Vehicle braking system and method for operating a vehicle braking system

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle braking system for a vehicle wheel, which has at least one brake pad and a friction partner interacting therewith, wherein the braking system comprises at least one odor sensor for detecting at least one predetermined odor and / or odor spectrum on the braking system.

Description

The invention relates to a vehicle brake system according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a method for operating such a brake system according to independent claim 7.It is known to monitor or monitor vehicle brake systems, in particular of passenger cars and trucks, for faults which occur. For example, DE 40 06 885 C2 discloses monitoring the operating temperature of the brake disks of a vehicle brake system. In particular, this monitoring is intended to signal the closing of one brake or the other, for example because of a piston of the brake caliper which tends to become stuck or because of excessive contamination of the brake.In the case of a named stuck state of a piston (known as a "brake that is being stuck"), the brake lining of the brake system slides against a brake disk or against a friction partner of the brake system, although there is no longer any braking request. Such a sticking occurs, for example, due to the absence of lubricant or a defective seal and dirt that therefore enters inside the brake piston device.It is an object of the invention to provide a vehicle brake system for avoiding the above-mentioned problems. This is to indicate problems and to indicate a method for operating the same in which alternative monitoring is provided.The object is achieved by a vehicle brake system having the features of claim 1 and by a method for operating such a system having the features of subordinate claim 7.A vehicle brake system is proposed, which has at least one brake lining and a friction partner interacting therewith.Such a vehicle brake system (also referred to for short as a brake system) is used in particular in a passenger car, a motorcycle or in a truck. However, other types of vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, are also conceivable.The brake system comprises a so-called friction brake.Such a friction brake has a brake lining (also referred to as friction lining) which is constructed from a friction material. A braking force is applied to the brake lining, so that the working surface of the brake lining is pressed against the friction surface of the friction partner of the wheel to be braked. The friction partner is in particular a brake disc (for example a caliper brake) or a brake drum (in particular a drum brake).Heat is generated due to the friction of the brake lining with the friction partner used during braking (or in the event of errors). In addition, brake particles are removed from the brake lining or its friction partner.Depending on the temperature of the brake lining or of the friction partner or of the particles, different odors are produced. A brake which is locked as described above also has a typical odour.It is therefore provided that the brake system at least comprises an odor sensor for detecting at least one predefined odor and / or odor spectrum at the brake system.The odor sensor is designed in particular in such a way that it detects or senses only specific odors or odor spectra predefined for it. Thus, different odors, for example, odors of this type that are identifying for specific fault situations on the brake system, may be stored, the odor sensor then responding only to these odors or sensing only these odors. For example, the odor sensor reacts only to odors that indicate a fault in the brake system. Such an odor can be triggered or arise, for example, by a fault due to excessively high temperatures, a brake that is engaged, or, for example, a wear state of the brake system. Exactly such odors or odor spectra can be identified and stored in advance and, when they occur in the brake system, can be sensed or detected by the odor sensor.It is thus possible in a simple manner to identify a fault in the brake system on the basis of a specific odor and, if possible countermeasures specifically matched to the fault are to be initiated at an early stage.The odor sensor is preferably arranged in the immediate vicinity of the brake lining and / or the friction partner. It can thus be ensured that, in particular, the odors are detected on the brake lining or on the friction partner and, in particular, errors which are associated with these components are detected.Such an odor sensor can be designed, for example, in the manner of a mass spectrometer. The odor sensor can operate, for example, according to the physical basic principle of such a mass spectrometer, but is preferably directed much more specifically to individual odors and is therefore much less complicated and less expensive.Thus, for example, a magnetic field can be provided on the brake system (preferably in the immediate vicinity of the friction partner or the brake lining), into which molecules or the surrounding gas volume is introduced. These odour molecules are separated by the magnetic field. The downstream is a separation according to the electric field, whereupon the molecular weights can be determined, for example, specific carbon compounds and their proportion can be determined. With this method, the charge and weight of a particle can be determined.It is thus conceivable that a device is provided which operates on the last-described function basis of such a mass spectrometer and is aligned with a very specific, predetermined carbon structure of an odour molecule. Since in particular only known odor molecules or predefined odor molecules of the carbon structures are to be detected, a specific magnetic field designed for this can be provided, which is designed to be geometrically small. Also, an accurate field name can be given. Therefore, an odor sensor is conceivable which, although it works with the functioning of a mass spectrometer, is much smaller and simpler in design.It is also possible that a gas sensor for detecting an odor is formed as a combination of molecules in the form of gases as an odor sensor.Such a gas sensor can, for example, measure an odor as a constellation of different molecules in the form of gases in the air and assign specific patterns to specific scent notes, for example the odor of a grinding brake lining or rust, which have been programmed into the sensor.Such an odor sensor can be formed, for example, from a chip with a few individual sensors. A particular material combination (e.g., tin dioxide) of the surface of the chip, a particular change in electrical resistance may be measured by deposition of the particular odor molecules on the sensor surface. This allows a special odor to be measured in a simple and cost-effective manner.It is additionally possible to provide a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature on a brake lining and / or a friction partner interacting therewith. Such a temperature sensor can serve as verification or as an additional check when a fault is identified by the odor sensor. If, for example, a fault on the brake system is sensed or detected by the odor sensor, which fault indicates that the brake lining is slipping or that the brake is overheating, it can be checked once again with the temperature sensor whether, for example, an excessively high temperature is actually present.Furthermore, a method for operating a vehicle brake system is provided which is designed according to one of Claims 1 to 7 and comprises at least one brake lining and a friction partner interacting therewith and at least one odor sensor.In this case, it is provided that, if the odor sensor (which can be designed as described above) detects at least one predefined or stored odor or an odor spectrum, a warning signal is output.As already described, it is particularly preferably provided that the detected odor or odor spectrum is assigned to an error stored in this specific odor or spectrum.Thus, a vehicle occupant or a vehicle owner can carry out an error correction at an early stage by the emitted warning signal before the error continues to progress and assumes greater extents.The warning signal can be output, for example, in the form of a haptic and / or an acoustic and / or a visual warning.For example, a warning person or a warning notice may appear in a display area in the vehicle cockpit, which alerts the vehicle occupant to the specific fault in the brake system.As already mentioned, a temperature sensor can additionally be provided as a checking function, which detects a temperature and the warning signal is only output when a predefined limit temperature is exceeded.References included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedDE 40 06 885 C2 [0001, 0002]

Claims

Vehicle brake system, which has at least one brake lining and a friction partner interacting therewith, characterized in that the brake system comprises at least one odour sensor for detecting at least one predefined odour and / or odour spectrum at the brake system.Vehicle braking system according to Claim 1, wherein the odour sensor is designed in the manner of a mass spectrometer.Vehicle brake system according to Claim 1, wherein the odour sensor is designed as a gas sensor for detecting an odour as a combination of molecules in the form of gases.Vehicle brake system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one predefined odor and / or the predefined odor spectrum is at least one odor which is identifying at least one fault situation on the brake system.Vehicle brake system according to Claim 4, wherein the odour sensor is configured to detect the odour of a grinding brake lining and / or of a grinding friction partner and / or of a closure state on the brake system and / or of rust and / or of a heated material.Vehicle brake system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the odour sensor is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the brake lining and / or the friction partner.Vehicle brake system according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature on a brake lining and / or a friction partner interacting therewith.Method for operating a vehicle brake system which is designed according to one of Claims 1 to 7 and comprises at least one brake lining and a friction partner interacting therewith and at least one odour sensor, wherein a warning signal is output if the odour sensor detects at least one predefined odour and / or a predefined odour spectrum on the vehicle brake system.Method according to Claim 8, wherein a haptic and / or an acoustic and / or a visual warning is output as the warning signal.Method according to one of the preceding claims 8 or 9, wherein the detected odor and / or the detected odor spectrum is assigned to an error stored for this specific odor.Method according to one of the preceding Claims 7 to 9, wherein a temperature sensor of the brake system detects a temperature and the warning signal is output only when a predefined limit temperature is exceeded.