Electric parking brake control and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10259439-B2
Application number	US-201615224634-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2016
Priority date	Jul 30, 2015
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

A method for controlling an electric parking brake for a motor vehicle including a brake actuator having an electric motor disposed directly on the brake caliper. When the parking brake is utilized as an additional service brake, depending on a brake pedal brake command, the electric motor is initially energized on detection of an imminent or commencing brake-pedal actuation however the electric motor generates no braking force until a predetermined or specific brake command is received. As a result, an overload of the vehicle voltage source is avoided if simultaneous utilization of multiple parking-brake actuators occurs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a parking brake comprising:
providing an actuator including an electric motor, said actuator coupled to said parking brake to generate a parking brake force;
providing a service brake and a service brake pedal;
pre-energizing the actuator to a pre-energized state upon detection of service brake pedal activation wherein the actuator generates no parking braking force during the pre-energized state.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein pre-energizing the actuator to a pre-energized state includes providing a low current that while energizing the coil of the electric motor does not move the motor.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein pre-energizing the actuator to a pre-energized state includes a regulation of the voltage to the electric motor whereby it does not move the motor.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein regulation of the voltage includes pulse-width modulation.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein when the service brake is activated and a braking-force requirement remains unchanged, pre-energizing the electric motor does not change the parking braking force.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said parking brake includes at least two direct-current commutator motors wherein upon detection of service brake pedal actuation the motors are initially, simultaneously pre-energized.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Suermann Marc
• Trappe Jill
• Daniels Rudolf
• Svensson Thomas

Classifications

• B60T7/042

  by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors · CPC title

• B60T17/22

  Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices · CPC title

• B60T8/1761

  responsive to wheel or brake dynamics, e.g. wheel slip, wheel acceleration or rate of change of brake fluid pressure · CPC title

• B60T2270/402

  Back-up · CPC title

• B60T13/741 Primary

  acting on an ultimate actuator · CPC title