EPB Brake Caliper Control for Faster Parking Brake Release
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing braking systems with Electric Parking Brake (EPB) technology take excessive time to deactivate parking braking, leading to delayed vehicle readiness for restart due to sequential control of brake calipers, which imposes energy and structural constraints.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that simultaneously controls two brake calipers to reduce braking forces to zero by detecting force values and actuator positions, allowing parallel actuation to minimize the time required for complete deactivation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the actuators of the brake calipers are controlled in a selective manner (sequentially), then the energy consumption and structural complexity are reduced, but the time required to deactivate parking braking increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control method dynamically adapts the actuation sequence based on real-time feedback from force sensors. The electronic control unit monitors the braking force on each brake disc and adjusts the actuation of subsequent actuators accordingly, allowing parallel operation when energy is available while maintaining sequential operation when energy is constrained, thus optimizing the trade-off between deactivation time and energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
Force sensors mounted on the actuators provide real-time feedback on the braking force applied to each brake disc. This feedback enables the electronic control unit to determine when the braking force has been sufficiently reduced and to coordinate the actuation of multiple actuators accordingly, achieving faster deactivation while managing energy consumption through intelligent control
2Productivity
If the actuators of the brake calipers are controlled in parallel, then the deactivation time is reduced, but the energy consumption and structural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system segments the deactivation process into distinct phases: initial parallel actuation of multiple actuators to rapidly reduce braking force, followed by sequential actuation of remaining actuators. This segmentation allows the system to achieve fast deactivation when needed while managing complexity through structured control logic that divides the overall process into manageable stages
Solution Approach 2:
The control method employs periodic cycles of parallel and sequential actuation. During each cycle, the electronic control unit activates actuators in parallel for a predetermined time or until force sensors indicate sufficient force reduction, then transitions to sequential actuation. This periodic alternation between parallel and sequential modes optimizes the balance between deactivation speed and system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling a braking system of a vehicle for deactivating a parking-braking force actuated by the braking system is provided. The method involves actuating, by an electronic processing unit, a first actuator of a first brake caliper so as to release a first braking force and reduce a value of the first braking force, detecting the value of the first braking force during actuation of the first actuator by detection means, in the instant in which it is detected that the first braking force is reduced to a value substantially equal to zero, stopping the first actuator and actuating a second actuator of a second brake caliper, by the electronic processing unit, so as to release a second braking force and reduce a value of the second braking force, and reducing the value of the second braking force to a value substantially equal to zero.