Brake-By-Wire Emergency Actuation Without Hydraulic Fallback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brake-by-wire systems in vehicles face reliability issues due to complexity and weight increase from redundant hydraulic components, requiring a more compact and weight-efficient solution for safe operation in case of partial system failure.
Innovation Solution
A brake system with at least two brake actuator units and a mechanically actuatable electrical switch that activates brake actuators independently of electronic control units, eliminating the need for a hydraulic fallback and allowing for emergency braking without additional structural complexity or weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hydraulic brake device is provided as a fall-back level in brake-by-wire systems, then operational reliability is improved, but device complexity and vehicle weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the hydraulic fall-back level from the brake-by-wire system, replacing it with an electrically actuated emergency brake device. This removes the complex hydraulic components while maintaining safety functionality through an alternative electrical actuation path that directly engages the brake calipers without requiring hydraulic fluid or pressure systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the hydraulic mechanical system with an electrical system for the fall-back brake actuation. The emergency brake device uses electrical motors or actuators to directly apply braking force to the wheels, replacing the traditional hydraulic actuation mechanism and eliminating the need for hydraulic reservoirs, lines, and pressure regulation components.
2Reliability
If a hydraulic brake device is provided as a fall-back level, then operational reliability is improved, but vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the heavy hydraulic components (reservoirs, pumps, lines, pressure regulators) from the fall-back brake system and replaces them with lightweight electrical actuators and control electronics. This extraction of hydraulic subsystems significantly reduces the overall weight while maintaining the emergency braking capability through electrical actuation of the brake calipers.
3Reliability
If additional structural components are added for hydraulic fall-back level, then safety is improved, but available structural space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the emergency brake actuation function directly into the existing wheel brake assemblies by integrating electrical actuators with the brake calipers. This eliminates the need for separate hydraulic reservoirs, pumps, and pressure systems that would occupy additional structural space, as the emergency braking capability is achieved through compact electrical components already positioned at or near the wheels.
Data Source
AI summary
A brake-by-wire brake system for a vehicle having at least two wheels which can be braked is specified. The brake system comprises at least two brake actuator units, which each have a brake actuator assigned to one of the wheels, which can be braked, for braking the vehicle during driving operation. The brake system furthermore comprises a brake actuation unit for actuation by the driver for a braking operation, having at least one sensor for detecting an activation of the brake actuation unit by the driver, at least one electronic control unit which is configured to activate one or both brake actuator units in order to impart a braking force to an associated wheel, and at least one mechanically actuatable electrical switch that is configured to close and/or open an additional signal line to at least one of the brake actuator units in order to activate the brake actuator thereof.