Hybrid brake unit, wire-controlled brake system, and wire-controlled brake method

Abstract

The present invention provides a hybrid brake unit, a wire-controlled brake system, and a wire-controlled brake method, which belong to the field of vehicle braking technology. The brake disc includes a disc body and an auxiliary disc. The hybrid brake unit includes a caliper body, a drive shaft rotatably connected to the caliper body, and a first drive mechanism that controls the rotation of the drive shaft. A swing arm is rotatably connected to the drive shaft, a driven shaft is rotatably connected to the swing arm, a fan-shaped auxiliary brake pad is fixedly provided on the driven shaft, a gear 1 is fixed to the drive shaft, and a gear 2 that meshes with gear 1 is fixed to the driven shaft. The caliper body is provided with a second drive mechanism that can drive the swing arm to swing. When the second drive mechanism drives the swing arm to rotate, the wedge-shaped portion on the auxiliary brake pad can be inserted into the V-shaped friction groove and the first disc surface brake pad on one side of the disc body can be driven close to the disc body. The first drive mechanism drives the control shaft to rotate to make the first disc surface brake pad on one side of the disc body close to the disc body. The present invention has the advantages of high reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of vehicle braking and relates to a hybrid braking unit, a wire-controlled braking system and a wire-controlled braking method. Background Art

[0002] Automotive brake-by-wire systems eliminate the physical connections found in traditional hydraulic or mechanical braking systems (such as the hydraulic lines between the brake pedal and the brake caliper), instead using electrical signals to control the brake actuator. While these systems offer advantages such as faster response, enhanced braking performance, and lightweight design, they also place extremely high demands on system reliability. They rely entirely on the electronic control system, and electronic failures (such as an ECU freeze or sensor failure) can lead to brake failure. Currently, the industry employs redundant designs (such as dual ECUs and backup power supplies) to improve safety. However, redundant designs can only eliminate the potential risks associated with single ECU and power supply failures. Because the brake actuator is located on the caliper near the brake disc, exposed to harsh environments, high temperatures, and high mechanical strength, it is also susceptible to failure. With the current caliper structure, dual brake actuators present complex structures and unreliable backup actuators (which can fail due to long periods of idleness). Summary of the Invention

[0003] The first object of the present invention is to provide a hybrid brake unit in response to the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art. The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to set two brake actuators on a single brake disc to improve the braking performance and reliability.

[0004] The objectives of the present invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions: A hybrid brake unit, comprising a brake disc fixed to a wheel hub, characterized in that the brake disc comprises a disc body and an auxiliary disc with a flange outer ring mounted near the center of the disc body, the hybrid brake unit comprising a caliper body, a drive shaft rotatably connected to the caliper body, and a first drive mechanism for controlling the rotation of the drive shaft, a swing arm rotatably connected to the drive shaft, a driven shaft rotatably connected to the swing arm, a fan-shaped auxiliary brake block fixedly provided on the driven shaft, a gear 1 fixed to the drive shaft, a gear 2 meshing with the gear 1 fixed to the driven shaft, and a second drive mechanism capable of driving the swing arm to swing is provided on the caliper body;

[0005] The auxiliary disc has a V-shaped friction groove on its circumferential end surface, and the auxiliary brake block has a wedge-shaped portion adapted to the V-shaped friction groove;

[0006] A first guide block is fixedly provided on the drive shaft, the first guide block has a first spiral guide groove, the first guide block is connected to a first disc brake block via a first return spring, the first disc brake block has a first guide rib adapted to the first guide groove, and a first spline guide structure is provided between the first brake disc and the caliper body to allow the first brake disc to move along the axis of the drive shaft;

[0007] When the second driving mechanism drives the swing arm to rotate, the wedge-shaped portion on the auxiliary brake block can be inserted into the V-shaped friction groove, and the first disc surface brake block located on one side of the disc body can be driven close to the disc body; the first driving mechanism drives the control shaft to rotate to make the first disc surface brake block located on one side of the disc body close to the disc body.

[0008] In this embodiment, the braking method using the first drive mechanism as the power source is as follows: the first drive mechanism drives the first gear and the first guide block to rotate a certain angle. Under the action of the second spline guide structure provided between the first brake disc and the caliper body, the first brake disc can only move along the axis of the drive shaft. With the cooperation of the first guide rib and the first guide groove, the rotation of the first guide block drives the first brake disc toward the disc body, thereby applying braking force to the disc body. During this process, the swing arm does not move. The braking method using the second drive mechanism as the power source is as follows: the second drive mechanism controls the swing arm to swing, driving the wedge-shaped portion of the auxiliary brake block to approach and insert into the V-shaped friction groove. With the power of wheel rotation, the rotation of the disc body drives the auxiliary brake block to rotate about the driven shaft, thereby causing Gear 2 to rotate Gear 1. The rotation of Gear 1 is equivalent to the action of the first drive mechanism on the drive shaft. In this case, the rotation of Gear 1 does not rely on the first drive mechanism, but is derived from the forward movement of the vehicle. This function does not occur when the vehicle is moving backward. Therefore, this is a braking method for when the vehicle is moving forward.

[0009] Among the braking modes under the action of the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism, the former is a traditional braking mode, that is, providing hub running resistance acting on the side of the disc body, while the latter, in addition to providing hub running resistance acting on the side of the disc body, also provides hub running resistance at the auxiliary disc. This mode does not rely too much on wear compensation, and applies a certain external force to the swing arm. Even if there is large wear on the V-shaped friction groove or the auxiliary brake pad, the braking force can be effectively applied. In addition, the auxiliary brake pad leverages the wheel hub to make the braking force of the first disc brake pad strong enough. In this state, the wear of the first disc brake pad can be ignored.

[0010] Furthermore, a second disc brake block is provided on the caliper body, and the second disc brake block and the first disc brake block are respectively located on both sides of the disc body, and a second guide block is rotated on the caliper body, and the second guide block has a spiral second guide groove, and the second guide block is connected to the second disc brake block through a second return spring, and the second disc brake block has a second guide rib adapted to the second guide groove, and a second spline guide structure is provided between the second brake disc and the caliper body, allowing the second brake disc to move along the axis of the drive shaft; the first guide block and the second guide block are fixed to each other by a connecting plate.

[0011] Braking is performed on both sides of the disc body to achieve clamping and provide stronger and more reliable braking force.

[0012] Furthermore, the first driving mechanism includes a reduction gear rotatably connected to the caliper body, the reduction gear meshes with gear 1, and a worm wheel is provided on the gear shaft of the reduction gear. The worm wheel cooperates with a worm rotatably connected to the caliper body, and the worm wheel is controlled by a servo motor.

[0013] The first driving mechanism may also be other electrically controlled power modes, and other common modes for driving the gear to rotate a certain angle are also acceptable.

[0014] Furthermore, the second driving mechanism is an electrically controlled hydraulic cylinder, and a push rod of the electrically controlled hydraulic cylinder drives the swing arm to swing.

[0015] As another option, the second driving mechanism is an electromagnetic push rod structure capable of driving the swing arm to swing, that is, a structure in which electromagnetic force drives the push rod to perform reciprocating motion.

[0016] The second object of the present invention is to provide a wire control brake system in response to the above-mentioned problems existing in the existing technology. The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to control the two brake actuators separately to improve the braking performance and reliability.

[0017] The first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism are controlled separately, and an ECU and a power supply are provided separately.

[0018] Furthermore, two hybrid brake units are provided on the same caliper body, and the two hybrid brake units are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the disc diameter line. A synchronous gear is fixed on each of the two drive shafts, and the two synchronous gears are connected by a synchronous toothed belt; a tension spring is connected between the two swing arms.

[0019] The third object of the present invention is to provide a braking control method for the above-mentioned wire control braking system, wherein the first drive mechanism is used during low vehicle speed braking, the second drive mechanism is used during high vehicle speed braking, the first drive mechanism intervenes after the second drive mechanism fails, and the second drive mechanism intervenes after the first drive mechanism fails.

[0020] The second drive mechanism acts as a parking brake.

[0021] The low and high speeds referred to here are set based on specific circumstances. For example, speeds above 70 km / h are considered high speed, and speeds below 70 km / h are considered low speed. The reason for selecting brake intervention based on vehicle speed is that at low speeds, a single disc brake can provide sufficient braking force, while at high speeds, greater braking force is required. Different brake positions provide greater reliability against potential braking force loss due to heat generation. As a general characteristic of dual braking, if one fails, the other takes over. The second drive mechanism acts as a parking brake to increase the frequency of use of the second drive mechanism. This allows both the first and second drive mechanisms to be used frequently, reducing the failure rate caused by long-term idleness of their respective components. Failure of either mechanism can be more easily detected by the driver and the vehicle's onboard systems, effectively ensuring normal and effective operation of the dual brake mechanism. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of the brake unit.

[0023] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional view of .

[0024] Figure 3 It is along Figure 2 Cross-sectional view along AA direction.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the vehicle's four wheels being controlled by wire separately.

[0026] In the figure, 11, disc body; 12, auxiliary disc; 13, V-shaped friction groove; 2, caliper body; 31, drive shaft; 32, first drive mechanism; 33, swing arm; 34, driven shaft; 35, auxiliary brake block; 36, gear 1; 37, gear 2; 38, second drive mechanism; 39, wedge-shaped portion; 41, first guide block; 42, first guide groove; 43, first return spring; 44, first disc brake block; 45, first guide rib; 46, first spline guide structure; 51, second guide block; 52, second guide groove; 53, second return spring; 54, second disc brake block; 55, second guide rib; 56, second spline guide structure; 61, connecting plate; 62, reduction gear; 63, worm; 64, synchronous belt; 65, tension spring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The following are specific embodiments of the present invention and the accompanying drawings to further describe the technical solutions of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0028] like Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3The hybrid brake unit shown includes a brake disc fixed to the wheel hub, the brake disc including a disc body 11 and an auxiliary disc 12 with a flange outer ring mounted near the center of the disc body 11. The hybrid brake unit includes a caliper body 2, a drive shaft 31 rotatably connected to the caliper body 2, and a first drive mechanism 32 for controlling the rotation of the drive shaft 31. A swing arm 33 is rotatably connected to the drive shaft 31, and a driven shaft 34 is rotatably connected to the swing arm 33. A fan-shaped auxiliary brake block 35 is fixedly provided on the driven shaft 34. A gear 1 36 is fixed to the drive shaft 31, and a gear 2 37 is fixed to the driven shaft 34, which meshes with gear 1 36. A second drive mechanism 38 is provided on the caliper body 2, which is capable of driving the swing arm 33 to swing.

[0029] The auxiliary disc 12 has a V-shaped friction groove 13 on its circumferential end surface, and the auxiliary brake block 35 has a wedge-shaped portion 39 adapted to the V-shaped friction groove 13;

[0030] A first guide block 41 is fixedly provided on the drive shaft 31. The first guide block 41 has a first spiral guide groove 42. A first disc brake block 44 is connected to the first guide block 41 via a first return spring 43. The first disc brake block 44 has a first guide rib 45 that adapts to the first guide groove 42. A first spline guide structure 46 is provided between the first brake disc and the caliper body 2 to allow the first brake disc to move along the axis of the drive shaft 31.

[0031] When the second driving mechanism 38 drives the swing arm 33 to rotate, the wedge-shaped portion 39 on the auxiliary brake block 35 can be inserted into the V-shaped friction groove 13, and the first disc surface brake block 44 located on one side of the disc body 11 can be driven to approach the disc body 11; the first driving mechanism 32 drives the control shaft to rotate, which can make the first disc surface brake block 44 located on one side of the disc body 11 approach the disc body 11.

[0032] In this scheme, the braking method with the first driving mechanism 32 as the power source is: the first driving mechanism 32 drives the first gear to rotate a certain angle, and the first guide block 41 to rotate a certain angle. Under the action of the second spline guide structure 56 set between the first brake disc and the caliper body 2, the first brake disc can only move along the axial direction of the drive shaft 31. Under the cooperation of the first guide rib 45 and the first guide groove 42, the rotation of the first guide block 41 can drive the first brake disc close to the disc body 11, and then apply braking force to the disc body 11. During this process, the swing arm 33 does not move. The braking method using the second drive mechanism 38 as the power source is as follows: the second drive mechanism 38 controls the swing arm 33 to swing, driving the wedge-shaped portion 39 on the auxiliary brake block 35 to approach and insert into the V-shaped friction groove 13. With the help of the power of the wheel rotation, the rotation of the disc body 11 can drive the auxiliary brake block 35 to rotate around the driven shaft 34, and then the gear 2 37 drives the gear 1 36 to rotate. The rotation of the gear 1 36 is equivalent to the effect of the first drive mechanism 32 on the drive shaft 31. At this time, the rotation of the gear 1 36 does not depend on the first drive mechanism 32, but comes from the forward movement of the car. When the car is moving backward, this function does not exist. Therefore, this is a braking method when the car is moving forward.

[0033] In the braking mode under the action of the first drive mechanism 32 and the second drive mechanism 38, the former is a traditional braking mode, that is, providing hub running resistance acting on the side of the disc body 11, while the latter, in addition to providing hub running resistance acting on the side of the disc body 11, also provides hub running resistance at the auxiliary disc 12. This mode does not rely too much on wear compensation, and applies a certain external force to the swing arm 33. Even if there is large wear on the V-shaped friction groove 13 or the auxiliary brake block 35, the braking force can be effectively applied. In addition, the auxiliary brake block 35 leverages the wheel hub to make the braking force of the first disc brake block 44 strong enough. In this state, the wear of the first disc brake block 44 can be ignored.

[0034] The caliper body 2 is provided with a second disc brake pad 54, which is located on either side of the disc body 11 along with the first disc brake pad 44. A second guide block 51 is rotatably mounted on the caliper body 2. The second guide block 51 has a second spiral guide groove 52. The second guide block 51 is connected to the second disc brake pad 54 via a second return spring 53. The second disc brake pad 54 has a second guide rib 55 that mates with the second guide groove 52. A second spline guide structure 56 is provided between the second brake disc and the caliper body 2, allowing the second brake disc to move along the axis of the drive shaft 31. The first guide block 41 and the second guide block 51 are fixedly connected to each other via a connecting plate 61. Braking is applied to both sides of the disc body 11, achieving a closed clamping motion and providing stronger and more reliable braking force.

[0035] First drive mechanism 32 includes a reduction gear 62 rotatably connected to caliper body 2. Reduction gear 62 meshes with gear 1 36. A worm gear is mounted on the gear shaft of reduction gear 62. The worm gear mates with a worm 63 rotatably connected to caliper body 2. Worm 63 is controlled by a servo motor. First drive mechanism 32 may also utilize other electronically controlled power systems, including any other common method for driving gear 1 36 to rotate a certain angle.

[0036] The second driving mechanism 38 is an electrically controlled hydraulic cylinder, whose push rod drives the swing arm 33 to swing. Alternatively, the second driving mechanism 38 is an electromagnetic push rod structure that can drive the swing arm 33 to swing. In other words, the electromagnetic force drives the push rod to perform reciprocating motion.

[0037] like Figure 4 As shown, the first drive mechanism 32 and the second drive mechanism 38 are controlled separately, and are provided with ECUs and power supplies respectively.

[0038] Two hybrid brake units are provided on the same caliper body 2, and the two hybrid brake units are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the radial line of the disc body 11. A synchronous gear is fixed on each of the two drive shafts 31, and the two synchronous gears are connected by a synchronous toothed belt 64; a tension spring 65 is connected between the two swing arms 33.

[0039] The first drive mechanism 32 is used for low-speed braking, and the second drive mechanism 38 is used for high-speed braking. The first drive mechanism 32 intervenes when the second drive mechanism 38 fails, and the second drive mechanism 38 intervenes when the first drive mechanism 32 fails. The second drive mechanism 38 acts as a parking brake.

[0040] The low and high speeds referred to here are set based on specific circumstances, e.g., 70 km / h or higher is considered high speed, and vice versa. The reason for selecting brake intervention based on vehicle speed is that at low speeds, a single disc brake can provide sufficient braking force, while at high speeds, greater braking force is required. Different brake positions provide greater reliability against potential braking force loss due to heat generation. As a general characteristic of dual braking, if one fails, the other takes over. The second drive mechanism 38 acts as a parking brake to increase the frequency of use of the second drive mechanism 38. This allows both the first drive mechanism 32 and the second drive mechanism 38 to be used frequently, reducing the failure rate caused by long-term idleness of their respective components. Failure of each component can be more easily detected by the driver and the vehicle's onboard systems, effectively ensuring normal and effective operation of the dual brake system.

[0041] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the spirit of the present invention. Persons skilled in the art may make various modifications, additions, or substitutions to the described specific embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A hybrid brake unit comprising a brake disc fixed to a wheel hub, characterized in that: The brake disc comprises a disc body (11) and an auxiliary disc (12) with a flange outer ring installed near the center of the disc body (11); the hybrid brake unit comprises a caliper body (2), a drive shaft (31) rotatably connected to the caliper body (2), and a first drive mechanism (32) for controlling the rotation of the drive shaft (31); a swing arm (33) is rotatably connected to the drive shaft (31); a driven shaft (34) is rotatably connected to the swing arm (33); a fan-shaped auxiliary brake block (35) is fixedly provided on the driven shaft (34); a gear 1 (36) is fixed to the drive shaft (31); a gear 2 (37) meshing with the gear 1 (36) is fixed to the driven shaft (34); and a second drive mechanism (38) capable of driving the swing arm (33) to swing is provided on the caliper body (2); The auxiliary disc (12) has a V-shaped friction groove (13) on its circumferential end surface, and the auxiliary brake block (35) has a wedge-shaped portion (39) adapted to the V-shaped friction groove (13); A first guide block (41) is fixedly provided on the drive shaft (31), the first guide block (41) having a first spiral guide groove (42), the first guide block (41) being connected to a first disc brake block (44) via a first return spring (43), the first disc brake block (44) having a first guide rib (45) adapted to the first guide groove (42), and a first spline guide structure (46) allowing the first brake disc to move along the axis of the drive shaft (31) is provided between the first brake disc and the caliper body (2); When the second driving mechanism (38) drives the swing arm (33) to rotate, the wedge-shaped portion (39) on the auxiliary brake block (35) can be inserted into the V-shaped friction groove (13), and the first disc brake block (44) located on one side of the disc body (11) can be driven to approach the disc body (11); the first driving mechanism (32) drives the control shaft to rotate so that the first disc brake block (44) located on one side of the disc body (11) can be driven to approach the disc body (11); a second disc brake block (54) is provided on the caliper body (2), and the second disc brake block (54) and the first disc brake block (44) are respectively located on both sides of the disc body (11); a second guide block (51) is rotatable on the caliper body (2), and the second guide block (51) has a spiral second guide groove (52), and the second guide block (51) is provided with a second guide groove (52) The second return spring (53) is connected to a second disc brake block (54), and the second disc brake block (54) has a second guide rib (55) adapted to the second guide groove (52). A second spline guide structure (56) is provided between the second brake disc and the caliper body (2) to allow the second brake disc to move along the axial direction of the drive shaft (31). The first guide block (41) and the second guide block (51) are fixedly connected to each other via a connecting plate (61). The first driving mechanism (32) includes a reduction gear (62) rotatably connected to the caliper body (2), the reduction gear (62) meshing with gear 1 (36), and a worm gear is provided on the gear shaft of the reduction gear (62), and the worm gear cooperates with a worm (63) rotatably connected to the caliper body (2), and the worm (63) is controlled by a servo motor.

2. A hybrid brake unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second driving mechanism (38) is an electrically controlled hydraulic cylinder, and a push rod of the electrically controlled hydraulic cylinder pushes the swing arm (33) to swing.

3. A hybrid brake unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second driving mechanism (38) is an electromagnetic push rod structure capable of pushing the swing arm (33) to swing.

4. A brake-by-wire system comprising four hybrid brake units according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The first drive mechanism (32) and the second drive mechanism (38) are controlled separately, and are provided with an ECU and a power supply separately.

5. The brake-by-wire system according to claim 4, characterized in that: Two hybrid brake units are provided on the same caliper body (2), and the two hybrid brake units are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the radial line of the disc body (11). A synchronous gear is fixed on each of the two drive shafts (31), and the two synchronous gears are connected by a synchronous toothed belt (64); and a tension spring (65) is connected between the two swing arms (33).

6. A control method for a brake-by-wire system according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The first drive mechanism (32) is used during low-speed braking, the second drive mechanism (38) is used during high-speed braking, the first drive mechanism (32) intervenes after the second drive mechanism (38) fails, and the second drive mechanism (38) intervenes after the first drive mechanism (32) fails.

7. A braking control method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The second drive mechanism (38) acts as a parking brake.

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