Two-Axle Brake Layout Without Inter-Axle Hydraulic Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional braking systems for two-axle vehicles require extensive hydraulic lines between axles, leading to space inefficiencies and increased manufacturing costs, and lack fully autonomous brake pressure setting capabilities, which are essential for autonomous driving applications.
Innovation Solution
A braking system design that omits conventional hydraulic lines between axles by using hydraulically separate axle units connected via signal or bus lines, allowing for fully automatic/autonomous brake pressure setting in each axle unit, with redundant motorized brake pressure buildup devices to compensate for failures and enable wheel-specific pressure control, and a mechanical fall-back level for driver intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional hydraulic lines are used to connect brake cylinders between axles, then brake pressure can be transmitted across the vehicle, but installation space is consumed and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The braking system is divided into hydraulically separate axle units, where each axle unit operates independently with its own brake fluid circuit. This segmentation eliminates the need for extensive hydraulic lines connecting all axles, reducing installation space while maintaining reliable brake pressure transmission within each axle unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The conventional extensive hydraulic line network connecting all axles is extracted and removed from the system. Instead, only essential hydraulic connections within each axle unit are retained, significantly reducing the amount of hydraulic infrastructure and installation space required.
2Reliability
If conventional hydraulic lines are used to connect brake cylinders between axles, then brake pressure can be transmitted across the vehicle, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the braking system into independent axle units with separate hydraulic circuits, the manufacturing complexity is reduced. Each axle unit can be manufactured and tested independently, simplifying production processes and reducing overall manufacturing costs while maintaining reliable brake pressure transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The extensive hydraulic line network is extracted and removed, eliminating the materials, labor, and quality control requirements associated with manufacturing and installing numerous hydraulic lines, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.
3Device complexity
If a single motorized brake pressure buildup device is used per axle, then system simplicity is maintained, but failure compensation capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Redundant motorized brake pressure buildup devices are installed at specific locations within the first axle unit, creating local redundancy where it is most needed for autonomous operation. This maintains relative system simplicity while providing critical failure compensation capability for autonomous driving applications.
4Area of stationary object
If hydraulic lines are omitted between axles, then installation space is saved and mounting is facilitated, but brake pressure coordination between axles must be achieved differently
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical hydraulic connection between axles is replaced with an electronic control system. Motorized brake pressure buildup devices and control units communicate via electrical signals to coordinate brake pressure between axles, eliminating the need for physical hydraulic lines while enabling precise pressure coordination for autonomous vehicle operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a compact, cost-effective braking system suitable for autonomous vehicles, ensuring reliable deceleration and reduced noise vibration harshness, with enhanced redundancy and flexibility for autonomous operation and mechanical fall-back capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
brake fluid is transferable into the first wheel-brake cylinder and into the second wheel-brake cylinder with the aid of an operation of the first motorized brake pressure buildup device
Implementation Method 2
brake fluid is transferable into the first wheel-brake cylinder and into the second wheel-brake cylinder with the aid of an operation of the second motorized brake pressure buildup device
Data Source
AI summary
A braking system for an at least two-axle vehicle. The braking system including a first axle unit, which includes: a first motorized brake pressure buildup device, a first wheel-brake cylinder hydraulically connected at a first motorized brake pressure buildup device and mountable at a first wheel of a first axle of the vehicle, and a second wheel-brake cylinder hydraulically connected at the first motorized brake pressure buildup device and mountable at a second wheel of the first axle; and a second axle unit designed to be hydraulically separate from the first axle unit, the first axle unit also including, in addition to the first motorized brake pressure buildup device a second motorized brake pressure buildup device, at which the first wheel-brake cylinder and the second wheel-brake cylinder are hydraulically connected.