Patent ID: 12227151

FIG.1shows the side view of the integrated unit housing A with valve arrangement HCU, which contains the components solenoid valve MV, pressure transducer DG, piston for pressure supply devices DV1and DV2and fastening of the motors of pressure supply devices DV1and DV2. Alternatively, as already described, the housing may also be divided into housings A1and A2. The components, such as valves, solenoid valve MV and pressure transducer DG, are preferably fastened to an extruded or continuously extruded block24, for example the solenoid valve MV preferably by calking or clinching, which also includes the seal thereof. In the alternative, as mentioned above, housing A1will contain the sub-block24. Housing A2may for example be a die-cast part without components to be calked. In the lower part, the piston8of the pressure supply unit DV1with a resetting spring and housing lid7is shown, which is for example preferably driven by means of the motor2by spindle and ball screw drive KGT (not illustrated). In the case of housing A, this is screwed to the HCU block24via an intermediate housing3by means of fastening screws. In the case of the housing A2, the motor is attached without an intermediate housing. The reservoir VB is connected by way of two connections9aand9bto the brake circuits1and2. As an extension of9c, the suction valve SV for the pressure supply DV is positioned in the housing.

On the opposite side, the sensor housing3with the rotational angle sensor is connected both to motor2and ECU18via a preferably flexible circuit board (not illustrated) with the intermediate housing. Attached on the top side of the open-loop and closed-loop control unit ECU are the plug connectors, which are implemented twofold in the case of the redundant ECU. In the variant with separate master brake cylinder HZ, the corresponding connecting line to the master brake cylinder HZ is provided at11. The reservoir VB may, in the conventional manner, comprise a level sensor (NS) with a float, wherein the target with the sensor element are arranged in the open-loop and closed-loop control unit ECU, which is preferably of redundant configuration in the case of levels 4 and 5. In the fully integrated version, the master brake cylinder HZ is arranged behind the valve arrangement block HCU, which master brake cylinder is screwed to the HCU block24by means of fastening screws13.

FIG.4shows more details here. On the master brake cylinder HZ there is conventionally situated a flange12for the fastening, by means of corresponding screws14, to the bulkhead shown by dashed lines. In the variant without master brake cylinder HZ, a simplified flange may also be used for the fastening in the assembly or engine compartment. Here, the unit should be inclined at approximately 15°, as on the bulkhead, for good ventilation. Pedal interface PI and pedal plunger1are connected to the master brake cylinder HZ. The connections of the valve arrangement HCU to the wheel brakes RB may be realized on the motor side or on the front side.

Here, the axis of the pressure supply device DV1lies parallel to the master brake cylinder (HZ) axis or approximately perpendicular to the flange and the axis of the pressure supply device DV2is perpendicular to the axis of the pressure supply device DV1. The axis aDV2of the piston of the pressure supply device DV2may be both parallel to the axis aDV1of the pressure supply device DV1and rotationally offset at an angle α, which advantageously shortens the structural length. As a further alternative to the described arrangement of DV2, an arrangement of aDV2parallel to the vertical axis may be used. In this case, a different installation location must be provided for the lower plug, for example on the opposite side of the open-loop and closed-loop control unit ECU.

FIG.2shows the view from the front. It is shown here that the outline contour can still be accommodated within the small vacuum vac. of8″ and is thus suitable for installation on the bulkhead. The major advantage lies in the structural width of approximately 50% of the abovementioned brake force booster BKV, which is very favorable for right-hand and left-hand drive vehicles. The structural length of the abovementioned brake force booster BKV is also considerably shorter, and thus forms a basis for widespread use of the modular concept according to the invention. Here, again, the different housings A (A1, A2), B, C and VB must be provided. The housing B is situated for example behind the HCU block24, and is screwed to the latter and sealed off, as in the case of ABS.

The motor of the pressure supply device DV2acts with, for example, an eccentric on the piston pump, as in the case of ABS/ESP. As is known, the structural space for this is very small. Alternatively, the motor may also drive a gear pump, which is of short construction. Arranged on the left-hand side is the ECU with housing18with main circuit board PCB23, which is connected to the plug connector St situated at the top.

The solenoid valve (MV) coils are, via connecting webs21, connected by means of press-fit contacts to the circuit board PCB23in the conventional manner. The connection of the connecting webs21to the coil wire is considered fail-safe owing to automated production with process control, but this does not necessarily apply to the contact to the PCB. The solenoid valves MV have important functions, in particular for levels 4 and 5, and are to be designed with redundant control of the drivers20/20r, wherein the drivers also have an isolation switch. The contact to the circuit board PCB may likewise be of redundant configuration by way of a second contact on the connecting web21, which is connected to a small circuit board PCB22with the second driver.

For cost reasons, it is advantageous to provide a 1-part circuit board PCB. For the case of an ingress of water, the circuit boards PCB may be separated by webs with seals in the housing of the open-loop and closed-loop control ECU with the two redundant circuits. Possible conductor track cracks are also advantageously covered or ruled out by redundancies. The remaining electronic connections of motor26to circuit board PCB23by means of electrical connection15, of motor2to the electrical connection16of the motor of the pressure supply DV1, and those to rotation angle sensor6, are also of importance. The advantage of parallel arrangement of pressure supply DV1is the short length of the electrical connection.

FIG.3shows the master brake cylinder HZ with housing, in which the master brake cylinder (HZ) piston33and travel sensor (WS) piston with spring for the opposing force and pedal characteristic are installed. The travel simulator piston may also be accommodated in block A or housing A. The piston likewise has redundant seals45with throttle Dr to the interior. In the event of failure of the seal45, the failure is identified by way of the leakage flow, and the failure is not relevant. This throttle Dr with small leakage flow allows diagnosis of the failure of the first seal. The travel simulator piston is supported on the flange12and therefore does not require a separate closure piece. The master brake cylinder (HZ) piston23with resetting spring50is arranged in parallel with respect to the travel simulator piston. The piston may be guided in slide rings48with low friction, and the sealing action of the piston is also impaired to a lesser extent in this case. Preferably, for the slide rings and seals, use is made of a separate bearing part49, which is supported on the flange, and also the stop of the piston23by means of stop ring28. A force-travel sensor KWS30may be arranged in the master brake cylinder (HZ) piston for the diagnosis of the travel simulator WS. The sensor rods31and31aare connected to the piston23and to the pedal plunger. These rods are each connected by way of a detent coupling32-34to piston and pedal plunger. This coupling is composed of a ball34with a spring33in the housing22. This prevents blockage of the pedal plunger in the event of jamming of one sensor rod.

FIG.4shows the arrangement of two alternative possible embodiments of the pedal travel sensors. The first variant with toothed rack38, toothed gear37, drive shaft36to the target35and sensor element34on PCB23has already been described in DE102015104246. This version requires little installation space and is inexpensive. In the lower variant, a guide part39is pressed, for example with a pin, into the sensor rod. This is guided in the upper part in a guide strip40, in order that an angular rotation that acts on the target41is small. This target acts on an inductive sensor42with an evaluation circuit, and is connected to the main PCB23and is situated in the ECU housing14.

For the above-described variants a to f, the following components may advantageously be of identical design:Pressure supply device DV1: for all variants a to f;Pressure supply device DV2: for all variants with redundant pressure supply;HCU/ECU: for the two variants without redundant pressure supply;Master brake cylinder HZ and travel sensor WS: separate and integrated with pedal sensors for five of the six variants, with the exception of variant f. without master brake cylinder. Separate master brake cylinder HZ but with additional reservoir VB.Solenoid valve MV: for all variantsMotor sensor: for all variants.

Aside from the electric pedal corresponding to system f., all components are modular. The manufacturer and user thus have a modular system (OEM) an excellent basis inter alia for minimizing costs.

FIG.5shows the pressure supply devices DV1and DV2with valve arrangement. Here, an electric brake pedal, a so-called electric pedal, with travel simulator (WS) pedal travel sensors with a small sensor ECU and force-travel sensor KWS without a hydraulically acting master brake cylinder HZ are combined in one unit. This has advantages if the installation volume in the engine compartment is small or the noise requirements are high. Instead of the master brake cylinder HZ with reservoir VB (not shown inFIG.5), the arrangement with pedal actuation with travel simulator WS, so-called electric pedal, may also be used. The signals of the pedal travel sensors are processed in a sensor ECU and fed to the central ECU. For level 5, a brake switch may also be used as an alternative to the electric pedal.

The abovementioned unit has the 2-circuit reservoir VB with float and level sensor NS, which may be integrated in the central open-loop and closed-loop control unit ECU. This level sensor NS should likewise be of redundant configuration and continuously measure the level, because a loss of volume owing to a leak is quickly detected in this way. Since, in this case, the connection to the master brake cylinder HZ is omitted, and thus the fall-back level with respect to the master brake cylinder HZ in the event of the failure of both pressure supply devices DV1and DV2and/or of the on-board electrical system is also omitted, the valves BP1and BP2are preferably designed as valves which are closed when electrically deenergized.

One important component of an electromotive drive is the motor sensor34for the electronic commutation and control of the position of the piston. The motor may be combined with different types of drive, for example transmission, trapezoid or spindle57with ball screw drive58, as shown inFIG.6.

Different types of sensors, such as segment sensors with inductive or magnetic-field-sensitive sensors, may be used, or else sensors that are arranged on the motor or transmission axis. These sensors are particularly simple in terms of construction and are composed of a sensor target, for example in the form of a two-pole or multi-pole magnet, and a magnetic field-sensitive sensor element, for example in the form of a Hall sensor, GMR sensor, or the like. This sensor element34is electrically connected to the electronic control unit ECU, which is mounted either directly or via an intermediate housing on the motor. The sensor element34is preferably arranged in a sensor housing composed of an outer housing part52and an inner housing part52a, which together accommodate inter alia a circuit board22, on which the sensor element34may be arranged.

According to the invention, an elastic part61is in order to manage the various installation tolerances between housing18of the electronic control unit ECU, the motor housing62and possibly also an intermediate housing (not illustrated) and the sensor housing52/52a. In the extreme case, it is necessary here for tolerances in all three directions x, y, z to be compensated. This is achieved according to the invention by means of a corresponding construction and fastening of the sensor housing to the housing18of the electronic control unit ECU and to the motor housing. Here, the sensor housing is advantageously divided into two parts, an outer housing52and an inner housing52a, wherein the housing parts52,52aare connected to one another by means of conventional connection techniques such as welding or adhesive bonding and are preferably manufactured from plastic. The sensor housing is furthermore fastened to the motor housing62, preferably in two places. The sensor circuit board22is flexible in the upper part to the plug connector strip in order to manage the above-stated tolerances. A flex PCB (flexible circuit board), for example, is suitable for this. The electrical connection22afrom this flexible circuit board22to the main circuit board23of the electronic control unit ECU is preferably realized by means of the particularly fail-safe plug connector51with press-fit contacts. For assembly with the main circuit board23, the housing18of the electronic control unit ECU has an aperture with a lid.

The sensor housing52,52ais connected and fixed to a projection of the ECU housing18. Situated in between is an elastic part61, which may for example be a flexible elastic seal or a seal bellows. The elastic part is preferably designed as a lip seal. This flexible and elastic seal61thus serves for 3-axis tolerance compensation. The electrical connection from the motor winding to the circuit board23is realized by means of a conventional plug-in contact.

This sensor arrangement illustrated inFIG.6additionally allows the measurement of the rotor eccentricity, which acts on the spindle and generates transverse forces on the piston8. A measurement means53, which is arranged on the rotor or the spindle nut56and which in the simplest case is a measurement flange or a disk, is used for measuring the rotor eccentricity. The rotor eccentricity also acts in an axial direction and can be measured using laser technology. For this purpose, the outer sensor housing part52ahas an opening152in its lower region52″, which opening is closed by means of a closure plug54after the measurement. The surface of the measurement means53may, on its side facing toward the outer sensor housing part52, have markings for the measurement, be provided with a coating and/or be profiled. The lower region52″ is fastened by means of a fastening screw55to the motor housing62.

FIG.7shows a space-saving schematic configuration of a reservoir VB, which has a front region VBV, a central region VBMand a rear region VBH. The front region VBVhas an upper filling opening100which can be closed by means of the lid101. As illustrated inFIG.7a, the reservoir VB engages around the housing B of the electronic control unit ECU at three sides, namely its front side ECU-V, its side wall ECU-S and its back or rear side ECU-H. The back of the ECU-H faces toward the bulkhead SW. Depending on the design of the unit, the reservoir VB, as illustrated inFIG.7a, may also lie against or engage behind the rear wall of the housing of the valve arrangement HCU.

FIGS.8and9show a side view and the front view of a unit according to the invention which, aside from the design of the reservoir VB, corresponds to the unit as illustrated and described inFIGS.1and2. As can be seen fromFIG.8, the front region VBVis situated in front of the front side ECU-V of the housing B of the electronic control unit ECU, such that the filler opening is easier to reach. Since, for reasons relating to space, it is generally not sensible to arrange the entire reservoir VB in front of or adjacent to the electronic control unit ECU, the invention provides that only a narrow central region VBM extends laterally adjacent to the housing B toward the rear side of the ECU-H of the ECU, wherein the central region VBM opens there into its rear region VBH, which is much larger in terms of volume and which is arranged behind the housing B of the electronic control unit ECU. It is self-evidently also possible for the reservoir VB to also overlap the housing B of the ECU. If the bulkhead SW is arranged at an angle q with respect to the vertical, the front region VBV of the reservoir VB should be designed such that the surface normal of the filling opening100is oriented vertically.

LIST OF REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS

HZ Master brake cylinder (single)aHZMain axis of the master brake cylinderaDV1Axis of the first pressure supply device DV1a1DV2Horizontal orientation of the axis of the second pressure supply device DV2perpendicular to the axis aDV1of the first pressure supply device DV1a2DV2Vertical orientation of the axis of the second pressure supply device DV2perpendicular to the axis aDV1of the first pressure supply device DV1DV Pressure supplyHCU Hydraulic control unitECU Electronic computing unitECU-V Front side of the ECUECU-S Side wall of the ECUECU-O Top side of the ECUECU-H Rear side of the ECU, facing the bulkhead of the vehiclePI Pedal interfaceSW/H Bulkhead/bracketSt Plug connectorBKV Brake force boosterNS Level sensorRZ Wheel cylinderMV Solenoid valveDr ThrottleSV Suction valve of pressure supply device DV1A Housing for HCU and pressure supply device DV1and optionallypressure supply device DV2A1Partial housing for HCU and DV2A2Partial housing for pressure supply device DV1B Housing for ECUC Housing for master brake cylinder HZ and travel simulator WS with flangeaDV1Motor axis of DV1aDV2Motor axis of DV2aHZLongitudinal axis of master brake cylinder HZVB ReservoirVBHRear region of the reservoirVBMCentral region of the reservoirVBVFront region of the reservoir1Pedal plunger2Motor3Intermediate housing4Fastening screw5Sensor housing6Rotation angle sensor7Closure lid8Piston9a/9bConnections to the reservoir VB10Connections to the wheel cylinder RZ11Connection to the master brake cylinder HZ12Flange of master brake cylinder HZ13Fastening screw14Fastening screw to bulkhead or bracket15Electrical connection motor between pressure supply device DV2and ECU16Electrical connection of pressure supply device DV1motor17Electrical connection of rotational angle sensor18ECU housing19Web with seal20Driver for solenoid valve MV21Connection web of solenoid valve MV22Small PCB22aElectrical connection of the main PCB to the PCB22of the ECU23Main PCB24HCU block25Bore for eccentric piston pump DV226Motor for pressure supply device DV227Outline contour8″, vacuum brake force booster BKV28Stop ring for piston29Line to the reservoir VB30Force-travel sensor KWS31/31aPedal rod32Spring housing33Master brake cylinder (HZ) piston34Sensor element35Target36Drive shaft37Toothed gear38Toothed rack39Guide part40Guide rail41Target42Inductive sensor43Master brake cylinder (HZ) housing44Travel sensor (WS) piston44aTravel sensor (WS) spring45Travel sensor (WS) seal46Slide ring47Connecting bores travel sensor (WS)-master brake cylinder (HZ) and HCU block2448Slide rings49Bearing part50Resetting spring51Plug connector strip with press-fit contacts52Sensor housing152aSensor housing253Measurement flange54Closure plug55Fastening, sensor housing56Threaded nut57Threaded spindle58Ball-screw drive KGT59Piston60Motor contact to ECU61Housing seal62Motor housing63Motor bearing64Rotor100Opening of the reservoir101Closure lid of the reservoir152Closable opening