Vehicle parking executing mechanism of electronic mechanical calipers

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of electronic mechanical brake calipers, and discloses a vehicle parking actuating mechanism of an electronic mechanical caliper, which comprises a brake motor rotor assembly, a parking locking mechanism assembly and a brake actuating device, a rotating shaft of the brake motor rotor assembly is fixedly connected with an upper end face ratchet wheel; the parking locking mechanism assembly comprises a shell assembly, a limiting disc, a driving power source, a rotating drive plate, a lower end face ratchet wheel and a compression elastic piece. The limiting disc is fixedly connected with the shell assembly, and the limiting disc is provided with a locking and rotating part extending in the axial direction; the driving power source drives the rotating drive plate to rotate, the bottom of the rotating drive plate is provided with a release plane, the release plane is concave inwards to form a groove, the lower end face ratchet wheel is arranged between the limiting disc and the rotating drive plate and can axially move relative to the limiting disc, and the compression elastic piece is arranged between the lower end face ratchet wheel and the rotating drive plate. According to the parking locking mechanism assembly, parking releasing and parking locking actions can be independently carried out, program control is simpler, and the response speed is higher.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electromechanical brake calipers, and more particularly to a vehicle parking actuator for an electromechanical caliper. Background Technology

[0002] In online electromechanical braking systems, driving and parking functions must be integrated into the same caliper. Driving requires a high-speed, efficient, and non-locking drivetrain, while parking requires reliable locking. Traditional hydraulic calipers can achieve parking through a nut and screw mechanism with self-locking, but this transmission self-locking method cannot be used in calipers that integrate driving and parking functions. Because the transmission scheme of the electromechanical braking caliper assembly needs to ensure rapid and precise control of braking force during driving braking, it requires a high-efficiency mechanical structure. A low-efficiency self-locking structure cannot be used. Therefore, the nut and screw transmission mechanism used in existing hydraulic caliper assemblies cannot be used to achieve the vehicle's parking braking function. Thus, an additional parking brake actuator is required to achieve the parking braking function.

[0003] Existing technologies generally use electromagnets as the locking power source. Electromagnets have locking and unlocking functions. In the locked state, the electromagnet limits the brake motor, restricting its rotation. When additional braking force is needed to re-clamp, the electromagnet must first be energized to unlock, then the brake motor rotates in the opposite direction to increase braking force, and finally the electromagnet locks the brake motor again. This process is redundant and requires additional position detection measures to monitor whether the parking lock and release are successful, making control complex. Chinese invention patent CN117905879A, entitled "Electromechanical Parking Self-Locking Mechanism, Control Method and Vehicle," discloses a similar solution using a ratchet and pawl for locking.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a mechanical parking actuator that is simple in structure, requires no electromagnet, can directly lock and release the brake, and can perform braking and re-clamping actions at any time. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a vehicle parking actuator for an electromechanical caliper.

[0006] The present invention solves the above-mentioned technical problems through the following technical solutions: An electromechanical caliper vehicle parking actuator includes: The brake motor rotor assembly, the parking lock mechanism assembly, and the brake actuator are included. The rotating shaft of the brake motor rotor assembly is fixedly connected to an upper end face ratchet and a torque output gear. The parking lock mechanism assembly includes: a housing assembly, a limit plate, a drive motor, a rotary dial, a lower end face ratchet, and a compression elastic element. The limiting plate is fixedly connected to the housing assembly, and the limiting plate is provided with an axially extending locking part; the output shaft of the drive motor is fixedly connected to a worm gear; the rotating dial is located above the limiting plate, and the rotating dial is provided with a helical tooth part that cooperates with the worm gear transmission in the circumference. The drive motor drives the rotating dial to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise, and the bottom of the rotating dial has a release plane, and the release plane is concave to form a groove. A lower end face ratchet is positioned between the limiting plate and the rotary dial. The bottom of the lower end face ratchet has a locking engagement part that matches the shape of the locking part of the limiting plate. The lower end face ratchet is restricted by circumferential rotation and can move axially relative to the limiting plate. The top of the lower end face ratchet has an end face ratchet part, and the side of the lower end face ratchet extends outward circumferentially to form a guide part. A compression elastic element is positioned between the lower end face ratchet and the rotary dial to provide an upward elastic force to the lower end face ratchet. The braking actuator includes friction pads and a rotating component. The friction pads achieve vehicle parking braking or service braking by moving in opposite directions. The torque output gear of the brake motor rotor assembly, which drives the friction pads to move in opposite directions, is connected to the rotating component through a transmission gear set.

[0007] The lower end face ratchet has a locked axial position and a released axial position. When the lower end face ratchet is in the locked axial position, the guide portion is housed in the groove, and the end face ratchet portion engages with the upper end face ratchet, locking the rotation shaft of the brake motor rotor assembly. When the drive motor rotates in the opposite direction, it drives the rotary dial to rotate in the opposite direction, causing the guide portion to disengage from the groove and contact the release plane. The guide portion can slide along the release plane. At this time, the lower end face ratchet is in the released axial position, and the end face ratchet portion is pressed down by the release plane, thus disengaging from the upper end face ratchet.

[0008] The vehicle parking actuator of the electromechanical caliper also includes a controller, electrically connected to the brake motor rotor assembly and the drive motor. This controller sends power-on or power-off signals. When the drive motor rotates forward or backward, driving the rotary dial to rotate and abut against the limit plate or the lower end ratchet, the drive motor stalls, causing the drive current to rise. When the parking lock is engaged, if the drive motor current reaches a preset value, the parking lock is considered complete, and the controller de-energizes the drive motor. Similarly, when the parking lock is released, if the drive motor current reaches a preset value, the parking lock is considered complete, and the controller de-energizes the drive motor. The full-tooth engagement of the upper and lower end ratchets improves locking strength compared to the single-tooth engagement of ratchet mechanisms in existing technologies. The rotary dial and the worm gear of the drive motor adopt a worm gear transmission method. The rotation of the worm drives the worm wheel, and the worm wheel cannot drive the worm in the reverse direction, giving it a unidirectional transmission characteristic and ensuring the stability of the self-locking state. The drive motor is the power source for controlling the locking and releasing mechanism. In the power-off state, it can lock the rotary dial, thereby reliably maintaining the engagement and disengagement of the upper and lower end face ratchet, thus ensuring the stability of the parking lock and parking release states, and preventing unexpected vehicle parking lock or parking release due to bumps or other unexpected situations.

[0009] The upper and lower end face ratchet engage with locking elements, using a motor worm gear transmission pair as the driving source for unlocking and locking. A rotating dial's bottom structure allows the lower end face ratchet, which cannot rotate but can move radially, to axially rise and fall, engaging or disengaging with the upper end face ratchet. A compression spring provides the engagement force, achieving a simple, fast, and reliable parking lock and release. The spring provides continuous engagement force, eliminating the need for additional sensors. When locking requires braking and re-clamping, the brake motor rotor assembly increases braking force, driving the upper end face ratchet to rotate. For the already engaged upper and lower end face ratchets, the ratchet engages accordingly, directly increasing force for automatic locking.

[0010] Preferably, the release plane of the rotary dial protrudes outward to form a protruding limiting part, and the protruding limiting part has a parking limiting surface and a release limiting surface on both sides respectively. The limiting plate is provided with a through hole for the protruding limiting part to extend into, and one side of the hole wall is a locking limiting surface. When the drive motor rotates in the forward direction, it drives the rotary dial to rotate until the parking limit surface and the locking limit surface abut together. The upper ratchet and the lower ratchet are fully engaged, and the parking lock is completed. When the drive motor rotates in the opposite direction, it causes the rotary dial to rotate until the release limit surface abuts against the side of the guide, and the brake release is completed.

[0011] Preferably, the side of the groove has a limiting groove wall. When the parking limiting surface abuts against the locking limiting surface, the side of the guide part inside the groove abuts against the limiting groove wall, and the rotating dial stops rotating, thus completing the parking lock. The double locking ensures the stability of the parking state.

[0012] Preferably, the lower end face ratchet is restricted from axial rotation by a limiting plate, and the upper end face ratchet engages with the ratchet teeth of the end face ratchet portion. When the lower end face ratchet is in the locked axial position, the upper end face ratchet can rotate relative to the end face ratchet portion in the brake re-clamping rotation direction, and is restricted from rotation by the end face ratchet portion in the opposite direction to the brake re-clamping rotation direction. During brake re-clamping control, the brake motor rotor assembly drives the upper end face ratchet to rotate relative to the end face ratchet portion in the brake re-clamping rotation direction, and locks it by follower engagement after rotating at any angle. The one-way rotation-limiting structure of the end face ratchet allows for direct force amplification during brake re-clamping without unlocking, resulting in rapid brake re-clamping response and eliminating the risk of slippage due to parking failure.

[0013] Preferably, a cover plate is also included, which is fixedly connected to the housing assembly and axially limits the rotation of the dial. Preferably, a transition ramp is provided between the groove and the release plane on the side away from the limiting groove wall, allowing the guide part to slide in or out. The top surface of the guide part is correspondingly provided with a guide ramp that mates with the transition ramp. The cooperation between the guide ramp and the transition ramp smoothly guides the guide part into and out of the groove, reducing wear. Preferably, the locking part of the limiting plate is a centrally symmetrical opening, and the locking engagement part at the bottom of the lower end ratchet is a protrusion. The locking engagement part matches the shape of the opening and can be inserted into the opening. The opening restricts the circumferential rotation of the lower end ratchet. The center of the lower end ratchet is provided with an axially extending shaft hole, and a central shaft fixed to the housing assembly is also provided. The central shaft extends out of the limiting plate and passes through the shaft hole to axially limit the lower end ratchet. The lower end ratchet can slide axially relative to the limiting plate.

[0014] Preferably, the bottom outer periphery of the limiting disc is provided with at least one annular toothed portion, and the limiting disc is fixed to the housing assembly by injection molding. When this toothed portion and the inner teeth are injection molded together, the strength is higher, which can prevent the limiting disc from rotating relative to the housing assembly.

[0015] Preferably, the lower end ratchet has two guide portions symmetrically arranged on both sides, and the bottom surface of the rotary dial also has two protruding limiting portions and two grooves symmetrically arranged on both sides. The symmetrical arrangement on both sides can balance the force and improve the stability of the operation.

[0016] Preferably, the helical teeth circumferentially arranged on the rotary dial are positioned within one arc-shaped region, and the worm gear drives the rotary dial to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise within the range of the helical teeth. Incomplete helical teeth can save on manufacturing costs, reduce component weight, and limit the rotation range of the rotary dial to the area containing the helical teeth.

[0017] An electromechanical caliper vehicle parking actuator includes a brake motor rotor assembly, a parking lock mechanism assembly, and a brake actuator. The rotating shaft of the brake motor rotor assembly is fixedly connected to an upper end face ratchet and a torque output gear. The parking lock mechanism assembly includes a housing assembly, a limit plate, a drive motor, a rotary dial, a lower end face ratchet, and a compression elastic element. The parking lock mechanism assembly includes: a housing assembly, a limit plate, a drive power source, a rotary dial, a lower end ratchet, and a compression elastic element. The parking lock mechanism assembly has a limit plate fixedly connected to the housing assembly, and the limit plate is provided with an axially extending locking part; the driving power source includes an electromagnet, the electromagnet has an output rod, the rotary dial is provided with a connecting part, and the connecting part is rotatably connected to the end of the output rod. When the electromagnet is energized in the forward or reverse direction, the output rod extends or retracts, causing the rotary dial to rotate forward or reverse.

[0018] The rotary dial is located above the limiting disc. The bottom of the rotary dial has a release plane, which is concave to form a groove. A lower end face ratchet is positioned between the limiting disc and the rotary dial. The bottom of the lower end face ratchet has a locking engagement part that matches the shape of the locking part of the limiting disc. The lower end face ratchet is restricted by circumferential rotation and can move axially relative to the limiting disc. The top of the lower end face ratchet has an end face ratchet portion, and the side of the lower end face ratchet extends outward circumferentially to form a guide portion. A compression elastic element is positioned between the lower end face ratchet and the rotary dial to provide an upward elastic force to the lower end face ratchet. The braking actuator includes friction pads and a rotating component. The friction pads achieve vehicle parking braking or service braking by moving in opposite directions. The torque output gear of the brake motor rotor assembly, which drives the friction pads to move in opposite directions, is connected to the rotating component through a transmission gear set.

[0019] The lower end ratchet has a locked axial position and a released axial position. When the lower end ratchet is in the locked axial position, the guide is housed in the groove, and the end ratchet meshes with the upper end ratchet and locks the rotating shaft of the brake motor rotor assembly. The electromagnet drives the rotating dial to rotate in the opposite direction, causing the guide to disengage from the groove and contact the release plane. The guide can slide relative to the release plane. At this time, the lower end ratchet is in the released axial position, and the end ratchet is pressed down by the release plane and disengages from the upper end ratchet.

[0020] This invention, by adopting the above technical solutions, has significant technical effects: 1. By using an end-face ratchet as the engagement and locking mechanism, compared with the ratchet and pawl half-tooth engagement method in the existing technology, full-tooth engagement can be achieved, resulting in higher locking strength, structural life and safety redundancy.

[0021] 2. Utilizing the one-way self-locking characteristic of the worm gear, the parking release and parking lock states are kept stable, preventing unexpected parking lock or release due to bumps or other unforeseen circumstances, thus enhancing safety.

[0022] 3. The drive motor is a DC motor, which serves as the driving power source for the parking and release functions. The completion of the parking and release actions can be determined by detecting changes in the motor current, without the need for additional Hall elements, microswitches, or other sensors. This reduces costs and the risk of detection failure.

[0023] 4. Utilizing the characteristic that the ratchet engagement only has a circumferential rotational limiting effect while the radial movement is unrestricted, the upper and lower ratchets can be unlocked as long as they move in opposite directions radially. Therefore, the parking lock mechanism assembly can independently perform parking release and parking lock actions. In the parking release condition, the action logic of the brake motor first being energized in the forward direction to generate braking clamping force to release the force between the ratchet and pawl in the traditional ratchet and pawl locking structure can be eliminated, making the program control simpler and the response speed faster.

[0024] 5. In the parking lock state, the lower end ratchet is continuously subjected to the force of the compression elastic element, thus maintaining follow-up engagement with the upper end ratchet. In the case of insufficient parking brake, no unlocking operation is required. The brake motor is directly driven to rotate in the forward direction to increase the braking force and lock at any time. The response is rapid and there is no risk of the vehicle slipping due to parking failure. This solves the problem of cumbersome unlocking or re-locking steps in the traditional electromagnet solution. After locking or releasing, there is no need to maintain the position with power.

[0025] 6. The parking actuator has a simple overall structure, can be assembled independently, and is easy to disassemble and inspect. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the electromechanical caliper transmission mechanism of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the fit between the lower end ratchet and the upper end ratchet. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the engagement between the helical gear of the rotary dial and the worm gear of the drive motor; Figure 4 This is an exploded diagram of the parking actuator; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the limiting plate, the central shaft, and the housing assembly; Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the cover plate and the housing assembly; Figure 7 These are schematic diagrams of the top and bottom surfaces of the rotary dial. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the top and bottom surfaces of the lower end ratchet. Figure 9 These are schematic diagrams of the top and bottom surfaces of the limiting plate. Figure 10 It is an exploded view of the limiting plate, the compression elastic element, the lower end ratchet, and the rotating dial; Figure 11 This is a side sectional view of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the rotating dial, the limiting disc, and the limiting structure. Figure 13 This is a diagram illustrating the vehicle parking lock action; Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the vehicle parking lock during operation; Figure 15 This is a diagram illustrating the vehicle's parking release action; Figure 16 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the vehicle during the parking release action; Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the structure when the upper and lower end face ratchets of this patent are engaged.

[0027] The parts referred to by the numbers in the above attached diagrams are as follows: 1. Parking lock mechanism assembly; 2. Brake motor rotor assembly; 21. Rotating shaft; 22. Torque output gear; 23. Transmission gear set; 3. Limiting disc; 31. Locking part; 32. Through hole; 33. Locking limiting surface; 34. Toothed part; 41. 42. Housing assembly; 43. Cover plate; 5. Central shaft; 6. Drive motor; 51. Worm gear; 6. Rotary dial; 61. Helical gear; 62. Protruding limiting part; 621. Parking limiting surface; 622. Release limiting surface; 63. Release plane; 64. Groove; 65. Limiting groove wall; 66. Transition ramp; 7. Lower end face ratchet; 71. End face ratchet part; 72. Guide part; 721. Guide ramp; 73. Locking and rotating mating part; 74. Shaft hole; 8. Upper end face ratchet; 9. Compression elastic element. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0029] Example 1 An electromechanical caliper's vehicle parking actuator includes: a brake motor rotor assembly 2 and a parking lock mechanism assembly 1. The rotating shaft 21 of the brake motor rotor assembly 2 is fixedly connected to an upper end face ratchet 8 and a torque output gear 22. The parking lock mechanism assembly 1 includes: a housing assembly 41, a limit plate 3, a drive motor 5, a rotating dial 6, a lower end face ratchet 7, and a compression elastic element 9. Figure 1 As shown, the brake motor rotor assembly 2 connects to the caliper and can be used for both service and parking brakes. The brake motor rotor assembly 2 transmits torque to the gear transmission group via the upper gear, thereby driving the brake caliper to perform braking clamping or releasing actions. The principle is that the brake motor of the brake motor rotor assembly 2 generates a corresponding braking torque based on the braking force request signal received from the controller. After the torque is amplified by the gear transmission group, it is input to the ball screw assembly via a spline connection and converted into a braking clamping force generated by the friction pads on the brake disc. This structure is one of the conventional technical methods used by those skilled in the art and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, the braking actuator includes friction pads and a rotating component. The friction pads achieve vehicle parking braking or service braking through opposite-direction movement. The torque output gear 22 of the brake motor rotor assembly 2, used to drive the friction pads to move in opposite directions, is connected to the rotating component via a transmission gear set 23. The torque output gear 22 rotates with the output shaft of the brake motor rotor assembly 2, driving the transmission gear set 23 to rotate, thus rotating the rotating component. The rotating component can drive the friction pads through direct mechanical transmission or through hydraulic or other means. The rotating component can be a rotating nut or screw, pushing the friction pads to move in opposite directions through threaded engagement, or indirectly driving the friction pads to move in opposite directions by driving other structures such as ball bearings. The specific structure of the braking actuator is not limited here, and its structure is not the technical solution to be protected by this invention; it is only necessary that the braking actuator can brake during driving and parking.

[0031] Figure 2 As shown, the lower and upper end face ratchets engage with each other. The lower fixed joint of the brake motor rotor assembly 2 is equipped with the upper end face ratchet 8, so the brake motor rotor can be indirectly locked by locking the upper end face ratchet 8, thereby achieving the vehicle parking effect.

[0032] Figure 5 The diagram shows the assembly structure of the limiting plate, central shaft, and housing assembly; a chamber is also provided to accommodate and limit the drive motor.

[0033] Figure 4-5As shown, the limiting plate 3 is fixedly connected to the housing assembly 41, and the limiting plate 3 is provided with an axially extending locking part 31. In one embodiment, the housing body 41-1 is made of engineering plastic material using injection molding, and the limiting plate 10 is embedded therein, and the two are connected by injection molding.

[0034] Figure 3 and Figure 7 As shown, the output shaft of the drive motor 5 is fixedly connected to a worm gear 51; the rotary dial 6 is located above the limiting plate 3, and the rotary dial 6 has a helical toothed portion 61 circumferentially arranged to engage with the worm gear 51. The drive motor 5 drives the rotary dial 6 to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise. The bottom of the rotary dial 6 has a release plane 63, and the release plane 63 is concave to form a groove 64. The drive motor 5 is housed and installed in the housing assembly 41 and connected to an external controller via a pin. The drive motor 5 controls the forward and reverse rotation of the rotary dial 6 by driving the helical toothed portion 61 of the worm gear 52 that meshes with the rotary dial 6. The rotation of the worm can drive the rotary dial to rotate, but the rotary dial cannot drive the worm to rotate in the reverse direction, thus it has a unidirectional drive characteristic.

[0035] Figure 4 As shown, the lower end ratchet 7 is disposed between the limiting disk 3 and the rotating dial 6. The bottom of the lower end ratchet 7 has a locking engagement part 73 that matches the shape of the locking part 31 of the limiting disk 3. The lower end ratchet 7 is restricted by circumferential rotation and can move axially relative to the limiting disk 3.

[0036] Figure 8 As shown, the top of the lower end ratchet 7 has an end ratchet portion 71, and the side of the lower end ratchet 7 extends outward to form a guide portion 72.

[0037] A compression elastic element 9 is disposed between the lower end ratchet 7 and the rotary dial 6 to provide an upward elastic force to the lower end ratchet 7. When the rotary dial 6 does not press down the lower end ratchet 7, the guide portion 72 of the lower end ratchet 7 enters the groove 64 under the action of the compression elastic element 9, maintaining engagement with the upper end ratchet 8. The compression elastic element 9 is usually a spring, but it can also be other materials or components capable of providing elastic force.

[0038] The lower end ratchet 7 has a locked axial position and a released axial position. The axial position here refers to the different heights of the lower end ratchet 7 in the axial direction, which is described to distinguish it from the engaged and disengaged states of the upper end ratchet 8.

[0039] like Figure 13 , 14As shown, when the lower end ratchet 7 is in the locked axial position, the guide part 72 is accommodated in the groove 64, and the end ratchet part 71 engages with the upper end ratchet 8 to lock the rotating shaft 21 of the brake motor rotor assembly 2; in the vehicle parking lock state, the compression elastic member 9 provides the lower end ratchet 7 and the upper end ratchet 8 with a locking axial force to keep them engaged, ensuring the locking function of the lower end ratchet 7 on the upper end ratchet 8; like Figure 15 , 16 As shown, the drive motor 5 rotates in the opposite direction, driving the rotary dial 6 to rotate in the opposite direction, causing the guide part 72 to disengage from the groove 64 and contact the release plane 63. The guide part 72 can slide relative to the release plane 63. At this time, the lower end ratchet 7 is in the release axial position, and the end ratchet part 71 is pressed down by the release plane 63, thereby disengaging from the upper end ratchet 8.

[0040] The controller is electrically connected to the brake motor rotor assembly 2 and the drive motor 5. It is used to send power-on or power-off signals. When the drive motor 5 rotates in the forward or reverse direction, it drives the rotary dial 6 to rotate and abuts against the limit plate 3 or the lower end ratchet 7. The drive motor 5 stalls, causing the drive current to rise. When the drive motor current reaches a preset value during parking lock, the controller determines that the parking lock is complete and controls the drive motor 5 to be de-energized. When the drive motor current reaches a preset value during parking release, the controller determines that the parking release is complete and controls the drive motor 5 to be de-energized.

[0041] Figure 7 and Figure 12 As shown, the release plane 63 of the rotary dial 6 protrudes outward to form a protruding limiting part 62. The protruding limiting part 62 has a parking limiting surface 621 and a release limiting surface 622 on both sides respectively. In one embodiment, the lower end ratchet 7 is provided with two guide parts 72 symmetrically on both sides, and the bottom surface of the rotary dial 6 is also provided with two protruding limiting parts 62 and two grooves 64 symmetrically on both sides.

[0042] The limiting plate 3 is provided with a through hole 32 into which the protruding limiting part 62 extends. One side wall of the through hole 32 is a locking limiting surface 33. like Figure 12 and Figure 10 As shown, when the drive motor 5 rotates in the forward direction and drives the rotary dial 6 to rotate until the parking limit surface 621 abuts against the locking limit surface 33, the upper end ratchet 8 and the lower end ratchet 7 are fully engaged, completing the parking lock. like Figure 15 and Figure 16 As shown, when the drive motor 5 rotates in the opposite direction, it drives the rotary dial 6 to rotate until the release limit surface 622 abuts against the side of the guide part 72, and the brake release is completed.

[0043] like Figure 10 and Figure 13As shown, the side of the groove 64 has a limiting groove wall 65. When the parking limiting surface 621 abuts against the locking limiting surface 33, the side of the guide part 72 in the groove 64 abuts against the limiting groove wall 65, and the rotating dial 6 stops rotating, thus completing the parking lock.

[0044] like Figure 14 and Figure 17 As shown, the lower end face ratchet 7 is restricted from axial rotation by the limiting plate 3, and the upper end face ratchet 8 is engaged with the ratchet teeth of the end face ratchet part 71. When the lower end face ratchet 7 is in the locked axial position, the upper end face ratchet 8 can rotate relative to the end face ratchet part 71 in the braking and re-clamping rotation direction, and is restricted from rotation by the end face ratchet part 71 in the opposite direction to the braking and re-clamping rotation direction. During braking and re-clamping control, the brake motor rotor assembly 2 drives the upper end face ratchet 8 to rotate relative to the end face ratchet part 71 in the braking and re-clamping rotation direction and locks it by follower engagement after rotating at any angle.

[0045] like Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, it also includes a cover plate 42, which is fixedly connected to the housing assembly 41. The cover plate 42 can be configured to axially limit the rotary dial 6 by providing a stepped hole for accommodating the rotary dial 6. A transition ramp 66 is provided between the groove 64 and the release plane 63 on the side away from the limiting groove wall 65, allowing the guide part 72 to slide in or out. The top surface of the guide part 72 is correspondingly provided with a guide ramp 721 that cooperates with the transition ramp 66.

[0046] like Figure 8 , Figure 9 , Figure 10 The diagram shows a limiting disc 10 and a lower end ratchet 7. The locking part 31 of the limiting disc 3 is a centrally symmetrical opening. The locking engagement part 73 at the bottom of the lower end ratchet 7 is a protrusion. The locking engagement part 73 matches the shape of the opening and can be inserted into the opening. The opening restricts the circumferential rotation of the lower end ratchet 7. The lower end ratchet 7 has an axially extending shaft hole 74 in its center, and a central shaft 43 fixed to the housing assembly 41 is also provided. The central shaft 43 extends out of the limiting disc 3 and passes through the shaft hole 74, axially limiting the lower end ratchet 7. The lower end ratchet 7 can slide axially relative to the limiting disc 3. The shape of the opening is similar to a spline. The diagram shows one embodiment, in which the locking part 31 is a cross-shaped opening. This matching spline-like structure restricts the rotation of the lower end ratchet 7, allowing it to move only up and down axially. In one embodiment, the bottom outer periphery of the limiting disk 3 is provided with at least one ring of toothed portion 34, and the limiting disk 3 is fixed to the housing assembly 41 by injection molding.

[0047] The helical teeth 61 arranged circumferentially on the rotary dial 6 are arranged in one arc region, and the worm gear 51 drives the rotary dial 6 to rotate forward or backward within the distribution range of the helical teeth 61.

[0048] Figure 11 The diagram shows a partial cross-sectional view of the rotating dial and the limiting disc's locking structure. The limiting disc 3 and the central shaft 43 are injection molded and fixed in the housing assembly 41. The compression elastic element 9 is compressed and installed in the cavity between the limiting disc 3 and the lower end ratchet 7. When the vehicle is parked and locked, the compression elastic element 9 provides the axial force to keep the lower end ratchet 7 and the upper end ratchet 8 engaged and locked, ensuring the locking function of the lower end ratchet 7 on the upper end ratchet 8. The center hole of the lower end ratchet 7 is fitted into the central shaft 43, and the central shaft 4 is used to center the lower end ratchet 7. The cover plate 42 is fixedly installed in the housing assembly 41 with bolts, and at the same time, it plays a role in axial and rotational positioning of the rotating dial 6.

[0049] Specific workflow: 1. Parking lock procedure: such as Figure 13-14 The diagram shown illustrates the vehicle parking lock operation described in this patent. When the parking mechanism is in the parking released state, the process is as follows: the brake motor rotates forward to the target braking force → the drive motor rotates forward → the rotary dial rotates to the limit position → stall current triggers → power is cut off. The forward rotation of the drive motor causes the rotary dial 6 to rotate in the braking direction. For ease of description, the rotary dial 6 is shown as rotating counterclockwise when viewed from above. Figure 15 The viewing angle is from bottom to top, so the rotation is clockwise. As the rotary dial 6 rotates, the guide part 72, which initially contacts the release plane 63, enters the groove 64 of the rotary dial 6 along the transition slope 66 under the action of the spring force of the compression elastic member 9. The lower end ratchet 7 rises to engage with the upper end ratchet 8 until the rotary dial 6 continues to rotate. The guide part 72 abuts against the limit groove wall 65. At the same time, the parking limit surface 621 abuts against the locking limit surface 33, and the parking lock is completed.

[0050] 2. The braking and re-clamping process is as follows: the brake motor rotates forward to increase force → the ratchet on the lower end face engages automatically → the system automatically locks after the target braking force is reached. Maintain as Figure 13-14 In the indicated state, the lower end ratchet 7 and the upper end ratchet 8 remain engaged. Figure 17As shown, the brake motor increases braking force and rotates forward. Since the lower end ratchet 7 is restricted by the locking part 31 of the limiting disc 3 and cannot rotate, the upper end ratchet 8 rotates relative to the lower end ratchet 7 in the braking and re-clamping direction under the drive of the brake motor. The braking and re-clamping direction is consistent with the braking direction of the rotating dial 6, as shown in the figure. From the side, it is counterclockwise. The end ratchet teeth of the upper end ratchet 8 and the lower end ratchet 7 mesh so that when the brake motor increases braking force arbitrarily, the upper end ratchet 8 can immediately engage and lock with the lower end ratchet 7 after it rotates.

[0051] 3. The parking release procedure is as follows: drive motor reverses → rotate dial to press down ratchet → stall current triggers → power off.

[0052] like Figure 15-16 As shown, when the drive motor 5 is energized in reverse, it drives the rotating dial 6 to rotate counterclockwise from bottom to top via the meshing worm gear. The guide part 72 in the groove 64 enters the release plane 63 along the transition slope 66. The release plane 63 presses down the lower end ratchet 7 and disengages the upper end ratchet 8, compressing the compression elastic element 9. When the rotating dial 6 rotates to the point where the release limit surface 622 abuts against the side of the guide part 72, the brake release is completed. The rotating dial 6 is limited and stops rotating, and the drive motor 5 is de-energized.

[0053] The vehicle parking actuator control method of the electromechanical caliper described in this patent is as follows: The parking lock control commands are as follows: S1. The caliper assembly controller receives the parking lock control command; S2. The controller sends a power-on signal to the brake motor. After the brake motor is powered on, the controller controls the brake motor to drive the transmission group to rotate in the forward direction until the target braking force is reached and maintained. Here, the target braking force specifically refers to the vehicle's parking braking force. The target braking force can be detected by a force sensor installed on the brake. This part is a mature existing technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0054] S3. The controller sends a power-on signal to the drive motor, the drive motor is powered in the forward direction, the rotary dial rotates to release the downward pressure on the lower end ratchet, the lower end ratchet engages with the upper end ratchet fixed to the brake motor shaft under the action of the return spring, at this time the reverse rotation of the brake motor shaft is locked by the lower end ratchet. During the operation of the drive motor, when the corresponding limiting surfaces of the rotating dial and the limiting plate abut against each other, the drive motor stalls, and the drive current increases accordingly. Therefore, by detecting the magnitude of the drive motor current, it can be determined whether the upper and lower end ratchet surfaces are engaged. Conversely, during the parking release operation, when the corresponding limiting surfaces of the rotating dial and the lower end ratchet surface abut against each other, the drive motor stalls, and the drive current increases, indicating that the parking release is complete at this time.

[0055] S4. The controller sends a power-off signal to the brake motor, which then de-energizes the brake motor, completing the vehicle parking lock action.

[0056] In particular, if the parking brake force is insufficient when the vehicle is in the parking lock state, the parking lock mechanism control command also includes: parking re-clamp command.

[0057] The re-clamp command when the parking lock is engaged is as follows: S5. The caliper assembly controller receives the parking re-clamp control command. S6. The controller sends a power signal to the brake motor, which drives the transmission assembly to rotate forward to achieve the target braking force. During this process, the brake motor rotates, causing the upper ratchet to rotate as well. The lower ratchet, under the action of the return spring, remains engaged with the upper ratchet. Once the target braking force is achieved, the upper and lower ratchets re-engage to complete the parking lock. S7. The controller sends a power-off signal to the brake motor, and the brake motor is de-energized. S8. Check whether the parking clamping force of the vehicle caliper assembly meets the requirements. If it meets the requirements, complete the parking process. If it does not meet the requirements, execute S6 again. When the vehicle is in the parking lock state, the parking lock mechanism control commands also include: parking release command.

[0058] One method of controlling the parking release command: S9, Caliper assembly controller receives parking release control command; S10. The controller sends a power-on signal to the brake motor. After the brake motor is powered on, the controller controls the brake motor to drive the transmission group to rotate in the forward direction until it is slightly greater than the current parking braking force, and maintains it. At this time, the lateral force of the upper end ratchet on the lower end ratchet disappears. S11. The controller sends a power-on signal to the drive motor, the drive motor is powered in reverse, the rotary dial rotates in reverse and drives the lower end ratchet to descend and disengage from the upper end ratchet. S12. The controller sends a power-off signal to the brake motor, the brake motor is de-energized, and the parking brake release is completed.

[0059] When the parking brake is released, unlike the ratchet and pawl locking mechanism which requires first energizing the brake motor to generate braking force to release the force between the ratchet and pawl before controlling the pawl to retract, another preferred control method can be selected to directly execute the parking brake release command: S13, The clamp assembly controller obtains the parking release control command; S14. The controller sends a power-on signal to the drive motor, which is then energized in reverse. The rotary dial rotates in the opposite direction, causing the lower ratchet to descend and disengage from the upper ratchet. S15. The controller detects whether there is residual braking clamping force and the rotor angle of the brake motor; S16. If there is no residual braking force, the parking release is complete; if there is residual braking force, drive the brake motor to rotate in the opposite direction to the initial position to completely release the braking force, and the parking release is complete.

[0060] Example 2 As another implementation method, the difference from Embodiment 1 is that the driving power source 5 is an electromagnet, which has an output rod. When the electromagnet is energized in the forward or reverse direction, the output rod extends or retracts. The rotary dial 6 has a connecting part, which is rotatably connected to the end of the output rod, such as through a hinge, linkage, or ball joint. In other words, the rotation driving method of the rotary dial 6 is different. If the driving power source 5 is an electromagnet, another difference from the first embodiment is the controller, which is electrically connected to the brake motor rotor assembly and the drive motor (5) to send power-on or power-off signals. When judging that the parking lock is completed or the parking release is completed, the controller can sense the position of the electromagnet push rod by adding a Hall element to the electromagnet push rod. After reaching the preset state, the controller controls the drive motor to cut off the power.

[0061] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0062] In summary, the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. All equivalent changes and modifications made within the scope of the claims of the present invention should be covered by the present invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle parking actuator for an electromechanical caliper, characterized in that, include: The brake motor rotor assembly (2) has a rotating shaft (21) with an upper end ratchet (8) and a torque output gear (22) fixedly connected to it. The parking lock mechanism assembly (1) includes: Housing assembly (41); The limiting plate (3) is fixedly connected to the housing assembly (41), and the limiting plate (3) is provided with an axially extending locking part (31). The driving power source includes a drive motor (5), and the output shaft of the drive motor (5) is fixedly connected to a worm gear (51). The rotary dial (6) is located above the limiting plate (3). The rotary dial (6) is circumferentially provided with a helical tooth (61) that is in transmission with the worm gear (51). The drive motor (5) drives the rotary dial (6) to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise. The bottom of the rotary dial (6) has a release plane (63), and the release plane (63) is concave to form a groove (64). The lower end ratchet (7) is located between the limiting plate (3) and the rotating dial (6). The bottom of the lower end ratchet (7) has a locking engagement part (73) that matches the shape of the locking part (31) of the limiting plate (3). The lower end ratchet (7) is restricted by circumferential rotation and can move axially relative to the limiting plate (3). The top of the lower end ratchet (7) has an end ratchet part (71). The side of the lower end ratchet (7) extends outward to form a guide part (72). A compression elastic element (9) is disposed between the lower end ratchet (7) and the rotating dial (6) to provide an upward elastic force to the lower end ratchet (7); Braking actuator, including Friction pads, which achieve vehicle parking braking or service braking through opposite movement; The rotating component is used to drive the friction plates to move in opposite directions. The torque output gear (22) of the brake motor rotor assembly (2) is connected to the rotating component through the transmission gear set (23). Among them, the lower end ratchet (7) has a locked axial position and a released axial position. When the lower end ratchet (7) is in the locked axial position, the guide (72) is accommodated in the groove (64), and the end ratchet part (71) meshes with the upper end ratchet (8) and locks the rotating shaft (21) of the brake motor rotor assembly (2). The drive motor (5) rotates in the opposite direction to drive the rotary dial (6) to rotate in the opposite direction, causing the guide part (72) to disengage from the groove (64) and contact the release plane (63). The guide part (72) can slide relative to the release plane (63). At this time, the lower end ratchet (7) is in the release axial position, and the end ratchet part (71) is pressed down by the release plane (63) and disengages from the upper end ratchet (8).

2. The vehicle parking actuator of an electromechanical caliper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller is electrically connected to the brake motor rotor assembly (2) and the drive motor (5) to send power-on or power-off signals. When the drive motor (5) rotates in the forward or reverse direction to drive the rotating dial (6) to rotate and abut against the limit plate (3) or the lower end ratchet (7), the drive motor (5) stalls, causing the drive current to rise. When the drive motor current reaches the preset value during parking lock, it is determined that the parking lock is complete, and the controller controls the drive motor (5) to be de-energized. When the drive motor current reaches the preset value during parking release, it is determined that the parking release is complete, and the controller controls the drive motor (5) to be de-energized.

3. The vehicle parking actuator of an electromechanical caliper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The release plane (63) of the rotary dial (6) protrudes outward to form a protruding limiting part (62), and the protruding limiting part (62) has a parking limiting surface (621) and a release limiting surface (622) on both sides respectively. The limiting plate (3) is provided with a through hole (32) for the protruding limiting part (62) to extend into, and one side wall of the through hole (32) is a locking limiting surface (33). When the drive motor (5) rotates in the forward direction, it drives the rotary dial (6) to rotate until the parking limit surface (621) and the locking limit surface (33) come into contact, the upper end ratchet (8) and the lower end ratchet (7) are fully engaged, and the parking lock is completed. When the drive motor (5) rotates in the opposite direction, it drives the rotating dial (6) to rotate until the release limit surface (622) abuts against the side of the guide part (72), and the brake release is completed.

4. The vehicle parking actuator of an electromechanical caliper according to claim 3, characterized in that: The side of the groove (64) has a limiting groove wall (65). When the parking limiting surface (621) abuts against the locking limiting surface (33), the side of the guide part (72) in the groove (64) abuts against the limiting groove wall (65) and the rotating dial (6) stops rotating, thus completing the parking lock.

5. The vehicle parking actuator of an electromechanical caliper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower end face ratchet (7) is restricted from axial rotation by the limiting plate (3), and the upper end face ratchet (8) is engaged with the ratchet teeth of the end face ratchet part (71). When the lower end face ratchet (7) is in the locked axial position, the upper end face ratchet (8) can rotate relative to the end face ratchet part (71) in the brake reclamp rotation direction, and is restricted from rotation by the end face ratchet part (71) in the opposite direction to the brake reclamp rotation direction. During brake reclamp control, the brake motor rotor assembly (2) drives the upper end face ratchet (8) to rotate relative to the end face ratchet part (71) in the brake reclamp rotation direction and locks it by follower engagement after rotating at any angle.

6. The vehicle parking actuator of an electromechanical caliper according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a cover plate (42), which is fixedly connected to the housing assembly (41). The cover plate (42) axially limits the rotating dial (6). The bottom outer periphery of the limiting plate (3) is provided with at least one ring of toothed portion (34). The limiting plate (3) is fixed to the housing assembly (41) by injection molding.

7. The vehicle parking actuator of an electromechanical caliper according to claim 1, characterized in that: There is a transition ramp (66) between the groove (64) and the release plane (63) on the side away from the limiting groove wall (65) for the guide part (72) to slide in or out, and the top surface of the guide part (72) is provided with a guide ramp (721) that cooperates with the transition ramp (66).

8. The vehicle parking actuator of an electromechanical caliper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking part (31) of the limiting plate (3) is a centrally symmetrical opening. The locking engagement part (73) at the bottom of the lower end ratchet (7) is a protrusion. The locking engagement part (73) matches the shape of the opening and can be inserted into the opening. The opening restricts the circumferential rotation of the lower end ratchet (7). The lower end ratchet (7) has an axially extending shaft hole (74) in the center and a central shaft (43) fixed to the housing assembly (41). The central shaft (43) extends out of the limiting plate (3) and passes through the shaft hole (74) to axially limit the lower end ratchet (7). The lower end ratchet (7) can slide axially relative to the limiting plate (3).

9. The vehicle parking actuator of an electromechanical caliper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower end ratchet (7) has two guide parts (72) symmetrically arranged on both sides, and the bottom surface of the rotary dial (6) also has two protruding limiting parts (62) and two grooves (64) symmetrically arranged.

10. The vehicle parking actuator of an electromechanical caliper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The helical teeth (61) of the rotating dial (6) are arranged in one of the arc areas, and the worm gear (51) drives the rotating dial (6) to rotate forward or backward within the distribution range of the helical teeth (61).

11. A vehicle parking actuator for an electromechanical caliper, characterized in that, include: The brake motor rotor assembly (2) has a rotating shaft (21) with an upper end ratchet (8) and a torque output gear (22) fixedly connected to it. The parking lock mechanism assembly (1) includes: Housing assembly (41); The limiting plate (3) is fixedly connected to the housing assembly (41), and the limiting plate (3) is provided with an axially extending locking part (31). The driving power source includes an electromagnet, which has an output rod. The rotating dial (6) is provided with a connecting part, which is rotatably connected to the end of the output rod. When the electromagnet is energized in the forward or reverse direction, the output rod extends or retracts, causing the rotating dial (6) to rotate forward or in reverse. The rotary dial (6) is located above the limiting disc (3). The bottom of the rotary dial (6) has a release plane (63), and the release plane (63) is recessed to form a groove (64). The lower end ratchet (7) is located between the limiting plate (3) and the rotating dial (6). The bottom of the lower end ratchet (7) has a locking engagement part (73) that matches the shape of the locking part (31) of the limiting plate (3). The lower end ratchet (7) is restricted by circumferential rotation and can move axially relative to the limiting plate (3). The top of the lower end ratchet (7) has an end ratchet part (71). The side of the lower end ratchet (7) extends outward to form a guide part (72). A compression elastic element (9) is disposed between the lower end ratchet (7) and the rotating dial (6) to provide an upward elastic force to the lower end ratchet (7); Braking actuator, including Friction pads, which achieve vehicle parking braking or service braking through opposite movement; The rotating component is used to drive the friction plates to move in opposite directions. The torque output gear (22) of the brake motor rotor assembly (2) is connected to the rotating component through the transmission gear set (23). Among them, the lower end ratchet (7) has a locked axial position and a released axial position. When the lower end ratchet (7) is in the locked axial position, the guide (72) is accommodated in the groove (64), and the end ratchet part (71) meshes with the upper end ratchet (8) and locks the rotating shaft (21) of the brake motor rotor assembly (2). The electromagnet drives the rotating dial (6) to rotate in the opposite direction, causing the guide (72) to disengage from the groove (64) and contact the release plane (63). The guide (72) can slide relative to the release plane (63). At this time, the lower end ratchet (7) is in the release axial position, and the end ratchet part (71) is pressed down by the release plane (63) and disengages from the upper end ratchet (8).

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