Electronic Parking Brake Phase Control for Impact Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle safety systems do not effectively address the consequences of accidents involving stationary vehicles with activated parking brakes, as they fail to consider the movement of the vehicle post-impact and the potential for subsequent collisions.
Innovation Solution
A method that partially releases the brakes of a stationary vehicle with an active parking brake during a first phase to mitigate the impact of a second vehicle, and then partially reactivates the braking in a second phase, using a predetermined time interval or obstacle detection to prevent further accidents, with a control device and algorithm managing the electronic parking brake.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the parking brake is partially released in a first phase to mitigate impact damage, then the damage from the initial impact is reduced, but the vehicle may move and cause subsequent collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The braking intervention is divided into two distinct phases: a first phase where the parking brake is partially released to reduce impact damage, and a second phase where braking is reactivated to prevent subsequent collisions. This segmentation allows the system to optimize for different objectives at different times.
Solution Approach 2:
The braking system applies periodic action by releasing the brake during the first phase and then reactivating it during the second phase after a predetermined time interval or upon detecting a collision. This periodic switching between brake release and reactivation resolves the contradiction between reducing impact damage and preventing subsequent collisions.
2Reliability
If the brake is reactivated immediately after release, then subsequent collisions are prevented, but the initial impact damage is not minimized
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by releasing the parking brake before the actual impact occurs during the first phase, allowing the vehicle to yield to the impacting vehicle and reduce damage. The brake is then reactivated in the second phase to prevent subsequent collisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The first phase of brake release acts as a cushioning measure, allowing the vehicle to absorb impact energy more gently by moving slightly. This beforehand cushioning reduces the severity of the initial impact before the second phase reactivates braking to ensure safety.
3Reliability
If the parking brake remains fully activated, then the vehicle remains stationary and safety is maintained, but the impact damage to both vehicles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static braking state to a dynamic two-phase intervention. The parking brake is temporarily released during the first phase to allow controlled movement that reduces impact damage, then reactivated in the second phase to restore stability and prevent further collisions.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A method for minimizing the consequences of an accident involving a first, braking vehicle and a second vehicle that collides with the first is presented. In a first phase, if at least one condition is met, the braking of the first vehicle is at least partially released to prevent a rear-end collision or limit its severity. In a second phase, if a second condition is met, the braking of the first vehicle is at least partially reactivated. This method can also be applied to a stationary vehicle with its parking brake engaged by releasing the parking brake in the first phase and reactivating it in the second.