SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING THE WEAR OF A DISC BRAKE

Abstract

System for braking a vehicle, the system encompassing: a brake disc; a disc brake, including: an inner brake pad and an outer brake pad that are selectively clamped to the brake disc to slow down or stop the rotation of the brake disc; a carrier that is coupled to the vehicle; a brake caliper housing that is movably coupled to the carrier; and an adjuster for moving the inner brake pad and / or the outer brake pad relative to the brake disc; a first sensor to detect the linear movement of the brake caliper housing relative to the carrier housing; a second sensor to detect a rotational movement of the adjuster; a control system that determines external brake pad wear based on the linear movement of the caliper housing relative to the carrier and internal brake pad wear based on the rotational movement of the adjuster.

Claims

[1] System for braking a vehicle, the system comprising: a brake disc; a disc brake, including: an inner brake pad and an outer brake pad that are selectively clamped to the brake disc to slow down or stop the rotation of the brake disc; a carrier that is coupled to the vehicle; a brake caliper housing that is movably coupled to the carrier; and an adjuster for moving the inner brake pad and / or the outer brake pad relative to the brake disc; a first sensor to detect the linear movement of the brake caliper housing relative to the carrier housing; a second sensor to detect a rotational movement of the adjuster; a control system that determines external brake pad wear based on the linear movement of the caliper housing relative to the carrier and internal brake pad wear based on the rotational movement of the adjuster. [2] System according to claim 1, wherein the control system: transmits an output to an output device, the output indicating the outer brake pad wear and / or the inner brake pad wear; and / or the internal brake pad wear is determined based on the rotational movement of the adjuster and on the linear movement of the brake caliper housing relative to the carrier. [3] System according to claim 1, wherein: the second sensor is a potentiometer; and / or the first sensor and the second sensor are coupled to the brake caliper housing. [4] System according to claim 1, further comprising a first magnet coupled to the carrier and a second magnet coupled to the carrier housing; wherein the first sensor is configured to detect the first magnet in order to determine the linear movement of the brake caliper housing relative to the carrier; and wherein the second sensor is designed to detect the second magnet in order to determine the rotational movement of the adjuster. [5] System according to claim 1, further comprising: a sliding pin coupled to the carrier; and a first magnet coupled to the sliding pin; wherein the guide pin is received in a sleeve defined by the brake caliper housing; and wherein the first sensor is designed to detect the first magnet in order to determine the linear movement of the brake caliper housing relative to the carrier. [6] System according to claim 5, further comprising a magnet housing that holds the first magnet relative to the sliding pin. [7] System according to claim 1, wherein the control system determines an operating sliding position based on the output of the first sensor and determines a difference between the operating sliding position and a base sliding position stored in a memory system of the control system in order to determine the external brake pad wear. [8] System according to claim 1, wherein the control system determines a percentage external brake pad wear by dividing the external brake pad wear by an initial external brake pad thickness stored in a memory system of the control system. [9] System according to claim 8, wherein the control system transmits an output to an output device indicating that the percentage external brake pad wear is greater than a maximum permissible percentage external brake pad wear. [10] System according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster comprises a plunger and the second sensor is a potentiometer, and wherein the second sensor engages with the adjuster to detect a rotation when the rotational movement of the adjuster occurs. [11] System according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster includes a plunger and further comprises a second magnet coupled to the plunger; and wherein the second sensor is configured to detect the second magnet in order to determine the rotational movement of the adjuster; and Optionally, a magnetic housing is included that holds the second magnet relative to the plunger. [12] System according to claim 11, wherein the control system determines a linear tappet distance based on the output of the second sensor and determines a difference between the linear tappet distance and the outer brake pad wear in order to determine the inner brake pad wear; and optionally wherein the control system determines the linear tappet distance based on a total rotation of the tappet stored in the memory system of the control system. [13] System according to claim 1, wherein the control system determines a percentage of inner brake pad wear by dividing the inner brake pad wear by an initial inner brake pad thickness stored in a memory system of the control system; and optionally, the control system transmits an output to a communication device indicating that the percentage of inner brake pad wear is greater than a maximum permissible percentage of inner brake pad wear. [14] System for determining wear of a disc brake for braking a brake disc of a vehicle, wherein the disc brake comprises a brake caliper designed to clamp opposing inner and outer brake pads to the brake disc, a carrier, a brake caliper housing and an adjuster for moving the inner brake pad and / or the outer brake pad relative to the brake disc, comprising: a first sensor designed to detect the linear movement of the brake caliper housing relative to the carrier; a second sensor designed to detect the rotational movement of the adjuster; a tax system that is designed to: to determine the outer brake pad wear based on the linear movement of the brake caliper housing relative to the carrier; and to determine the inner brake pad wear based on the rotational movement of the adjuster; and to transmit an output that indicates the outer brake pad wear and the inner brake pad wear. [15] System according to claim 14, wherein the control system determines the internal brake pad wear based on the rotational movement of the adjuster and on the linear movement of the brake caliper housing relative to the carrier.