Brake Disc Cleaning via Predictive Deceleration Thresholds

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Solution Overview

Problem

Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) experience rust on brake discs due to infrequent use of friction brakes, leading to reduced performance and noise issues, as current disc cleaning methods are energy-inefficient and activate friction brakes for all events, limiting range.

Innovation Solution

A method that predicts upcoming brake events by using vehicle-ahead information, such as time gap, deceleration level, and adaptive regenerative braking, to determine if high deceleration is needed, thereby only activating brake disc cleaning during high-energy brake events, minimizing unnecessary friction brake use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If friction brakes are used for all brake events to clean brake discs, then brake disc rust is prevented, but energy consumption increases and driving range decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrake disc cleanlinessVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of upcoming brake events by analyzing vehicle-ahead information and predicting deceleration requirements before the brake event occurs. This allows the control unit to proactively decide whether friction brakes should be activated for disc cleaning purposes, rather than reactively applying brakes after the decision point is reached.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of applying friction brakes to all brake events (excessive action), the system selectively applies friction brakes only to high-deceleration brake events that meet the predefined threshold (partial action). This partial application strategy is sufficient to prevent rust while significantly reducing unnecessary energy consumption from low-energy brake events.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Reliability

If friction brakes are used at regular intervals for disc cleaning, then brake disc rust is prevented, but unnecessary friction brake activation occurs reducing efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrake disc cleanlinessVSAvoidbraking efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from a static, fixed-interval disc cleaning strategy to a dynamic, condition-based strategy. The control unit continuously monitors real-time driving conditions, vehicle-ahead information, and predicted deceleration requirements, adjusting friction brake activation decisions dynamically based on current operational context rather than following a predetermined schedule.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback loops where the control unit continuously receives information about upcoming brake events from vehicle sensors and ahead-vehicle detection systems, processes this information against predefined criteria, and adjusts friction brake activation decisions accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures disc cleaning occurs only when genuinely necessary.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Use of energy by moving object

If regenerative braking is prioritized to reduce energy consumption, then driving range increases, but brake disc rust occurs due to insufficient friction brake use

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidbrake disc rust
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables the brake system to self-regulate by automatically selecting appropriate brake types based on real-time conditions. The control unit monitors brake event characteristics and autonomously decides when friction brakes should be activated for disc cleaning, eliminating the need for manual intervention or complex driver behavior changes while maintaining optimal balance between energy efficiency and rust prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4166400A1Method for performing brake disc cleaning of a vehicle
Publication Date: 2023.04.19 VOLVO CAR CORP
  • EP4166400A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4166400A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4166400A1 patent drawing

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a method for performing brake disc cleaning of an at least partially electrically driven vehicle comprising a brake system with at least one friction brake, the surface of which can be brought into contact with a corresponding brake disc, the method comprises: step S1: determining an upcoming brake event by using at least vehicle-ahead information, step S2: predicting a needed deceleration level of an ego-vehicle by using the vehicle-ahead information, and - step S3: carrying out a brake disc cleaning of the friction brake only in case the needed deceleration level of the ego-vehicle in the upcoming brake event is predicted as being above a predefined value.