Electronic Parking Brake Wear Detection via Nut Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional brake pad wear sensors require electrical wiring and complex installation, increasing costs and product complexity, and are not efficient in detecting brake pad wear.
Innovation Solution
An electronic parking brake system that includes a pair of brake pads, a piston, a nut member, a spindle member, an electric motor, and a controller to estimate brake pad wear by measuring the movement distance of the nut member between parking operation and complete release positions, using current and voltage sensors to determine movement speed and distance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional brake pad wear sensor is installed on the brake pads, then the wear amount of brake pads can be detected, but the sensor cost increases and electrical wiring is required making installation and assembly complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the wear detection function from a separate sensor component and integrates it into the existing electronic parking brake actuator system. By using the motor's existing sensors and control capabilities to monitor nut member movement distance, the system eliminates the need for separate brake pad wear sensors and their associated wiring, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining wear detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the electronic parking brake actuator system multi-functional by enabling it to perform both its original function (applying/releasing parking brake) and an additional function (detecting brake pad wear). The motor controller uses existing current sensors and movement data to simultaneously control the brake actuator and monitor wear conditions, eliminating the need for dedicated wear sensors
2Measurement precision
If a conventional brake pad wear sensor is installed on the brake pads, then the wear amount of brake pads can be detected, but the product cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the electronic parking brake actuator system multi-functional by enabling it to perform both its original function (applying/releasing parking brake) and an additional function (detecting brake pad wear). The motor controller uses existing current sensors and movement data to simultaneously control the brake actuator and monitor wear conditions, eliminating the need for dedicated wear sensors
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own existing components (motor, current sensors, control unit) to perform wear detection without requiring external specialized sensors. The motor controller naturally tracks nut member movement distance through current consumption patterns, and this data is repurposed for wear detection, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating additional component costs
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is an electronic parking brake system and a control method thereof. The electronic parking brake system includes a pair of brake pads arranged on opposite sides of a brake disc, a piston configured to press at least one of the brake pads, a nut member configured to press the piston, a spindle member configured to move the nut member, an electric motor configured to rotate the spindle member, and a controller configured to estimate a wear amount of the brake pads based on change in a movement distance of the nut member.