Brake-by-Wire Actuator Feedback for Hydraulic-Like Brake Feel
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Solution Overview
Problem
In brake-by-wire brake systems of tilting vehicles, drivers lack a realistic sensation of the braking action due to the absence of hydraulic resistance, making it difficult to simulate a familiar braking experience.
Innovation Solution
An actuating device with a muscle-actuatable element, a control unit, a sensor element, and a restoring unit that increases restoring force and braking force as the actuating element deviates from its rest position, mimicking a hydraulic system's feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a brake-by-wire brake system is used to replace hydraulic brakes, then the braking system becomes simpler and more controllable electronically, but the driver loses realistic tactile feedback and sensation of braking action
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where a restoring unit (spring element) provides a restoring force that increases with the actuation travel of the actuating element. This creates tactile feedback for the driver that simulates the sensation of hydraulic brake resistance, allowing the driver to perceive braking action realistically while maintaining the electronic brake-by-wire system's simplicity and control advantages.
Solution Approach 2:
The restoring unit acts as an intermediary mechanical element between the actuating element and the brake caliper. It mediates the interaction by providing a physical restoring force that simulates hydraulic resistance, bridging the gap between the electronic control system and the driver's tactile perception needs.
2Ease of operation
If the restoring force is increased to provide better tactile feedback, then the driver experiences more realistic braking sensation, but the actuating element requires more muscle force to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The restoring force is designed to be dynamic rather than constant. It increases progressively with the actuation travel of the actuating element, meaning the restoring force is lower at the beginning of the stroke (reducing initial muscle force requirement) and higher at the end (providing better tactile feedback for braking sensation). This dynamic characteristic resolves the contradiction by adapting the force level to the operational phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of restoring force from a constant value to a variable value that depends on the actuation travel. This parameter change allows the system to provide appropriate tactile feedback while maintaining operability, as the force requirement varies throughout the actuation stroke rather than being uniformly high.
3Weight of moving object
If the actuating element is made lightweight for ease of operation, then the driver can actuate it more easily, but the feedback sensation becomes less pronounced
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback sensation is generated not by the weight of the actuating element itself, but by the restoring force of the restoring unit that acts in response to actuation travel. This allows the actuating element to remain lightweight while still providing pronounced feedback through the force feedback mechanism, decoupling the feedback generation from the component's mass.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The actuating device provides immediate tactile feedback to the driver, simulating a hydraulic system by increasing restoring force and braking force in response to actuation, enhancing the braking experience.
Implementation Method 1
the restoring unit (10) comprises a spring element (32) which is supported on a plate portion (30) of the plunger element (24) and also on the piston (18)
Data Source
AI summary
An actuating device for a brake-by-wire brake system of a motor vehicle includes at least one actuating element to be actuated by muscular force and is transferable from an unactuated rest position into at least one working position. A control unit includes at least one sensor element, by way of which the position of the actuating element is able to be sensed, and a braking force of a brake actuated by the control unit is settable depending on the working position, sensed by the sensor, of the actuating element. The actuating device has a restoring unit with which the actuating element is preloaded or able be preloaded by a restoring force into the unactuated rest position, wherein the restoring force of the restoring unit and the braking force increase as the deviation of the working position from the rest position of the actuating element increases.