Brake Caliper Piston Control for Brake Pad Taper Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brake systems experience uneven wear of brake pads due to unequal pressure distribution, leading to tapering and premature replacement, which current solutions complicate part designs and are not adaptive over time.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system with a piston control module that uses sensors to measure piston displacement, determines brake pad taper, and adjusts actuator pressure to even out wear by correcting the force applied to individual pistons based on real-time measurements and calculations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional hydraulic brake systems are used with equal pressure distribution, then the system structure is simple, but uneven brake pad wear and tapering occur leading to premature replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The brake system is segmented into multiple independently controllable pistons (first piston and second piston) within the caliper assembly. Each piston can be individually actuated with different pressures, allowing differential pressure application to opposite sides of the brake pad. This segmentation enables the system to compensate for tapering by applying higher pressure to the less worn side and lower pressure to the more worn side, thereby achieving uniform wear across the brake pad surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The brake system transitions from a static, fixed pressure distribution to a dynamic, adaptive pressure distribution. The control module continuously monitors brake pad wear conditions and adjusts the actuation pressure of each piston in real-time based on measured displacement information. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt to changing wear patterns and maintain optimal braking performance throughout the brake pad's service life.
2Duration of action of moving object
If brake pad tapering is allowed to develop, then manufacturing and operation remain simple, but brake pad lifespan is reduced requiring premature replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously measure the displacement of each piston and provide feedback to the control module. This feedback mechanism allows the control module to detect differences in piston displacement that indicate developing tapering conditions. Based on this feedback, the control module automatically adjusts the actuation pressure of individual pistons to correct uneven wear patterns before they lead to premature brake pad failure, thereby extending brake pad lifespan.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary corrective action by detecting early signs of tapering through piston displacement measurements and adjusting pressure distribution before significant uneven wear occurs. By proactively addressing wear imbalances at their inception rather than waiting for severe tapering to develop, the system prevents the conditions that would lead to premature brake pad replacement.
3Reliability
If individual piston actuation is implemented to correct wear, then brake pad wear uniformity improves, but the control system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The control module serves multiple functions: it monitors piston displacement through sensor inputs, determines the presence and severity of brake pad tapering, calculates appropriate correction factors, and actuates individual pistons with differentiated pressures. This multi-functionality consolidates what could be multiple separate systems into a single integrated control unit, managing complexity while achieving uniform brake pad wear through individual piston actuation.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control system may include a first friction brake member that rotates with a wheel of the vehicle, a second friction brake member that is displaced from an initial position to initiate contact with the first friction brake member to apply braking torque to the wheel, a displacement assembly operably coupled to the second friction brake member to move the second friction brake member responsive to a brake torque request, a sensor network to measure displacement information of the displacement assembly from the initial position to a point of contact between the first and second friction brake members, and a control module operably coupled to the sensor network to record the displacement information to define recorded displacement information, and to determine tapering of the second friction brake member based on the recorded displacement information.