Device for hydraulic actuation system

Abstract

To provide a device in which the main components of a hydraulic actuation system for vehicles, particularly for electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles equipped with electric traction motors, and autonomously operated or unmanned vehicles, are designed taking into account the requirements for a very short structural length on the bulkhead, quiet operation, very high reliability / system availability, and high feedback control accuracy. [Solution] At least one pressure supply device, a valve device with at least one solenoid valve, hydraulic connectors AL1, AL2 for the wheel brakes of the vehicle axles, engine control electronics for the BLDC motor, valve output stages and an ECU with sensors, an electrically or hydraulically operated mobile simulator with actuation pedals and / or components of the device electrically or electrically and hydraulically connected to a central computer M-ECU are combined to form a main module MO and are arranged in particular in one housing.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for a hydraulically actuated system, in particular a brake or clutch, of a motor vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Considering many new systems from automotive manufacturers (OEMs), installing the assembly, especially in the motor or assembly compartment, poses even greater challenges due to limited installation space. In some cases, for example, the ABS assembly, especially in front-wheel drive and transverse motor configurations, is located behind the motor, resulting in the need to remove the motor during replacement of the ABS assembly.

[0003] Therefore, OEMs are being asked to reduce the size of existing assemblies or make new assemblies for brake systems and clutch / gear actuators as compact as possible. Furthermore, there are right-hand drive and left-hand drive vehicles, which results in the so-called packaging being identical in the case of brake assemblies.

[0004] Many assemblies have electrical functions and sensors which often require multiple plug connectors, which can be cumbersome, especially in terms of installation.

[0005] Furthermore, crashworthiness requirements are increasing, and as a result, the installation length of systems within an assembly compartment must be as short and narrow as possible, especially when they are fixed to the bulkhead and adjacent assemblies, or when a control unit is attached to said installation unit. The ideal desire of vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) is to avoid attaching assemblies to the driver's bulkhead, but this is only possible in driverless, automated vehicles, since actuation devices (brake, accelerator pedals) can be omitted. Furthermore, the use of automatic transmission shifting devices (double clutch, automated manual shifting devices) is increasing, so that clutch actuation devices can be omitted, while brake actuation and accelerator pedals remain mandatory devices in vehicles with a driver.

[0006] As is known, in the case of brake systems, there is a strong trend away from the current conventional so-called "three-box solution," in which the brake force booster, ABS / ESP assembly, and vacuum pump form different structural units, which may also be arranged spatially separated, towards an integrated "one-box solution." In the "one-box solution," all components, such as the pressure supply, hydraulic (valve) unit (HCU), feedback control unit (ECU), and master cylinder, are integrated into one structural unit. German Patent No. 10 2012 213 216, for example, describes a compact "one-box brake system" of the aforementioned type. The main feature here is that the axis of the electric motor is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first piston-cylinder unit.

[0007] In the mid-1980s, Teves produced a partially integrated solution with this feature in the Mark 2, but also in a variant in which the axis of the electric motor with pump was arranged parallel to the working axis. It is noteworthy that, unlike the proposed invention, the motor, pressure supply and ECU were not integrated into one housing unit. Here, the motor with pump was mounted and connected via hose lines to a housing consisting of the valve block (HCU) and the cylinder-piston unit. The purpose of a very narrow and short structural unit was still not achieved.

[0008] As a sensor for an electric drive motor, German Patent No. 10 2011 017 436 describes a toothed gear drive for the motor target. In this case, the sensor elements are arranged in a sensor module that is connected to the system circuit board by a plug connection. In addition, a redundant pedal movement sensor and a sensor for monitoring the fill level in the brake fluid container are required.

[0009] In the braking system described in German Patent No. 10 2012 213 216, the first cylinder-piston arrangement operated by the vehicle driver, the pressure supply device, and the valve arrangement are arranged in the same housing, with the axis of the electric motor of the pressure supply device being arranged substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first cylinder-piston arrangement. While this solution already achieves a certain degree of compactness, it can still be improved. In particular, German Patent No. 10 2012 213 216 is designed for the spatial boundary conditions of the circular contour of conventional vacuum boosters and does not take into account the optimization of the overall packaging of the vehicle. For optimal packaging, a rectangular structural form is more advantageous than a circular contour. Furthermore, the adaptability to various installation situations, such as the installation of bulkhead-mounted electric brake force boosters and electric brake force boosters with integrated ABS in the motor compartment (so-called "front-bolted"), leaves something to be desired.

[0010] The trend towards electric or hybrid vehicles with increasingly quiet traction is constantly increasing. Therefore, integrated one-box brake systems located in the bulkhead are becoming more and more noticeable due to the noise they generate due to the electric motor, gearing, hydraulics, and valve switching, since the sound of the drive motor (especially in the case of electric and hybrid vehicles) is becoming less and less audible. Therefore, solutions are also sought for brake systems for electric vehicles to ensure that they operate as quietly as possible, position noise-generating components differently, and minimize the transmission of body-borne noise as much as possible.

[0011] For example, several manufacturers, such as Apple, UBER, or Google, are working on fully autonomous vehicles without a driver, which are intended to no longer have brake pedals in their final configuration. Known approaches to this solution include EMB or wedge-type brakes. These systems have not been established so far due to safety concerns and high costs. The high costs are due in particular to the fact that each wheel brake requires an electric motor and a complex electromechanical mechanism.

[0012] The requirements for new future braking systems, especially with increasingly powerful electric drive motors, can be summarised as follows: -Short and narrow structural form - Good accessibility to hydraulic lines, especially brake lines to wheel brakes -Good accessibility, especially of the plug connectors of the main line set, and short cable lengths to the vehicle distribution box (central electrical system) -Good ventilation during the final assembly process (vacuum) as well as during maintenance (pedal-operated ventilation) -Short route for the power lines from the plug connector to the power supply of the motor controller -Good cooling and heat dissipation for the power supply section (output stage, MOSFET and driver) -Reduction of noise caused by drive and solenoid valves, and body-borne noise transmitted to bulkheads -Short bore from THZ, pressure delay to HCU.

[0013] Specifically, purely electric vehicles (EVs) and future vehicles capable of automated or driverless operation will additionally require: - Completely silent operation, i.e. no disturbing noise from the bulkhead assembly, -An even shorter structure than conventional passenger cars due to the new vehicle platform concept, Wheel-specific or axle-specific braking interventions by the drive motors, in particular during generator operation, where the drive motors are positioned on one or both axles or directly on the wheels; -Improved safety through system redundancy, signal transmission and power supply; -New demands on the accuracy of feedback control to further shorten braking distances.

[0014] Due to the large number of vehicle drive concepts, especially with the coexistence of vehicles with internal combustion motors and purely electric vehicles (internal combustion motors, hybrid motors, purely electric vehicles, driverless vehicles), the modularity of the system, i.e. the use of identical components / modules, especially in the pressure supply, is of great importance. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0015] The object of the present invention is to provide a device for vehicles, in particular electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles with electric traction motors (TM), and autonomously operated or unmanned vehicles, in which the main components of a hydraulic actuation system are designed taking into account the requirements for very short structural lengths on the bulkhead, quiet operation, very high reliability / system availability, and high feedback control accuracy requirements. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] The object of the invention is achieved by a device having the features of patent claim 1.

[0017] The device according to the invention is particularly advantageously distinguished by the fact that the main components, such as a pressure supply in the form of a piston or double-stroke piston pump with one or two working chambers for pressure changes in at least one hydraulic circuit, and also its electric drive and intermediate transmission mechanism, in particular a recirculating ball mechanism or a trapezoidal spindle mechanism, and also at least one solenoid valve, a valve arrangement with hydraulic ports for at least two hydraulic consumers of the hydraulic actuation system, and also an electronic control unit ECU for actuating the solenoid valve and the electric drive, are integrated into one module (hereinafter referred to as the main module), which is electrically connected or electrically and hydraulically connected to at least one further system component (hereinafter referred to as the actuation module or system component), which may be an electrically or hydraulically operated mobility simulator with actuation pedals and / or a central processor.

[0018] The device according to the invention can therefore be used advantageously for pure pressure supply, pressure feedback control and assembly diagnostics, where: -The brake pedal is not used at all, as in the case of autonomous vehicles, or a brake pedal or brake lever is used that is coupled to the module purely electrically, as is the case for example in brake-by-wire electric vehicles, or a brake pedal or brake lever is used that is hydraulically and electrically coupled to the module, Here, in the latter two variants, a movement simulator may also be provided in each case.

[0019] If there is a hydraulic connection between the main module and an actuation module, for example with a brake pedal, a hydraulic fallback level is realized, so that in the event of, for example, a failure of the main module's motor, braking pressure can still be built up in at least one wheel brake by means of the brake pedal. Depending on the design variant, the type of vehicle (two-wheeler, passenger car, passenger car with electric drive motor) and the safety requirements, the actuation module can be designed as a single-circuit or two-circuit master brake cylinder (HZ or THZ) and can direct hydraulic volume to one or two brake circuits, or to two or four wheel brakes, in the event of a system failure (full-back level), in order to create a manual emergency braking function.

[0020] Furthermore, the main module may be connected to a higher-level control device via advantageously redundant data lines, in particular a data and / or control bus.

[0021] The brake pedal as an actuator can likewise be located on an additional module, optionally also a movement sensor, which is connected to the main module either by a purely electrical connection or by an electrical / hydraulic connection, depending on the design of the actuator.

[0022] The main module according to the invention can be provided singly or in multiples in a vehicle, and thus may selectively perform pressure feedback control on two wheel brakes of preferably one axle or on four wheel brakes of a vehicle.

[0023] In a first embodiment, the main module has two hydraulic output lines, so that pressure feedback control, e.g. brake force boost during recovery and blending feedback control, is performed on two separate wheel brakes or two hydraulic circuits.

[0024] The first embodiment is provided for motorcycles or vehicles where brake force boost or blending is used on one axle, for example, in motor racing using a high-power electric drive motor. Blending is necessary when one axle is provided with an electric drive motor with recovery in generator mode. In this case, recovery is feedback-controlled by the main module, and a constant driver feel of the actuating unit is set by adjustment, i.e., the actuating unit is not affected by pressure feedback control and is decoupled. In this case, the actuating unit is decoupled in normal mode by a normally open solenoid valve, preferably located in the main module. If a solenoid valve is required in the actuating module for other functions (diagnostics, travel simulator) (e.g., as described in the applicant's PCT / EP2015 / 068693), a normally open solenoid valve can be provided in the actuating unit. This opens only if the main module fails, allowing brake pressure to build up in the wheel brakes via hydraulic pressure accumulated by the actuating unit.

[0025] In this case, the ABS / ESP function can be used without restrictions when used in a motorcycle. When using embodiment 1 in a vehicle with two axles, the driving stability function can only be realized in a limited way by pressure feedback control, for example, by ideally distributing the brake pressure within the axle in a manner that depends on the weight transfer during deceleration and acceleration. The latter function is perfectly suitable for simple vehicles, such as urban vehicles and inexpensive vehicles weighing less than one ton in emerging countries.

[0026] In further possible second and third embodiments, to achieve greater dynamics or redundancy, two main modules are arranged in the vehicle, each main module comprising a pressure supply unit, a solenoid valve and a control unit, the system has two hydraulic circuits with four hydraulic consumer components, e.g. four wheel brakes, and each main module is used for pressure feedback control of only one hydraulic circuit with multiple consumer components, e.g. two wheel brakes.

[0027] In this system, two main modules can be used to implement ideal feedback control of the wheel brakes, such as brake force boost, blending, ABS / ESP, and driver assistance functions (e.g., emergency braking, distance control, etc.). Here, the system resembles the performance characteristics of a pure brake-by-wire system (EMB, wedge-type brake). In particular, in this design variant, it may be advantageous to use multiple feedback control, as described in the applicant's European Patent Application No. 1 874 602. For this purpose, one solenoid switching valve must be provided for each brake circuit of the main modules. In addition to the switching valves, an outlet valve can also be provided for at least one main module, as described in the applicant's PCT / EP2015 / 081402. In this way, it is possible to meet the requirements for highly dynamic feedback control, especially for the vehicle's front axle. It may also be advantageous to use the valve switching and control described in PCT / EP2015 / 081403 to achieve a quiet pressure build-up with piston-controlled inlet pressure and release the pressure via an outlet valve.

[0028] Furthermore, the system has two completely independent main modules, each with its own electronics and electric motors, which can still serve both wheel brakes in case of a module failure, so the system has a very high degree of redundancy, similar to a conventional two-box system (electric booster + ESP), thus achieving adequate safety for autonomous driving.

[0029] The second embodiment also has a hydraulic connection of the actuation unit to the main module. For this purpose, a normally open solenoid valve is provided in the main module. Thus, even in the event of a system failure, pressure can still build up in the brake circuit due to the driver's operating force, and the safety of the system is further improved by the two main modules in addition to the already provided redundancy.

[0030] In a third embodiment, control is realized purely electrically by the M-ECU, while the main module preferably only performs additional pressure actuation functions. Dynamic feedback control of operation is then performed by the M-ECU. The M-ECU is also preferably of redundant design (e.g., quad-core). In this embodiment, the actuation unit can be omitted. In this embodiment, it is advantageously possible to design the electrical connections between the main modules, on the one hand, and between the main modules and the control unit, on the other hand, redundantly. The main modules are redundantly connected to two voltage sources, for example, a 12V battery, a second voltage supply network of 48V or higher voltage, a 12V battery, and a DC / DC converter of the second voltage network. Furthermore, signal transmission between the main module and the control unit is preferably performed redundantly via two signal lines, which in this case may be cable or wireless transmission. Therefore, a combination of cable transmission and wireless transmission is also possible as redundancy. These extended redundancy measures enable the third embodiment to adequately provide redundancy and safety features for autonomous or driverless vehicles, and in both cases to outperform purely electric braking systems with four actuators per wheel brake (wedge brake, EMB) in terms of cost and reliability.

[0031] In the case of the third embodiment in particular, the use of a trapezoidal spindle is a further possibility for cost reduction, as will be discussed in more detail in Main Module Concept 2. This is possible because a lower level of power is required and the system has freedom in designing the pressure-supply piston of the main module due to the absence of structural space constraints. The system can therefore be designed for low axial force loads of the trapezoidal spindle and low torque of the drive motor, resulting in a very inexpensive design such that the additional cost of the two modules is relatively low.

[0032] In further variants (embodiments 4 to 7), only one main module is provided. The main module has four hydraulic output lines, and pressure feedback control of one of the four wheel brakes is performed via each output line. In such a system, the main module can perform all functions, such as brake force boost, blending, ABS / ESP, and driver assistance functions, while simultaneously enforcing fewer performance constraints. This offers a cost advantage over the second and third embodiments, and thus represents a target system concept for a range of passenger car applications. A double-stroke piston pump with two working chambers is advantageously used as the pressure supply to create hydraulic redundancy. The configuration of the pressure supply with the electric motor, spindle drive, and piston is shown in more detail in FIG. 3. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, a 2x3-phase contact between the drive motor and redundant power supply is advantageous for increased availability. Apart from the redundancy of the 2x3-phase contact, an electrically isolated design of the electronic circuit board, particularly the B6 bridge of the motor, is also advantageous. This also applies to further embodiments in which a 2x3-phase contact is used.

[0033] In the fourth to sixth embodiments, in addition to the main module, an actuation module is provided, which in the fourth embodiment has preferably redundant electrical connections and one or two hydraulic connections to the main module, while in the fifth and sixth embodiments it has only purely electrical, preferably redundant, connections. In the fourth embodiment, one or two normally open valves are provided, preferably integrated into the main module. One normally open valve is required for an actuation module with one circuit, and two normally open valves are required for an actuation module with two hydraulic circuits (e.g., PCT / EP2015 / 068693). The hydraulic connections provide a fallback level in case of a main module failure: in the event of a main module failure, the actuation module supplies pressure medium to at least one, preferably two, brake circuits or accumulates pressure in at least one brake circuit. To increase redundancy, it is also possible to provide two hydraulic lines instead of one between the main module and the actuation module.

[0034] If the hydraulic connection or actuation module is omitted in the fifth embodiment, additional safety measures are essential, which are also recommended in the fourth embodiment, such as redundant connection of the main module to two on-board electrical systems, redundancy of signal lines, designing the motor in the form of 2x3 phases, and configuring the system for hydraulic redundancy, for example by means of a double-stroke piston-type pump with two actuation chambers.

[0035] In a sixth embodiment, two electric motors and two redundant pressure supplies are provided, one supplying pressure to one hydraulic circuit or two wheel brakes in each case. In this case, the pressure supply is preferably designed as a single-piston pump with a trapezoidal spindle (see FIG. 4 with a trapezoidal spindle). Here, it is possible to dispense with a certain degree of redundancy (2 × 3-phase contacts of the electric motors) and a double-stroke piston pump with two working chambers. The system can also achieve higher feedback control performance if each pressure supply of the main module can supply pressure medium to the hydraulic circuits in parallel and independently of each other. In this case, in the sixth embodiment, similar performance to that of the second and third embodiments, i.e., one motor serves one hydraulic circuit or two wheel brakes in each case, it is also possible to build up pressure in one brake circuit in a multiplexed manner (without outlet valves), while the pressure in the other brake circuit is dissipated in parallel. This is particularly advantageous in the case of highly dynamic interventions (e.g. braking with high friction coefficients, special ESP interventions) and results in driving stabilization and shorter braking distances in the case of very powerful vehicles. To achieve the same reliability as in the second and third embodiments, the electronic system is redundant with individual drives for each motor, e.g. 2 x B6 bridges, electrically separate electronic circuit boards, and the electrical supply and signal transmission of the main module are also redundant.

[0036] Since the seventh embodiment is intended for a driverless vehicle, the actuation module is not necessary and is therefore omitted.

[0037] As a result of dividing the device according to the invention into several modules, the main module can be located away from the bulkhead of the motor compartment, which advantageously results in less noise being transmitted to the passenger compartment from the main module, which noise is generated by the highly dynamic feedback control in ABS / ESP mode as a result of hydraulic vibrations, and from solenoid valve switching noise as a result of pressure differences. The main module can be located almost anywhere in the motor compartment.

[0038] If the vehicle has a traction motor, this can also be used for braking assistance. For this purpose, it is necessary to activate the traction motor accordingly and to coordinate the functions of the components with each other. Therefore, electrical connections between the main module, the higher-level controller, and the traction motor via a data bus and / or control bus are necessary and must be provided accordingly.

[0039] The main module can be positioned both horizontally and vertically in the motor compartment. It is also possible to provide corresponding damping elements to minimize noise.

[0040] Furthermore, the design of the plug connector of the main module is advantageous in terms of minimal box volume and excellent accessibility. This can be realized in the form of a plug connector that is directly connected to the electronic circuit board of the main module and stands upright at a 90° angle to the electronic circuit board. Furthermore, in a possible refinement of the above-mentioned embodiment, the plug connector can be mounted below the reservoir and, in particular, can be pulled out horizontally, parallel to the motor. This avoids unnecessary waste of structural space required for the installation of the plug connector.

[0041] Furthermore, as will be discussed in more detail below, the main module can be advantageously designed so that all sensors and valve bodies of the solenoid valves are positioned directly on the ECU circuit board, and the phase contacts of the electric motor are directly connected to the electronic system, making the installation of the electronic system very simple: here, the coil bodies of the solenoid valves are connected to the circuit board, the sensor evaluation elements are attached at intervals to the sensor targets by being plugged in, and the 3 (6) phase contacts of the lead frame of the electric motor are plugged onto the circuit board (e.g., Radsok contacts) or the phase contacts are welded to copper elements on the circuit board.

[0042] Furthermore, the main module can exhibit extremely simple installation and compensation of radial forces due to the flexed rod concept, in which the flexed rod is preferably connected to the rotating spindle by a welded connection. The spindle is preferably formed from a high-strength metallic material and drives a trapezoidal spindle made of plastic. The trapezoidal spindle is particularly used in systems with low maximum pressure and in systems consisting of multiple main modules. This is advantageous, particularly in the first, second, third, and sixth embodiments, but can also be used in systems with at least one high-power drive motor that assists braking and thus positively influences the volume balance or maximum pressure requirements. The trapezoidal spindle can also be used in systems with one motor, as in the fourth, fifth, and seventh embodiments, because special materials are used for the trapezoidal spindle and / or the main module is positioned in a location where low ambient temperatures prevail due to an active air supply, such as in the front-end area of ​​the vehicle. Temperatures, particularly in electric vehicles, are significantly lower than in vehicles with internal combustion engines, further facilitating the use of the trapezoidal spindle.

[0043] Instead of a trapezoidal spindle, a ball screw drive (KGT) can be used. Ball screw drives have the advantage of relatively high efficiency and relatively high capacity for axial loads, especially for large, heavy vehicles with a total weight of more than 2 tons. Furthermore, ball screw drives facilitate feedback control due to low system hysteresis. Combinations of trapezoidal spindles in one module are also possible, for example, a KGT on the front axle and a trapezoidal spindle on the rear axle.

[0044] The pressure unit of the main module can also be designed to have a very simple and inexpensive torque support and to be easily converted from a single stroke to a double stroke piston type pump with minor modifications.

[0045] Furthermore, the device according to the invention has a wide variety of applications and the modules can be easily combined into different system concepts, allowing a very wide range of vehicle classes to be covered with a small number of components.

[0046] The device according to the invention and its use in a two-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicle are considered in more detail below on the basis of the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0047] [Figure 1a] 1 shows a first embodiment according to the invention with an actuation system with two hydraulic consumers, in particular for two-wheeled vehicles or vehicles with axle-by-axle blending without ABS / ESP, where a main module and an additional module are connected to each other via electrical data and / or control lines and hydraulic lines. [Figure 1b] A second possible embodiment is shown with two main modules and an additional module with an actuator for very high feedback control requirements and flexible positioning. [Figure 1c]1 shows a third possible pedal-less embodiment with two independent and redundant main modules for a brake-by-wire braking system or an autonomous vehicle without a brake pedal. [Figure 2a] 1 shows a fourth embodiment of a series system concept for a passenger car with hydraulic fallback level comprising a main module for pressure feedback control of four-wheel brakes and an additional module with an actuation device, where the main module and the additional module are connected to each other via electrical data and / or control lines and hydraulic lines. [Figure 2b] 2b shows a fifth embodiment of a series system concept for a passenger car without a hydraulic fallback level corresponding to FIG. 2a but without a hydraulic connection between the main module and the additional module. [Figure 2c] A sixth embodiment of the system concept series for a passenger car without hydraulic fallback level with two motors is shown, where two pressure supply devices are arranged in the main module, each with a separate electric drive and gear. [Figure 2d] 7 shows a seventh embodiment of a brake-by-wire system without a mechanical actuation module with a main module for a brake-by-wire braking system or for an autonomous vehicle without a brake pedal for pressure supply to the four-wheel brakes. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a first possible embodiment of a main module with a motor, sensors, an ECU with electrical connections HCU and magnet coil, a pressure piston with a suction valve. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a second possible embodiment of the main module, showing the trapezoidal spindle in the upper half of the figure and the ball screw drive in the lower half of the figure. [Figure 5a] 1 shows possible valve circuits within the main module for all embodiments. [Figure 5b] 5b shows a main module and an inlet valve according to the invention for a valve circuit according to FIG. 5a. [Figure 6] 1 shows the preferred hydraulic concept of the second, third and sixth embodiments. [Figure 7] The figure shows a double-stroke piston pump configuration with solenoid valves for pressure feedback control of two working chambers, each assigned to one brake circuit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0048] FIG. 1a shows a first possible embodiment of the device according to the invention, comprising a main module MO for pressure feedback control of two hydraulic or brake circuits BK1 and BK2 and an additional module MO1 with an actuator, where the main module MO and the additional module MO1 are connected to each other via an electrical data and / or control line DS and a hydraulic line HL. The additional module MO1 may have an actuator, such as a brake pedal in a vehicle or a brake lever in a motorcycle. A mobility simulator may additionally be arranged in the additional module MO1. If a further piston-cylinder unit is arranged in the additional module, the piston of which is adjustable by the actuator, a fallback level can be realized by an optional hydraulic connection, so that in the event of a failure of one component of the main module, brake pressure can still be stored in one or both of the brake circuits BK1 / BK2 using the actuator.

[0049] A displacement transducer PS and / or a level transducer NG can also be arranged in the additional module MO1, where the displacement transducer PS detects the deflection of an actuating means, for example in the form of a brake pedal or brake lever, the signal of which is transmitted via the electric line DS to the control units S-ECU and M-ECU.

[0050] For all the following exemplary embodiments, the valve arrangement HCU can be arranged between the controller S-ECU of the module and the motor M with the pressure supply DV.

[0051] Likewise, it basically applies to all embodiments described and shown in the figures that in addition to the controller S-ECU, an additional higher-level control unit M-ECU can also be provided. However, the higher-level control functions can also be performed jointly by an S-ECU provided in the module MO according to the invention, so that it is basically possible to dispense with a higher-level controller. The higher-level control unit M-ECU shown in Figure 1a can therefore be integrated into or form the main module MO.

[0052] In modern systems, for example motor or transmission controllers and ESP functions, the system controller S-ECU performs almost all functions such as I / O, calculations, activation of actuating elements, and diagnostic functions. In the future, the use of domain processors or central processors M-ECUs will increase. In this case, an ECU will be located at or near each assembly and will perform only activation and partial diagnostic functions, among other functions.

[0053] The module MO is fixed to the motor compartment by a bracket DF, which may have damping properties.

[0054] Therefore, the system shown in Figure 1a can be used in systems with two hydraulic consumption or brake circuits, and also in the case of active braking systems with traction motors, and also in two-wheeled vehicles (front and rear wheel brakes) and / or in systems with axle-by-axle blending and brake force boosting / blending on one axle (motor racing with drive motor on one axle and hydraulic brake force boosting and blending on the wheel brakes of one axle), and in simple vehicles with only different brake force distribution on the axles without ESP / ABS functions.

[0055] The actuating unit BE comprises a single-circuit master cylinder HZ or a two-circuit tandem master cylinder THZ and at least one isolation valve TV1, TV2, which can selectively establish or close the hydraulic connection between the working chambers of the master cylinder or of both working chambers of the two-circuit THZ of the actuating unit BE to one or two brake circuits BK1, BK2.

[0056] FIG. 1b shows a similar device according to the invention to that shown and described in FIG. 1a, but in this case, two main modules MO and MO' are provided for the purpose of increasing dynamics, particularly for motor racing. Furthermore, an additional module MO1 with an actuation device is provided, which is connected to the higher-level controller M-ECU and the drive motors and the main modules MO and MO' by electrical data and / or control lines DS. In this case, the two main modules can operate with conventional switching valves and, possibly, also with outlet valves due to their multiple functions, so that they can be used as pure brake force boosters or as brake force boosters with ABS and / or ESP functions. Thus, the main module MO can be provided for pressure feedback control of the wheel brakes of wheel axle 1, and the main module MO' can be provided for pressure feedback control of the wheel brakes of wheel axle 2. However, diagonal pressure supply to the wheel brakes by the main modules MO and MO' is also possible. A hydraulic fallback level for the main module MO is realized or possible by a hydraulic connection HL between the additional module MO1 and the main module MO. Therefore, axle-specific or wheel-specific pressure feedback control with high dynamics and feedback control accuracy is possible. Such a system can achieve the same functionality with fewer components and at lower cost than electric brakes (EMB, wedge-type brakes).

[0057] 1c shows an arrangement according to the invention with two main modules MO and MO' and two traction motors TM1 and TM2 for a brake-by-wire braking system or for an autonomous vehicle without a brake pedal, where main module MO performs pressure feedback control of the wheel brake RB of axle 1 via connecting lines AL1 and AL2, and main module MO' performs pressure feedback control of the wheel brake of axle 2. A higher-level control unit M-ECU controls the braking functions of the wheel brake RB and of the traction motors TM1 and TM2.

[0058] The valve design and hydraulic circuitry as shown and described in Figures 5 and 6 is advantageous for the arrangement of Figures 1b and 1c.

[0059] FIG. 2a shows an apparatus according to the present invention, including a main module MO and an additional module MO1 with an actuator for pressure feedback control of four wheel brakes RB. The main module MO and the additional module MO1 are connected to each other via an electrical data and / or control line DS and a hydraulic line HL. The hydraulic line HL serves as a fallback level, as described in the previous exemplary embodiment. The motor M of the main module MO for the pressure supply device can be, for example, a six-phase motor, providing adequate redundancy with 2 x 3 phases. In the event of a failure in the electronic system, the electric motor can still generate half of the torque, and if the system is designed for 160-200 bar, it can still obtain 80-100 bar. Since 80-100 bar constitutes the lock brake, it is possible to achieve almost complete braking deceleration even if one motor fails. The pressure supply device may further have a double-stroke piston, which, with its two working chambers, also provides double redundancy of the hydraulic circuit. The pressure supply of the main module MO makes it possible to realize ABS and / or ESP functions for the wheel brakes apart from brake force boost, blending and driver assistance functions. In the event of a failure in one part of the electronic system, the remaining three phases will have reduced power and therefore cannot achieve full ABS performance. However, safety-critical interventions in ESP and limited ABS performance due to their relatively low performance, which may result in, for example, an extended stopping distance due to ABS, are still possible.

[0060] The additional module MO1 can be located in the vehicle bulkhead, while the main module MO can be located virtually anywhere in the motor compartment, particularly far from the bulkhead to minimize noise. This location is very effective in terms of noise minimization, since hydraulic vibrations are difficult to damp by damping in the mechanism's mounting, and are instead transmitted to the brake pedal via the fluid as body-borne noise.

[0061] Figure 2b shows the device according to the invention according to figure 2a, but without hydraulic connections between the main module MO and the additional module MO1. This system can be used, for example, in series-produced passenger cars for autonomous driving and is very quiet, where the main module MO has four output lines AL 1~4 12V and (b) a DC / DC converter of the second voltage level.

[0062] Figure 2c shows an arrangement according to the invention, in which two pressure supply devices, each with a separate electric drive M and gearing, are arranged in the main module MO. By providing two pressure supply devices, double redundancy is achieved. Furthermore, the use of two motors allows for improved performance (see Figure 1c). With this system, it is advantageous to use valve circuits such as those shown and described in Figures 5 and 6.

[0063] Figure 2d shows an arrangement according to the invention with a main module MO for a brake-by-wire braking system or an autonomous vehicle without a brake pedal for pressure supply to the four-wheel brakes. Here, the redundancy shown in Figure 2b (2 x 3 phase, redundant signal transmission and voltage supply) and a double-stroke piston pump with two working chambers are essential.

[0064] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the motor M, the drive, the pressure supply DK, the valve arrangement HCU and the control and feedback control unit ECU with its main components arranged in the main module MO.

[0065] The motor housing 16 is connected to the first housing part GH1 via an intermediate piece 32, preferably made of sound-deadening material, where centering can be achieved by means of protrusions 14b. The motor housing 16, intermediate piece 14, and ECU housing 35 are sealed, for example by rectangular hatched surfaces, which are not shown separately. A four-point bearing 20 is pressed into the motor housing 16 and accommodates and centers the axial forces in both directions from the spindle 25 and the rotor 22. The rotor 22 is fixed by axial fixing means 29 and supports the usual rotor laminations 19 with magnets 20 in the stator area.

[0066] The rotor 22 is further connected on its face side to a bevel gear 28, which drives a second bevel gear 29 with a shaft 41 and a target 38. The target 38 acts on a sensor element 37, which evaluates the rotation of the rotor. In this case, the sensor element is mounted on the system circuit board PCB and is particularly inexpensive and fail-safe. As an alternative to a mechanical solution, a solution not shown can be implemented in which, instead of being connected to a bevel gear, the rotor is connected to a sleeve with a magnet, thus forming a target 38 for evaluating the rotation angle of the motor. In this case, the target magnetic field can be detected by a corresponding arrangement of a sensor element near the target (e.g., by plugging it into an ECU) or can be conducted by a flux-conducting element to a remote sensor element on the PCB.

[0067] The bevel gear 29 is mounted in a housing 40 connected to the motor housing 16. The toothed gear 20 has radial play S such that a flexible drive shaft 41 with corresponding bracing does not create tooth play. R1. The rotor 22 is mounted in the housing with a bearing bushing 41, which is fixed to the intermediate part 14. The shaft 41 is connected to the gear 29 for common rotation, for example by a corresponding profile with anti-rotation means. The bending rod BS is fixed to the rotor 22 by a nut 23. The bending rod is connected to the spindle 25 for common rotation, for example by a welded connection 30. The spindle 25 acts on a KGT nut 26, which is connected to the piston 11 for common rotation, for example by a screw 27. During rotation of the rotor and spindle, radial tolerances cause spindle runout, which leads to corresponding high lateral forces on the piston, which are caused by the seal D. K This is important for the running surface of the stator. The bending elasticity of the bending rod BS reduces this value. This principle can also be applied to a static spindle (not shown) and a rotating nut. In this case, the piston is designed as a stepped piston, which allows for a short structural length for a small stroke. As shown in the cross-section, the structural length is calculated as stroke H1 + H2 = 2 × H1 + L for the KGT nut. Since this is a hollow-shaft motor in a motor corresponding to German Patent No. 10 2008 063 772 filed by the applicant, the actual structural length of the motor, consisting of the stator and bearings, is not included in this structural length. The clearance of the stroke component H1 is utilized for the winding lead frame 31 connected to the winding. Furthermore, as already mentioned, it is also possible to accommodate motor sensing means 28-29 here.

[0068] The piston has three seals D to seal the corresponding pressure chambers. K This will not be considered in any further detail, nor will the design of the intermediate piece 14 and the first housing part (GH1) be considered as being best suited for this purpose.

[0069] The KGT nut with piston requires an anti-rotation device, which is attached to the end face in this case. A corresponding part 33 with a square or polygonal profile is co-rotatably connected to the GH1 and supported on a sliding bushing 34, which is co-rotatably connected to the piston. This sliding guide benefits from the slight lubrication effect of the brake fluid. The piston drive can also be designed with a static spindle and a rotating KGT nut. On one side of the GH1 are the suction valves SV1 and SV2, which are connected to the VB via corresponding ports. As shown by the dashed lines, these can be located on the H2 side of the tubular element. On the other side is the GH2-HCU, which, as already mentioned, houses the MV and other valves with pressure transducers. Here, the very short connection holes for GH1 and GH2 are clearly visible at the top and bottom.

[0070] Connected to GH2 is the ECU housing, which houses the PCB together with the structural element BE. Motor contact K M Also shown here is a short electrical connection of the lead frame 31 to the motor, near which the power contacts of the plug connector 1 to the BE for motor control on the PCB are located. The corresponding power losses are dissipated from the PCB via a heat conductor to the valve block 56 of the HCU. The ECU housing 35 may be formed parallel and transverse to the motor. This configuration allows for an advantageously compact solution that takes many requirements into account at low cost.

[0071] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the main module MO, with the trapezoidal spindle TS shown in the upper half of the figure and the ball screw drive KGT shown in the lower half. The main module includes a piston housing 53 and a motor housing 55. The piston housing 53 and the motor housing 55 can be made of metal or plastic. If the operating pressure in the working chamber exceeds 100 bar, at least the housing of the piston housing 53 should not be made of plastic. The outer stator 52 and the stator winding 51 are located within the motor housing.

[0072] The piston housing 53 has a working chamber A defined by the housing 53 and the piston 59 and having an outlet 61 for connecting to an output line AL (not shown). The piston 59 is sealed by a seal 50 disposed within the piston housing 53 and is driven by a spindle SP arranged to rotate in unison with a pot-shaped rotor R. The rotor R is rotatably mounted within the motor housing 55 by bearings 60.

[0073] The anti-rotation means 54 prevents unwanted rotation of the piston 59 about its longitudinal axis. In this case, the spindle can be a trapezoidal spindle TS (top of the figure) or part of a ball screw drive KGT. The spindle SP can be fixed to a bent rod 58 connected to rotate co-operatively with the rotor R, thereby realizing compensation in the presence of possible eccentricities.

[0074] A rotary encoder 56 and electrical connections 57 for the motor are provided to the controller S-ECU.

[0075] If excessively high operating pressures do not prevail, both the piston housing 53 and the piston 59 can be made of plastic. The motor housing 55 can be made of plastic as well. In a further possible embodiment, the stator 52 can be made of plastic as well.

[0076] Furthermore, it is also possible to manufacture the rotor R or parts of the rotor R from plastic as well, where the magnets with the flux-conducting parts are inserted into or surrounded by the plastic.

[0077] FIG. 5a shows a valve circuit known from WO 2016 / 146223, which includes a switching valve with low flow resistance, important for multiplex operation. The switching valve is arranged to open automatically due to pressure in the wheel brake. Here, hydraulic medium flows from the brake circuit or pressure generating unit through the armature space to the valve seat in the direction of the wheel cylinder. In the event of a fault, wheel pressure opens the switching valve. However, a magnetic force of 130 bar is also required to achieve closure, which is achieved with a small armature air gap at the valve end position. Therefore, the reset spring of the switching valve SV only needs to be slightly reinforced to prevent the switching valve from "suddenly closing" in the presence of a correspondingly large flow. Because conventional inlet valves must close against a maximum of 220 bar (130 bar in the case of FIG. 5a), the valve seat area can be enlarged without changing the magnet dimensions, which results in lower back pressure or flow resistance and is advantageous for multiplex operation. Therefore, the valve circuit shown in FIG. 1e is advantageous for the brake system according to the present invention.

[0078] FIG. 5b shows a possible embodiment of an inlet valve EV according to the invention and the connection of the brake circuit BK, the pressure supply DV and the wheel brakes RBi.

[0079] The inlet valve EV has a magnet armature MA, a magnetic body MGK, and an excitation coil ES. When the solenoid valve EV is energized, the magnetic force MK causes a differential movement S A Position the armature as A0 From position S A2The magnetic armature MA displaces the plunger MStoe by the same movement, so that the plunger MStoe abuts against the valve seat VS and closes the outlet Ea of the solenoid valve. In this position, the armature MA has a residual air gap S0 with respect to the magnetic body MKG. This is provided so that when the energization of the exciting coil ES of the valve EV is stopped, the armature MA does not stick to the magnet housing MGK due to re-magnetization loss of the iron circuit. When the valve current is stopped, the reset spring RF returns the armature MA to its initial position. Now, in the case of a relatively small air gap, i.e., when the amount of movement increases, the magnetic force F M increases nonlinearly. Reset spring F RF is the initial position S A0 The magnetic force F is used to ensure reliable closure of the valve. M The spring force is determined by the travel S A increases with increasing , and the final position S A2 Similarly, magnetic force F M In the final position, a linear spring will have a magnetic force F M A reset spring is preferably used so that the force is significantly higher than the reset force, so that the valve can be held at a low current and reliable closure is guaranteed even with a large pressure difference between the wheel brake and the pressure supply. Even with a large pressure difference, the holding action is guaranteed because the magnetic force increases nonlinearly significantly in the closed valve position. However, the reset spring must also be dimensioned to ensure the function of the normally open valve and ensure that the valve is always open.

[0080] Valve output E a is connected to the wheel brake RBi (RB1 to RB4), and the input E iare connected to the brake circuits BKi and / or the pressure supply unit DV (20). Such a connection allows the inlet valve EV to be opened by both the reset spring RF and the pressure of the wheel brakes, which is very important especially in case of a breakdown or malfunction of the brake system (e.g., if the voltage at the valve is faulty). Furthermore, if there is high pressure in the brake circuit and low pressure at the wheel brakes, only the pressure difference between the inlet Ei and the outlet Ea will actuate the plunger M Stoe It also happens that this pressure difference across the valve is relatively small during pressure build-up, but it must be taken into account in the spring arrangement RF to prevent the pressure difference from pushing the valve closed during pressure build-up as that volume is transferred from the pressure supply DV to the wheel brake. Valves with large opening cross-sectional area OeQ or low flow losses reduce this effect.

[0081] The valves with the large opening cross section described above can be used in particular for pressure volume-controlled or time-controlled pressure buildup, where the pressure difference between the inlet pressure and the actual pressure of the wheel brake is small, because the feedback control accuracy is very high. This has the advantage that only low flow losses occur, especially during fast pressure buildup (TTL), and the drive motor only requires a low level of power for fast pressure buildup in a very short time (TTL = 150 ms).

[0082] Furthermore, the advantageously designed low flow losses of the inlet valve allow for rapid pressure dissipation via the inlet valve. A precise dissipation pressure via the inlet valve EV can be achieved through corresponding control of the piston movement of the pressure supply unit 20. Optionally, the known MUX method can be implemented in conjunction with the above-described valve circuit or, in particular for low-volume-balance consumer components, such as wheel brakes on the rear axle, with pressure dissipation control via the outlet valve AV in the brake circuit. That is, a combination is also possible, whereby the MUX method is used in conjunction with the new valve circuit configuration only for two wheel brakes (e.g., the front axle), while pressure dissipation is performed conventionally for two additional wheel brakes. This could mean providing two wheel brakes / actuators with inlet and outlet valves (SV1, SV2+AV) and two wheel brakes / actuators with only inlet or switching valves SV3, SV4. In this case, it would be possible to equip only the wheel brakes on the front axle with the new valve circuit of the present invention, while using the standard circuit configuration / standard valves on the rear axle, as shown in Figures 1a and 1b.

[0083] FIG. 6 shows a braking system with a device according to the invention, consisting of two main modules MO and MO' and a further separate module MO1 with an actuation unit BE and a brake pedal.

[0084] The actuation unit BE in the module MO1 may be hydraulically operated and connected to the module MO, or it may be an electric brake pedal or a stop switch. The main module MO comprises a motor M, a control unit S-ECU, and a pressure-generating unit DE consisting of a cylinder and a piston 1 moved by the motor M. The piston 1 is driven by a spindle S and defines, together with the cylinder, an actuation chamber 3, which is connected to a reservoir R via a suction valve SV. The actuation chamber 3 is further connected via an output line AL of the module MO to a first brake circuit BK1, to which two wheel brakes RB1 and RB2 are connected via switching valves SV1 and SV2. Pressure buildup and pressure release in wheel brake RB2 are carried out either via the open switching valve SV1 or SV2, or simultaneously if both switching valves are open. Here, the piston 1 of the pressure-generating unit MO is controlled by a forward or reverse stroke. Closing the switching valve SV1 maintains pressure in the wheel brake. In the case of wheel brake RB1, in the absence of outlet valve AV, pressure build-up and pressure release of the wheel brake are carried out by the forward and backward strokes of the piston via its open switching valve SV1.

[0085] Pressure dissipation in wheel brake RB1 can be selectively achieved via outlet valve AV in the direction of reservoir container R or via switching valve SV1 into working chamber 3 of the piston-cylinder unit. For controlled pressure dissipation, it is further possible to operate the outlet valve in a clocked (open / closed) or pulse-width modulated manner, i.e., fast clocking or opening / closing manner, using a common outlet valve (AV) specifically designed for pulse-width modulation, with a pressure sensor DR used to control the clocking of the outlet valve during pressure dissipation. Pressure dissipation in RB2 can also be achieved via outlet valve AV with switching valves SV1 and SV2 open, where controlled pressure dissipation can also be achieved by clocking the outlet valve using a pressure transducer. Here, the piston of piston-cylinder unit MO is preferably stationary. It is also possible to move the piston during pressure dissipation and further control pressure dissipation by the volume replenished, which can be used to jointly control pressure dissipation. In this case, pressure is dissipated simultaneously in both wheel brakes RB1 and RB2. It goes without saying that a corresponding outlet valve (not shown) can also be provided for wheel brake RB2. If an outlet valve is provided, pressure can simultaneously build up in RB2 while simultaneously dissipating in RB1. If an outlet valve is provided for RB2, pressure can simultaneously build up in the wheel brakes of either brake circuit BK I or BK II and simultaneously dissipate in the other wheel brake BK I or BK II. The use of an outlet valve is particularly advantageous in the case of black-white distribution of brake circuits (BK I on the front axle, BK II on the rear axle) to reduce the load on the motors in the pressure feedback control dynamics in MUX operation. Alternatively, outlet valves can also be provided for other wheel brakes (e.g., RB1 and RB3). This is advantageous, for example, when projecting the wheel brakes of the front axle in the case of diagonal brake force distribution between RB1 and RB3.

[0086] Sensors 6, 7, 8 are also arranged in the main module MO for determining the motor rotation angle α, the motor current i, and the temperature T. The pressure in the brake circuit BK1 can be determined by a pressure sensor DR.

[0087] These sensors allow for improved feedback control, allowing pressure actuation to be performed solely through piston position feedback control and motor current feedback control. For this purpose, a temperature sensor serves to adjust the torque constant kt to the operating temperature. In this system, the pressure transducer is primarily used for calibration and fine feedback control to the target pressure. Here, current and position allow for very fast pilot control, according to the evaluation of the pressure-volume characteristic curve, and are primarily used for very dynamic pressure changes. With more accurate modeling of hysteresis, it is possible to omit the pressure transducer entirely or to use only one pressure transducer in one of the brake circuits BK I or BK II for calibration purposes only. For calibration, the bypass valves BV1 and BV2 are opened, allowing the respective pressure feedback control units to be calibrated with the pressure transducer. When one or more outlet valves are used in one brake circuit BK I, a pressure transducer is conveniently located in BK I so that it can be used to clock the pressure dissipation feedback control of the brake circuit BK I.

[0088] The voltage supply of the main module MO is preferably redundant, in that the main module is first connected directly to the terminals of the 12 V battery and then connected to a second supply source via a DC / DC converter. The data lines DS1 and DS2 are also redundant and are connected to the central control unit Z-ECU of the vehicle electrical system.

[0089] The second main module MO' is of substantially identical design to the first main module MO and is connected by its hydraulic output line AL to the second brake circuit BK2, via which pressure accumulation and pressure dissipation are carried out for the wheel brakes RB3 and RB4. The only difference with respect to the first main module MO is that the voltage supply is realized by a 48V battery and a DC / DC converter, thereby achieving greater redundancy. A pressure sensor DR can be provided for the second brake circuit BK2 as well.

[0090] In the event of a failure of one of the units (MO) or MO2, all wheel brakes can be operated in multiplex mode by the remaining pressure supply unit MO2 by opening the bypass valves BV1 and BV2 in the connecting line VL and interconnecting the brake circuits BK1 and BK2. Because only one motor can be used, the maximum dynamics of ABS / ESP feedback control operation are limited. Here, outlet valves are particularly useful for feedback control operation, and at least one outlet valve is provided for one or two wheel brakes (RB1 / RB2 or RB1 / RB3), especially the front-axle wheel brakes. To prevent volumetric or piston displacement of a faulty motor, the drives MO and MO' are designed with an automatic locking mechanism, especially a automatic trapezoidal spindle F. Alternatively, a shutoff valve (not shown in FIG. 6) can be used, which would otherwise have to be connected upstream of a non-automatic locking pressure supply device.

[0091] The bypass circuit can also be advantageously used so that pressure buildup in individual wheel brakes (e.g. wheel brakes on front axle BK I) is realized jointly by opening the bypass line via both pressure supply units, ensuring that on one axle (e.g. BK II) a high-power electric drive motor (50-200 kW) of the electric motor can be used for braking operation on at least one axle. The motor of module MO / MO1 can therefore be downsized, and in terms of power, it needs to be designed exclusively for the ABS / ESP feedback control function.

[0092] With regard to the dimensioning of the pressure actuators DE and DE' of the modules MO and MO', the following possibilities are also advantageous: DE: Dimensioned for high pressure of about 200 bar, volume is 50% of the volume of DE' DE': Approximately 50% of the pressure of DE, i.e., approximately 100 bar, and the volume is 100% Therefore, DE and DE' have the same power. The DE piston can be dimensioned with 50% of the piston area of ​​the DE' piston, thereby requiring only 50% of the axial force of DE'. Therefore, both motors M have the same torque. In the event of a failure of the DE at the fallback level (RFE), DE' operates at 50% pressure, which is sufficient, and DE operates at 100% pressure and a smaller volume, with the SV closed during the reverse stroke, requiring the DE to be replenished by the reverse stroke for retraction and the corresponding valve circuit for further volume by the forward stroke.

[0093] Furthermore, upon refilling, i.e., piston retraction, by opening the ZEA valve and thus the bypass valves BV1 / BV2 or BV1 and BV2, additional volume can be drawn in, thus reducing the volume balance of the pressure chambers. Therefore, it is also possible to create a smaller cross-sectional area at the end face of the piston 3, thereby reducing the torque requirements for the motor M. This has a significant impact on costs. Because the pressure generator unit is not located in a bulkhead and its length is not limited by structural space constraints (e.g., collision requirements), the working chamber of the pressure generator unit can be designed with a small cross-sectional area and elongated. That is, the cross-sectional area is advantageously reduced by 30-50%, while the length of the working chamber 3 increases by the same amount. In this way, the torque and cost of the motor M and spindle drive F can be further reduced. Therefore, it is possible to utilize a physical effect in which the motor's relatively low torque can be compensated for by its relatively high rotational speed, thus not resulting in a power reduction in the drive unit. This parameter can be advantageously used to reduce the cost of the drive units, since the increased noise of operation due to higher rotational speeds is more easily attenuated at an arrangement further from the bulkhead than at the bulkhead, i.e. drive units MO and MO' can be designed with the same power at much lower cost in elongated embodiments. Furthermore, in contrast to known two-box brake systems, in the event of a failure of the ABS / ESP unit, one module MO or MO' can perform the brake force boost and feedback control functions ABS / ESP on all wheel brakes in the event of a failure, thanks to the use of a bypass line VL.

[0094] The connecting line VL includes one switching valve BV1 and, optionally, two bypass valves BV1 and BV2 and one exhaust valve ZEA. By opening one or both bypass valves, a hydraulic connection is established between the two brake circuits BK I and BK II. While bypass valves offer cost advantages and low throttle resistance, high requirements are placed on leak-tightness, especially during feedback control operations. The multiple bypass valves BV1 and BV2 allow for reliable leak-tightness testing and further increase the system's flexibility. The bypass valves are preferably designed as normally closed solenoid valves. However, for this purpose, it is necessary to ensure that the pressure supply unit supplies current to the valves even in the event of a pressure supply failure for emergency operation of both brake circuits, i.e., the bypass valves are conveniently handled by the S-ECUs of the pressure supplies MO and MO1.

[0095] A bypass circuit with two valves (BV1 and BV2) is advantageous when drawing liquid from a reservoir via a central outlet valve (ZEA) to top up one of the brake circuits, in particular to further increase the pressure. Alternatively, top-up may be achieved by drawing volume from R or R' via a suction valve during the backward stroke of the piston of DE, with SV simultaneously closed. During the forward stroke, said volume is available for the brake circuits BK I and BK II.

[0096] The bypass valve circuit consists in each case of one bypass solenoid valve BV1 and BV2, and a central ZEA solenoid valve connected to the reservoir vessel, which is consumed by discharging the corresponding volume into the reservoir vessel and drawing in the corresponding volume for refilling from the reservoir vessel.

[0097] The EA solenoid valve has a large cross-sectional area (especially >5mm 2) which is necessary for fast retraction. For the above functions or diagnostics, the valve is opened. As already mentioned, the bypass solenoid valve is temporarily opened. In this case, possible leaks are detected by the known assignment of pressure or motor current to piston stroke. In a known manner, the MUX system has a pressure-volume characteristic curve in its memory.

[0098] The actuation unit BE is optionally hydraulically connected to two brake circuits BK1 and BK2 via hydraulic lines HL1 and HL2, with switchable shut-off valves TV1 and TV2 arranged in the hydraulic lines HL1 and HL2. The shut-off valves are preferably normally open, and in the event of a failure of the DE and the shut-off drive, the valves TV1 and TV2 open so that hydraulic pressure can be built up in the brake circuits BK1 and BK2 by means of the brake pedal and piston-cylinder unit of the actuation unit BE, thereby realizing a fallback level. During normal operation, the valves TV1 and TV2 are closed, thus isolating the actuation unit BE from the brake circuits BK1 and BK2.

[0099] Via the open valve BV1, it is possible to carry out the pressure changes in the wheel brakes RB1 and RB2, for example, by means of the pressure generating unit DE of the second main module MO'. Conversely, the pressure changes in the brake circuit BK2 can also be carried out by the pressure generating unit DE of the first main module when the valve BV1 is open.

[0100] The pressure generator allows pressure changes in the wheel brakes RB1-RB4 to be performed in a time-offset manner and / or simultaneously, also commonly referred to as multi-action MUX. One or more outlet valves AV may be provided as an auxiliary.

[0101] In contrast to systems with ball screw drives, in the case of a pressure supply configuration with a trapezoidal spindle, it is possible to omit an isolation valve (not shown) at the output of the pressure supply, since due to the automatic locking, at the fallback level with isolation valve TV1 (TV2) open, the piston is not adjusted and braking force is generated at the wheel brakes by pedal actuation. The trapezoidal spindle solution is therefore particularly advantageous for multiplexing, since no throttle losses occur.

[0102] Alternatively, the switching valves SV1-4 between the pressure supply of the main module and the wheel brakes may be omitted, and the wheel specific feedback control is omitted, ie the ABS / ESP feedback control is not part of the function.

[0103] The outlet valve AV described above can be provided, for example, on the front axle or one brake circuit, in order to achieve greater dynamics with pressure feedback control, which is advantageous in particular in critical situations (high μ braking, i.e. braking on asphalt) in order to shorten the braking distance.

[0104] Feedback control of the piston movement can be realized by the position α, the current i and the temperature T. The pressure transducer DR serves exclusively for alignment or calibration purposes. In principle, only one pressure transducer DR is required, since the brake circuits BK1 and BK2 can be connected to each other by the valve BV1 (normally closed).

[0105] If one pressure supply unit DE fails, the pressure supply unit DE of the other main module can carry out a pressure change in both brake circuits in an emergency via the open connection valve BV1. If the spindle drives of the pressure supply units DE are of a self-locking design, the piston of the defective pressure supply unit DE will not be adjusted. If a ball screw drive is used, this function requires an additional isolation valve upstream of the feed from the other brake circuit between the DE and the switching valve SV / isolation valve SV.

[0106] If a self-locking ball screw drive is not used, the self-locking can be caused by an applied or switched short circuit of the motor M.

[0107] Due to the temperature-induced hysteresis of the trapezoidal spindle, different pressure-volume / displacement assignments occur at different temperatures. By measuring the temperature, it advantageously occurs that only a pressure transducer measuring range of up to 80 bar is required for alignment.

[0108] To achieve greater dynamics of the pressure change, the main module MO with a closed brake circuit, i.e. without AV, and with relatively high dynamic requirements can be connected, for example, to a 48V battery or to a DC / DC converter with a 48V output.

[0109] FIG. 7 shows a brake system with a pressure supply unit DE, whose piston 1 is controlled by a motor M. The piston 1 sealably separates two working chambers 3a and 3b, each connected to one brake circuit BK1 and BK2 via hydraulic lines H3 and H4. Additional switching valves PD1 and PD2 allow the working chambers to be selectively connected to a reservoir 5. Pressure buildup and pressure release are achieved by controlling the piston in both directions and opening and closing the PD1 / PD2 valves. A connecting valve BV allows the brake circuits BK1 and BK2 to be hydraulically connected to each other. Additionally, a valve VKF can be connected upstream of the pressure supply unit. Thus, pressure buildup and release are possible in the two brake circuits BK1 and BK2 in both stroke directions (forward and reverse strokes) of the double-stroke piston. This redundancy is especially necessary for vehicles with autonomous operation stages 3-5. In this case, both motors must be redundant, e.g., with a 2x3-phase connection, i.e., they can operate at half torque in the event of a failure of one 3-phase connection. The hydraulic system must also be redundant, in particular with two working chambers, i.e., only one chamber of the double-stroke piston is required to operate both brake circuits. The main module is powered by a 12V and / or 48V on-board electrical system. A redundant energy supply is further achieved by corresponding DC / DC converters. The excitation coils of the motor M are connected by redundant power supply lines EL1 and EL2.

Claims

1. An arrangement for a hydraulic actuation system of a motor vehicle brake, or for a clutch and / or at least one gear actuator, in particular for hybrid or electric vehicles, in which the following components are combined to form a main module (MO), in particular arranged in one housing: at least one pressure supply device (11) in the form of a piston or double-stroke piston pump for varying the pressure in at least one hydraulic circuit, driven by an electric drive (M), said drive (M) adjusting the piston of said piston or double-stroke piston pump via a transmission mechanism, in particular a trapezoidal or recirculating ball mechanism; a valve unit (HCU) with at least one solenoid valve serving to individually set the hydraulic pressure in said hydraulic circuit and / or to separate and connect said hydraulic circuit from said pressure supply device (11) and / or piston-cylinder unit (10); - at least two hydraulic consumption components of the hydraulic actuation system, in particular hydraulic ports (AL) for the wheel brakes (RB) of the axles of the vehicle; １～４ ), an ECU (S-ECU) with motor control electronics, in particular for a BLDC motor, a valve output stage and sensors, for activating said at least one solenoid valve and said electric drive (M) in order to regulate and set the pressure in said hydraulic actuation system; The main module (MO) is electrically or electrically and hydraulically connected to at least one further system component or actuation unit (BE), in particular an electrically or hydraulically actuated travel simulator with actuation pedals and / or a central processor (M-ECU).

2. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the piston-cylinder unit is part of a further system component and is arranged in a further separate module (MO1), in particular an actuating module (BE), which further separate module (MO1), in particular an actuating module (BE), is arranged in particular spatially separated from the main module (MO), and that at least one piston of the piston-cylinder unit is adjustable by an actuating device, in particular a brake pedal, and that the piston-cylinder unit is connected to the main module (MO), in particular an output line (AL), a hydraulic circuit and / or a valve device, via at least one, in particular rigid or flexible, hydraulic line (HL).

3. 3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the actuating unit (BE) has a single-circuit master cylinder (HZ) or a two-circuit tandem master cylinder (THZ) and at least one isolation valve (TV1, TV2) for selectively establishing or closing a hydraulic connection between the working chamber of the master cylinder or the two working chambers of the two-circuit THZ of the actuating device (BE) and one or two brake circuits (BK1, BK2).

4. 4. Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the hydraulic line (HL) is blocked during normal operation by a normally open valve and / or in the event of an emergency (fallback level) pressure can be transmitted by the actuating device via the hydraulic line (HL) to a hydraulic circuit (BKi) or to adjust wheel brakes (RB), clutch or gear actuators.

5. 5. The device according to claim 2, further characterized in that there is also an electrical connection between a higher-level control unit (M-ECU) and / or at least one traction motor (TM) on the one hand and the main module (MO) and / or the further module (MO1) on the other hand.

6. 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein an electronic pedal or lever is arranged in or on a further module (MO2), which can exert a force by means of an electric drive or actuator, and wherein the force exerted on said electronic pedal is measured and a control signal can be transmitted, in particular between said main module and said further module (MO2), via a transmission path, in particular in the form of an electrical connection or a wireless transmission.

7. 7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the main module (MO) has two hydraulic output lines (AL1, AL2) via which the pressure feedback control is carried out in particular for two separate wheel brakes or two hydraulic circuits of a two-wheeled vehicle.

8. 8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the pressure feedback control for brake force boost is performed via the output lines (AL1, AL2) and / or in the case of blending feedback control with recovery by at least one electric motor in generator mode, braking action is performed by auxiliary action via the output lines (AL1, AL2).

9. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the recovery and blending feedback control is performed by the ECU of the main module.

10. 10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the apparatus comprises more than one main module (MO), in particular two main modules (MO, MO') are provided for increased dynamics or redundancy, each main module (MO, MO') comprising a pressure supply unit, a solenoid valve and an ECU.

11. 11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that each main module (MO, MO') serves for the pressure feedback control in one hydraulic circuit or in two hydraulic or brake circuits, and in each case at least one, preferably two consumer components, in particular wheel brakes, are arranged in each hydraulic circuit.

12. 12. Device according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the main module (MO, MO') serves the pressure feedback control for the brake force boost, blending, ABS / ESP and driver assistance functions.

13. 13. The device according to claim 1, wherein in the case of two or more consumable components, at least one main module of the multi-mode performs pressure feedback control simultaneously and / or with a time offset.

14. 14. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that in addition to the switching valve of the main module (MO), at least one outlet valve is also provided, in particular in said main module, by means of which pressure relief of at least one consumer component, in particular one wheel brake, clutch or gear actuator, can be carried out.

15. 15. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the control of the device is performed by a higher-level control unit (M-ECU), the at least one main module (MO) only performs pressure actuation functions, and the dynamic feedback control of operation is calculated and performed in the higher-level control unit (M-ECU).

16. 10. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the device has in each case only one main module (MO) with four hydraulic output lines (AL1 to AL4), via each output line the pressure feedback control is carried out on one of four wheel brakes, the main module (MO) performing or executing the functions for the brake force boost, blending, ABS / ESP and / or driver assistance.

17. 17. An arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the ECU, in particular its at least one circuit board, is arranged adjacent, in particular parallel to, the pressure supply device, and at least one electrical component, in particular in the form of at least one motor sensor, at least one valve body and a phase contact, is arranged directly on the at least one circuit board and / or is electrically connected to the ECU via electrical contacts fixed to the ECU or to its one circuit board.

18. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a bending rod (BS) is provided, via which the spindle (25) is connected to the rotor (22) of the drive device.

19. 19. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the bending rod (BS) extends axially in the spindle (25) and is fixed by one end to the base wall of the pot-shaped rotor (22) and by its other end in particular to an end of the spindle.

20. 20. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pressure supply device comprises an electric motor (M) with a spindle drive, optionally with a ball screw drive (double stroke piston pump or piston stroke pump) or with a trapezoidal spindle drive (piston stroke pump).

21. 21. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a nut (26) driven by a spindle is connected to the piston (11) of the pressure supply device so as to rotate in unison with it.

22. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spindle drive is of self-locking design, in particular in the form of a trapezoidal spindle.

23. 23. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that the solenoid valves arranged between the output line (AL) of the main module (MO) and the pressure supply device have a low flow resistance and open automatically in particular by a pressure difference between the relatively high pressure of the wheel brakes and the pressure in the pressure supply unit or in the output line (AL).

24. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that if there is only one or two main modules (MO, MO'), this / these are fed redundantly by two separate electric circuits, in particular directly from a battery and also via a DC / DC converter, or the redundant feeding of energy is carried out by two batteries of different voltages.

25. 25. The device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission of signals between the individual components, in particular between the main module (MO, MO') and the operating module (MO1) and, if present, a higher-level control unit (M-ECU), is redundant.

26. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that relative rotation prevention means (33) prevent the piston (11) from rotating about its longitudinal axis.

27. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing of the main module (MO) is made from plastic.

28. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the piston housing (53), the motor housing (55) and / or the rotor (R) are made from plastic.

29. 29. The device according to claim 1, wherein a connecting element, in particular a plug connector (1) for connection to the vehicle's on-board electrical system, is mounted laterally adjacent to the control unit (ECU) or at an end face on the control unit (ECU), in particular partially under a protrusion of the control unit ECU and / or reservoir container (VB).

30. 30. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 29, characterized in that the connecting element, in particular the plug connector (1), is plugged or pluggable into the control unit (ECU) in a horizontal plug-in direction and / or is in particular a plug connector with a right-angled cable outlet, in particular the plug-in direction being selected or provided so as to be directed towards the outside of the vehicle rather than towards the centre of the vehicle.

31. 31. The device according to claim 1, wherein the motor of the drive device has 2x3 phases and the piston-cylinder unit of the pressure supply device has a double-stroke piston with two working chambers, in which in each case one brake circuit is connected to each working chamber, thus realizing electrical and hydraulic redundancy.

32. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one pressure sensor (DR) is provided for two hydraulic circuits, said hydraulic circuits being hydraulically connectable by means of valves.

33. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two main modules (MO, MO') and one separate module (MO1) are provided, each main module (MO) being connected via its one hydraulic output line (AL) to in each case one brake circuit (BK1, BK2).

34. 34. The device according to claim 33, characterized in that the brake circuits (BK1, BK2) are selectively connectable to one another by a connecting line (VL) which can be disconnected by at least one connecting valve (BV1, BV2).

35. 35. Device according to claim 33 or 34, characterized in that the actuation unit (BE) of the separate module (MO1) is connectable to one or both brake circuits (BK1, BK2) via at least one hydraulic line (HL1, HL2), which hydraulic line (HL1, HL2) can be interrupted in particular by a normally open valve (TV1, TV2).

36. 36. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 35, characterized in that the feedback control of the piston position is performed by measuring the motor current and the motor angle taking into account a piston-volume characteristic curve or a piston-volume characteristic map, and a pressure transducer (DR) is used for calibration or fine feedback control (external feedback control circuit of feedback control cascade pressure - displacement - current).

37. 37. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 36, characterized in that the pressure supply unit (DE) comprises a piston-cylinder unit with a double-stroke piston separating two working chambers (3a, 3b) from one another, and in that each working chamber is connected in either case to one hydraulic circuit or to one hydraulic output line (H3, H4, BK1, BK2).

38. 38. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or both working chambers (3a, 3b) of the pressure supply unit (DE) are connectable to the reservoir vessel (5, R) by means of a switchable valve (PD1, PD2).

39. 39. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 38, characterized in that when the connecting valves (BV, BV1, BV2) are closed, separate pressure changes can be carried out in the brake circuits BK1 and BK2, in particular a pressure dissipation is carried out in one brake circuit and a simultaneous or time-offset pressure buildup is carried out in the other brake circuit.

40. 40. An arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 39, characterized in that the contacting of the excitation coil of the motor (M) is in each case carried out by 3 phases or 2x3 phases, a separate bridge circuit supplies the control device (S-ECU), in particular in an electrically separated manner, and / or redundant signal lines (DS1, DS2) to further system modules, in particular to a control unit (M-ECU) and / or to a separate module (MO1), are provided.

41. 41. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 40, characterized in that in the case of fast accumulation of brake pressure, both modules (MO, MO') are used for said pressure accumulation, the brake circuits being connected to one another by a connecting line (VL) and open valves (BV1, BV2).

42. 42. Device according to claim 41, characterized in that one motor (M) of one module (MO') has only a level of driving force sufficient for the ABS and / or ESP feedback control function.

43. 43. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 42, characterized in that for the build-up of pressure in the two brake circuits (BK I, BK II), in particular in case of fading, the connecting valves (BV1, BV2) are opened and both modules (MO, MO') simultaneously adjust or apply a force to their pistons (1) for pressure build-up.

44. 44. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 43, characterized in that each module (MO, MO') is able to access the pressure changes in each brake circuit (BK I, BK II), in particular for redundancy or in case of failure of one module (MO, MO').

Images