Electronic Parking Brake Cam Mechanism for In-Cab Manual Unlocking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic parking mechanisms in new energy vehicles lack structural flexibility and have a short service life, and require drivers to exit the vehicle for mechanical unlocking when the parking motor is powered off, compromising safety and comfort.

Innovation Solution

An electronic parking mechanism featuring a parking cam assembly and pawl assembly with a mechanical unlocking function, where the parking guide shaft is connected to a pull rod or pull wire outside the gearbox, allowing drivers to perform mechanical unlocking from within the vehicle, enhancing flexibility and service life while ensuring safety and comfort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a mechanical unlocking mechanism is provided at the worm of the parking motor, then the parking motor can be unlocked, but the driver must operate under the vehicle which reduces safety and comfort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveunlocking operation convenienceVSAvoidsafety
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a pull wire as an intermediary component that transmits the unlocking force from the driver's operation inside the vehicle to the parking mechanism. The pull wire extends through the gearbox and connects to the parking cam assembly, allowing the driver to unlock the parking brake by pulling a cable or lever inside the vehicle cabin without needing to access the vehicle undercarriage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Use of energy by moving object

If the parking motor is powered off, then energy is saved, but mechanical unlocking requires the driver to exit the vehicle reducing safety and comfort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidunlocking operation convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs the parking mechanism to be self-service capable by providing a pure mechanical unlocking path that does not depend on the parking motor being powered on. The pull wire mechanism directly mechanically disengages the parking cam from the pawl assembly when pulled, allowing the driver to unlock the parking brake manually at any time without requiring electrical power, thus maintaining both energy efficiency and operational convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If the parking cam assembly and pawl assembly have rigid connection, then the structure is simple, but the service life is short due to insufficient structural flexibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural complexityVSAvoidservice life
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the rigid connection between the parking cam assembly and pawl assembly into a dynamic, flexible connection. The parking cam is designed with a specific profile that allows it to rotate and engage/disengage from the pawl in a controlled manner. The pull wire mechanism provides dynamic actuation that allows the cam to move between engaged and disengaged positions, creating a flexible system that can accommodate operational variations and reduce stress concentrations, thereby extending service life.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4063697B1Electronic parking brake mechanism
Publication Date: 2024.12.04 JING JIN ELECTRIC TECH CO LTD
  • EP4063697B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4063697B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4063697B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

An electronic parking mechanism is disclosed. The electronic parking mechanism comprises a parking cam assembly, a pawl assembly and a parking gear (11); the parking cam assembly comprises a parking guide shaft (6) and a parking cam (2), the parking cam (2) is sleeved on the parking guide shaft (6), and one side of the parking cam (2) is provided with an arc protrusion along a circumferential direction so that as the parking cam (2) rotates, the pawl assembly is in a first position where the pawl assembly parks in the parking gear (11) and a second position where the pawl assembly parks out the parking gear (11), respectively; the pawl assembly comprises a pawl (10) and a pawl shaft (12), an upper part of the pawl (10) can contact the parking cam (2), the pawl shaft (12) is provided on a side of the pawl (10), and the pawl (10) can rotate around the (12). The present disclosure provides a novel electronic parking mechanism, which can realize flexible contact and flexible drive. Moreover, when the parking motor is powered off, the parking mechanism can also be mechanically unlocked in the cab, which has high safety and good operation comfort.