Abstract:
A parking braking system for a vehicle uses an electronic braking system (EBS) as a primary source for generating a parking brake force via pneumatic brake actuators. Each pneumatic actuator actuates a piston that is adapted to rotate a pivoted lever, which moves to apply brake pads against a brake disc. The parking braking system includes a hand control that controls actuation of the pneumatic brake actuators. Vehicle brakes for non-parking braking purposes are controlled by electronic signals generated in response to a driver&#39;s foot-generated braking demand. An electronic controller is adapted to control a supply of pressurized air to the pneumatic brake actuators in accordance with the driver&#39;s braking demand. When parking braking is selected by actuation of the hand control, the vehicle brakes are applied and mechanically locked into place with a stop device that engages the pivoted lever to hold the respective vehicle brake in a parking braking condition, irrespective of whether a brake force generated by the EBS is subsequently reduced.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority to PCT/GB99/00953, which claims priority to Great Britain Application No. 9806544.4 and 9823202.8. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to parking braking systems for vehicles having Electronic Braking Systems (EBS). 
   With the advent of EBS (see for example EP Patent 0205277), there has been a step change in the way that braking is controlled and distributed on heavy commercial vehicles. However, except in some specific areas such as continuous pad wear sensing, the brakes themselves have yet to take advantage of this change. 
   The conventional approach to parking brakes in vehicles fitted with EBS uses spring brake actuators  12  as shown diagrammatically in  FIG. 1  of the accompanying drawings. In this system, a hand-operated valve  10  is used, via a relay valve  11 , to allow a parking brake to be applied. The hand-operated valve  10  operates on an inverse air principle in that the hand-operated valve  10  is arranged to release air pressure to allow the spring force of respective spring brake actuators  12  at each wheel to be applied. A suitable parking brake reservoir  14  is required to store the pressurized air for use within the system. Where the system is used with a vehicle having a trailer, a separate relay valve (not shown) is required to allow selective operation of trailer brakes. When the driver operates the hand-operated valve  10 , an inverse pneumatic signal is produced, i.e. the pressure output from the hand-operated valve  10  falls with increasing demand. This causes the spring brake actuators  12  to be applied since, in the normal running mode (no braking) the spring brakes are held off by compressed air. 
   As evident from  FIG. 1 , the layout and construction of the conventional parking brake system requires the use of bulky spring actuators  12 , a parking reservoir  14  and associated pipework. All of these components require fitting and service which all adds to labor and material costs for OEMs and end users. 
   The present invention seeks to make better use of the facilities afforded with EBS to enable an improved parking brake system. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,495 discloses an electrically powered parking braking system that includes a hydraulic drum brake having two brake shoes which are movable outwardly relative to a friction surface of a drum, and an activation device for generating an activation-force to move the shoes outwardly to a first position into contact with the drum sufficiently to prevent the drum from rotating. This system also includes a solenoid activated linkage mechanism for maintaining the shoes substantially in the first position. Operation of the hydraulic drum brake is achieved via a proportional controller using electrical signals generated in response to brake master cylinder pressure or brake pedal effort. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention there is provided a parking braking system for a vehicle having EBS that utilizes the EBS as a primary means of generating the parking braking force via pneumatic brake actuators, under the control of a manually operated electrical device. Control of vehicle brakes for non-parking braking is achieved by the use of electronic signals generated at a foot-controlled brake pedal in response to a driver&#39;s braking demand. Each pneumatic brake actuator has a piston which, for operating a respective brake, is adapted to rotate a pivoted lever so as to urge a displaceable brake piston to apply a pair of brake pads to opposite sides of a respective brake disc. An electronic controller is adapted to control a supply of pressurized air to the pneumatic brake actuators in accordance with the electronic signals corresponding to the driver&#39;s braking demand. Upon selecting parking braking by actuation of the manually operated electrical device, the brakes are arranged to be applied and mechanically locked or latched into place with a stop device. When actuated, the stop device is selectively displaceable by an actuator to engage with the pivoted lever to mechanically hold the brake in a selected parking braking condition, irrespective of whether the brake force generated via the EBS is then reduced. 
   By providing such a mechanical latch or lock, the braking force applied to the brake actuators can be released/removed once the latch or lock has been actuated to hold the brakes in the brakes-applied condition. 
   In some other embodiments, the manually operated electrical device is adapted to generate and transmit an electrical parking brake signal to a vehicle mounted electronic control unit (ECU). The vehicle brakes are arranged to be mechanically locked or latched via the vehicle mounted ECU in a brakes-applied condition in response to generation of the electrical parking brake signal. 
   In some embodiments, the vehicle mounted ECU is a main vehicle EBS ECU. 
   In some other embodiments, the vehicle-mounted ECU is separate from the main vehicle EBS ECU. 
   In some embodiments, the manually operated electrical device comprises a switch. 
   In some other embodiments, the manually operated electrical device comprises a variable transducer. The variable transducer can be adapted to enable graduated braking to be provided between the brakes-off and park positions. 
   Preferably, the brake actuators are arranged to be released via the EBS once the latch or lock has been actuated to hold the brakes in the brakes-applied condition. 
   Advantageously, following actuation of the manually operable electrical device, the initiation of latching action is provided by a feedback quantity, taken from a sensed actuation level being exerted in the brake, reaching a preset or controlled level. 
   In some embodiments, the feedback quantity is a pressure developed inside the brake actuator against internal brake forces being developed within the brake. 
   In some other embodiments, the feedback quantity is a displacement of a component within a brake actuation mechanism. In still further embodiments, the feedback quantity is a force developed inside the brake, measured by a sensor or sensors positioned to be subjected to the actuation/clamping stresses within the brake. 
   In some embodiments, the stop device is a solenoid operated pin. 
   In some other embodiments, the stop device comprises a pivotable latch which is selectively rotatable by an actuator for single position engagement with an operating or input lever or shaft of the brake to maintain the brake in the parking braking condition. 
   Preferably, the stop device is constructed to be capable of mechanically holding the brakes in any of a range of park load levels. 
   In some embodiments, the stop device comprises a pivotable latch which is selectively rotatable by an actuator to any of a plurality of engagement positions with an operating or input lever or shaft of the brake to maintain the brake in a selected parking braking condition. 
   In still other embodiments, the stop device comprises a rotatable cam which engages an operating or input lever or shaft of the brake for maintaining the brake in a selected parking braking condition. 
   In still other embodiments, the stop device comprises a wedge which is arranged to be selectively driven by a controlled actuator into engagement with an operating or input lever or shaft of the brake to maintain the brake in a selected parking braking condition. 
   Preferably, the controlled actuator is an air cylinder or an electric motor. 
   Advantageously, the wedge is coupled to the electric motor by way of a mechanism which is non-reversible except by reverse driving of the motor. 
   Advantageously, the non-reversible mechanism is a high reduction gearbox. 
   Preferably, in order to enable parking braking to be released, the EBS is arranged to re-apply the brake force up to a level at which a brake latch or lock can be released. 
   In some embodiments as described above, following selection of a parking braking release condition of the manually operated electrical device, initiation of release of the latching action is arranged to be dependent upon the aforementioned feedback quantity. 
   By using parking braking systems in accordance with the present invention, it is possible to emulate the principal features of conventional pneumatically controlled spring brakes, including the ability to modulate the amount of braking. 
   Using a single point latch arrangement which clamps the parking brake at a fixed position cannot take account of the variance in such brake condition tolerances as brake running clearance, new or worn linings and lining compressibility, without the possibility of oversetting the clamp load. A system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention having a variable park latch arrangement, can seek to overcome this problem by determining the level at which the park brake should be latched, driving the brake to a prescribed level using the EBS actuation system and then locking the brake at the desired level. 
   Particularly, although not exclusively, with embodiments using a cam or wedge, the present system has the ability to enable different park load levels to be accommodated through the use of the variable latch mechanism. 
   Even with the additional components required within the system, the use of the invention can enable a valuable reduction in the complexity of the parking system which gives both component and installation cost benefits. 
   The invention is described further hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:— 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic illustration of an example of a conventional parking brake system in an EBS; 
       FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic illustration of an EBS incorporating one embodiment of a parking brake system in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic illustration of an EBS incorporating another embodiment of a parking brake system in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a set of diagrams (a-d) illustrating an embodiment of a parking brake system in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic illustration on a non-variable position park latch device; 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  are diagrammatic illustrations of first and second variable position park latch devices in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view through a braking device fitted with a variable latching device in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 9  illustrates the principle of operation of the latching device of  FIG. 8 ; 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  are diagrammatic illustrations of two further variable latching devices in accordance with this invention; 
       FIGS. 12 ,  13  and  14  illustrate diagrammatically various means of obtaining a feedback quality; 
       FIG. 15  illustrates diagrammatically an embodiment of a manually operated electrical device for use in the invention; 
       FIG. 16 . is a diagram illustrating the operation of the electrical device of  FIG. 15 ; and 
       FIGS. 17 and 18  are flow diagrams illustrating possible sequences for the application and release of parking braking in a system in accordance with the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2  there is shown schematically an EBS applied to a vehicle having four braked wheels, two at the front and two at the rear. The forward wheels (on the left in  FIG. 2 ) and rearward wheels (on the right) have brake actuators  27  which are selectively operated for normal braking by control signals generated electrically via a foot controlled transducer (not shown) and manipulated via the vehicle EBS. As indicated schematically in  FIG. 2 , the system also includes parking latching mechanisms  24  and local brake ECUs  125 . 
   The system of  FIG. 2  includes a hand control  20  containing two demand sensors which are preferably transducers, such as potentiometers, powered by individual fused lines  22   a ,  22   b , fed from a single source (not shown) such as a vehicle battery. The use of transducers enables the parking braking to be modulated via a vehicle EBS ECU  23  and EBS module  25  and has a “park” position into which the hand control  20  is arranged to be latched. Individual power wires, sensors and signal wires are used to provide redundancy, should a bad connection or other fault develop in one of the channels. 
   Parking latching mechanisms  24  are installed in each wheel brake. These parking latching mechanisms  24  are used to latch the brakes in a clamped condition when the hand control  20  is moved to the park position. In principle, the parking latching mechanisms  24  can be electrically or electro-pneumatically operated. 
     FIG. 3  shows a modified system which differs from that of  FIG. 2  in that instead of using the EBS ECU  23 , the control of the parking latching mechanisms  24  in accordance with signals from the electrical hand control  20  is performed by a separate ECU  100  which connects with respective local brake ECUs via CAN/POWER lines  102 . 
     FIGS. 4   a - 4   d  show one possible way of manifesting the parking latching mechanisms  24  using a solenoid operated pin  29 . In this embodiment, each wheel brake actuator  27  includes a pneumatically operated piston  26  which, when any kind of braking (normal braking or parking braking) is demanded, rotates a pivoted lever  28  (referred usually as the operating shaft or op shaft) clockwise (as viewed in  FIGS. 4   a - 4   d ) to correspondingly rotate a cam  30  to urge a brake piston  32  in a direction to the right and apply brake pads  34   a ,  34   b  to the two sides of a brake disc  36 . Release of the pneumatically operated piston  26  in a direction to the left allows the pivoted lever  28  to be returned counter-clockwise by a spring (not shown) to release the brake pads  34   a ,  34   b . In the event that parking braking is demanded by operation of the hand control  20 , and the pivoted lever  28  has been rotated clockwise to a parking braking level, the parking latching mechanism in the form of the solenoid controlled pin  29  is arranged to bring the solenoid pin  29  into a position behind the pivoted lever  28 , as shown in  FIG. 4   b , where the solenoid operated pin  29  prevents the pivoted lever  28  from returning counter-clockwise when the pneumatic brake actuator  27  is exhausted ( FIG. 4   c ). The parking brake is thereby held on until the hand control  20  is operated to release the parking brake, at which time the pivoted lever  28  is moved slightly clockwise to a level, which is usually (but not necessarily) at least and possibly slightly more than the load that was required to park the brake, to release the contact pressure with the solenoid operated pin  29  and the solenoid operated pin  29  is arranged to be withdrawn to enable normal foot braking to be resumed. In some circumstances, the level can be less than the level that was required to park the brake, for example after thermal contraction of the braking components. 
   The brakes may have the local brake ECU  125  installed, connected to the local EBS module  25  over a data bus. This local brake ECU  125  would contain drivers for the parking latching mechanism  24 . If this local brake ECU  125  is not present, it is possible to control the parking latching mechanism  24  through direct wiring to the EBS module  25  or to another vehicle mounted ECU. 
   To ensure that the integrity of the system is maintained, the parking function is preferably provided on at least two vehicle axles that are each controlled by discrete parts of the braking system, such as the front and rear circuits in a vertically split system. 
   The hand control  20  works as a demand sensor, much the same as that installed in an EBS foot controlled valve. In practice, the logic would preferably be arranged such that whichever channel sets the higher demand would win. When the hand control  20  is moved to the park position, the brakes are actuated to a parking level pressure, that is sufficient to provide the parking brake forces necessary to at least meet the requirements of the braking regulations. Once the parking latching mechanism  24  is in place, the EBS releases the braking pressure. 
   If one half of the EBS has failed, preventing the brakes from being actuated, then parking would remain in operation on the other half. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 15 and 16 , there is shown diagrammatically in  FIG. 15  one possible embodiment of the hand control  20 . This comprises a hand-operated lever  104 , displacement of which correspondingly displaces a ganged slider  106  over two potentiometer tracks  108   a ,  108   b  from a “brakes” off position at the left-hand end to a “parking brake on” position adjacent the right-hand end. When the ganged slider  106  reaches the “parking brake on” position, the ganged slider  106  operates a pair of switches SW 1  and SW 2  which provide electrical signals for use in initiating the operation of the parking latching mechanisms  124 . The electrical operation of the hand control  20  of  FIG. 15  is illustrated in  FIG. 16 . 
   Up to the point where the switches SW 1 , SW 2  are operated, the potentiometer tracks  108   a ,  108   b  enable the provision of gradual application of the foundation brakes via the EBS system. 
     FIG. 5  shows another embodiment using a non-variable latch wherein a brake actuator input force F rotates a lever  31  (op shaft) carrying a cam  33  for urging a brake pad  35  against a brake disc for normal, non-parking braking purposes. In order to enable the brakes to be retained in a brakes-applied condition for parking braking, a pivotable latch pin  36  can be rotated by an actuator  38  so as to engage in a recess  40  in the lever  31 . This provides a latch that can hold the brakes in a set position but cannot accommodate variations in the required park load. 
     FIG. 6  shows a development of the arrangement of  FIG. 5  wherein a variable position park latch mechanism is provided. The device of  FIG. 6  comprises a multi-point latch system that has the ability to set the park load at any one of a number of predetermined park load levels via multi-positional mechanical engagement of a solenoid or other linear actuator driven latch pin  42  driven into and out of engagement with an operating member  44  of a brake. For this purpose, the operating member  44  has a number of recesses  46 , selectively engageable by the pivoted latch pin  42  whose angular position is determinable by an actuator  48 . 
   In operation of the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , in the event that parking braking is demanded by operation of the hand control  20  ( FIG. 2  or  FIG. 3 ) and the lever or operating member  44  has been rotated counter-clockwise as viewed in  FIG. 6  to a parking braking condition, the latching mechanism, in the form of the latch pin  42 , is arranged to be displaced counter-clockwise by the actuator  48  to bring the latch pin  42  into a position behind the operating member  44  where it engages one of the recesses  46  to prevent the operating member  44  from returning clockwise when the pneumatic brake actuator  27  is exhausted. The parking brake is thereby held on until the hand control  20  is operated to release the parking brake, at which time the operating member  44  is moved slightly counter-clockwise to a level usually at least and possibly slightly more than the load that was required to park the brake to release the contact pressure with the latch pin  42 . The latch pin  42  is arranged to be displaced to enable normal foot braking to be resumed. 
     FIG. 7  shows a further development where the surface of a cam member  50  provides a variable backstop for an operating member  52  of the brake. The cam member  50  is driven rotationally by a motor and/or gearbox (not shown). The feature of being able to latch at a variable park load improves over the fixed levels of  FIG. 5 . 
     FIG. 8  shows a preferred implementation where the cam member  50  of  FIG. 7  has been replaced by a wedge  54  that is positioned through use of an electric motor  56 , driving through a reduction gearbox  58  onto a lead screw  60  of a linear driver  62 , which moves the wedge  54  linearly into and out of the desired park position. The use of a reduction gearbox  58  allows the further use of a low power motor having a compact layout suitable for mounting integrally with the brake. Additionally, the reduction gearbox and lead screw arrangement provide a non-reversible “detent” which holds the wedge  54  in position until further driven by the electric motor  56 . 
     FIG. 9  shows a simplified arrangement of the implementation shown in detail in  FIG. 8  that has the motor-driven wedge  54 . Corresponding parts in  FIGS. 8 and 9  are numbered the same. 
   Although not really necessary to an understanding of the present invention, there follows a brief explanation of a disc brake structure of  FIG. 8  to which the motor driven wedge  54  has been applied. 
   The disc brake of  FIG. 8  comprises a housing  101  that straddles a disc  102  mounted on an axle of the vehicle to be braked (not shown). The brake is actuated by mechanical movement of an unput actuator such as an air cylinder (not shown). Such actuators are well known in the field of brake actuation. The actuator co-operates with the outer end of the operation shaft or “op-shaft”  103  of the brake. The inner end of the op-shaft  103  is carried in a bearing attached to a lower or inner housing part  105 . The inner end of the op-shaft  103  has formed on its outer surface a cam lobe  206  which upon rotation causes a reaction force to be transmitted to rollers  107 . The rollers  107  in turn transmit the applied load to a pair of spaced inner tappet members  208 . These inner tappet members  208 , are screwed into engagement with associated outer tappet members  109  which apply the input load from the actuator to the rear of an inner brake lining  110 , thus pressing the friction material of the inner brake lining  110  into frictional engagement with the disc  102 . A reaction force is generated through this frictional engagement between the disc  102  and inner brake lining  110 , that is fed back through the tappets  208  and  109 , rollers  107  and cam lobe  206  which is supported by the inner housing part  105 . The inner housing part  105  is secured to an outer housing part  111  by bridging bolts  112  and  113 . Thus, the applied force being generated by movement of the op-shaft  103  is ultimately transmitted by reaction means to the outer housing part  111 , which in turn presses an outer brake lining  114  into frictional engagement with the disc  102 . Therefore it will be appreciated that the disc  102 , upon movement of the op-shaft  103 , is clamped between inner and outer brake linings  110  and  114  to generate a braking force for braking the vehicle under control of the applied input movement. 
   Reference is now made to  FIGS. 10 and 11  which illustrates particular embodiments of the wedge version of the actuator wherein a means is included to enable an amount of mechanical compensation for dimensional changes within the brake during cooling. This is achieved by the inclusion of a stiff but compliant form within the wedge that is able to support the park load reaction from the op-shaft but which is capable of “following” the op-shaft as the brake relaxes so as to substantially maintain the force applied thereto. 
   The compliance may be built into the wedge itself or may indeed be built into the support for the wedge. As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , a wedge  70  is substantially of a “C” section in outline and formed in a material that, while compliant, is of relatively high stiffness. Thus, as the parking latching mechanism is engaged, an op-shaft  78  compresses the wedge  70  until a stable condition is achieved. As the brake cools, the brake dimensions alter which cause the op-shaft  78  to move substantially away from the wedge  70  but the wedge  70  is able to follow over at least a short operating range, holding the clamp load at substantially the applied load condition. 
   In the embodiment of  FIG. 11 , a support surface for a wedge  76  itself is formed from compliant means and has the same effect as in the embodiment of  FIG. 10 . In this case, the compliant means comprises a Belville spring  72  which urges a support  74  against the wedge  76 . The op-shaft is shown at  78 . 
   Reference is now directed to  FIGS. 12 to 14  which show three possible ways of deriving a feedback signal/quantity corresponding to a sensed actuation level being exerted by the brake. 
     FIG. 12  shows the use of a pressure sensor  210  which provides an electrical output signal representative of the pressure developed inside the brake actuator  27  against the internal brake forces being developed within the brake. 
     FIG. 13  shows the use of an angular displacement sensor  212  which detects angular displacement of the op shaft or lever  28  within the brake actuation mechanism. 
     FIG. 14  shows the use of a force sensor  214 , such as a load cell, for detecting the force developed inside the brake. 
   Reference is now made to  FIG. 17  which is a simplified flow diagram showing the sequence steps in the parking brake application procedure. The individual boxes in  FIG. 17  are as follows:
           216 —Start.     218 —Electrical device (e.g. hand control  20 ) moved to park position.     220 —Brake applied via EBS to parking level.     222 —Feedback signal from brake to initiate latching action.     224 —Latch moved into place.     226 —Brakes released via EBS.     228 —Stop.       

   Reference is now made to  FIG. 18  which is a simplified flow diagram showing the sequence steps in the parking brake release procedure. The individual boxes in  FIG. 18  are as follows:
           230 —Start.     232 —Electrical device moved to park release position.     234 —Brake applied via EBS to park release level.     236 —Feedback signal from brake to initiate release of latch.     238 —Latch moved to removed position.     240 —Brake pressure released.     242 —Stop.       

   A parking system in accordance with the present invention can give one or more of the following benefits:
         (1) Only single diaphragm actuators are required. The heavier and bulkier spring brake actuators are not required. This gives cost, weight and space benefits.   (2) On rigid non-towing vehicles, the parking reservoir is eliminated.   (3) The pneumatic hand control valve and associated piping is eliminated.   (4) If desired, four-wheel parking can give a higher level of parking effort than with conventional systems.   (5) There can be a saving in fitting labor at OEMs, due to the reduction in component parts and pipe work.   (6) The control of the braking through the hand control can be more accurate and responsive compared to conventional pneumatically released spring brakes, which tend to suffer from lags and high levels of hysteresis.   (7) The transducers in a graduated hand control are effectively used as demand sensors so that between the brakes off and park positions, the amount of braking can be varied. This is a feature of most of today&#39;s pneumatic hand controls. Alternatively, switches could be employed to provide a two-state system.