EPB Actuator Rolling Prevention via Selective Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity and high maintenance effort of electric parking brake (EPB) actuators in motor vehicles, particularly due to frequent operation to prevent rolling away, and the requirement for specific components like electrically operated hydraulic pumps, which limits functionality in vehicles without vehicle dynamics control systems.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising two EPB actuators and sensors to detect road inclination and vehicle motion, allowing selective activation of one actuator to generate brake force based on conditions like road inclination and vehicle state, independent of hydraulic pressure and vehicle dynamics control systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If EPB actuators are frequently activated to prevent vehicle rolling away, then vehicle safety is improved, but actuator wear increases and maintenance effort rises
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit activates EPB actuators periodically based on detected rolling events rather than continuously, thereby providing safety only when needed and reducing unnecessary wear on the actuators during normal stationary periods
Solution Approach 2:
The braking function is segmented between service brake (for normal stopping) and EPB (for rolling prevention), allowing the EPB to remain inactive during service brake operation and reducing its operational wear while maintaining safety when required
2Force
If hydraulic pressure build-up is used to prevent rolling away, then brake effectiveness is improved, but system complexity increases due to requirement of electrically operated hydraulic pumps and vehicle dynamics control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the rolling prevention function from the complex hydraulic vehicle dynamics control system and implements it independently using only the EPB actuators, eliminating the need for electrically operated hydraulic pumps and other auxiliary components
Solution Approach 2:
The EPB actuators are designed to self-activate based on signals from simple sensors (inclination sensor, motion sensor) without requiring complex hydraulic pressure build-up mechanisms, making the system self-sufficient and reducing overall system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A system and a method for preventing a vehicle from rolling away are described. According to one method aspect, in the case of a vehicle equipped with several EPB actuators, the activation of only one of these EPB actuators takes place if in the case of a road inclination lying below a threshold value the vehicle begins to roll away from the stationary state.