Vehicle Brake Apparatus Parking Gear Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brake apparatuses for vehicles, particularly those using electro-mechanical brake systems, face challenges in maintaining a stable braking state for parking and preventing the cancellation of braking force due to power interruptions or component failures, leading to potential malfunctions and the need for brake disc replacement.
Innovation Solution
A brake apparatus featuring a drive unit, piston unit, transfer gear unit, parking gear unit, locking unit, and unlocking unit, which uses a parking gear system with a locking mechanism to maintain braking force and an unlocking mechanism to separate components when necessary, ensuring the vehicle remains in a braking state without power and preventing arbitrary disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a ball screw is used in the EMB system to provide high efficiency and quick responsiveness, then the piston movement efficiency is improved, but the system loses self-locking capability allowing arbitrary cancellation of braking force
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two independent subsystems: the drive unit with ball screw for service braking, and the parking gear unit with locking unit for parking braking. This segmentation allows each subsystem to optimize for its specific function while the locking unit provides the missing self-locking capability for the ball screw mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The parking gear unit acts as an intermediary mechanism between the drive unit and the brake pads. It transfers and maintains the braking force through gear engagement and locking mechanisms, ensuring stable parking braking even when the drive unit stops operating.
2Device complexity
If an EPB structure with solenoid is used for parking brake, then the structure is simplified, but the braking force is lost when battery is discharged after extended parking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the solenoid-based mechanical EPB structure with a gear-based mechanical transmission system. The parking gear unit with transfer gear and locking unit creates a purely mechanical linkage that maintains braking force through gear engagement without relying on electrical power or magnetic fields.
3Reliability
If an EPB structure with motor is used for parking brake, then the braking force is maintained, but the brake disc must be replaced when motor fails
Solution Approach 1:
The locking unit with locking member and locking groove provides automatic self-locking functionality. When the parking gear unit engages, the locking member automatically locks into the locking groove, maintaining the braking state without requiring continuous power supply or complex control systems.
4Ease of operation
If vibration occurs on rough road with existing EPB structures, then the vehicle continues traveling, but malfunction may occur
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a solenoid that relies on magnetic field stability, the patent inverts the approach by using a purely mechanical gear-based system where the locking force is generated through physical gear engagement and mechanical advantage, making it inherently more resistant to vibration-induced malfunctions.
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 apparatus effectively maintains a stable braking state for parking even when the drive unit stops operating, preventing the absence of braking force and allowing the vehicle to travel without replacing defective components, thus enhancing reliability and reducing maintenance needs.
Implementation Method 1
a drive unit configured to generate a rotational force in forward and reverse directions; a piston unit configured to be moved forward and backward in conjunction with the rotational force generated from the drive unit
Implementation Method 2
a locking unit arranged in a manner that faces the parking gear unit, fastened to the parking gear unit when braking for parking is performed, thereby limiting a rotation of the parking gear unit
Implementation Method 3
a brake apparatus for a vehicle stops or slows down a vehicle using a frictional force between a pad and a disc
Data Source
AI summary
A brake apparatus for a vehicle may include: a drive unit configured to generate a rotational force in forward and reverse directions, a piston unit configured to be moved forward and backward in conjunction with the rotational force generated from the drive unit, a transfer gear unit configured to transfer the rotational force generated from the drive unit to the piston unit, a parking gear unit configured to be rotated together with the transfer gear unit, a locking unit arranged in a manner that faces the parking gear unit, fastened to the parking gear unit when braking for parking is performed, thereby limiting a rotation of the parking gear unit and an unlocking unit separating the parking gear unit and the locking unit from each other when the rotational force is generated in the reverse direction from the drive unit.