Control system and control method of vacuum pump assembly

Abstract

The invention provides a control system and a control method of a vacuum pump assembly, and belongs to the technical field of automobile braking, the control system comprises a sensor module, a control module, a vacuum pump assembly, a pipeline assembly, a vacuum tank assembly, a vacuum booster with a main cylinder assembly and a brake pedal assembly, during working, the sensor module detects the air pressure in the pipeline assembly, and the control module controls the vacuum pump assembly; the air pressure information of the pipeline assembly is input into the control module; the control module determines atmospheric pressure through the current position information; the control module calculates a first threshold pressure and a second threshold pressure through the atmospheric pressure; when the air pressure of the pipeline assembly is greater than the first threshold pressure, the control module controls the vacuum pump assembly to start; when the air pressure of the pipeline assembly is smaller than the second threshold pressure, the control module controls the vacuum pump assembly to be closed. The braking effect of the automobile in the high altitude area is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of automobile braking, and in particular, relates to a control system and a control method of a vacuum pump assembly. Background Art

[0002] With the development of the automobile industry, the requirements for automobile control are getting higher and higher. Existing cars will have heavy pedal force and insufficient braking as the altitude increases, which will affect the driver's personal safety and driving experience.

[0003] Chinese Patent No. 1968842A relates to a method for providing vacuum to a brake operating device of a motor vehicle brake system, the brake operating device comprising a pneumatic brake booster (11) whose internal space is divided into at least one vacuum chamber and at least one working chamber, a brake master cylinder (2), and a pneumatic motor-pump group (3) for providing vacuum in the vacuum chamber, the motor-pump group comprising a vacuum pump (6) and an electric motor (7) for driving the vacuum pump (6), wherein a sensor (9) is used to detect the vacuum level in the vacuum chamber or the pressure difference between the vacuum chamber and the working chamber, and when the vacuum in the vacuum chamber drops below a specified first lower vacuum level, the motor-pump group is turned on by an electronic control module (12), and when a specified second upper vacuum level is reached, the motor-pump group is turned off.

[0004] The existing technology does not improve the braking effect of the car at different altitudes, which will affect the driving safety of the car. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a control system and a control method for a vacuum pump assembly, so as to achieve the technical purpose of improving the braking effect of an automobile.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0007] The present invention provides a control system of a vacuum pump assembly, comprising a sensor module, a control module, a vacuum pump assembly, a pipeline assembly, a vacuum tank assembly, a vacuum booster with a master cylinder assembly and a brake pedal assembly, wherein the sensor module is used to detect the air pressure in the pipeline assembly, the output end of the sensor module is connected to the input end of the control module, the output end of the control module is connected to the input end of the vacuum pump assembly, the vacuum pump assembly is connected to the pipeline assembly, the pipeline assembly is connected to the vacuum tank assembly, the pipeline assembly is connected to the vacuum booster with a master cylinder assembly, and the vacuum booster with a master cylinder assembly is connected to the brake pedal assembly.

[0008] The sensor module inputs pressure detection information to the control module, the control module outputs control instructions to the vacuum pump assembly, the vacuum pump assembly outputs vacuum to the vacuum tank and the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly through the pipeline assembly, and the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly outputs thrust to the brake pedal assembly.

[0009] The sensor module adopts an air pressure sensor, and the output end of the air pressure sensor is connected to the input end of the control module.

[0010] The control module adopts a vehicle controller.

[0011] The vacuum pump assembly adopts an electric vacuum pump, the output end of the control module is connected to the input end of the electric vacuum pump, and the output end of the electric vacuum pump is connected to the pipeline assembly through a one-way valve.

[0012] The pipeline assembly is connected to the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly through a one-way valve.

[0013] The present invention provides a control method for a control system of a vacuum pump assembly:

[0014] Step 1: The sensor module detects the air pressure in the pipeline assembly and inputs the air pressure information of the pipeline assembly into the control module; the control module determines the atmospheric pressure through the current position information;

[0015] Step 2: The control module calculates the first threshold pressure and the second threshold pressure according to the atmospheric pressure;

[0016] Step 3: When the air pressure of the pipeline assembly is greater than the first threshold pressure, the control module controls the vacuum pump assembly to turn on; when the air pressure of the pipeline assembly is less than the second threshold pressure, the control module controls the vacuum pump assembly to turn off.

[0017] In step 1, the vehicle-mounted electrical component T-BOX obtains the current vehicle location information through the GPS module, and inputs the current vehicle location information to the control module through the bus.

[0018] When the atmospheric pressure is low, the control module controls the vacuum pump assembly to adopt a control strategy of working for ten seconds, stopping for five seconds, working for another ten seconds, and then stopping after the vehicle is braked.

[0019] The technical effects of the present invention are:

[0020] (1) The present invention adaptively adjusts the operation of the vacuum pump according to the altitude, thereby ensuring the stable operation of the vacuum system under different altitude environments and providing effective power for the braking of the vehicle.

[0021] (2) The present invention starts the vacuum pump assembly when the pipeline air pressure is higher than a first threshold value, and shuts it down when it is lower than a second threshold value, thereby avoiding unnecessary energy consumption, reducing the operating time of the vacuum pump assembly, extending its service life, and reducing vehicle power consumption.

[0022] (3) The present invention optimizes the strategy for low-pressure scenarios on plateaus to ensure that the vehicle can maintain stable braking performance in high-altitude areas.

[0023] (4) The present invention realizes data closed-loop management and improves system response speed through multi-module collaborative control, integrating sensor module, GPS module, control module and vacuum pump assembly.

[0024] (5) The control module of the present invention does not need a new air pressure sensor to obtain information about the atmospheric pressure. Instead, the control module obtains the current position to determine the altitude and then calculates the atmospheric pressure, thereby reducing costs.

[0025] (6) The present invention quickly provides a vacuum source reserve when the vehicle is located in a high-altitude area. On this basis, the intermittent design of the vacuum pump assembly, which works for 10 seconds and stops for 5 seconds, can avoid overheating caused by continuous operation of the vacuum pump assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] This specification includes the following drawings, which show the following contents:

[0027] Figure 1 A logic structure block diagram of a control system and a control method of a vacuum pump assembly of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 1 The markings are: 1. Sensor module; 2. Control module; 3. Vacuum pump assembly; 4. Pipeline assembly; 5. Vacuum tank assembly; 6. Vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly; 7. Brake pedal assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The specific implementation methods of the present invention are further explained in detail below by describing the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, with the aim of helping those skilled in the art to have a more complete, accurate and in-depth understanding of the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention and facilitating their implementation.

[0030] The present invention provides a control system of a vacuum pump assembly, comprising a sensor module 1, a control module 2, a vacuum pump assembly 3, a pipeline assembly 4, a vacuum tank assembly 5, a vacuum booster with a master cylinder assembly 6 and a brake pedal assembly 7. The sensor module 1 is used to detect the air pressure in the pipeline assembly 4, the output end of the sensor module 1 is connected to the input end of the control module 2, the output end of the control module 2 is connected to the input end of the vacuum pump assembly 3, the vacuum pump assembly 3 is connected to the pipeline assembly 4, the pipeline assembly 4 is connected to the vacuum tank assembly 5, the pipeline assembly 4 is connected to the vacuum booster with a master cylinder assembly 6, and the vacuum booster with a master cylinder assembly 6 is connected to the brake pedal assembly 7.

[0031] The sensor module 1 inputs pressure detection information to the control module 2, the control module 2 outputs control instructions to the vacuum pump assembly 3, the vacuum pump assembly 3 outputs vacuum to the vacuum tank and the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly 6 through the pipeline assembly 4, and the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly 6 outputs thrust to the brake pedal assembly 7.

[0032] The sensor module 1 uses an air pressure sensor, and the output end of the air pressure sensor is connected to the input end of the control module 2. The control module 2 uses a vehicle controller. The vacuum pump assembly 3 uses an electric vacuum pump, and the output end of the control module 2 is connected to the input end of the electric vacuum pump, and the output end of the electric vacuum pump is connected to the pipeline assembly 4 through a one-way valve. The pipeline assembly 4 is connected to the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly 6 through a one-way valve.

[0033] The present invention provides a control method for a control system of a vacuum pump assembly 3:

[0034] Step 1: The sensor module 1 detects the air pressure in the pipeline assembly 4, and inputs the air pressure information of the pipeline assembly 4 to the control module 2; the control module 2 determines the atmospheric pressure through the current position information; Step 2: The control module 2 calculates the first threshold pressure and the second threshold pressure through the atmospheric pressure; Step 3: When the air pressure of the pipeline assembly 4 is greater than the first threshold pressure, the control module 2 controls the vacuum pump assembly 3 to turn on; when the air pressure of the pipeline assembly 4 is less than the second threshold pressure, the control module 2 controls the vacuum pump assembly 3 to turn off.

[0035] In step 1, the vehicle-mounted electrical component T-BOX obtains the current vehicle location information through the GPS module, and inputs the current vehicle location information to the control module 2 through the bus.

[0036] When the atmospheric pressure is low, the control module 2 controls the vacuum pump assembly 3 to adopt a control strategy of working for ten seconds, stopping for five seconds, working for another ten seconds, and then stopping after the vehicle is braked.

[0037] The following is a detailed description of a control system and a control method of a vacuum pump assembly 3 of the present invention.

[0038] A control system of a vacuum pump assembly 3 of the present invention includes a sensor module 1, a control module 2, a vacuum pump assembly 3, a pipeline assembly 4, a vacuum tank assembly 5, a vacuum booster with a master cylinder assembly 6 and a brake pedal assembly 7, wherein the sensor module 1 uses an air pressure sensor to detect the air pressure in the pipeline assembly 4 and transmit the air pressure information of the pipeline assembly 4 to the control module 2.

[0039] The control module 2 adopts a vehicle controller, which is used to control the operation of the vacuum pump assembly 3 and provide a vacuum source for the vacuum booster in the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly 6. The on-board electrical component T-BOX obtains the current vehicle location information through the GPS module, and inputs the current vehicle location information to the control module 2 through the bus. The control module 2 determines the altitude based on the current vehicle location information, calculates the current atmospheric pressure, and calculates the first threshold pressure and the second threshold pressure through the atmospheric pressure, and then compares the air pressure of the pipeline assembly 4 with the first threshold pressure and the second threshold pressure, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the vacuum pump assembly 3. In the present invention, the control module 2 does not need a new air pressure sensor when obtaining the atmospheric pressure information, but determines the altitude by obtaining the current position, and then calculates the atmospheric pressure, thereby reducing the cost. The specific model of the vehicle controller in the embodiment of the present invention is VCU3.0.

[0040] The vacuum pump assembly 3 uses an electric vacuum pump to output the vacuum source to the pipeline assembly 4. The pipeline assembly transmits the vacuum source to the vacuum tank assembly 5 and the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly 6. The vacuum pump assembly 3 is turned on when the air pressure of the pipeline assembly 4 is greater than the first threshold pressure, and is turned off when the air pressure of the pipeline assembly 4 is less than the second threshold pressure. The vacuum pump assembly 3 reduces the energy consumption of the vehicle under the premise of providing sufficient vacuum source.

[0041] The pipeline assembly 4 uses a rubber hose to transmit the vacuum source output by the vacuum pump assembly 3 to the vacuum tank assembly 5 and the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly 6 respectively. The pipeline assembly 4 is connected to the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly 6 through a one-way valve to ensure the unidirectional transmission of the vacuum source from the pipeline assembly 4 to the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly 6. The pipeline assembly can also use a silicone hose, which has stronger high temperature resistance and longer service life, but is more expensive.

[0042] The vacuum tank assembly 5 is used to store the vacuum source input by the vacuum pump assembly 3, stabilize the vacuum degree of the system, reduce the operating frequency of the vacuum pump assembly 3, extend its service life and reduce energy consumption; at the same time, when the vehicle is emergency braked, the vacuum tank can quickly release the stored vacuum source and input it to the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly 6, thereby amplifying the force applied by the driver on the brake pedal.

[0043] The vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly 6 includes a vacuum booster and a master cylinder, wherein the vacuum booster amplifies the force of the driver stepping on the brake pedal through the vacuum source input by the vacuum pump assembly 3 or the vacuum tank assembly 5, reducing the force the driver needs to use. The master cylinder converts the force of the brake pedal into hydraulic pressure, and transmits the hydraulic pressure to the wheel cylinder through the brake pipeline, pushing the brake pad to rub the brake disc to achieve vehicle braking.

[0044] The driver controls the vehicle braking via the brake pedal assembly 7 .

[0045] The connection relationship of the present invention is described below.

[0046] The output end of the pipeline air pressure sensor is connected to the input end of the vehicle controller, the output end of the vehicle controller is connected to the input end of the vacuum pump assembly 3 through the CAN bus or the LIN bus, the output end of the vacuum pump assembly 3 is connected to the pipeline assembly 4 through a one-way valve, the pipeline assembly 4 is connected to the vacuum tank assembly 5, the pipeline assembly 4 is connected to the vacuum booster assembly with the master cylinder assembly through the one-way valve, and the vacuum booster with the master cylinder assembly 6 is connected to the brake pedal.

[0047] The connections between the pipeline assembly 4 and the vacuum valve assembly, the pipeline assembly 4 and the one-way valve, the pipeline assembly 4 and the vacuum tank assembly 5, and the pipeline assembly 4 and the vacuum booster are all sealed to ensure the air tightness of the connection. The sealing design can specifically adopt an O-ring or a conical sealing structure.

[0048] The following is a detailed description of a control method for a control system of a vacuum pump assembly 3 of the present invention.

[0049] The sensor module 1 detects the air pressure in the pipeline assembly 4, and inputs the air pressure information of the pipeline assembly 4 to the control module 2. The vehicle-mounted electrical component T-BOX obtains the current vehicle position information through the GPS module, and inputs the current vehicle position information to the control module 2 through the bus. The control module 2 determines the current altitude through the current position information and calculates the current atmospheric pressure. The control module 2 calculates the first threshold pressure and the second threshold pressure according to the current atmospheric pressure. In an embodiment of the present invention, when the atmospheric pressure at the location of the car is greater than or equal to 700hPa, the first threshold pressure is 0.7 times the atmospheric pressure, and the second threshold pressure is 0.5 times the atmospheric pressure; when the atmospheric pressure at the location of the car is less than 700hPa and greater than 400hPa, the first threshold pressure is 0.6 times the atmospheric pressure plus 45hPa, and the second threshold pressure is 0.6 times the atmospheric pressure.

[0050] When the air pressure in the pipeline assembly 4 is greater than the first threshold pressure, the control module 2 controls the vacuum pump assembly 3 to turn on. After the vacuum pump assembly 3 is turned on, the vacuum pump assembly 3 provides a vacuum source to the vacuum tank assembly 5 and the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly 6 through the pipeline assembly 4. When the air pressure in the pipeline assembly 4 is less than the second threshold pressure, the control module 2 controls the vacuum pump assembly 3 to turn off.

[0051] When the atmospheric pressure is low, in the embodiment of the present invention, when the atmospheric pressure is less than or equal to 400hPa, the control module 2 controls the vacuum pump assembly 3 to adopt a control strategy of working for ten seconds, stopping for five seconds, working for another ten seconds, and then stopping after the vehicle brakes. The purpose is to quickly provide a vacuum source reserve. On this basis, the intermittent design of stopping for 5 seconds can avoid overheating caused by continuous operation of the vacuum pump assembly 3.

[0052] The technical effects of the present invention are described in detail below.

[0053] The present invention adaptively adjusts the operation of the vacuum pump according to the altitude, ensures the stable operation of the vacuum system in environments with different altitudes, and provides effective power for the braking of the vehicle.

[0054] The present invention starts the vacuum pump assembly 3 when the pipeline air pressure is higher than a first threshold value, and shuts it down when it is lower than a second threshold value, thereby avoiding unnecessary energy consumption, reducing the operating time of the vacuum pump assembly 3, extending the service life, and reducing the power consumption of the vehicle.

[0055] The present invention optimizes the strategy for plateau low-pressure scenarios to ensure that the vehicle can maintain stable braking performance in high-altitude areas.

[0056] The present invention integrates sensors, GPS, control module 2 and vacuum pump assembly 3 through multi-module collaborative control to achieve data closed-loop management and improve system response speed.

[0057] The present invention is described above by way of example in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned methods. As long as various non-substantial improvements are made using the method concept and technical solution of the present invention; or the above concept and technical solution of the present invention are directly applied to other occasions without improvement, they are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control system for a vacuum pump assembly, characterized in that: It includes a sensor module, a control module, a vacuum pump assembly, a pipeline assembly, a vacuum tank assembly, a vacuum booster with a master cylinder assembly and a brake pedal assembly. The sensor module is used to detect the air pressure in the pipeline assembly. The output end of the sensor module is connected to the input end of the control module. The output end of the control module is connected to the input end of the vacuum pump assembly. The vacuum pump assembly is connected to the pipeline assembly, the pipeline assembly is connected to the vacuum tank assembly, the pipeline assembly is connected to the vacuum booster with a master cylinder assembly, and the vacuum booster with a master cylinder assembly is connected to the brake pedal assembly.

2. A control system for a vacuum pump assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The sensor module inputs pressure detection information to the control module, the control module outputs control instructions to the vacuum pump assembly, the vacuum pump assembly outputs vacuum to the vacuum tank and the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly through the pipeline assembly, and the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly outputs thrust to the brake pedal assembly.

3. A control system for a vacuum pump assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The sensor module adopts an air pressure sensor, and the output end of the air pressure sensor is connected to the input end of the control module.

4. A control system for a vacuum pump assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The control module adopts a vehicle controller.

5. A control system for a vacuum pump assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The vacuum pump assembly adopts an electric vacuum pump, the output end of the control module is connected to the input end of the electric vacuum pump, and the output end of the electric vacuum pump is connected to the pipeline assembly through a one-way valve.

6. A control system for a vacuum pump assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The pipeline assembly is connected to the vacuum booster with master cylinder assembly through a one-way valve.

7. A control method for a control system of a vacuum pump assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: Step 1: The sensor module detects the air pressure in the pipeline assembly and inputs the air pressure information of the pipeline assembly into the control module; the control module determines the atmospheric pressure through the current position information; Step 2: The control module calculates the first threshold pressure and the second threshold pressure according to the atmospheric pressure; Step 3: When the air pressure of the pipeline assembly is greater than the first threshold pressure, the control module controls the vacuum pump assembly to turn on; when the air pressure of the pipeline assembly is less than the second threshold pressure, the control module controls the vacuum pump assembly to turn off.

8. A method for controlling a vacuum pump assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that: In step 1, the vehicle-mounted electrical component T-BOX obtains the current vehicle location information through the GPS module, and inputs the current vehicle location information to the control module through the bus.

9. A method for controlling a vacuum pump assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that: When the atmospheric pressure is low, the control module controls the vacuum pump assembly to adopt a control strategy of working for ten seconds, stopping for five seconds, working for another ten seconds, and then stopping after the vehicle is braked.

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