Abstract:
A compressed-air disk brake for vehicles comprises an actuating device for applying brake blocks in the direction of a brake disk and a brake cylinder, which, on arrival of the compressed air, initiates a braking action via the actuating device. At least one control module, comprising individual pneumatic and electronic components, is incorporated into the brake and/or the associated brake cylinder. For example, the control module may be formed directly on the brake cylinder housing section which encloses the ventilation chamber.

Description:
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a compressed-air disk brake and more specifically electropenumatic compressed air disk brakes. 
     A compressed-air disk brake is known from German Patent Document DE 40 32 885 A1. The disk brake for utility vehicles shown in that document has had good results per se, but a structural and constructional simplification is desirable for reducing its manufacturing costs. The same applies to the brake systems disclosed in German Patent Documents DE 16 55 103 B2 and DE-OS 16 55 854. 
     Compressed-air cylinders in different embodiments are known, for example, from “Bosch Automotive Engineering Manual”, 22nd Edition, ISBN 3-18-419122-2. On Page 655, this manual mentions piston-type as well as diaphragm-type cylinders as well as combined single-chamber spring-loaded cylinders as successful standard examples. 
     The above-mentioned cylinders have had good results per se and represent a component of the overall brake system which is reliable as a whole. Based on this starting situation, the invention uses the idea that the interaction of individual components of the disk brake or of the whole brake system, particularly of the cylinders, in modern, electronically controlled brake systems (EBS brake systems) be rethought and optimized. 
     The invention achieves this goal. The disk brake according to the invention thus differs from the disk brake of the above-mentioned type in that, in each case, at least one control module with electronic and pneumatic/mechanical components (particularly a complete EBS wheel module) is integrated in the brake and/or in the brake cylinder. In addition, the invention achieves this goal in that, in the case of a brake cylinder of the above-mentioned type, it arranges a control module directly on one of the housing sections of the brake cylinder. 
     The invention implements an advantageous and low-cost integration of a control module with the actual disk brake, particularly with its brake cylinder, and therefore combines previously separate components (brake cylinder or other elements of the disk brake with the control module) to form a constructional unit. 
     When implementing modern electronic braking systems, the desire to obtain intelligent vehicle brakes has intensified in recent times, which vehicle brakes would integrate all electronic and mechanical control elements in the wheel brake (or arrange these elements in the brake). Among other things, this would considerably reduce the mounting expenditures in the vehicle. 
     The idea of a wheel-related control module has developed therefrom which combines electronic and pneumatic components with one another. Such a module is, for example, designed such that a compressed-air pipe as well as an electronic control cable lead to the module; in which case, by means of the pneumatic and electronic components of the control module, at least the functions “control pressure into the brake cylinder” and “lower pressure” can be implemented. For this purpose, the control module comprises, for example, a relay valve, preferably several solenoids connected in front of the relay valve, a pressure sensor, a bus connection, a compressed-air connection, etc. Preferably, the control modules of different wheels should be able to communicate with one another, either by way of a control unit or directly. 
     If, according to the invention, the control module is now combined with the disk brake and/or the brake cylinder to form a constructional unit, the mounting and cabling expenditures are reduced because, instead of several separate elements, only one component must be integrated and inserted in the installation space of the wheel brake. 
     A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention is that the brake cylinder and the disk brake form a construction unit. This embodiment of the invention further considerably simplifies the construction of the disk brake (specifically also if the control module is not also integrated in the disk brake). The integration of the control module first causes the elimination of otherwise required electric and pneumatic connection lines and of an additional housing. The additional integration of the brake cylinder in the brake construction then has the additional result that an otherwise required connection is eliminated between the brake cylinder and disk brake components which, during repair and assembly work, also always represents an additional possible source of errors. 
     According to a particularly preferred and expedient embodiment of the invention, the brake cylinder is integrated in the caliper. As a result, no more dirt can penetrate into the caliper when the brake cylinder is exchanged. On the contrary, it will only be necessary, for exchanging the brake cylinder, to exchange an insert which comprises the internal components of the brake cylinder (piston, piston rod, etc.). An additional sealing is eliminated and it is possible to expose the whole brake interior only to dried compressed air from the brake system, which, among other things, also reduces the danger of corrosion. This will be explained in greater detail. 
     The invention also makes it possible to provide a standardized brake cylinder which no longer has to be adapted to different usages. This applies particularly when the control module is designed such that a complete EBS function can be implemented by it. In this context, it is particularly advantageous for the adjusting of the otherwise pneumatically operated brake to take place by an electric adjusting motor. By the electric adjusting motor and a suitable control software, it is also possible to design the adjusting mechanism at particularly low cost. As the result of the construction of the cylinder as a piston cylinder, a particularly compact construction can be achieved. 
     According to another, particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the control module is molded directly to the housing section for the ventilation chamber. The control module is therefore arranged in an advantageous and simple manner in a component of the brake which must be changed only insignificantly in order to integrate the control module in it or combine it with this component. In addition, this variant of the invention has the special advantage that the control module is mounted directly and without the requirement of additional internal or external feed lines on the part of the brake cylinder which has a direct access to the ventilation chamber of the cylinder. It is therefore possible to control the air for acting upon the piston(s) directly behind the piston. Another advantage is that the additional components, for example, in the case of an arrangement of the control module on the housing, the other components, such as the cover, the piston and the diaphragm—do not have to be changed further in order to equip the brake cylinder, in contrast to the conventional construction, with a control module. Another advantage of this embodiment of the invention is that the flanging onto the brake—preferably the flanging to a compressed-air disk brake for trucks—because of the integrated module, requires no adaptation. Another significant advantage of the invention is that, by means of it, it is generally possible to retrofit in an uncomplicated and easy manner a vehicle series of a conventional brake system, to form an EBS brake system. Modifications of the control module can be carried out without additional expenditures; only the housing may have to be adapted in a simple manner. Another advantage is finally, that the cover of the compressed-air cylinder is normally the component of the utility vehicle brake which is the easiest to change (type of construction). 
     Additional advantageous embodiments of the invention are found in the other subclaims. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1A is a partial sectional view of a diaphragm-type brake cylinder according to the invention; 
     FIG. 1B is a schematic view analogous to FIG. 1A which is rotated by 90° with respect to FIG. 1A; 
     FIG. 2A is a partial sectional view of another embodiment of a combination cylinder according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2B is a schematic view analogous to FIG. 2A which is rotated by 90° with respect to FIG. 2B; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an embodiment of a disk brake having an integrated brake cylinder; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a control module suitable for the disk brakes of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a top view of the control module of FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the brake caliper with the inserted control module of FIG. 4 for the brake of the type of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a diaphragm-type brake cylinder  1  for compressed-air disk brakes of utility vehicles which essentially has two housing sections, namely, cover  2  with a closure section  2 ′ and an inserted snap ring  2 ″ which reaches around a projection  3 ′ of a bottom part  3 . One of the housing sections—here, the cover  2 —encloses a ventilation chamber  4  for the compressed-air supply and discharge. The pneumatic operation of the diaphragm-type cylinder takes place in a conventional manner; that is, when the brake is operated and released, the diaphragm  5  moves back and forth with the piston  6  and the piston rod  7 . A control module  8  is molded directly to the cover  2  of the cylinder closing the ventilation chamber. The control module  8  comprises electronic and pneumatic-mechanical control sections, by which the pneumatic pressure can be controlled into the brake cylinder and can be lowered in it. For this purpose, the control module  8  also has two pneumatic connections ( 9 ,  10 ), the pneumatic connection  9  connecting the brake cylinder with a complete pneumatic release or hold-back plane—constructed in the conventional manner—(not shown) and the pneumatic connection  10  implementing the compressed-air supply for the control module  8 . 
     The control module  8  here comprises a relay valve  11 , solenoids  12  for the implementation of different functions (of which one is visible in the sectional view of FIG.  1 B), a pressure sensor  13  as well as an electrical connection  14  to the lining wear sensor  14 ′ for the disk brake. The information of the lining wear sensor  14 ′ and of the pressure sensor  13  are connected by a bus connection on the connector plate  15  to the (not shown) control unit. The control signals from the control unit to the control module  9  are connected by a multi-core cable (not shown) to the electric connector  16 . The exact further development and circuit-related linking of the pneumatic and electronic elements in the control module  8  depends on the required demand profile and can easily be implemented arbitrarily by a person skilled in the art. 
     The control module  8  has a central structure section  17  which is constructed in one piece with the housing of the cover  2  and comprises recesses into which the individual elements of the control module  8  fit, and which, in addition, is closed off in a simple and advantageous manner toward the outside by the connector plate  15  and by a closure body  18 . 
     It should be noted that in FIGS. 1A and 1B, only the pneumatic  9 ,  10  and the electric  16  connector arrangement differ from one another (in FIG. 1A, the pneumatic connections are provided “on top”; in FIG. 1B, these are “on the bottom”). An arrangement of the control module analogous to FIG. 1 can be implemented on a piston cylinder. 
     FIGS. 2A and 2B show a combination cylinder  1 ′ which is essentially composed of three housing sections namely, cover  200 ′ intermediate part  19  and bottom part  3 ′. One of the housing sections—here, the intermediate part  19 —close the ventilation chamber  4 ′. The pneumatic-mechanical function of the combination cylinder with the diaphragm-type cylinder section A and the spring-loaded piston cylinder section B must not be changed on the basis of the invention in comparison to the conventional arrangement. The control module  8  is again molded directly to the housing section closing the ventilation chamber  4 ′, here, the intermediate section  19 . The functional construction of the control module  8  corresponds to the embodiment of FIG.  1 . The main advantage of this embodiment of the invention again consists of the fact that only a slight change of the intermediate section  19  is necessary and that the additional components of the cylinder  1  must not be varied because of the invention. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a compressed-air disk brake  20  for utility vehicles with an actuating device  21  for the application of brake blocks  22 ,  25  in the direction of a brake disk  24 . The selected design of the caliper  23  (see also FIG.  6 ), in which the brake cylinder  1 ′ is integrated, is particularly advantageous. For this purpose, the preferably one-piece caliper  23  has essentially three partial areas. A first partial area  23   a  forms the outer housing of the brake cylinder  1 ′ and receives the conventional internal components of a piston cylinder (piston rod  7 , plastic piston  7 ′, spring  7 ″). A second partial area  23   b  is molded to the first partial area  23   a  and, in which the actuating device  21  of the disk brake  20  is arranged. A third partial area  23   c  is molded to the second partial area  23   b  and comprises the brake disk  24  and the two brake blocks  22 ,  25 . The partial area  23   c  is used for transmitting the application forces from the actuating side of the disk brake (thus, the side of the actuating device  21 ) to the reaction side. As an alternative, it would be conceivable to construct this third partial area  23   c  in the manner of a separate band or body which frames the brake disk  24  and the brake blocks  22 ,  25 , in order to further reduce the weight of the disk brake (not shown). 
     The integration of the brake cylinder  1 ′ in the caliper  23  eliminates particularly the necessity of sealing off the cylinder secondary chamber receiving the control unit  8  with respect to the brake interior (in area  23   b ). This sealing-off is replaced by an automatic or controlled ventilation system of the secondary chamber of the brake cylinder  1 ′ and of the area  23   b,  which (by way of a valve not shown) receives afterflowing air from the compressed-air system and delivers outflowing air into the environment. This results in the particularly important advantage that only dried air from the compressor delivery is always present in the brake interior (possibly also under a definable pressure) and no additional encasing is required. This is particularly advantageous because the different control components may be sensitive to wetness and are therefore securely protected against moisture. A pressure in the secondary chamber and in the area  23   b  is recommended which is by approximately 20-50 mbar above the ambient pressure. The whole brake interior is therefore securely protected in a simple manner against corrosion. 
     Another special advantage is the combined integration of the control module  8 ′ (illustrated by a broken line), according to FIG. 4 and 5, in the first and/or second partial area of the caliper  23   a,  b and in the brake cylinder  1 ′. This integration surprisingly becomes possible because of the control module  8 ′ according to FIG. 4 has a round base plate  26  as supporting body (with a protruding edge  26 ′), on which the individual components of the control module  8 ′ are housed in a sector-type and functionally ordered manner. Preferably, plate is plastic. 
     In the embodiment of FIG. 4, for example, a solenoid (such as an ABS diaphragm valve)  27 , an outlet sound absorber  28 , two proportional valves  29   a,b,  a pressure control valve  30 , a differential pressure sensor  31  as well as a wear sensor or an electric transmission adjusting motor  32  which carries out this function and also permits the adjustment, are arranged on the base plate  26 . The adjusting motor  32  acts upon the synchronizing drive between the two adjusting spindles of the two spindle brake (not shown) and drives, for example, by means of a gear, a synchronizing chain, a toothed belt or a synchronized transmission. 
     The special advantage of the sector-type arrangement of the individual components according to FIGS. 4 and 5 and that a central area of the base plate  26  is provided with a hole  26 ″, through which the piston rod  7 ′ of the cylinder  1 ′ can be guided, is that surprisingly it becomes possible to insert the base plate  26  together with the components arranged thereon such into the first partial area  23   a  (or the brake cylinder housing) of the caliper  23 . Also some of the individual elements—particularly the relatively elongated proportional solenoids  29   a, b —project from the first partial area  23   a  into the second partial area  23   b  and thus fill a space which remains unutilized according to the prior art of this type. In this case, the control module  8 ′ is accommodated completely in the interior of the brake mechanism and is mechanically protected without increasing the dimensions of the brake. In addition, as the result of the combination of the caliper  23  and the brake cylinder  1 ′ in connection with the electric adjusting motor, the otherwise necessary, purely mechanical adjusting unit can be eliminated and the space requirement can be further reduced. In a conventional manner, the central section of the second partial area  23   b  (see German Patent Document DE 40 32 885) is available as space for the movement of the piston rod  7  of the cylinder as well as for the movement of a rotary lever  33  for operating an eccentric application device  34 . However, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the rotary lever  33  does not act by way of the eccentric shaft  35  arranged eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation of the lever end  33 ′ but directly onto an application traverse element  36  of the two-spindle brake. The eccentric shaft  35  is used for the support against the caliper  23 . A bow  37  holds the actuating device  21  together and thus permits the inserting of the actuating device  21  into the caliper area  23   b  as a preassembled unit. 
     Summarizing, the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 provide a possibility for an uncomplicated retrofitting of existing disk brake systems with an EBS function. In addition, according to FIG. 3, a disk brake is obtained which can be standardized, is reasonable in cost, is extremely compact and into which the control module as well as the actuating device can be integrated as preassembled units in a rapid and uncomplicated manner. Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only, and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The spirit and scope of the present invention are to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.