Abstract:
A system for controlling a foundation brake of a vehicle. The system includes an adaptive cruise control (ACC) device, an arrangement to detect or predict excessive use of the foundation brake and an arrangement to disengage the ACC device on detection of excessive use of the foundation brake of the vehicle.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
     The present invention concerns a system for controlling a foundation brake of a vehicle. The present invention also concerns a method for protecting a foundation brake. The invention is intended for use particularly, but not exclusively, in trucks, buses and heavy good vehicles but is applicable to any other vehicle such as a passenger car. 
     The brake system of a vehicle usually comprises a foundation brake. The foundation brake is the basic drum or disc brake assembly fitted to each axle or wheel which produces the braking force necessary to bring the vehicle to a stop. A vehicle may further comprise an adaptive cruise control (ACC) device that automatically adjusts the vehicle&#39;s speed to maintain a safe following distance. An ACC device usually utilizes a radar, installed behind the grill of the vehicle, to detect the speed and distance of any vehicle ahead of it. If the lead vehicle slows down the ACC device sends a signal to the engine or braking system of the vehicle to decelerate. Then, when the road is clear, the ACC device re-accelerates the vehicle back to a pre-set speed. 
     If a foundation brake is used excessively, such as if it is applied several times over a prolonged period of time, fatigue or fading, i.e. gradual or sudden loss of braking power, may occur. If brake pads are used excessively their optimal working temperature is exceeded and their coefficient of friction decreases since, at a certain temperature, certain elements of a brake pad can start to melt and vapourise. The vapour becomes trapped between the brake pad and the rotor surface causing the brake pad to hydroplane on a boundary layer of vaporized friction material which acts like a lubricant. Additional brake pedal pressure is then required to slow down the vehicle, which increases braking temperatures and further destroys the brake pad, resulting in further losses of braking power. At temperatures of approximately 600-800° C. the friction coefficient of the friction material can be reduced by approximately 60%. At temperatures of approximately 900° C. brake pads can start to burn. Heat generated in the brake pads may be dissipated using a cooling system; however the amount of heat that may be effectively dissipated by the cooling system is limited. 
     In order to protect a foundation brake many vehicles are equipped with a supplementary auxiliary brake. US patent application no. 2004/0119333 discloses a system for controlling the brakes of a commercial vehicle. The system includes an ACC device that modulates an urgency signal based upon a hazard variable such as the relative speed of, and/or distance to a vehicle traveling in front of said commercial vehicle. The commercial vehicle comprises an electronically controlled brake system, which is designed to distribute a desired amount of braking force to a friction brake system, i.e. a foundation brake, and an auxiliary brake, namely a retarder. A retarder is a device that is permanently fitted to the vehicle&#39;s engine or transmission to augment the vehicle&#39;s braking capability during prolonged brake application. The electronically controlled brake system is designed in such a way that the distribution of the desired braking force to the friction brake system and the retarder is also based upon the urgency signal. 
     Such a supplementary auxiliary brake may be used to protect a foundation brake and give the driver greater control and improved brake performance. However, an auxiliary brake such as a retarder, increases the cost, weight and space requirements of a vehicle&#39;s brake system and decreases the fuel efficiency of the vehicle. 
     It is desirable to control the foundation brake of a vehicle so as to protect the foundation brake in a simple and cost-effective way. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, a system comprises an ACC device and means to detect or predict excessive use of the foundation brake. The system also comprises means to disengage, i.e. de-activate, disconnect or switch off the ACC device on detection or prediction of excessive use of the foundation brake. By disengaging the ACC device and thus transferring control of the foundation brake solely to the driver of the vehicle in situations where an ACC device may cause a foundation brake to be used excessively, fading and fatigue of the foundation brake is reduced or avoided. An ACC device may therefore be used together with a foundation brake without damaging the foundation brake of a vehicle. Furthermore, a supplementary auxiliary brake or retarder can be used together with a foundation brake in an ACC device without damaging the foundation brake of a vehicle. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention the system comprises means to determine the temperature of the foundation brake i.e. it comprises means to measure or calculate the temperature of at least one part of the foundation brake or the temperature of a component in the vicinity of the foundation brake. The system comprises means to disengage the ACC device if/when the temperature of the foundation brake reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature, such as a temperature in the range 300-600° C. Said predetermined temperature will vary depending on the type of brake and/or brake pads used. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention the system comprises means to determine a brake duration factor (BD) of the foundation brake during a predetermined time interval and means to disengage the ACC device if/when the brake duration factor of the foundation brake reaches or exceeds a predetermined brake duration factor maximum limit. Said brake duration factor (BD) is dependent on the use of the foundation brake, i.e. the brake duration, during a predetermined time interval. 
     According to a further embodiment of the invention the system comprises means to determine whether the vehicle is at a safe distance behind any object in front of said vehicle, such as another vehicle, and means to disengage the ACC device only if/when the distance between the vehicle and any object in front of said vehicle corresponds to, or exceeds a predetermined safe distance. Not only is the foundation brake thereby protected, but the safety of the driver of the vehicle and other road users is ensured. The magnitude of the safe distance depends on the speed of the vehicle and may be calculated by the inventive system or obtained from pre-computed values that are stored in the inventive system. According to an embodiment of the invention the system comprises means to decrease the speed of the vehicle until said predetermined safe distance has been achieved. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention the system comprises indication means to inform the driver that the ACC device is being or has been disengaged. Said indication means provides an optic and/or audio and/or tactile signal for example. 
     According to a further embodiment of the invention the system comprises means, such as a road surface inclination sensor or pre-programmed route profile information or a global positioning system (GPS), to determine whether the vehicle is approaching a situation in which the use of the ACC device may result in excessive use of the foundation brake; for example means to determine whether the vehicle is about to follow a lead vehicle down a long descent. 
     The present invention also concerns a method for protecting a foundation brake of a vehicle comprising an ACC device. The method comprises the steps of determining whether the foundation brake is being used excessively and disengaging the ACC device if this is the case. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention the method comprises the step of determining the temperature of the foundation brake, directly or indirectly, and disengaging the ACC device if said temperature reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention the method comprises the step of determining a brake duration factor (BD) of the foundation brake and disengaging the ACC device if said brake duration factor reaches or exceeds a predetermined brake duration factor limit. Said brake duration factor limit depends on the use of the brakes during a predetermined time interval. According to an embodiment of the invention, the brake duration factor BD when the vehicle is braking, i.e. the foundation brakes are used to brake the vehicle, is determined using the expression: 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
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     The brake duration factor BD when the vehicle is not braking, i.e. the foundation brakes are not used to brake the vehicle, is determined using the expression: 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
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     The constant a is less than or equal to 1. In this embodiment, BD is thus a variable that increases with slope  1  when the foundation brakes are used to brake the vehicle and decreases with slope a when the foundation brakes are not used. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention the brake duration factor (BD) is defined by the expression: 
                     B   ⁢           ⁢     D   ⁡     (   t   )         =       c   ⁢       ∫     t   ⁢           ⁢   1     t     ⁢           ⁢     ⅆ   t         +     B   ⁢           ⁢     D   ⁡     (     t   1     )                   (   3   )               
where c is a function dependent on one or more of the following: vehicle speed, brake pressure, brake disc temperature, ambient temperature, type of brake disc, type of brake pads.
 
     According to a further embodiment of the invention the method comprises the step of determining whether the vehicle is at a safe distance behind any object in front of said vehicle and disengaging the ACC device if/when the distance between said vehicle and said object corresponds to, or exceeds a predetermined safe distance. The ACC device is therefore not disengaged automatically as soon as excessive use of the foundation brake is detected or predicted but at a time thereafter when it is safe to do so. According to a yet further embodiment of the invention the method comprises the step of decreasing the speed of the vehicle until a predetermined safe distance has been achieved and then disengaging the ACC device. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention the method comprises the step of indicating to the driver of the vehicle that the ACC device is being or has been disengaged by means of an optic and/or audio and/or tactile signal for example. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention the method comprises the step of reengaging the ACC-device manually or automatically once the temperature or the brake duration factor of the foundation brake has dropped to a threshold value for example. 
     The present inventions also concerns a computer program product that comprises a computer program containing computer program code means arranged to cause a computer or a processor to execute at least one of the steps of a method according to any of the embodiments of the invention, stored on a computer-readable medium or a carrier wave. 
     The present invention further concerns an electronic control unit (ECU) that comprises a computer program product according to the present invention. 
     The present invention also concerns a vehicle that comprises a system or an ECU according to any of the embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will hereinafter be further explained by means of non-limiting examples with reference to the appended figures where; 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a vehicle comprising a system according to an embodiment of the invention, viewed from above, 
         FIG. 2  shows a vehicle comprising as system according to an embodiment of the invention which is just about to follow another vehicle down a long descent, 
         FIG. 3  shows parts of a disc brake, and 
         FIG. 4  shows the brake duration factor BD as a function of time. 
     
    
    
     It should be noted that the drawings have not been drawn to scale and that the dimensions of certain features have been exaggerated for the sake of clarity. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a vehicle  10  comprising a system  12  for controlling the foundation brakes  14  of the vehicle. A disc or drum brake assembly constituting a foundation brake  14  is fitted on each end of each axle of the vehicle  10 . When the driver of the vehicle  10  presses the foot brake pedal  18  the foundation brake  14  produces the braking force necessary to bring the vehicle to a stop through the wheels  16 . The system  12  comprises an ACC device  20  that detects the speed and distance of any road users in front of the vehicle  10  and automatically adjusts the vehicle&#39;s speed to maintain a safe following distance. The ACC device  20  uses one or more auxiliary brake devices and the foundation brake of the vehicle to keep the desired speed and to keep the desired distance to a vehicle in front of the vehicle. The system  12  also comprises means  22  to disengage the ACC device  20 , such as an electronically controlled switch. The system  12  distributes the braking force desired by the ACC device to the auxiliary brake devices and to the disc or drum brake assemblies of the foundation brake  14 . This blending of brake force to the auxiliary brake devices and the foundation brake is well-known to the skilled person and is not described in detail. The vehicle may be a single vehicle or a vehicle combination, e.g. a tractor/trailer combination. The vehicle is preferably a heavy vehicle such as a truck, bus or a construction vehicle. 
       FIG. 2  shows a vehicle  10  comprising as system  12  according to an embodiment of the invention which is just about to follow a vehicle  24  down a long descent. Vehicle  10  comprises an ACC device  20  that comprises a radar installed behind the grill of the vehicle  10  to detect the speed and distance of the other vehicle  24 . The ACC device  20  is, when engaged, arranged to keep the vehicle  10  travelling at a pre-set speed when no vehicle is in front of vehicle  10 , and to maintain vehicle  10  at a desired distance d behind a vehicle when there is a vehicle in front of vehicle  10 . In this example, vehicle  10  comprises an auxiliary brake in the form of an exhaust pressure governor (EPG) brake and vehicle  24  comprises an auxiliary brake in the form of a Volvo engine brake (VEB) which is an auxiliary brake that is more powerful than an EPG brake. Vehicle  10  is also heavier than vehicle  24 , thus the required brake power is higher for vehicle  10  than for vehicle  24  in this example. 
     Both vehicles  10  and  24  are travelling down the long descent. When vehicle  10  gets too close to the lead vehicle  24 , the ACC device  20  sends a signal to the system  12  to decelerate the vehicle  10  in order to maintain the desired distance d. The system applies the foundation brakes  14  of vehicle  10  in order to maintain the desired distance d between the vehicles  10  and  24 . The foundation brakes are applied since the EPG brake alone can not maintain the desired distance d. The distance between the vehicles may be defined as a time gap in seconds or as a distance in meters. During a long descent, prolonged and/or heavy braking could eventually cause the foundation brakes  14  of vehicle  10  to fade or it could increase the risk of wear and damage to the foundation brakes  14 ; for example the foundation brake discs might crack due to thermal fatigue, if an inventive system was not used. However, in the inventive system  12 , excessive use of the foundation brake  14  is detected or predicted, by monitoring the temperature or application time of the foundation brakes  14  for example, and the ACC device  20  is disengaged if such excessive use is detected or predicted, thereby protecting the foundation brakes  14 . 
     Control of the foundation brakes  14  is handed over to the driver of the vehicle  10  when it is safe to do so. Vehicle  10  may for example be very close to the lead vehicle  24  when the system  12  determines that the ACC device  20  should be disengaged. Disengaging the ACC device  20  immediately and giving the driver full control of the foundation brake might therefore be dangerous since it would mean that the driver would have to brake immediately in order to avoid an accident. According to an embodiment of the invention  5  the speed of vehicle  10  is automatically reduced, for example by applying the foundation brake for an extra five seconds, to build up a safe distance to the lead vehicle  24 , which would allow the vehicle  10  to stop safely if the lead vehicle  24  were to brake suddenly. 
     Optionally the driver is made aware of the fact that the ACC device is being, or has been disengaged by means of a flashing light on the dashboard of the vehicle, for example. The ACC device may be re-engaged manually by the driver, once the truck is again driving on a non-inclined road surface for example, or automatically by the system  12  once the temperature of the foundation brakes  14  has dropped to a threshold value for example. According to an embodiment of the invention the ACC device is re-engaged in a reduced condition (“reduced ACC” or “ACC-R”). This means that the ACC device functions normally but only the auxiliary brake is used when retardation is requested. 
       FIG. 3  shows parts of a disc brake that constitutes a foundation brake  14  of the vehicle  10 . The disc brake comprises a single piston floating calliper  26  that presses brake pads  28  against the sides of a rotor  30  that constitutes part of the hub  34  of the vehicle&#39;s wheel. A wheel  16  that rotates about axis  32  is attached to the hub  34 . Friction between the brake pads  28  and the rotor  30  slows the wheel  16  down. A temperature sensor  36 , such as a thermoelectric element, may be placed in the vicinity of the brake pads  28  in order to measure the temperature of the foundation brake  14 . The temperature sensor  36  may also be positioned at the brake disc to measure the temperature of the brake disc itself. 
     Since the temperature of the disc itself is important in order to avoid heat fading, the most advantageous is to measure the temperature in the disc. This may be difficult due to e.g. the harsh environment of the brake and difficulties to integrate a temperature sensor in a brake disc. It is also possible to position a temperature sensor close to the brake disc and to estimate the temperature of the brake disc using the measured temperature value close to the disc. According to an embodiment of the invention, the temperature of the foundation brake  14  may also be estimated without using a temperature sensor. This may be done using an electronic brake system electronic control unit (EBS ECU). This estimate is based on a model of temperature dynamics and a measurement of the brake cylinder pressure and the vehicle speed. If the temperature reaches or exceeds a predetermined value, this indicates excessive use of the foundation brake  14 . The system  12  will then automatically disengage the ACC device  20  once it has checked that it is safe to do so and, optionally, after it has informed the driver of the vehicle that the ACC device  20  is being disengaged and that he/she therefore has complete control of the foundation brake  14 . 
       FIG. 4  shows an example of the brake duration factor BD for a vehicle traveling at a speed of e.g. 50 km/h. The foundation brakes of the vehicle has not been used for a long time, thus the brake duration factor BD is zero at time t=0. The BD maximum limit is in this example set to 15. When BD reaches this limit, the ACC is disengaged. At time t=5, the vehicle brakes for 5 seconds. This results in a BD of 5 at time t=10 by using expression (1), since the vehicle is braking; 
     
       
         
           
             
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     Then, the brakes are not engaged for 10 seconds. This results in a BD of 2, by using expression (2), since the vehicle is not braking. The constant a is here 15/50. 
     
       
         
           
             
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     At t=20, the brakes are engaged for 13 seconds, resulting in a BD of 15 by using expression (1). 
     
       
         
           
             
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     Thus, the BD maximum limit is reached. The BD maximum limit is set so that the brake discs of the foundation brakes of the vehicle are protected. If the brake discs are homogenously warm or hot, heat fading may occur. If the brake discs are non-homogenously warm or hot, the formation of cracks may occur. A continued use of the foundation brakes for a long time by the ACC device could lead to one or both of these problems. Thus, when the BD maximum limit is reached, the ACC is disengaged in order to be on the safe side and the driver is notified that he/she should slow down the vehicle to a safe speed. 
     The brake duration factor may also depend on one or more of the following parameters: vehicle speed, brake pressure, brake disc temperature, ambient temperature, type of brake disc, type of brake pads. It is also possible to have different brake duration factors depending on these parameters. The constant a may also vary depending on these and other parameters. The constant a may, as in this example, be a total allowed braking time (15 seconds) during a chosen time interval divided by that chosen time interval (50 seconds). The brake duration factor BD may be calculated during a fixed time interval, i.e. the calculation of BD is done during a fixed time interval and then set to zero before the next calculation is done. BD may also be calculated during a floating time interval, i.e. the calculation of BD is done continuously.