Brake systems integrated into vehicle corner modules and methods of use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11524667-B2
Application number	US-202117521243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2021
Priority date	Jun 24, 2020
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

A Vehicle Corner Module (VCM) based brake system, which includes a brake actuator, adapted to regulate the rotation rate of the wheel assembled to the VCM, a fluid-based brake power source, fluidly connected to the brake actuator and adapted to provide pressurized brake fluid for operating the brake actuator, and a brake-control-circuit, functionally associated with the brake actuator and with the brake power source, and adapted to provide functional inputs to the brake actuator based on a target rotation rate profile desired for a wheel mounted on the VCM. All mechanical components of the VCM-based brake system are disposed within the VCM. The VCM-based brake system and the vehicle platform are not in fluid communication with each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A Vehicle Corner Module (VCM) based brake system adapted to be between a wheel assembled to a VCM connectable to a vehicle platform, and the vehicle platform, the VCM-based brake system comprising:
(a) a brake actuator, adapted to regulate the rotation rate of the wheel assembled to the VCM;
(b) a fluid-based brake power source, mechanically and fluidly connected to the brake actuator and adapted to provide brake fluid for operating the brake actuator, including:
(i) a brake fluid source storing the brake fluid; and
(ii) a fluid pump disposed downstream of the brake fluid source in fluid communication with the brake fluid source and with the brake actuator;

(c) a brake modulator in fluid communication with the brake actuator, the brake modulator adapted to regulate flow of the brake fluid between the brake actuator, the brake fluid source, and the fluid pump; and
(d) a brake-control-circuit, functionally associated with the brake actuator and with the brake power source, and adapted to provide functional inputs to the brake actuator based on a target rotation rate profile desired for the wheel,
wherein the brake actuator, the brake power source, the brake modulator, and the brake-control-circuit are disposed within the VCM between the wheel and the vehicle platform, and
wherein the brake fluid source and the fluid pump disposed within the VCM are exposed to airflow.

2. The VCM-based brake system of claim 1 , further comprising a brake-interface-circuit, adapted to facilitate communication between the brake-control-circuit and at least one computing unit external to the VCM.

3. The VCM-based brake system of claim 2 , wherein the brake-interface-circuit is adapted to facilitate communication between the brake-control-circuit and a vehicle-control-circuit mounted onto the vehicle platform.

4. The VCM-based brake system of claim 2 , wherein the brake-interface-circuit is adapted to facilitate communication between the brake-control-circuit and another control-circuit, external to the VCM.

5. The VCM-based brake system of claim 1 , further comprising a speed-control-circuit including:
a storage circuit adapted to store the target rotation rate profile desired for the wheel;
a feedback loop adapted to compare a measured rotation rate profile of the wheel to the target rotation rate profile; and
a communication interface functionally associated with the brake-control-circuit, adapted to provide the target rotation rate profile to the brake-control-circuit.

6. The VCM-based brake system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid pump is adapted to regulate a fluid pressure of the brake fluid delivered from the brake fluid source to the brake actuator for actuation of the brake actuator.

7. The VCM-based brake system of claim 1 , wherein the brake modulator includes at least one valve, wherein in at least one state of the valve, the valve is in fluid communication with the brake actuator.

8. The VCM-based brake system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one valve comprises:
a fluid inlet valve having at least one operative orientation adapted to allow flow of pressurized brake fluid from the fluid pump to the brake actuator; and
a fluid release valve having at least one operative orientation adapted to allow release of brake fluid from the brake actuator toward the brake fluid source.

9. The VCM-based brake system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one valve comprises a single valve having at least a fluid inlet operative orientation and a fluid release operative orientation, wherein in the fluid inlet operative orientation the single valve is adapted to allow flow of pressurized brake fluid from the fluid pump to the brake actuator, and in the fluid release operative orientation the single valve is adapted to allow release of brake fluid from the brake actuator toward the brake fluid source.

10. The VCM-based brake system of claim 7 , wherein the brake modulator includes a brake actuator pressure sensor, adapted to sense a pressure applied by the brake actuator, and to provide readings of the sensed brake actuator pressure to the brake-control-circuit.

11. The VCM-based brake system of claim 7 , wherein the brake modulator includes an actuator fluid pressure sensor, adapted to sense a pressure of fluid provided to the brake actuator, and to provide readings of the sensed fluid pressure to the brake-control-circuit.

12. The VCM -based brake system of claim 1 , further comprising a brake regeneration module disposed within the VCM,
wherein the brake-control-circuit is adapted to regulate activation of at least one of the brake regeneration module and the brake actuator.

13. A vehicle corner module (VCM) for regulating motion of a vehicle, comprising:
a sub-frame including a wheel hub, adapted for mounting of the wheel thereon, and a vehicle-connection interface for connection of the sub-frame to a vehicle platform;
a VCM-based brake system according to claim 1 , mounted onto the sub-frame between the wheel hub and the connection interface; and
a motor adapted to rotate the wheel,
wherein the brake-control-circuit is configured to control a rotation rate of the wheel.

14. The VCM of claim 13 , wherein a specific VCM is functionally mountable onto the vehicle platforms of at least two different vehicles, the at least two different vehicles being of two different types or of two different models.

15. A vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle platform, having at least one Vehicle Corner Module (VCM)-connection interface for mechanical connection to a VCM;
at least one VCM of claim 13 , the vehicle-connection interface of the at least one VCM connected to the at least one VCM-connection interface.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the VCM-based brake system is a fluid operated VCM-based brake system, and the VCM-based brake system and the vehicle platform are not in fluid communication with each other.

17. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein:
the vehicle platform includes a first VCM-connection interface and a second VCM-connection interface;
the at least one VCM comprises a first VCM including a first VCM-based brake system and a first vehicle-connection interface connected to the first VCM-connection interface of the vehicle platform, and a second VCM including a second VCM-based brake system and a second vehicle-connection interface connected to the second VCM-connection interface of the vehicle platform;
the first VCM-based brake system is of a first type, and the second VCM-based brake system is of a second type, the second type being different from the first type.

18. The VCM-based brake system of claim 1 , wherein the VCM-based brake system and the vehicle platform are not in fluid communication with each other.

19. The VCM-based brake system of claim 1 , wherein the VCM-based system is mechanically decoupled from the vehicle platform.

20. The VCM-based brake system of claim 1 , wherein the VCM-based brake system is devoid of a fluid accumulator in fluid communication with the fluid pump.

Assignees

• Ree Automotive Ltd

Inventors

• Orlov Hanan
• Sardes Ahishay
• Segev Tomer
• Doron Neta
• Chioclea Shmuel

Classifications

• B60T1/10

  by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors · CPC title

• B60T13/662 Primary

  characterised by specified functions of the control system components · CPC title

• B60K7/00

  Disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel · CPC title

• B60K7/0007

  the motor being electric · CPC title

• F16D61/00

  Brakes with means for making the energy absorbed available for use (F16D57/00 takes precedence) · CPC title