathematical slopes. 3. The brake assembly according to claim 1, wherein the initial range of motion primarily affects a vehicle inching function, and wherein the subsequent range of motion primarily affects a vehicle braking function. 4. The brake assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a piston housing;a piston moveably arranged within the piston housing, wherein the vehicle braking force is applied to the piston;a bearing cover mounted to the piston housing; anda spring assembly located between the piston and the bearing cover, wherein mounting the bearing cover to the piston housing compresses the spring assembly to provide a spring force, and wherein the spring force causes the piston to act against a vehicle brake. 5. The brake assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a brake piston operatively connected to the brake pedal linkage and configured to provide the vehicle braking force;a spring assembly compressed with a spring force, wherein the brake pedal linkage is configured to apply a first release force on the brake piston that is equal to or greater than the spring force during the initial range of motion; anda brake release mechanism configured to cause the brake piston to move away from a brake plate to decrease the vehicle braking force, wherein the brake pedal linkage is configured to apply a second release force on the brake piston that is less than the spring force during the subsequent range of motion. 6. The brake assembly according to claim 5, further comprising: a piston housing containing the brake piston; anda bearing cover mounted to the piston housing to preload the spring assembly with the spring force. 7. The brake assembly according to claim 1, wherein the initial range of motion and the subsequent range of motion are separated by an approximate intermediate position of the operator brake pedal, and wherein the intermediate position lies between a fully depressed position of the operator brake pedal and a fully released position of the operator brake pedal. 8. The brake assembly according to claim 7, wherein the fully released position corresponds to a first stage of braking operation comprising zero braking force, wherein the initial range of motion corresponds to a second stage of braking operation comprising an inching operation, wherein the intermediate position corresponds to a third stage of braking operation comprising an onset of braking torque, and wherein the subsequent range of motion corresponds to a fourth stage of braking operation comprising the fully depressed position of the operator brake pedal. 9. The brake assembly according to claim 8, wherein an overlap between the second stage and the third stage provides for simultaneous application of both the inching operation and the onset of braking torque. 10. A brake assembly, comprising: an operator brake pedal configured to be depressed at a brake pedal angle, wherein a resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal corresponds to the brake pedal angle; anda brake pedal linkage operatively connected to the operator brake pedal and configured to apply a vehicle braking force in response to depression of the operator brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal linkage is configured to affect a first rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through an initial range of motion of the operator brake pedal, wherein the first rate of change corresponds to a negative mathematical slope, wherein the brake pedal linkage is further configured to affect a second rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through a subsequent range of motion of the operator brake pedal, and wherein the second rate of change corresponds to a positive mathematical slope. 11. A brake assembly, comprising: an operator brake pedal configured to be depressed at a brake pedal angle, wherein a resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal corresponds to the brake pedal angle; anda brake pedal linkage operatively connected to the operator brake pedal and configured to apply a vehicle braking force in response to depression of the operator brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal linkage is configured to affect a first rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through an initial range of motion of the operator brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal linkage is further configured to affect a second rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through a subsequent range of motion of the operator brake pedal, and wherein the second rate of change is greater than the first rate of change;wherein a rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal with respect to the vehicle braking force is substantially linear in the initial range of motion and is non-linear in the subsequent range of motion. 12. The brake assembly according to claim 11, wherein the rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal with respect to the vehicle braking force becomes non-linear at an approximate intermediate operating position of the operator brake pedal. 13. A brake assembly, comprising: an operator brake pedal configured to be depressed at a brake pedal angle, wherein a resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal corresponds to the brake pedal angle; anda brake pedal linkage operatively connected to the operator brake pedal and configured to apply a vehicle braking force in response to depression of the operator brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal linkage is configured to affect a first rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through an initial range of motion of the operator brake pedal, wherein the brake pedal linkage is further configured to affect a second rate of change of the resistance to depression of the operator brake pedal through a subsequent range of motion of the operator brake pedal, and wherein the second rate of change is greater than the first rate of change;wherein the brake pedal linkage comprises: a brake arm configured to rotate about a first pivot;a primary link configured to contact the brake arm in response to the depression of the operator brake pedal; anda secondary link pivotally connected to the primary link by a second pivot, wherein a first effective radius and a second effective radius identifies a distance between the second pivot and the first pivot offset from an axial centerline of the secondary link. 14. A brake assembly, comprising: braking means for providing brake actuation responsive to a braking force input provided by an operator;brake linkage means for applying a braking force output in response to depression of the braking means, wherein depression of the braking means within an initial range of motion of the braking means affects a first rate of change of an effective radius of the brake linkage means, wherein depression of the braking means within a subsequent range of motion of the braking means affects a second rate of change of the effective radius of the brake linkage means, wherein the second rate of change is greater than the first rate of change, and wherein the effective radius corresponds to a resistance to depression of the braking means. 15. The brake assembly according to claim 14, wherein the initial range of motion corresponds to a vehicle inching function, wherein the subsequent range of motion corresponds to a vehicle braking function. 16. The brake assembly according to claim 14, wherein the brake linkage means comprises: first pivot means for rotating a brake arm; andsecond pivot means for pivotally connecting a secondary link to a primary link, wherein the primary link is configured to contact the brake arm in response to depression of the braking means, and wherein the effective radius identifies a distance between the second pivot means and the first pivot means offset from an axial centerline of the secondary link. 17. The brake assembly according to claim 14, wherein the initial range of motion and the subsequent range of motion are separated by an intermediate position of the braking means, and wherein the intermediate position lies between a fully depressed position of the braking means and a fully released position of the braking means. 18. The brake assembly according to claim 17, wherein the fully released position corresponds to a first stage of braking operation comprising zero braking force, wherein the initial range of motion corresponds to a second stage of braking operation comprising an inching operation, wherein the intermediate position corresponds to a third stage of braking operation comprising an onset of braking torque, and wherein the subsequent range of motion corresponds to a fourth stage of braking operation comprising the fully depressed position. 19. The brake assembly according to claim 14, further comprising: means for preloading a differential bearing located, at least in part, in a bearing cover, wherein a spring assembly is located between a brake piston and the bearing cover; andmeans for compressing the spring assembly with a spring force, wherein the brake linkage means is configured to apply a first release force on the brake piston that is equal to or greater than the spring force during the initial range of motion, and wherein the brake linkage means is configured to apply a second release force on the brake piston that is less than the spring force during the subsequent range of motion.