Brake Apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016264114-A1
Application number	US-201415035591-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 10, 2014
Priority date	Nov 20, 2013
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a brake apparatus capable of highly accurately detecting a stroke amount of a brake pedal. According to an aspect of the present invention, a brake apparatus includes a master cylinder unit and a stroke sensor. The master cylinder unit includes therein a piston configured to carry out a stroke via a rod axially actuated according to an operation performed by a driver on a brake pedal, and an oil passage through which brake fluid flows after flowing out according to the stroke of the piston. The stroke sensor is attached to an outer wall of the master cylinder unit and configured to detect an axial stroke amount of the piston.

First claim

1 . A brake apparatus comprising:
a master cylinder unit including therein a piston configured to carry out a stroke via a rod axially actuated according to an operation performed by a driver on a brake pedal, and an oil passage through which brake fluid flows after flowing out according to the stroke of the piston; and a stroke sensor attached to an outer wall of the master cylinder and configured to detect an axial stroke amount of the piston.

2 . The brake apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the master cylinder unit includes an electromagnetic valve configured to establish and block communication of the oil passage, and a control unit configured to drive the electromagnetic valve, and
wherein the stroke sensor is attached to one side-surface side of the master cylinder unit, and the control unit is disposed at a position opposite from one side surface of the master cylinder unit that is located on the one side-surface side.

3 . The brake apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a pump configured to suck the brake fluid from the master cylinder unit; and a motor configured to drive the pump, wherein the stroke sensor is a magnetic sensor configured to detect the stroke of the piston based on a magnetic change, and wherein the motor is disposed so as to be located farther away from the stroke sensor than the control unit is.

4 . The brake apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a pump configured to suck the brake fluid from the master cylinder unit; and a motor configured to drive the pump, wherein the motor and the pump are integrally configured as a pump unit via a pump housing, and wherein the pump unit is connected to the master cylinder unit via a suction hose that sucks the brake fluid from the master cylinder unit.

5 . The brake apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the master cylinder unit is configured to achieve such a layout that the master cylinder unit is disposed at a position on an outer side of a vehicle body with respect to the pump unit.

6 . The brake apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the pump unit is fixed integrally with the master cylinder unit.

7 . The brake apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the master cylinder unit is configured to achieve such a layout that the master cylinder unit is disposed at a position on an outer side of a vehicle body with respect to the pump unit.

8 . The brake apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the stroke sensor is disposed on one side closer to the brake pedal so as to detect the stroke of the rod,
wherein the motor is a rotational device, and wherein the pump unit and the master cylinder unit are integrally fixed in such a manner that a direction of a rotational axis of the motor and the pump matches a direction of a rotational axis of the piston, and that the pump is located closer to the stroke sensor than the motor is.

9 . The brake apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein an attachment surface of the master cylinder unit is attached to a floor panel of a vehicle body.

10 . The brake apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the motor is a rotational device, and
wherein the pump unit and the master cylinder unit are integrally fixed in such a manner that a direction of a rotational axis of the motor and the pump matches a direction of an axis of the piston.

11 . A brake apparatus comprising:
a master cylinder unit including
a housing including a piston configured to carry out a stroke via a rod axially actuated according to an operation performed by a driver on a brake pedal in a cylinder formed in the housing, and including therein an oil passage through which brake fluid flows after flowing out according to the stroke of the piston,
an electromagnetic valve disposed on one side surface of the housing, and configured to establish and block communication of the oil passage, and
a control unit disposed on one side of the housing where the one side surface is located, and configured to drive the electromagnetic valve; and
a stroke sensor attached to an outer wall of another side surface of the housing opposite from the one side surface, and configured to detect a axial stroke amount of the piston.

12 . The brake apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a pump configured to suck the brake fluid from the master cylinder unit; and a motor configured to drive the pump, wherein the stroke sensor is a magnetic sensor configured to detect the stroke of the piston based on a magnetic change, and wherein the stroke sensor is arranged in such a manner that a distance between the motor and the stroke sensor is longer than a distance between the control unit and the stroke sensor.

13 . The brake apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the motor and the pump are integrally configured as a pump unit via a pump housing, and
wherein the pump unit is fixed integrally with the master cylinder unit.

14 . The brake apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the master cylinder unit is configured to achieve such a layout that the master cylinder unit is disposed at a position on an outer side of a vehicle body with respect to the pump unit.

15 . The brake apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the stroke sensor is disposed on one side closer to the brake pedal so as to detect the stroke of the rod,
wherein the motor is a rotational device, and wherein the pump unit and the master cylinder unit are integrally fixed in such a manner that a direction of a rotational axis of the motor and the pump matches a direction of an axis of the piston, and that the pump is located closer to the stroke sensor than the motor is.

16 . The brake apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein an attachment surface of the master cylinder unit is attached to an installment panel of a vehicle body.

17 . The brake apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the motor is a rotational device, and
wherein the pump unit and the master cylinder unit are integrally fixed in such a manner that a direction of a rotational axis of the motor and the pump matches a direction of an axis of the piston.

18 . A brake apparatus comprising:
a master cylinder unit including
a housing including a piston configured to carry out a stroke via a rod axially actuated according to an operation performed by a driver on a brake pedal in a cylinder formed in the housing, and including therein an oil passage through which brake fluid flows after flowing out according to the stroke of the piston,
an electromagnetic valve disposed on one side surface of the housing, and configured to establish and block communication of the oil passage, and
a control unit disposed on one side of the housing where the one side surface is located, and configured to drive the electromagnetic valve;
a stroke sensor attached to an outer wall of another side surface of the master cylinder unit opposite from the one side surface, and configured to detect the stroke of the piston based on a magnetic change; a pump configured to suck the brake fluid from the master cylinder unit; and a motor configured to drive the pump.

19 . The brake apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the stroke sensor is disposed at a position closer to the control unit than to the motor.

Assignees

• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Maruo Ryohei
• Nakazawa Chiharu

Classifications

• B60T13/662

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

• B60T8/4081 Primary

  Systems with stroke simulating devices for driver input (B60T8/4077 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60T8/368

  combined with other mechanical components, e.g. pump units, master cylinders · CPC title

• B60T11/18

  Connection thereof to initiating means · CPC title

• B60T13/686

  in hydraulic systems or parts thereof · CPC title