Brake Control Unit Relocation for Cable Harness Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The complexity and cost of laying thick cable harnesses for brake systems in vehicles, particularly in trucks and buses, due to the large number of electrical lines between the cabin and the supporting structure, which is exacerbated by relative movements between these components, leading to reliability issues and increased susceptibility to errors and maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A control unit for the brake system is positioned outside the cabin on the vehicle's supporting structure, reducing the number of electrical lines and allowing for thinner, more flexible cable harnesses, and integrating additional functionalities such as electronic air suspension control, with enhanced protection against moisture and dirt, and incorporating sensors for vehicle state monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the control device is arranged inside the cabin in a central module, then the control is close to the driver for operation, but the number of electrical lines increases leading to thick cable harnesses and complex layout
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is extracted from the cabin interior and relocated to the vehicle frame outside the cabin. This extraction removes the source of complexity (the control device with its electrical connections) from the cabin environment, thereby reducing the number of electrical lines that need to pass through the cabin and eliminating the need for thick cable harnesses while maintaining operational functionality through electronic interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
An electronic interface or communication system acts as an intermediary between the driver's inputs in the cabin and the control device on the frame. This mediator transmits control signals and data electronically, replacing the need for direct mechanical or electrical connections via thick cable harnesses, thus reducing cable complexity while preserving operational ease.
2Ease of manufacture
If thick cable harnesses are used to connect the cabin to the supporting structure, then all electrical lines can be bundled, but the flexibility and mobility are reduced and sealing becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is extracted from the cabin to the vehicle frame, which removes the necessity for thick cable harnesses to bundle multiple electrical lines. This extraction eliminates the core problem that caused the need for thick, inflexible harnesses, thereby restoring flexibility and mobility to the remaining electrical connections while simplifying the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of cable thickness and flexibility by relocating the control device. This parameter change transforms the cable harness from thick and rigid to thin and flexible, enabling the harness to accommodate relative movements between the cabin and supporting structure while maintaining ease of manufacture through reduced complexity.
3Device complexity
If the control device is moved outside the cabin on the supporting structure, then the number of electrical lines is reduced and cable harnesses become thinner, but protection against moisture and dirt becomes more critical
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is equipped with a protective housing that provides beforehand cushioning against moisture and dirt particles. This protective enclosure is designed to shield the electronic components from environmental harmful factors before they can cause damage, allowing the control device to operate reliably in the external environment on the vehicle frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective housing or seal components may be designed as simple, cost-effective barriers that can be easily replaced if needed. This approach uses straightforward protective structures rather than complex sealed systems, reducing overall system complexity while adequately protecting against moisture and dirt in the external mounting environment.
4Device complexity
If additional functionalities like air suspension control are integrated into the brake system control unit, then costs and installation space are reduced, but the housing protection requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control device merges multiple functions (brake system control and air suspension control) into a single integrated unit mounted on the vehicle frame. This consolidation reduces the total number of separate housings and mounting locations, thereby reducing overall installation space and material costs while concentrating the environmental protection requirements into a single robust housing design.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device is designed with multi-functionality to handle both brake system operations and air suspension control. This universal design allows a single housing with enhanced protection capabilities to serve multiple functions, reducing the need for separate protected housings for each system while lowering overall system complexity and installation requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a control device for a brake system of a vehicle (10; 92; 132; 238), said vehicle (10; 92; 132; 238) having a supporting structure (222; 240) and a cabin (224; 242) that is supported by the supporting structure (222; 240) and has at least one driver's seat (226). The control device is located outside the cabin (224; 242) on the supporting structure (222; 240) and the control device has additional functionality for controlling an electronic air spring system.