Operation of a brake booster as a pedal simulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9254827-B2
Application number	US-200913140952-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2009
Priority date	Dec 18, 2008
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

The invention describes a method for operating a controllable electromechanical brake booster and the corresponding brake booster which, via a coupling element between the brake booster and pedal rod, is capable of applying a force in opposition to the pedal activation force of a driver, and can therefore be operated as a pedal simulator. For this purpose, a pedal opposing force can be set by a characteristic curve as a function of a pedal position which is predefined by the driver, and can give the driver a pedal sensation even if there is no reaction of, for example, a conventional brake system. In a further operating mode, the brake booster can be operated in its original form.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A brake booster that is mounted in a motor vehicle and is configured to boost a force exerted by a driver on a brake pedal and to produce a counteracting force on the brake pedal acting in opposition to the force exerted by the driver, the brake booster comprising:
a motor configured in a first mode of operation to actuate a boosting element to actuate a master cylinder of the motor vehicle and in a second mode of operation to actuate the boosting element so as to set the counteracting force acting on the brake pedal as a function of one of a pedal travel distance during a brake pedal actuation and the force exerted by the driver on the brake pedal during the brake pedal actuation.

2. The brake booster according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an input rod having a first end connected to the brake pedal and a second opposite end; and
an elastic element configured to deform to exert the counteracting force on the brake pedal when the elastic element is compressed into the second end of the input rod,
wherein the motor is configured to slide the elastic element and compress the elastic element into the second end of the input rod to produce the counteracting force.

3. The brake booster according to claim 1 , wherein at any given time depending on the brake pedal actuation, the motor is configured to perform only one of boosting the force exerted by the driver and producing the counteracting force.

4. A brake booster that is mounted in a motor vehicle and is configured to boost a force exerted by a driver on a brake pedal and to produce a counteracting force on the brake pedal acting in opposition to the force exerted by the driver, the brake booster comprising:
an actuating drive configured to (i) actuate a master cylinder of the motor vehicle and (ii) set the counteracting force acting on the brake pedal as a function of the force exerted by the driver on the brake pedal during a brake pedal actuation;
an input rod having a first end connected to the brake pedal and a second opposite end;
an elastic element configured to deform to exert the counteracting force on the brake pedal when the elastic element is compressed into the second end of the input rod; and
a sensor configured to detect a deflection value representing a relative deflection of the input rod in relation to the elastic element,
wherein the actuating drive is configured to slide the elastic element and compress the elastic element into the second end of the input rod to produce the counteracting force, and
wherein the actuating drive adjusts a magnitude of the counteracting force by setting the deflection value of the input rod relative to the elastic element.

5. The brake booster according to claim 4 , wherein the setting of the deflection value occurs in such a way that a position of the actuating drive is set as a function of the relative deflection of the input rod in relation to the elastic element induced by the brake pedal actuation, or the deflection value is set as a function of the position of the actuating drive.

6. The brake booster according to claim 4 , wherein a connecting element is provided that couples the actuating drive to the elastic element and the coupling is detachable and/or limited in its action.

7. The brake booster according to claim 6 , wherein the connecting element is provided in such a way that the coupling between the actuating drive and the elastic element is detachable as a function of the force exerted by the driver on the brake pedal, and/or the coupling between the actuating drive and the elastic element is engaged in order to produce the counteracting force.

8. The brake booster according to claim 4 , wherein a pedal travel of the input rod is used to represent the force exerted by the driver on the brake pedal.

9. A brake booster that is mounted in a motor vehicle and is able to boost a force exerted by a driver by means of a brake pedal, the brake booster being embodied so that it is able to produce a counteracting force acting on the brake pedal, which acts in opposition to the force exerted by the driver, the brake booster comprising:
an input rod connected to the brake pedal;
an elastic element; and
an actuating drive,
wherein the counteracting force is exerted by a deformation of the elastic element caused when it is compressed by an end of the input rod oriented away from the brake pedal, and wherein the actuating drive is able to slide the elastic element connected to the actuating drive, and compression of the elastic element occurs through an actuation of the actuating drive,
wherein the brake booster has a sensor configured to detect a deflection value representing a relative deflection of the input rod in relation to the elastic element, and the actuating drive adjusts a magnitude of the counteracting force by setting the deflection value of the input rod relative to the elastic element, and
wherein a connecting element is provided that couples the actuating drive to the elastic element and this coupling is detachable and/or limited in its action.

10. The brake booster according to claim 9 , wherein the connecting element is provided in such a way that the coupling between the actuating drive and the elastic element is detachable as a function of the brake pedal actuation, in particular as a function of the brake pedal force, and/or the coupling between the actuating drive and the elastic element is engaged in order to produce the counteracting force.

11. The brake booster according to claim 9 , wherein the actuating drive is configured to boost the force exerted by the driver in a first mode of operation and to slide the elastic element to produce the counteracting force in a second mode of operation.

12. The brake booster according to claim 9 , wherein the counteracting force is adjustable as a function of the brake pedal actuation.

13. A brake booster that is mounted in a motor vehicle and is able to boost a force exerted by a driver by means of a brake pedal, the brake booster being embodied so that it is able to produce a counteracting force acting on the brake pedal, which acts in opposition to the force exerted by the driver, the brake booster comprising:
an input element;
a boosting element;
an actuating drive;
a sensor; and
a connecting piece,
wherein the brake pedal is coupled to the input element, the input element and the boosting element are connected to each other in a way that permits them to move relative to each other by a distance, and the actuating drive is able to slide the boosting element by a distance relative to a housing of the brake booster containing at least the input rod and the boosting element,
wherein the sensor is provided on the input element in order to detect a relative deflection of the boosting element in relation to the input rod,
wherein the connecting piece and the boosting element are connectable to each other in a way that permits them to move relative to each other, which connecting piece is in detachably connected to the booster element by a connecting element and at its end oriented toward the brake pedal, the connecting piece is connected to an elastic element, and
wherein a free travel is provided between the connecting piece and the brake master cylinder.

14. A method for operating a brake booster in a motor vehicle, which is configured to boost a force exerted by a driver on a brake pedal, comprising:
operating a motor of the brake booster in a first mode of operation to actuate a boosting element to actuate a master cylinder of the motor vehicle;
operating the motor in a second mode of operation to actuate the boosting el

Assignees

• Weiberle Reinhard
• Jahnz Timo
• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Weiberle Reinhard
• Jahnz Timo

Classifications

• B60T13/586 Primary

  the retarders being of the electric type · CPC title

• B60T13/745

  acting on a hydraulic system, e.g. a master cylinder · CPC title

• B60T8/4872

  pump-back systems · CPC title

• B60T8/447

  Reducing the boost of the power-assist booster means to reduce brake pressure · CPC title

• B60T1/10

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