Diagnostic and monitoring system for ABS units

Abstract

Diagnostic and monitoring system for anti-lock braking system is described, comprising an electric pump (1), a manual pump (2), two oil outlets (3, 8), an oil tank (4), one or more pressure gauges (6), an ABS module (7), a flow diverter (9), a central unit (10), a monitor (11), one or more connections (12), an OBD port (13), pressure sensors (14), a front panel (not shown), an oil recovery pan (not shown), one or more fittings (not shown) with various and suitable connectors (not shown), one or more control units (not shown), a diagnostic system (not shown), a monitoring section (not shown).

Description

[0001] DIAGNOSTIC AND MONITORING SYSTEM FOR ABS UNITS

[0002] The present invention relates to a test bench for ABS ( anti-lock braking system) units designed to repair vehicle braking components .

[0003] In particular, the present invention relates to a test bench for ABS units suitable for testing the electronic and hydraulic components of a vehicle in order to assess the ef ficiency of the braking system .

[0004] One of the most common problems with ABS units is the mal function of the valves for the fluid (brake oil ) that controls brake distribution .

[0005] The test bench, which is the subj ect of the present invention, aims at a complete diagnosis of an ABS module including an indication of the action to be taken, and a series of procedures ( automatically customised) to eliminate mal functions .

[0006] The test bench consists of hardware connected to the ABS system ( to be tested and serviced) designed to carry out a series of operations , checks and measurements , plus software to carry out electrical monitoring ( diagnostics ) and automatically perform a series of operating cycles and / or to restore functionality .

[0007] This avoids the need to di smantle valves and clean them with detergents in the event of technical problems .

[0008] In fact , the test bench detects the behaviour of each component to be tested, under operating conditions ( dynamically) , activating valves with pulses of varying amplitude and / or frequency, using one or more coils and supporting the operation with a speci fic detergent fluid .

[0009] There are also sections for testing hydraulic and electrical components .

[0010] In addition, an external terminal connected to the test bench with speci fic programmes sets up the various tests , provides the test results , inserts and reproduces all the signals coming from the communication channel with the vehicle , thus providing a complete simulation of the entire system .

[0011] The test bench electronics include a range of interchangeable interfaces to adapt to di f ferent electronic parts during testing, which can also communicate with other parts .

[0012] Sector technicians will understand that the subj ect matter of the invention is susceptible to numerous modi fications and variations , all within the inventive concept expressed in the appended claims .

[0013] All parts may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements and the materials may vary according to requirements without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention .

[0014] A device for the act ivities / functions described above which is the same as or similar to the subj ect matter of the present invention does not exist and has never been proposed .

[0015] Although the subj ect matter of the present invention has been described with particular reference to the appended figures , the reference numbers used in the description and claims are for a better understanding of the invention and do not constitute any limitation of the scope of protection claimed .

[0016] Likewise , it is speci fied that further features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent in the light of the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive , embodiment of other forms , illustrated by way of a non-limiting example in the appended drawings , wherein the device / system, in accordance with its embodiment of the present invention, consists of a test bench for ABS units , comprising a circuit formed by an electric pump 1 and a manual pump 2 for brake oil of a vehicle , two oil outlets 3 , 8 connected to an oil tank 4 and to an ABS module 7 comprising one or more channels (not shown) , preferably with pressure regulation from 10 to 200 bar, of which a first oil outlet 3 is interposed between said electric pump 1 and a pressure regulator 5 and a second oil outlet 8 interposed between said pressure regulator 5 and a flow diverter 9 , one or more pressure gauges 6 , preferably four, designed for baric control of the pressure at the outlet of each individual channel of the ABS module 7 (with visual veri fication by the operator ) by means of pressure sensors 14 , preferably five , a front panel (not shown) comprising an oil recovery pan (not shown) , wherein said one or more pressure gauges 6 comprise a tap designed to allow air bubbles to escape and to reduce the pressure of the circuit and wherein said front panel (not shown) and said ABS module 7 are connected by means of fittings (not shown) with various and suitable connectors (not shown) corresponding to a thread of a hole (not shown) on said ABS module 7 , said connectors (not shown) comprise a ( quick) coupling and are connected to universal piping (not shown) , a monitoring section (not shown) designed to test electronic components , comprising a monitor 11 designed to display controls and values released by said ABS module 7 during testing, connections 12 for connecting the ABS module 7 to one or more control units (not shown) , an OBD port 13 for connecting the ABS module 7 to a diagnostic system (not shown) , a central unit 10 , i . e . a hardware comprising management software of a test bench for ABS assemblies (not shown) , i . e . a control board designed to detect signals by means of proximity sensors 12 at di f ferent vehicle speeds by means of possible skidding of one or more wheels of said vehicle , simulate the data of the other control units (not shown) connected to each type of vehicle , detect braking ( at di f ferent intensities ) of a vehicle by means of a pressurised oil supply and a reduction in speed ( transmitted by said sensors ) with possible skidding, and to evaluate the behaviour of one or more components . Said test bench for ABS assemblies characteri zed in that it comprises one or more sensors used to detect the number of revolutions ( signal channels ) and solenoid valves ( control channels ) used to modulate the braking pressure , whereby the signals are configured so that the electronics can recognise the locking of one or more wheels of a car and act on the brake hydraulics , as the more channels are used, the more precise and rapid the pressure modulation . The hydraulic system of an ABS module 7 is preferably formed with two input channels and four output channels , i . e . two output channels for each input , consisting of eight or ten or twelve valves (not shown) , thus with two or three valves (not shown) for each output channel (not shown) , since the ABS module with two valves per channel (not shown) only generates low pressure with their activation, while the ABS module with three valves per channel (not shown) can generate both low and high pressure . Said test phase comprises the following steps : deactivation or constant or intermittent activation of said electric pump 1 , preferably with a pressure of 30 to 120 bar ;

[0017] - deactivation or single or multiple activation of one or more low pressure solenoid valves (not shown) on one or more channels (not shown) , with low frequency, medium frequency or high frequency pulses ;

[0018] - single or multiple activation of one or more high pressure solenoid valves (not shown) on one or more channels (not shown) , with low frequency, medium frequency or high frequency pulses ; veri fication of blockage of one or more channels (not shown) ;

[0019] - veri fication of oil output from one or more channels (not shown) ;

[0020] - veri fication of the sealing of the solenoid valves of one or more channels (not shown) ;

[0021] - veri fication of the closure of one or more channels (not shown) ;

[0022] - veri fication of the pressure of one or more channels (not shown) ;

[0023] - veri fication of possible blockage or closure of one or more solenoid valves (not shown) that are normally open .

[0024] Generally, an ABS module presenting pressure problems on one or more channels will have a pressure of at least 20 bar .

[0025] The present invention is described by reference to a presently preferred embodiment , but it will be understood that in practice other adj ustments may be made as technologies , variations and modi fications develop, without however going beyond the scope of protection of the present inventive step .

[0026] For example , di f ferent veri fication techniques can be adopted depending on the type of ABS and the type of mal function .

[0027] Experts in the sector will therefore understand that numerous modi fications and variations are possible within the scope of protection defined by the appended claims , in particular with regard to reproductive scale and, above all , with regard to the measurements , since it is the sub j ective / ob j ective requirements that define the appropriate technical dimensional characteristics for this purpose , i . e . according to design variables , with the possibility of varying shapes for commercial convenience and encouraging industries to provide certain anatomical shapes and / or various appropriate dimensions .

Claims

CLAIMS1. Diagnostic and monitoring system for ABS units, comprising an electric pump (1) and a manual pump (2) for vehicle brake oil, two oil outlets (3, 8) connected to an oil tank (4) and to an ABS module (7) comprising one or more channels (not shown) , of which a first oil outlet (3) is interposed between said electric pump (1) and a pressure regulator (5) and a second oil outlet (8) interposed between said pressure regulator (5) and a flow diverter (9) , one or more pressure gauges(6) designed for baric control of the pressure at the outlet of each individual channel of the ABS module (7) by means of pressure sensors (14) , a front panel (not shown) comprising an oil recovery pan (not shown) , wherein said one or more pressure gauges (6) comprise a tap designed to allow air bubbles to escape and to reduce the pressure of the circuit and wherein said front panel (not shown) and said ABS module (7) are connected by means of fittings (not shown) with various and suitable connectors (not shown) corresponding to a thread of a hole (not shown) on said ABS module(7) , said connectors (not shown) comprise a coupling and are connected to piping (not shown) ,a monitoring section (not shown) designed to test electronic components, comprising a monitor (11) designed to display controls and values released by said ABS module (7) during testing, connections(12) for connecting the ABS module (7) to one or more control units (not shown) , an OBD port (13) for connecting the ABS module (7) to a diagnostic system (not shown) , a central unit (10) , i.e. hardware comprising management software for a test bench for ABS assemblies (not shown) , i.e. a control board designed to detect signals by means of proximity sensors (12) at different vehicle speeds by means of possible skidding of one or more wheels of said vehicle, simulate the data of the other control units (not shown) connected to each type of vehicle, detect braking (at different intensities) of a vehicle by means of a pressurised oil supply and a reduction in speed (transmitted by said sensors) with possible skidding, and to evaluate the behaviour of one or more components, said test bench for ABS assemblies characterized in that it comprises one or more sensors used to detect the number of revolutions (signal channels) and solenoid valves (control channels) used to modulate brakingpressure , whereby the signals are configured so that the electronics can recognise the locking of one or more wheels of a car and act on the brake hydraulics , said test phase comprises the following steps :- deactivation or constant or intermittent activation of said electric pump ( 1 ) ;- deactivation or single or multiple activation of one or more low pressure solenoid valves (not shown) on one or more channels (not shown) , with low frequency, medium frequency or high frequency pulses ;- single or multiple activation of one or more high pressure solenoid valves (not shown) on one or more channels (not shown) , with low frequency, medium frequency or high frequency pulses ;- veri fication of blockage of one or more channels (not shown) ;- veri fication of oil output from one or more channels (not shown) ;- veri fication of the sealing of the solenoid valves of one or more channels (not shown) ;- veri fication of the closure of one or more channels (not shown) ;- veri fication of the pressure of one or morechannels (not shown) ;- verification of possible blockage or closure of one or more solenoid valves (not shown) that are normally open.

2. Diagnostic and monitoring system for ABS units according to claims 1, characterized in that said electric pump (1) includes a range of pressure from 30 to 120 bar.

3. Diagnostic and monitoring system for ABS units according to claims 1, characterized in that said manual pump (2) includes a range of pressure from 10 to 200 bar.

4. Diagnostic and monitoring system for ABS units according to claims 1, characterized in that said pressure gauges (6) are equal to four.

5. Diagnostic and monitoring system for ABS units according to claims 1, characterized in that said pressure sensors (14) are equal to five.

6. Diagnostic and monitoring system for ABS units according to claims 1, characterized in that said ABS module (7) is formed with two input channels.

7. Diagnostic and monitoring system for ABS units according to claims 1, characterized in that said ABS module (7) is formed with four output channels .

8. Diagnostic and monitoring system for ABS units according to claims 1, characterized in that said ABS module (7) is formed with two output channels for each input.

9. Diagnostic and monitoring system for ABS units according to claims 1, characterized in that said ABS module (7) is formed with a number of valves (not shown) equal to eight or ten or twelve.

10. Diagnostic and monitoring system for ABS units according to claims 1, characterized in that said ABS module (7) is formed with two or three valves (not shown) for each output channel (not shown) .

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