Equipment for hydraulic systems

Abstract

The present invention provides a hydraulic operating system, particularly for automotive brakes in hybrid or electric vehicles, or for a clutch and / or at least one gear actuator. [Solution] The main components of a pressure supply device, such as a piston-type or double-stroke piston-type pump having one or two working chambers for pressure changes within a single hydraulic circuit, and also its electric drive and intermediary transmission mechanism, particularly a recirculation ball mechanism or trapezoidal spindle mechanism, and also a valve device having at least one solenoid valve, hydraulic ports for at least two hydraulic consumption components of the hydraulic actuation system, and also an electric control unit (ECU) for activating the solenoid valve and the electric drive, are incorporated into one module (hereinafter referred to as the main module).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates in particular to a device for a hydraulic operating system of a brake or clutch in an automobile. [Background technology]

[0002] Considering the many new systems from automotive manufacturers (OEMs), installing assemblies, particularly in the motor or assembly compartment, presents even greater problems due to limited installation space. In some cases, for example, the ABS assembly is located behind the motor, especially in front-wheel drive and transverse motor configurations, and consequently, the motor must be removed when replacing the ABS assembly.

[0003] Therefore, OEMs are required to either 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, in the case of brake assemblies, results in identical packaging.

[0004] Many assemblies have electrical functions and sensors, which often require multiple plug connectors, making them particularly cumbersome in terms of installation.

[0005] Furthermore, the requirements for collision safety are increasing, and as a result, the installation length of systems within assembly compartments must be as short and narrow as possible, especially when they are fixed to bulkheads and adjacent assemblies, or when control units are mounted on such installation units. The ideal request from automakers (OEMs) is to not mount assemblies in bulkheads related to the driver, but this is only possible in the case of driverless autonomous vehicles, as it allows for the omission of actuators (brake and accelerator pedals). Moreover, the use of automatic transmission shifting mechanisms (double clutch, automatic manual shifting mechanisms) is increasing, which allows for the omission of clutch actuators, while brake and accelerator pedals remain essential in vehicles with a driver.

[0006] As is well known, in the case of brake systems, there is a strong trend toward an integrated "one-box solution" from the current conventional so-called "three-box solution," in which the braking force booster, ABS / ESP assembly, and vacuum pump form different structural units, which can also be arranged particularly spatially separated. 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 a single structural unit. German Patent No. 10 2012 213 216 describes, for example, a compact "one-box brake system" of the above type. The main feature here is that the shaft 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 Mark2, but also a variation in which the shaft of the electric motor with pump was positioned parallel to the operating shaft. Notably, unlike the proposed invention, the motor, pressure supply, and ECU were not integrated into a single housing unit. Here, the motor with pump was mounted and connected via hose lines to a housing consisting of a valve block (HCU) and a cylinder-piston unit. The objective of a very narrow and short structural unit had not yet been achieved.

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

[0009] In the brake system described in German Patent No. 10 2012 213 216, the first cylinder-piston device, pressure supply device, and valve device, operated by the vehicle driver, are arranged within the same housing, with the axis of the electric motor of the pressure supply device positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first cylinder-piston arrangement. While a certain degree of compactness is already required in this solution, further improvement is possible. 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 consider the optimization of the overall vehicle packaging. For optimal packaging, a rectangular structural form is more advantageous than a circular contour. Furthermore, there remains a lack of adaptability to various installation situations, particularly, for example, the installation of electric brake boosters mounted on bulkheads and electric brake boosters with integrated ABS in the motor compartment (so-called "front bolted").

[0010] The trend towards electric or hybrid vehicles with increasingly quieter traction is constantly growing. Consequently, integrated one-box brake systems located in bulkheads have become increasingly noticeable, as they generate noise due to the electric motor, gearing, hydraulics, and valve switching. This is because the sound of the drive motor (especially in electric and hybrid vehicles) is becoming increasingly inaudible. Therefore, with regard to brake systems for electric vehicles, there is a similar need for solutions that operate as quietly as possible, position noise-generating components in different ways, 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 that operate without a driver, and these vehicles are intended to no longer have a brake pedal in their final configuration. Known approaches to solutions to this include EMB or wedge-type brakes. These systems have not yet been established due to safety concerns and high costs. The high cost is particularly due to the fact that each wheel brake requires an electric motor and a complex electromechanical mechanism.

[0012] The demands for new future braking systems, especially those featuring increasingly powerful electric drive motors, can be summarized as follows: -Short and narrow structural form - Good access to hydraulic lines, especially brake lines to wheel brakes. - In particular, good access to the plug connectors of the main line set, and short cable length to the automotive distribution box (central electrical system). - Excellent ventilation capabilities not only during the final assembly process (vacuum operation) but also during maintenance (ventilation via pedal operation). - Short power line path from plug connector to motor controller power supply - Good cooling and heat dissipation of the power supply unit (output stage, MOSFETs, and drivers) - Reduction of noise originating from drive and solenoid valves and body-propagated noise transmission to bulkheads. - Short bore from THZ, pressure delay to HCU.

[0013] Specifically, pure electric vehicles (electric vehicles) and future vehicles capable of autonomous or driverless driving will be further required to meet the following requirements: -Completely silent operation. That is, no disturbing noise from the assembly on the bulkhead. - A new vehicle platform concept resulting in an even shorter structure than that of conventional passenger cars. - In particular, wheel-specific or axle-specific brake intervention by the drive motor during generator operation. Here, the travel motor is positioned on one or two axles, or directly on the wheel. - Improved safety through system redundancy, signal transmission, and power supply. - New requirements for the precision of feedback control to further reduce braking distance.

[0014] In particular, due to the coexistence of vehicles with internal combustion motors and pure electric vehicles (internal combustion motors, hybrid motors, pure electric vehicles, and unmanned vehicles), and the resulting multitude of vehicle drive concepts, the modularity of the system, that is, the use of identical parts / modules, especially in pressure supply, is extremely important. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0015] The object of the present invention is to provide a device for vehicles, particularly electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles equipped with electric drive motors™, and autonomous or unmanned vehicles, in which the main components of a hydraulic actuation system are designed taking into account the requirements for very short structural length on bulkheads, quiet operation, very high reliability / system availability, and high feedback control accuracy. [Means for solving the problem]

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

[0017] The device according to the present invention is particularly advantageously distinguished by the following facts. Main components such as a pressure supply device in the form of a piston-type or double-stroke piston-type pump with one or two working chambers for pressure changes in at least one hydraulic circuit, and also its electric drive device and an intervening transmission mechanism, in particular a recirculating ball mechanism or a trapezoidal spindle mechanism, and also at least one solenoid valve, a valve device with hydraulic ports for at least two hydraulic consumer parts of the hydraulic operating system, and also the fact that an electric control unit ECU for activating the solenoid valve and the electric drive device is incorporated in one module (hereinafter referred to as the main module). And the main module is electrically connected to at least one further system component or is electrically and hydraulically connected to at least one further system component (hereinafter referred to as an operating module or system component), where the further system component can be an electrically or hydraulically actuated movement simulator with an operating pedal and / or a central processor.

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

[0019] If a hydraulic connection exists between the main module and an actuation module, for example, equipped with a brake pedal, a hydraulic fallback level is realized, thereby allowing brake pressure to still be stored in at least one wheel brake via the brake pedal in the event of a motor failure in the main module, for example. Depending on the design variations, vehicle type (motorcycle, passenger car, electric-drive passenger car), and safety requirements, the actuation module can be designed as a single-circuit or dual-circuit master brake cylinder (HZ or THZ), and in the event of a system failure (full back level), the hydraulic volume can be directed to one or two brake circuits or two or four wheel brakes to produce a manual emergency braking function.

[0020] Furthermore, the main module may be connected to a higher-level control unit, advantageously via redundant data lines, particularly data and / or control buses.

[0021] The brake pedal, as an actuator, can similarly be placed in an additional module, and the motion sensor can also be optionally placed in an additional module. Depending on the actuator design, the additional module is connected to the main module by either a purely electrical connection or an electro-hydraulic connection.

[0022] The main module according to the present invention can be installed in a vehicle, either individually or in multiple units. Therefore, the main module may selectively perform pressure feedback control on two wheel brakes of a single axle or on all four wheel brakes of the vehicle.

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

[0024] Embodiment 1 provides a motorcycle or vehicle in which brake force boosting or blending is used on one axle, for example, in motor racing using a high-power electric drive motor. Blending is required when one axle is provided with an electric drive motor in which recovery is performed in generator mode. In this case, recovery is feedback-controlled by the main module and a constant driver feel of the actuator unit is set by adjustment, i.e., the actuator unit is not affected by pressure feedback control and is disconnected. In this case, the actuator unit is disconnected in normal mode by a normally open solenoid valve preferably located in the main module. If a solenoid valve is required in the actuator module for other functions (diagnosis, mobility simulator) (e.g., as described in the present applicant's PCT / EP2015 / 068693), it can be confirmed that a normally open solenoid valve is located in the actuator unit. This opens only when the main module fails, and brake pressure can be accumulated in the wheel brake by the oil pressure accumulated by the actuator unit.

[0025] In this case, the ABS / ESP function can be used without restriction when used on a two-wheeled vehicle. When using Embodiment 1 on a vehicle with two axles, the driving stability function can only be realized in a limited form by pressure feedback control, such as the ideal distribution of brake pressure within the axle in a manner that depends on weight transfer during deceleration and acceleration. The latter function is perfectly suited to 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 comprising a pressure supply unit, a solenoid valve, and a control unit, and the system has two hydraulic circuits with four hydraulic consumption components, such as four wheel brakes, and each main module is used for pressure feedback control of only one hydraulic circuit with multiple consumption components, such as two wheel brakes.

[0027] This system uses two main modules to perform ideal feedback control of wheel brakes, such as brake force boosting, blending, ABS / ESP, and driver assistance functions (e.g., emergency braking, distance control). Here, the system resembles the performance characteristics of a pure brake-by-wire system (EMB, wedge-type brake). In particular, in variations of this design, it may be advantageous to use multiple feedback control, as described in European Patent No. 1 874602 from the applicant. For this purpose, in each case, one solenoid switching valve is required for each brake circuit of the main module. In addition to the switching valve, an outlet valve may also be provided for at least one main module, as described in PCT / EP2015 / 081402 from the applicant. In this way, it is possible to satisfy the requirement for highly dynamic feedback control, particularly for the front axle of a vehicle. Furthermore, it may be advantageous to use the valve switching and control described in PCT / EP2015 / 081403 to achieve quiet pressure accumulation through piston-driven inflow pressure control and to release the pressure via outlet valves.

[0028] Furthermore, the system has two completely independent main modules, each equipped with its own dedicated electronics and electric motors. These modules can still function to power both wheel brakes if one module fails, giving the system a very high level of redundancy, similar to a conventional two-box system (electric booster + ESP). In this way, adequate safety for autonomous driving is achieved.

[0029] Embodiment 2 also has a hydraulic connection of the actuation unit to the main module. For this purpose, a normally open solenoid valve is provided to the main module. Thus, even if a system failure occurs, pressure is still accumulated in the brake circuit by the driver's operating force, and the safety of the system is further enhanced by the two main modules in addition to the redundancy already provided.

[0030] In the third embodiment, control is implemented purely electrically by the M-ECU, and the main module preferably performs only additional pressure-actuated functions. Next, dynamic feedback control of operation is performed by the M-ECU. The M-ECU is also preferably redundantly designed (e.g., quad-core). In this embodiment, the actuation unit can be omitted. In this embodiment, it is advantageous to have redundant electrical connections between the main modules and between the main modules and the control unit, and the main modules are redundantly connected to two voltage sources, such as a 12V battery and a second voltage supply network of 48V or high voltage, or a DC / DC converter for the 12V battery and the second voltage network. Furthermore, signal transmission between the main module and the control unit is preferably redundantly performed over two signal lines, in which case the lines may be cable or wireless transmission. Thus, a combination of cable and wireless transmission is also possible as redundancy. These enhanced redundancy measures ensure that the third embodiment provides adequate redundancy and safety features even in autonomous or driverless vehicles, and in terms of cost and reliability, it is superior in all cases to a pure electric braking system (wedge brake, EMB) with four actuators per wheel brake.

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

[0032] In further variations (embodiments 4-7), only one main module is provided. The main module has four hydraulic output lines, and pressure feedback control in 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, and simultaneously has only minor performance constraints, thus offering a cost advantage over the second and third embodiments and thus being offered as a target system concept for a range of passenger car applications. As the pressure supply unit, a double-stroke piston pump with two working chambers is advantageously used here to create hydraulic redundancy. The configuration of the pressure supply unit with an electric motor, spindle drive, and piston is shown in more detail in Figure 3. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, 2x3 phase contact of the drive motor and redundant power supply is advantageously favorable for increased availability. Apart from the redundancy of 2x3 phase contact, the electrically isolated design of the electronic circuit board, particularly the motor's B6 bridge, is also advantageous. This also applies to further embodiments in which 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 with the main module. An actuation module with one circuit requires one normally open valve, and an actuation module with two hydraulic circuits requires two normally open valves (e.g., PCT / EP2015 / 068693). The hydraulic connections provide a fallback level in case of main module failure, in which case the actuation module supplies pressure medium to at least one brake circuit, preferably two brake circuits, or stores pressure in at least one brake circuit. To increase redundancy, it is also possible to have two hydraulic lines instead of one between the main module and the actuation module.

[0034] In the fifth embodiment, if the hydraulic connection or actuation module is omitted, additional safety measures are essential, which are also recommended in the fourth embodiment, and include, for example, redundant connections of the main module to two on-board electrical systems, signal line redundancy, motor design in the form of 2x3 phase, and system configuration for hydraulic redundancy by, for example, a double-stroke piston type pump with two working chambers.

[0035] In the sixth embodiment, two electric motors and two redundant pressure supply units are provided, with one pressure supply unit supplying pressure to either one hydraulic circuit or two wheel brakes. In this case, the pressure supply is preferably designed as a single-piston pump with a trapezoidal spindle (see Figure 4 with a trapezoidal spindle). Here, a certain degree of redundancy (2x3 phase contact of electric motors) and a double-stroke piston pump with two working chambers can be omitted. The system can also achieve higher feedback control performance if each pressure supply unit of the main module can supply pressure medium to the hydraulic circuits in parallel and independently of each other. In this case, in embodiment 6, with the same performance as in embodiments 2 and 3, i.e., one motor works to either one hydraulic circuit or two wheel brakes, so that pressure can be accumulated in one brake circuit in a multiplexing method (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 a high coefficient of friction, special ESP interventions), resulting in improved driving stability and reduced braking distance in the case of very high-powered vehicles. To achieve reliability similar to that of the second and third embodiments, the electronic system has a redundant configuration with separate drive units for each motor, for example, a 2×B6 bridge, and electrically separate electronic circuit boards, and the electrical supply and signal transmission of the main module are also redundant.

[0036] The seventh embodiment is intended for a driverless vehicle, and therefore does not require an operating module, which is thus omitted.

[0037] As a result of dividing the device according to the present invention into multiple modules, the main module can be positioned away from the bulkhead of the motor compartment, which is advantageous because less noise emitted by the main module is transmitted to the crew compartment. This noise is generated by the highly dynamic feedback control in ABS / ESP mode as a result of hydraulic vibrations, and by solenoid valve switching noise as a result of pressure differences. The main module can be positioned in almost any location within the motor compartment.

[0038] If the vehicle has a drive motor, this can also be used for braking assist. For this purpose, it is necessary to operate the drive motor in conjunction with the other components and to coordinate the functions of the components. Therefore, an electrical connection via a data bus and / or control bus between the main module, the higher-level controller, and the drive motor is required and must be provided accordingly.

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

[0040] Furthermore, the design of the main module's plug connector is advantageous in terms of minimal box volume and excellent accessibility. This can be achieved in the form of a plug connector that connects directly to the main module's electronic circuit board and stands upright at a 90° angle to the electronic circuit board. Moreover, in possible improvements of the above-described embodiment, the plug connector can be mounted below the reservoir container and, in particular, can be pulled out horizontally parallel to the motor. This prevents the structural space required for mounting the plug connector from being wasted.

[0041] Furthermore, as will be discussed in more detail below, the main module can be advantageously designed so that all sensors and the valve body of the solenoid valve are directly positioned on the ECU circuit board, the phase contacts of the electric motor are directly connected to the electronic system, and the electronic system can be installed very easily. Here, the coil body of the solenoid valve is connected to the circuit board, the sensor evaluation elements are mounted spaced on the sensor target by plugging them in, and the 3(6) phase contacts of the lead frame of the electric motor are plugged into 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 may exhibit very simple mounting and radial force compensation by the bent rod concept, where the bent rod is connected to the rotating spindle, preferably by a welded connection. The spindle is formed from a high-strength metallic material and preferably drives a trapezoidal spindle made of plastic. Trapezoidal spindles are used in systems with low maximum pressure and systems consisting of multiple main modules, which is particularly advantageous 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 in braking and thus positively influences the volume balance or maximum pressure requirements. Trapezoidal spindles 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 located in a place where low ambient temperatures are dominant due to the active supply of air, for example in the front-end region of the vehicle. In particular, in the case of electric vehicles, the temperature is significantly lower than in vehicles with internal combustion engines, which further promotes the use of trapezoidal spindles.

[0043] Instead of trapezoidal spindles, ball screw drives (KGTs) can be used. Ball screw drives have the advantage of relatively high efficiency and relatively high capacity against axial loads, especially in large and heavy vehicles with a total weight exceeding 2 tons. Furthermore, because the system has less hysteresis, ball screw drives facilitate feedback control. A combination of trapezoidal spindles in a single module is also possible, for example, a KGT on the front axle and a trapezoidal spindle on the rear axle.

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

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

[0046] The apparatus according to the present invention, and its use in a two-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicle, will be discussed in more detail below with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0047] [Figure 1a] In particular for motorcycles or vehicles with axle-by-axle blending without ABS / ESP, a first embodiment of the present invention is shown, which includes an actuation system with two hydraulic consumption components, where the main module and the 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, comprising two main modules for very high feedback control requirements and flexible positioning, and an additional module equipped with an actuator. [Figure 1c]A third possible embodiment without a brake pedal is shown, featuring two independent redundant main modules for a brake-by-wire braking system or for an autonomous vehicle without a brake pedal. [Figure 2a] A fourth embodiment of a series of system concepts for a passenger car with a hydraulic fallback level, comprising a main module for pressure feedback control of the four-wheel brakes and an additional module with an actuator, is shown, 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] A fifth embodiment of a series of system concepts for a passenger car, corresponding to Figure 2a, is shown, which lacks a hydraulic fallback level but also lacks hydraulic connections between the main module and additional modules. [Figure 2c] A sixth embodiment of a series of system concepts for a passenger car without a hydraulic fallback level and equipped with two motors is shown, where the main module houses two pressure supply units, each with a separate electric drive unit and gears. [Figure 2d] A seventh embodiment of a brake-by-wire system without a mechanically actuated module is shown, comprising a main module for a brake-by-wire braking system or for an autonomous vehicle without a brake pedal for supplying pressure to four-wheel brakes. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of a first possible embodiment of the main module, which includes a motor, sensors, an electrically connected HCU and ECU with a magnet coil, and a pressure piston with a suction valve. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of a second possible embodiment of the main module, with a trapezoidal spindle shown in the upper half of the figure and a ball screw drive mechanism shown in the lower half of the figure. [Figure 5a] The possible valve circuits within the main module of all embodiments are shown. [Figure 5b] The main module and the inlet valve according to the present invention for the valve circuit shown in Figure 5a are shown. [Figure 6] The preferred hydraulic concepts of the second, third, and sixth embodiments are shown. [Figure 7] The diagram shows the configuration of a double-stroke piston pump with solenoid valves for pressure feedback control of two working chambers, with each working chamber assigned to a single brake circuit. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0048] Figure 1a shows a first possible embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention, comprising a main module MO for pressure feedback control of two hydraulic or brake circuits BK1 and BK2, and an additional module MO1 equipped 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 the case of a vehicle or a brake lever in the case of a motorcycle. A moving simulator can be additionally placed on the additional module MO1. If yet another piston-cylinder unit is placed on the additional module and its piston is adjustable by an actuator, a fallback level can be achieved by an optional hydraulic connection, and as a result if one component of the main module fails, brake pressure can still be accumulated in one or both of the brake circuits BK1 / BK2 using the actuator.

[0049] A motion converter PS and / or a level converter NG can also be placed in the additional module MO1. Here, the motion converter PS detects the deflection of an actuation means, for example, in the form of a brake pedal or brake lever, and the signal is transmitted via the wire DS to the control devices S-ECU and M-ECU.

[0050] In all of the following exemplary embodiments, the valve device HCU may be positioned between the module controller S-ECU and the motor M equipped with the pressure supply device DV.

[0051] Similarly, for all embodiments described and shown in the figures, it is generally true that an additional higher-level control unit M-ECU can be provided in addition to the controller S-ECU. However, the higher-level control functions can also be jointly performed by the S-ECU provided in the module MO according to the present invention, and as a result, it is possible to essentially omit the higher-level controller. Therefore, the higher-level control unit M-ECU shown in Figure 1a can be integrated with the main module MO, or it can form a separate unit.

[0052] For example, in modern systems such as motor or transmission controllers and ESP functions, the system controller (S-ECU) performs almost all functions, including I / O, calculations, activation of actuators, and diagnostic functions. In the future, the use of domain processors or central processors (M-ECUs) will increase. In this case, the ECU is located in or near each assembly and performs only activation and partial diagnostic functions, in particular.

[0053] Module MO is fixed to the motor compartment by bracket DF, which may have damping characteristics.

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

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

[0056] Figure 1b shows an apparatus similar to the apparatus according to the present invention shown and described in Figure 1a, in which two main modules MO and MO' are provided, particularly for the purpose of increasing dynamics for motor racing. Furthermore, an additional module MO1 equipped with an actuator is provided, which is connected to the higher-level controller M-ECU and the travel motor, as well as the main modules MO and MO', by an electrical data and / or control line DS. In this case, the two main modules can be used as pure brake force boosters or as brake force boosters with ABS and / or ESP functions, as they can be operated by conventional switching valves and possibly outlet valves due to their multi-function capabilities. Thus, the main module MO can be provided for pressure feedback control of the wheel brake of wheel axle 1, and the main module MO' can be provided for pressure feedback control of the wheel brake of wheel axle 2. However, oblique pressure supply to the wheel brakes by the main modules MO and MO' is also possible. The hydraulic fallback level of the main module MO is achieved or possible by the 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 lower cost compared to electric brakes (EMB, wedge brakes).

[0057] Figure 1c shows an apparatus according to the present invention comprising two main modules MO and MO' for a brake-by-wire braking system or for an autonomous vehicle without a brake pedal, and two travel motors TM1 and TM2, where main module MO performs pressure feedback control of the wheel brake RB of axle 1 via connection 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 function of the wheel brake RB and the travel motors TM1 and TM2.

[0058] The valve design and hydraulic circuit shown and described in Figures 5 and 6 are suitable for the apparatus in Figures 1b and 1c.

[0059] Figure 2a shows an apparatus according to the present invention comprising a main module MO for pressure feedback control in four wheel brakes RB 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 hydraulic line HL functions as a fallback level, as described in the previous exemplary embodiment. The motor M of the main module MO for the pressure supply device may be, for example, a 6-phase motor, thereby providing adequate redundancy by 2 × 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 is still possible to obtain 80–100 bar. Since 80–100 bar constitutes a lock brake, it is possible to achieve nearly full braking deceleration even if one motor fails. The pressure supply device may further have a double-stroke piston, which, by its two working chambers, also provides double redundancy for the hydraulic circuit. The pressure supply device of the main module MO makes it nearly possible to implement ABS and / or ESP functions for wheel brakes, separate from brake force boosting, blending, and driver assistance functions. If a part of the electronic system fails, the remaining three phases will have reduced power and will not be able to achieve full ABS performance. However, safety-oriented intervention with ESP and limited ABS performance with relatively low performance, such as extending braking distance with ABS, are still possible.

[0060] The additional module MO1 can be placed in the vehicle's bulkhead, while the main module MO can be placed virtually arbitrarily in the motor compartment, far from the bulkhead, in particular to minimize noise. This placement is highly effective from the standpoint of noise minimization, as hydraulic vibrations are difficult to dampen by damping the mounting of the mechanism, and the vibrations are transmitted to the brake pedal via body-borne sound through the fluid.

[0061] Figure 2b shows the apparatus according to the present invention as shown in Figure 2A, but without a hydraulic connection between the main module MO and the additional module MO1. This system can be used, for example, in mass-produced passenger cars for autonomous driving, is very quiet, and the main module MO has four output lines AL 1~4 It is connected to each wheel brake RB via this. Instead of assigning each brake circuit BK1 or BK2 to one axle 1 / 2, it is equally possible to assign them to two wheel brakes positioned diagonally to each other in either case. For sufficient redundancy and safety, in addition to the 6-phase motor contacts (see Figure 2a), redundant signal transmission and redundant connections of the main module MO to two on-board voltage networks are also possible here: (a) connection to 12V and (b) connection to a DC / DC converter of a second voltage level.

[0062] Figure 2c shows an apparatus according to the present invention, in which two pressure supply devices, each equipped with a separate electric drive device M and gear device, are arranged in the main module MO. By providing two pressure supply devices, dual redundancy is achieved. Furthermore, by using two motors, improved performance can be achieved (see Figure 1c). In this system, it is convenient to use valve circuits as shown and described in Figures 5 and 6.

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

[0064] Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the control and feedback control unit ECU, which is located in the main module MO and contains the motor M, drive unit, pressure supply unit DK, valve unit HCU, and its main components.

[0065] The motor housing 16 is connected to the first housing portion GH1 via an intermediate component 32, preferably made of sound-absorbing material, where centering may be achieved by projections 14b. The motor housing 16, the intermediate component 14, and the ECU housing 35 are sealed, for example, with a rectangular hatched surface, which are not described individually. A four-point bearing 20 is pressed into the motor housing 16, and this four-point bearing responds to bidirectional axial forces from the spindle 25 and the rotor 22, and centers them. The rotor 22 is fixed by axial fixing means 29 and supports a conventional rotor stack 19 with magnets 20 in the stator region.

[0066] The rotor 22 is further connected on the face side to a bevel gear 28, which drives a second bevel gear 29 comprising a shaft 41 and a target 38. The target 38 acts on a sensor element 37 that evaluates the rotation of the rotor. Here, the sensor element is mounted on a system circuit board PCB, which is particularly inexpensive and fail-safe. As an alternative to the mechanical solution, an unillustrated solution can be implemented, where instead of connection to the 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 sensor elements near the target (e.g., by a plug connection to an ECU) or transmitted to a remote sensor element on the PCB by a magnetic flux conducting element.

[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 so that the flexible drive shaft 41 with the corresponding bracing does not produce tooth play. RIt is then mounted to the housing. Here, the shaft is attached to a bearing bushing 41 fixed to the intermediate part 14. The shaft 41 is connected to the gear 29 to rotate together with it by a corresponding contour, for example, equipped with an anti-rotation means. The bent rod BS is fixed to the rotor 22 by a nut 23. The bent rod is connected to the spindle 25 to rotate together with it by a welded connection 30, for example. The spindle 25 acts on a KGT nut 26, which is connected to the piston 11 to rotate together with it by a screw 27, for example. During the rotation of the rotor and spindle, radial tolerances cause runout in the spindle, which results in a high lateral force corresponding to the piston, which is the seal D K This is important for the running surface. This value is reduced by the bending elasticity of the bending rod BS. This principle can also be applied to the case of a static spindle (not shown) and a rotating nut. In this case, the piston is designed as a stepped piston, and a short structural length is obtained for small strokes. As shown in the cross-sectional view, the structural length consists of the stroke H1 + H2 = 2 × H1 + L of the KGT nut. Since this is a hollow shaft motor in a motor corresponding to German Patent No. 10 2008 063 772 from the present applicant, the actual motor structural length consisting of the stator and bearings is not included in this structural length. The gap of stroke component H1 is utilized by 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 chamber. K It is sealed by this. We will not discuss this in any further detail, nor will we discuss the design of the intermediate component 14 and the first housing section (GH1) which are optimal for this purpose.

[0069] A piston-equipped KGT nut requires an anti-rotation mechanism. The anti-rotation mechanism is mounted here on the end face. A corresponding portion 33, having a square or polygonal contour, is connected to GH1 to rotate together and is supported by a slide bushing 34 connected to the piston to rotate together. This slide guide benefits from the small lubrication effect of the brake fluid. The piston drive can also be designed with a static spindle and a rotating KGT nut. Housed on one side of GH1 are suction valves SV1 and SV2, connected to VB by corresponding ports. As shown by the dashed line, these can be positioned on the H2 plane of the tubular element. Located on the opposite side is GH2-HCU, which houses the MV and other valves with pressure transducers, as already described. 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 along with structural element BE. Motor contact K M A short electrical connection from the lead frame 31 to the motor is also described here, and nearby are the power contacts of the plug connector 1 to the BE for motor control on the PCB. The corresponding power loss is dissipated from the PCB through the heat conductor to the valve block 56 of the HCU. The ECU housing 35 may be formed parallel and laterally to the motor. This configuration makes it possible to realize an advantageous, compact solution that takes many requirements into account at low cost.

[0071] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the main module MO, where the trapezoidal spindle TS is shown in the upper half of the figure and the ball screw drive KGT is shown in the lower half. The main module has a piston housing 53 and a motor housing 55. The piston housing 53 and motor housing 55 can be manufactured from 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 manufactured from plastic. The outer stator 52 and stator windings 51 are located within the motor housing.

[0072] The piston housing 53 has an operating chamber A separated by the housing 53 and the piston 59, with an outlet 61 for connecting an output line AL (not shown). The piston 59 is sealed by a seal 50 located within the piston housing 53 and driven by a spindle SP arranged to rotate together 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 undesirable rotation of the piston 59 around its longitudinal axis. In this case, the spindle may be a trapezoidal spindle TS (top of the figure) or part of a ball screw drive KGT. The spindle SP may be fixed to a bent rod 58 connected to rotate together with the rotor R, thereby providing compensation in the presence of possible eccentricity.

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

[0075] If excessively high operating pressure is not present, both the piston housing 53 and the piston 59 can be manufactured from plastic. The motor housing 55 can also be manufactured from plastic. In a further possible embodiment, the stator 52 can also be manufactured from plastic.

[0076] Furthermore, the rotor R or a portion of the rotor R can also be manufactured from plastic, in which a magnet equipped with a magnetic flux conducting component is inserted into or surrounded by the plastic.

[0077] Figure 5a shows a valve circuit with a switching valve with low flow resistance, which is important for multi-operation, as known from International Publication No. 2016 / 146223, where the switching valve is positioned to open automatically by the pressure in the wheel brake. Here, the 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 failure, the wheel pressure opens the switching valve. However, magnetic force also needs to achieve closure against 130 bar, which is achieved if there is a small armature air gap at the valve termination position. Therefore, the reset spring of the switching valve SV requires only slight reinforcement so that the switching valve does not "suddenly close" in the presence of a large flow in response. Conventional inlet valves need to close against up to 220 bar (130 bar in the case of Figure 5a), so the valve seat area can be enlarged without changing the dimensions of the magnet, which lowers the back pressure or flow resistance and is advantageous for MUX operation. Therefore, the valve circuit shown in Figure 1e is advantageous for the brake system according to the present invention.

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

[0079] The inlet valve EV comprises a magnetic armature MA, a magnetic body MGK, and an excitation coil ES. When the solenoid valve EV is energized, the magnetic force MK moves S. A Only position the armature MA S A0 From position S A2is displaced. The magnet armature MA moves the plunger MStoe by the same movement, as a result of which the plunger MStoe abuts against the valve seat VS, closing 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 excitation coil ES of the valve EV is stopped, the armature MA does not stick to the magnet housing MGK due to the remagnetization loss of the iron circuit. When the valve current stops, the reset spring RF returns the armature MA to the initial position. Here, in the case of a relatively small air gap, i.e., when the amount of movement increases, the magnetic force F M increases non-linearly. The reset spring F RF is dimensioned such that at the initial position S A0 , the magnetic force F M is greater than the spring force so as to ensure reliable closing of the valve. The spring force increases with the increase in the amount of movement S A and is also lower than the magnetic force F A2 at the final position S M . The linear spring is preferably used such that at the final position, in the presence of a given current, the magnetic force F M is considerably higher than the reset force, so that the valve can be held at a low current and reliable closing is ensured even when there is a large pressure difference between the wheel brake and the pressure supply. Even when there is a large pressure difference, the holding operation is ensured because the magnetic force increases non-linearly greatly at the closed valve position. However, the reset spring also needs to be dimensioned so as to ensure the function as a normally open valve and that the valve always opens reliably.

[0080] The output E of the valve a is connected to the wheel brake RBi (RB1~RB4), and the input E iThis is connected to the brake circuit BKi and / or the pressure supply unit DV(20). With such a connection, the inlet valve EV can be opened by both the reset spring RF and the pressure of the wheel brake, which is especially important in the event of a brake system failure or malfunction (e.g., if there is a problem with the valve voltage). Furthermore, if there is high pressure in the brake circuit and low pressure in the wheel brake, only the pressure difference between the inlet Ei and outlet Ea will open the plunger M Stoe This can also occur. This pressure difference in the valve is relatively small during pressure accumulation, but it needs to be taken into consideration in the spring configuration RF to prevent the pressure difference from pushing the valve shut while pressure accumulates as its volume is transported from the pressure supply unit DV to the wheel brake. Valves with a large opening cross-sectional area OeQ or low flow loss reduce this effect.

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

[0082] Furthermore, the advantageously designed low flow loss of the inlet valve allows for rapid pressure dissipation through the inlet valve. Precise dissipation pressure through the inlet valve EV can be achieved through corresponding control of the piston motion of the pressure supply unit 20. Optionally, known MUX methods can also be implemented with the valve circuit described above, or with pressure dissipation control by an outlet valve AV in the brake circuit, particularly for low-volume balance consumption components such as the wheel brakes on the rear axle. That is, combinations are possible, so that the MUX method is used in combination with the new valve circuit configuration only on two wheel brakes (e.g., the front axle), and pressure dissipation is performed conventionally on two additional wheel brakes. This could mean that two wheel brake / actuators with inlet valves and outlet valves (SV1, SV2+AV) are provided, and two wheel brake / actuators with only inlet or switching valves SV3, SV4 are provided. In this case, as shown in Figures 1a and 1b, it would be possible to equip only the wheel brakes on the front axle with the new valve circuit of the present invention, and use the standard circuit configuration / standard valves on the rear axle.

[0083] Figure 6 shows a brake system with the device according to the present invention, comprising two main modules MO and MO', and a further separate module MO1 equipped with an actuation unit BE and a brake pedal.

[0084] The actuation unit BE within module MO1 may be, for example, hydraulically actuated and connected to 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 inside it by the motor M. The piston 1 is driven by a spindle S and, together with the cylinder, defines the boundary of the working chamber 3, which is connected to a reservoir container R via a suction valve SV. The working chamber 3 is further connected to a first brake circuit BK1 via the output line AL of module MO, to which two wheel brakes RB1 and RB2 are connected via switching valves SV1 and SV2. Pressure accumulation and pressure dissipation in wheel brake RB2 are performed here 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 an forward stroke or a reverse stroke. When the switching valve SV1 is closed, the pressure in the wheel brake is maintained. In the case of wheel brake RB1, if outlet valve AV is not present, pressure accumulation and pressure dissipation of the wheel brake are performed 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 the working chamber 3 of the piston-cylinder unit. For controlled pressure dissipation, it is further possible to operate the outlet valve (AV), which is specifically designed for pulse width modulation, in clock operation (opening and closing) or pulse width modulation, i.e., fast clocking or opening and closing, in which case the pressure sensor DR is used to control the clocking of the outlet valve during pressure dissipation. Pressure dissipation of RB2 can also be achieved via outlet valve AV with switching valves SV1 and SV2 open, and controlled pressure dissipation here can be similarly achieved by clocking the outlet valve using a pressure transducer. Here, it is preferable that the piston of the piston-cylinder unit MO is stationary. It is also possible to move the piston during pressure dissipation and further control the pressure dissipation by the volume replenished, and to use this to jointly control the pressure dissipation. In this case, pressure is dissipated simultaneously in both wheel brakes RB1 and RB2. It is also possible to provide a corresponding outlet valve (not shown) on wheel brake RB2. If an outlet valve is provided, pressure can be simultaneously accumulated in RB2 while pressure is simultaneously dissipated in RB1. If an outlet valve is provided in RB2, pressure can be simultaneously accumulated in either wheel brake BK I or BK II of the brake circuit and simultaneously dissipated in the other wheel brake BK I or BK II. The use of an outlet valve is advantageous in reducing the motor load in the pressure feedback control dynamics in MUX operation, especially in the case of a black-and-white distribution of brake circuits (BK I on the front axle, BK II on the rear axle). Alternatively, outlet valves can be provided on other wheel brakes (e.g., RB1 and RB3). This is advantageous, for example, when projecting the wheel brakes on the front axle in the case of diagonal brake force distribution between RB1 and RB3.

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

[0087] These sensors allow for improved feedback control, enabling pressure operation solely through piston position feedback control and motor current feedback control. A temperature sensor is used for this purpose, adjusting the torque constant kt to the operating temperature. In this system, pressure transducers are primarily used for calibration to target pressure and fine feedback control, where current and position allow for very fast pilot control according to the evaluation of the pressure-volume characteristic curve, mainly used for highly dynamic pressure changes. More accurate modeling of hysteresis allows for the complete omission of pressure transducers, or the use of only one pressure transducer in either brake circuit BK I or BK II for calibration purposes. During calibration, bypass valves BV1 and BV2 are opened to allow each pressure feedback control unit to be calibrated with a pressure transducer. If one or more outlet valves are used in a single brake circuit BK I, the pressure transducers are conveniently positioned in BK I so that they can be used for clocking the pressure dissipation feedback control of brake circuit BK I.

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

[0089] The second main module MO' is substantially identical in design to the first main module MO and is connected to the second brake circuit BK2 by its hydraulic output line AL, through which pressure storage and pressure dissipation are performed in the wheel brakes RB3 and RB4. The only difference from the first main module MO is that the voltage supply is provided by a 48V battery and DC / DC converter, thereby providing greater redundancy. A pressure sensor DR can similarly be provided for the second brake circuit BK2.

[0090] If one unit (MO) or MO2 fails, all wheel brakes can be operated in MUX operation by the remaining pressure supply unit MO2 by opening the bypass valves BV1 and BV2 on the connection line VL and interconnecting the brake circuits BK I and BK II. Since only one motor can be used, the maximum dynamics of the 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 motor volume or piston displacement without defects, the drive MO and MO' are designed with an automatic locking mechanism, in particular an automatic locking trapezoidal spindle F. Alternatively, they can be used with a shut-off valve (not shown in Figure 6) which would otherwise have to be connected upstream of a non-automatic locking pressure supply device.

[0091] The bypass circuit can also be conveniently utilized so that pressure buildup within individual wheel brakes (e.g., the wheel brake on the front axle BK I) is jointly achieved by opening the bypass line through both pressure supply units, and in one axle (e.g., BK II), it is confirmed that the high-power electric drive motor (50-200kW) of the electric motor can be used for braking on at least one axle. Thus, the motors of module MO / MO1 can be miniaturized and, in terms of power, need to be designed specifically for the ABS / ESP feedback control function.

[0092] Regarding the dimensional determination of the pressure actuators DE and DE' of modules MO and MO', the following possibilities are also advantageous: DE: Dimensioned for high pressure of approximately 200 bar, with a volume of 50% of DE's volume. DE': Approximately 50% of DE's pressure, or about 100 bar, with a volume of 100%. Therefore, DE and DE' have the same output. The DE piston can be dimensioned to 50% of the piston area of ​​the DE' piston, thereby requiring only 50% of the axial force of DE'. Thus, both motors M have the same torque. If DE fails at the fallback level (RFE), DE' operates at 50% pressure, which is sufficient, and DE operates at 100% pressure and a smaller volume, requiring DE to be replenished by a retraction stroke for retraction and an advance stroke for further volume by the corresponding valve circuit with SV closed during the retraction stroke.

[0093] Furthermore, by replenishment, i.e., by retracting the piston, and by opening the bypass valves BV1 / BV2 or bypass valves BV1 and BV1 through the opening of the ZEA valve, further volume can be drawn in, and thus the volume balance of the pressure chamber can be reduced. Thus, it is also possible to create a smaller cross-sectional area at the end face of the piston 3, thereby reducing the torque requirement for the motor M. This has a significant impact on cost. Since 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 to be elongated with a small cross-sectional area; that is, the cross-sectional area can be conveniently 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. Thus, it is possible to take advantage of the physical effect that the relatively low torque of the motor can be compensated for by the relatively high rotational speed of the motor, and therefore does not result in a power reduction of the drive unit. The increased operating noise resulting from higher rotational speeds is more easily attenuated when the unit is positioned away from the bulkhead than when it is positioned within the bulkhead; therefore, this parameter can be conveniently used to reduce the cost of the drive unit, meaning that drive units MO and MO' can be designed at a considerably lower cost with the same power in elongated embodiments. Furthermore, in contrast to known two-box brake systems, if the ABS / ESP unit fails, one module MO or MO' can perform brake force boost and feedback control functions of ABS / ESP on all wheel brakes in the event of failure by using a bypass line VL.

[0094] The connection line VL has one switching valve BV1 and optionally two bypass valves BV1 and BV2 and one discharge valve ZEA. By opening one or both bypass valves, a hydraulic connection is established between the two brake circuits BK I and BK II. Bypass valves have cost advantages and low throttle resistance, but there is a high requirement for leak resistance, especially during feedback control operation. Multiple bypass valves BV1 and BV2 enable reliable leak resistance testing and further increase the system's flexibility. Bypass valves are preferably designed as closed solenoid valves. However, for this purpose, in case of emergency operation of both brake circuits, it is necessary to ensure that the pressure supply unit supplies current to the valves even if the pressure supply fails, i.e., that the bypass valves are conveniently handled by the S-ECU of the pressure supply units MO and MO1.

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

[0096] The bypass valve circuit consists of two bypass solenoid valves, BV1 and BV2, in either case, with a central ZEA solenoid valve connected to a reservoir container. This is consumed by the corresponding volume being discharged into the reservoir container and by the draw-in for replenishment from the reservoir container.

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

[0098] The actuation unit BE is optionally hydraulically connected to two brake circuits BK1 and BK2 via hydraulic lines HL1 and HL2, and switchable shut-off valves TV1 and TV2 are located on 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, valves TV1 and TV2 open, allowing hydraulic pressure to be stored in brake circuits BK1 and BK2 by the brake pedal and piston-cylinder unit of the actuation unit BE, thereby achieving a fallback level. During normal operation, valves TV1 and TV2 are closed, and therefore the actuation unit BE is disconnected from brake circuits BK1 and BK2.

[0099] Through the open valve BV1, it is possible to change the pressure of the wheel brakes RB1 and RB2, for example, using the pressure generating unit DE of the second main module MO'. Conversely, the pressure change of the brake circuit BK2 can also be performed by the pressure generating unit DE of the first main module when valve BV1 is open.

[0100] A pressure generator can perform pressure changes in the wheel brakes RB1-4 in a time-offset manner and / or simultaneously, which is commonly referred to as a multiple-acting MUX. One or more outlet valves AV may be provided as auxiliary.

[0101] In contrast to systems with ball screw drive mechanisms, a pressure supply configuration with a trapezoidal spindle allows for the omission of an isolation valve (not shown) at the output of the pressure supply. This is because, due to the automatic locking mechanism, the piston is not adjusted at the fallback level when the isolation valve TV1 (TV2) is open, and braking force is generated in the wheel brake by pedal operation. Therefore, the trapezoidal spindle solution has particular advantages for multiple operations because it does not result in throttle loss.

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

[0103] The above outlet valve AV can be provided, for example, to the front axle or a single brake circuit to achieve greater dynamics with pressure feedback control. This is advantageous in particularly dangerous situations (high-friction braking, i.e., braking on asphalt) as it shortens the braking distance.

[0104] Feedback control of piston motion can be achieved using position α, current i, and temperature T. The pressure transducer DR functions solely for alignment or calibration. In principle, since brake circuits BK1 and BK2 can be connected to each other by valve BV1 (which is usually closed), only one pressure transducer DR is needed.

[0105] If one pressure supply unit DE fails, the other main module's pressure supply unit DE can perform pressure changes in both brake circuits in emergency operation via the open connection valve BV1. If the spindle drive of the pressure supply unit DE has an auto-locking design, the piston of the faulty pressure supply unit DE will not be adjusted. If a ball screw drive is used, an additional isolation valve is required upstream of the feed from the other brake circuit between DE and the switching valve SV / isolation valve SV for this function.

[0106] If an automatic locking ball screw drive is not used, an automatic lock can be caused by a short circuit generated or switched on in the motor M.

[0107] Temperature-induced hysteresis in the trapezoidal spindle results in different pressure-volume / transfer assignments occurring at different temperatures. Measuring the temperature advantageously means that only a pressure transducer measurement range of up to 80 bar is required for alignment.

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

[0109] Figure 7 shows a brake system equipped with a pressure supply unit DE, the piston 1 of which is regulated by a motor M, and the piston 1 seals and separates two working chambers 3a and 3b from each other, each working chamber 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 container 5. Pressure accumulation and pressure dissipation are achieved by bidirectional piston control and opening and closing of the PD1 / PD2 valves. Brake circuits BK1 and BK2 can be hydraulically connected to each other using a connecting valve BV. Furthermore, valve VKF can be connected upstream of the pressure supply unit. Thus, it is possible to accumulate and dissipate pressure in the two brake circuits BK1 and BK2 in both stroke directions (forward stroke and reverse stroke) of the double-stroke piston. This redundancy is particularly necessary for vehicles undergoing Stage 3-5 autonomous driving operations, in which case both motors must have redundant configurations, for example, with 2x3 phase connections, i.e., operating at half torque in the event of failure of one 3-phase connection. Similarly, the hydraulic mechanism must also be redundant, specifically with two working chambers, i.e., both brake circuits must be able to operate with only one chamber of the double-stroke piston. The main module is powered by a 12V and / or 48V on-board electrical system. Redundant energy supply is further realized by corresponding DC / DC converters. The excitation coils of motor M are connected by redundant power supply lines EL1 and EL2.

Claims

1. A device for a hydraulic actuation system for an automobile brake, or for a clutch and / or at least one gear actuator, particularly for a hybrid or electric vehicle, wherein the following components are combined to form a main module (MO) and are located in a single housing: - At least one pressure supply device (11) which is in the form of a piston-type or double-stroke piston-type pump for changing the pressure in at least one hydraulic circuit, wherein the drive device (M) adjusts the piston of the piston-type or double-stroke piston-type pump via a transmission mechanism, in particular a trapezoidal or recirculating ball mechanism, - A valve unit (HCU) having at least one solenoid valve that is useful for individually setting the hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic circuit and / or for separating and connecting the hydraulic circuit from the pressure supply device (11) and / or piston-cylinder unit (10), - At least two hydraulic consumption components of the hydraulic operating system, particularly the hydraulic ports (AL) for the wheel brakes (RB) of the vehicle's axle. １～４ ), - An ECU (S-ECU) equipped with motor control electronics for a BLDC motor, a valve output stage, and a sensor for activating the at least one solenoid valve and the electric drive unit (M) in order to set the pressure in the hydraulic operating system by adjustment, The main module (MO) is electrically connected, or electrically and hydraulically connected, to at least one further system component or actuation unit (BE), particularly to an electrically or hydraulically operated mobile simulator and / or a central processor (M-ECU) equipped with actuation pedals.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a piston-cylinder unit is a component of a further system, located in a further separate module (MO1), in particular an actuation module (BE), the further separate module (MO1), in particular an actuation module (BE) is located spatially separated from the main module (MO), and at least one piston of the piston-cylinder unit is adjustable by an actuation device, in particular a brake pedal, and 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 hydraulic line (HL), in particular rigid or flexible.

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

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the hydraulic line (HL) is shut off during normal operation by a normally open valve, and / or in the event of an emergency (fallback level), pressure can be transmitted by the actuator through the hydraulic line (HL) to a hydraulic circuit (BKi) or for the adjustment of a wheel brake (RB), clutch, or gear actuator.

5. Furthermore, the apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that an electrical connection exists on the one hand between a higher-level control unit (M-ECU) and / or at least one travel motor (TM), and on the other hand between the main module (MO) and / or the further module (MO1).

6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that an electronic pedal or lever, which can be subjected to force by an electric drive or actuator, is located in or on a further module (MO2), the force applied to the electronic pedal is measured, and a control signal can be transmitted between the main module and the further module (MO2), particularly via a transmission path in the form of an electrical connection line or wireless transmission.

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the main module (MO) has two hydraulic output lines (AL1, AL2), and the pressure feedback control is performed via the two hydraulic output lines (AL1, AL2) particularly on two separate wheel brakes or two hydraulic circuits of a motorcycle.

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

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the recovery and the blending feedback control are performed by the ECU of the main module.

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

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that each main module (MO, MO') contributes to the pressure feedback control in one hydraulic circuit, two hydraulic circuits, or a brake circuit, and in any case at least one, preferably two, consumable components, in particular a wheel brake, is provided in each hydraulic circuit.

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

13. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, in the case of two or more consumable components, at least one main module of the multimode performs pressure feedback control simultaneously and / or in a time-offset manner.

14. The apparatus 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 the main module, and the at least one outlet valve is capable of dissipating pressure from at least one consumable component, in particular one wheel brake, clutch, or gear actuator.

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

16. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the apparatus has, in each case, one main module (MO) having four hydraulic output lines (AL1 to 4), the pressure feedback control is performed on one of the four wheel brakes via each output line, and the main module (MO) performs or performs the functions for brake force boost, blending, ABS / ESP, and / or driver assistance.

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

18. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that a bendable rod (BS) is provided, through which a spindle (25) is connected to the rotor (22) of the drive device.

19. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the bent rod (BS) extends axially within the spindle (25), is fixed at one end to the base wall of the pot-shaped rotor (22), and is fixed at the other end to the end of the spindle in particular.

20. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the pressure supply device provides an electric motor (M) equipped with a spindle drive, optionally a ball screw drive (double-stroke piston type pump or piston-type stroke pump), or a trapezoidal spindle drive (piston-type stroke pump).

21. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 20, 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 together with it.

22. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the spindle drive has an automatic locking design and is in the form of a trapezoidal spindle.

23. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the solenoid valve disposed between the output line (AL) of the main module (MO) and the pressure supply device has low flow resistance and is characterized in that it is automatically released in particular by the pressure difference between the relatively high pressure of the wheel brake and the pressure of the pressure supply unit or the output line (AL).

24. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein, if there is one or two main modules (MO, MO'), these / these are redundantly fed by two separate electrical circuits, in particular directly from a battery and even via a DC / DC converter, or the redundant feeding of the energy is performed by two batteries of different voltages.

25. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that the transmission of signals between individual components, particularly between the main module (MO, MO') and the operating module (MO1) and, if present, the higher-level control unit (M-ECU), is configured to be redundant.

26. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 25, characterized in that the relative rotation prevention means (33) prevents the piston (11) from rotating around its longitudinal axis.

27. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 26, characterized in that the housing of the main module (MO) is manufactured from plastic.

28. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 27, characterized in that the piston housing (53), the motor housing (55), and / or the rotor (R) are made of plastic.

29. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 28, characterized in that a connecting element, in particular a plug connector (1) for connecting to the vehicle's onboard electrical system, is attached laterally adjacent to the control unit (ECU) or to the control unit (ECU) at its end face, particularly partially below a protrusion of the control unit ECU and / or reservoir container (VB).

30. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 29, characterized in that the connecting element, in particular the plug connector (1), is inserted into or can be inserted into the control unit (ECU) in a horizontal insertion direction, and / or is a plug connector having a right-angle cable outlet, in particular the insertion direction is selected or provided to be directed outward from the vehicle rather than toward the center of the vehicle.

31. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 30, characterized in that the motor of the drive device has 2 x 3 phases, and the piston-cylinder unit of the pressure supply device has a double-stroke piston having two working chambers, wherein in either case one brake circuit is connected to each working chamber, and thus electrical and hydraulic redundancy is achieved.

32. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 31, characterized in that one pressure sensor (DR) is provided to two hydraulic circuits, and the hydraulic circuits are hydraulically connectable by valves.

33. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 32, characterized in that two main modules (MO, MO') and one separate module (MO1) are provided, and each main module (MO) is connected in any case to one brake circuit (BK1, BK2) via its one hydraulic output line (AL).

34. The apparatus according to claim 33, characterized in that the brake circuits (BK1, BK2) can be selectively connected to each other by a connection line (VL) that can be shut off by at least one connection valve (BV1, BV2).

35. The apparatus 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), wherein the hydraulic lines (HL1, HL2) are in particular shut off by normally open valves (TV1, TV2).

36. The apparatus 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 motor angle with respect to a piston-volume characteristic curve or piston-volume characteristic map, and a pressure transducer (DR) is used for calibration or fine feedback control (external feedback control circuit - moving - current of the feedback control cascade pressure).

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

38. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 37, characterized in that one or both working chambers (3a, 3b) of the pressure supply unit (DE) can be connected to the reservoir container (5, R) by switchable valves (PD1, PD2).

39. The apparatus 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 performed in the brake circuits BK1 and BK2, and in particular, pressure dissipation is performed in one brake circuit and simultaneous or time-offset pressure accumulation is performed in the other brake circuit.

40. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 39, characterized in that the contact of the excitation coil of the motor (M) is performed in either a three-phase or 2x3 phase manner, a separate bridge circuit supplies the control device (S-ECU) in a particularly electrically isolated manner, and / or redundant signal lines (DS1, DS2) are provided to further system modules, particularly a control unit (M-ECU) and / or a separate module (MO1).

41. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 40, characterized in that, in the case of high-speed accumulation of brake pressure, both modules (MO, MO') are used for the pressure accumulation, and the brake circuit is connected to each other by a connecting line (VL) and open valves (BV1, BV2).

42. The apparatus 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. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 42, characterized in that, with respect to the accumulation of pressure in the two brake circuits (BK I, BK II), particularly in the case of fading, the connecting valves (BV1, BV2) are opened, and both modules (MO, MO') simultaneously adjust their pistons (1) for pressure accumulation or apply force to their pistons (1).

44. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 43, characterized in that each module (MO, MO') is available for the pressure changes of each brake circuit (BK I, BK II), particularly for redundancy or in the event of failure of one module (MO, MO').

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