Electronic Park Brake Interface Module HMI Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transition from mechanical-pneumatic park brake controls to electronic park brake controls in commercial vehicles often causes operator confusion due to differences in human-machine interface (HMI) despite similar appearances, as electronic controls lack the tactile and auditory feedback of mechanical-pneumatic systems.
Innovation Solution
An electronic park brake interface module that includes a park brake switch device with an actuation member movable towards a target member to engage or disengage the park brake, utilizing pinch and reach gestures to provide intuitive control, and a processing unit to receive and transmit signals for park brake control, offering a more memorable and intuitive operation method.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical-pneumatic park brake controls are replaced with electronic park brake controls, then device complexity is reduced and reliability is improved, but operator confusion increases due to loss of tactile and auditory feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic park brake control system incorporates visual feedback indicators (such as LED lights or display elements) that provide immediate confirmation to the operator when the park brake is applied or released. This visual feedback compensates for the loss of tactile and auditory feedback in mechanical-pneumatic systems, reducing operator confusion while maintaining the reliability benefits of electronic controls.
2Ease of operation
If electronic park brake controls are designed to look similar to mechanical-pneumatic controls, then ease of operation is improved through familiar appearance, but operator confusion increases due to mismatched expected response
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical-pneumatic control mechanism with an electronic control interface that eliminates pneumatic valves and tubing while maintaining a familiar HMI appearance. The electronic system uses solid-state components and digital signals to achieve the same park brake function, reducing device complexity and improving reliability while preserving the familiar visual interface that operators expect.
3Device complexity
If momentary electronic controls are used instead of two-position latching controls, then device complexity is reduced, but operator confusion increases due to lack of forcible movement and auditory feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic control system incorporates visual feedback indicators that activate when the park brake status changes, providing operators with clear confirmation of the brake's applied or released state. This feedback mechanism compensates for the absence of auditory feedback and forcible button movement in momentary electronic controls, reducing operator confusion while maintaining the simplicity of the electronic switching mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
Various examples of park brake interface modules which are utilized as human machine interfaces (HMI) in vehicles are provided. In one example, a park brake interface module for a vehicle includes an actuation member mounted to an electromechanical switch to actuate the park brake. The actuation member includes a finger pad opposite the front surface and the actuation member is movable between a brake apply position and a brake release position to actuate the vehicle park brake. In another example, the actuation member is pivotally mounted to the electromechanical switch device and the actuation member is pivotable between the brake apply position and the brake release positions to actuate the park brake.