Electro-mechanical Brake Device Parking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hydraulic brake devices are complex, limiting their reliability and stability, while electro-mechanical brake devices face issues with size, weight, and power consumption in maintaining parking brake functionality without continuous power supply.
Innovation Solution
An electro-mechanical brake device with a solenoid operated by a user's parking brake switch and a toggle mechanism that allows one-touch engagement and disengagement of the parking brake, using a gear box to amplify torque and a solenoid to control the motor shaft rotation, enabling parking brake operation without continuous power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a conventional hydraulic brake device is used, then the braking function is achieved, but the device configuration becomes complicated with multiple components including master cylinder, booster, and hydraulic pressure lines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the hydraulic system with an electro-mechanical system. The motor-driven ball screw mechanism converts electrical energy to mechanical linear motion directly, eliminating the need for master cylinder, hydraulic pressure lines, and wheel cylinders. This substitution reduces device complexity while maintaining or improving reliability through fewer failure points in the braking system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the complex hydraulic components (master cylinder, booster, hydraulic pressure lines) from the brake system, retaining only the essential braking function through a simplified electro-mechanical architecture. This extraction eliminates unnecessary complexity while preserving core braking performance.
2Ease of operation
If an electro-mechanical brake device with solenoid and ratchet is used to realize parking brake function, then the parking brake is achieved, but the size and weight of the device becomes larger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the parking brake function with the existing motor and ball screw mechanism. The motor's ability to hold position through back-EMF and the ball screw's self-locking characteristic are combined to provide parking brake functionality without adding separate heavy solenoids and ratchets. This integration achieves parking brake capability while minimizing weight increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the inherent properties of the motor (electromagnetic holding force) and ball screw (friction-based self-locking) to maintain parking brake condition without continuous power or additional active components. The system serves itself by leveraging passive mechanical properties to sustain the parked state, reducing the need for extra weight-bearing components.
3Ease of operation
If a push type solenoid is applied to parking brake mechanism, then the parking brake engagement is achieved, but the solenoid power must be continuously maintained during parking brake condition which exhausts the vehicle battery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic or intermittent action instead of continuous power supply. The motor is activated only momentarily to engage or disengage the parking brake, then relies on electromagnetic holding and mechanical self-locking to maintain the state. This periodic operation dramatically reduces power consumption compared to continuous solenoid activation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the motor's electromagnetic field and the ball screw's friction characteristics to self-maintain the parking brake state without continuous energy input. Once engaged, the mechanism serves itself by leveraging passive physical properties to hold the brake applied, eliminating the need for continuous power supply.
4Ease of operation
If multiple components such as solenoid, latch, and gear are used together with gear inside gear reducer, then the parking brake function is achieved, but the structure configuration becomes complicated and the volume becomes larger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the motor and ball screw mechanism multi-functional, serving both as the primary braking actuator and as the parking brake mechanism. The motor provides both dynamic braking force and static holding capability, while the ball screw converts rotational motion to linear motion for both functions. This universality eliminates the need for separate dedicated parking brake components, simplifying the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the parking brake mechanism with the existing motor-ball screw assembly, merging multiple functions into a single integrated system. The motor's electromagnetic properties and the ball screw's mechanical properties are combined to provide both service braking and parking brake functions, reducing the total number of components and simplifying structural configuration.
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 device allows for safe and reliable parking brake engagement and disengagement with minimal power consumption, maintaining braking conditions without continuous power supply, and reduces the complexity and size of the brake system.
Implementation Method 1
a solenoid that applies a physical force downwards through an electrical signal from a parking brake switch
Implementation Method 2
a friction type of a brake device that transforms a moving energy to heat energy that is radiated to the atmosphere
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an electro-mechanical brake device, including: a disk; a pair of brake pads respectively disposed at both sides of the disk; a caliper respectively disposed inside the pair of brake pads; a brake module portion disposed at one side of the caliper; and a parking brake portion that is disposed to be perpendicular to a motor shaft of the brake module portion and is connected to a parking brake switch that is operated by a driver, and selectively controls a rotation of the motor shaft depending on the operation of the parking brake switch.