Coupling device for connecting a brake input element to a main brake cylinder and method for operating such a coupling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9267377-B2
Application number	US-201113810830-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2011
Priority date	Jul 27, 2010
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

A coupling apparatus has an input piston disposable on a braking input element and an output piston disposable on a brake master cylinder, to which a driver braking force is transferable via the input piston. In a first operating mode, the input piston displaced out of its initial position over a brake application distance less than a first minimum brake application distance, is spaced apart from the output piston. In a second operating mode, the input piston displaced out of its initial position over a brake application distance less than a second minimum brake application distance, is spaced apart from the output piston, and the driver braking force is transferable via the input piston to the output piston.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A coupling apparatus for connecting a braking input element to a brake master cylinder of a vehicle, comprising:
an input piston disposed on the braking input element in such a way that upon actuation of the braking input element, the input piston is displaced out of an initial position over a brake application distance; and
an output piston to which a driver braking force exerted onto the braking input element is transferred via the input piston displaced out of the initial position over at least one predefined first minimum brake application distance, the output piston being disposed on the brake master cylinder in such a way that an internal pressure in the brake master cylinder is increased by way of the driver braking force transferred via the input piston to the output piston;
wherein, at least in a first operating mode of the coupling apparatus, the input piston displaced out of the initial position over a brake application distance less than the predefined first minimum brake application distance is spaced apart from the output piston in such a way that a force transfer from the input piston to the output piston is suppressed;
wherein, at least in a second operating mode of the coupling apparatus having a predefined second minimum brake application distance less than the predefined first minimum brake application distance, the input piston displaced out of the initial position over a brake application distance less than the predefined second minimum brake application distance is spaced apart from the output piston in such a way that a force transfer from the input piston to the output piston is suppressed, and the driver braking force is transferred via the input piston displaced out of the initial position over a brake application distance between the predefined second minimum brake application distance and the predefined first minimum brake application distance, to the output piston.

2. The coupling apparatus as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
an external-force braking device by way of which an external force is additionally transferred to the output piston in such a way that the internal pressure in the brake master cylinder is increased by the external force transferred to the output piston.

3. The coupling apparatus as recited in claim 2 , further comprising:
a control device configured to control selective switching of the coupling apparatus into one of the first or second operating mode, taking into consideration at least one variable with respect to at least one of an actuation speed of the braking input element, a change over time in the actuation speed of the braking input element, the driver braking force, a change over time in the driver braking force, a state of at least one vehicle component, a change over time in the state of the at least one vehicle component, at least one driving style of the vehicle, and a change over time in the driving style of the vehicle.

4. The coupling apparatus as recited in claim 3 , further comprising:
a hydraulic housing having an internal chamber at least partly filled with a fluid, wherein the input piston and the output piston at least partly project into the internal chamber.

5. The coupling apparatus as recited in claim 4 , wherein the internal chamber of the hydraulic housing is hydraulically connected via at least one first conduit to a pedal simulator configured as a piston-cylinder unit.

6. The coupling apparatus as recited in claim 5 , wherein at least one of the internal chamber of the hydraulic housing and the pedal simulator is hydraulically connected via at least one second conduit and a valve to a counterpressure-free hydraulic fluid storage volume.

7. The coupling apparatus as recited in claim 6 , wherein the control device configured to selectively switch the valve into at least one of an opened state and a closed state, taking into consideration at least one variable with respect to at least one of an actuation speed of the braking input element, a change over time in the actuation speed of the braking input element, the driver braking force, a change over time in the driver braking force, an actuation of the accelerator pedal, a change over time in the actuation of the accelerator pedal, a change over time in the actuation speed of the actuation of the accelerator pedal, a state of at least one vehicle component, a change over time in the state of the at least one vehicle component, at least one driving style of the vehicle, a change over time in the driving style of the vehicle, a traffic situation, and an environmental situation.

8. The coupling apparatus as recited in claim 5 , wherein the pedal simulator configured as a piston-cylinder unit has a nonlinear spring characteristic corresponding to a brake characteristic.

9. The coupling apparatus as recited in claim 3 , further comprising:
a force transfer component, wherein the control device is configured to control the force transfer component out of a retracted position into at least one extended position in such a way that: (i) in the first operating mode a force transfer from the input piston, displaced out of the initial position over a brake application distance between the predefined second minimum brake application distance and the predefined first minimum brake application distance, to the output piston is suppressed; and (ii) in the second operating mode the driver braking force is transferred from the input piston, displaced out of the initial position over a brake application distance between the predefined second minimum brake application distance and the predefined first minimum brake application distance, to the output piston via the force transfer component controlled into the at least one extended position.

10. The coupling apparatus as recited in claim 9 , wherein the force transfer component includes a multi-step pawl.

11. The coupling apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein the control device is configured to take into consideration at least one variable with respect to at least one of a state of a component of a regenerative braking system and a change over time in the state of the component of the regenerative braking system for the control of the selective switching of the coupling apparatus.

12. The coupling apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein the control device is configured to take into consideration at least one of a vehicle speed, a vehicle direction, a change in vehicle direction, and a yaw rate for the control of the selective switching of the coupling apparatus.

13. The coupling apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein the coupling apparatus is part of a vehicle braking system.

14. The coupling apparatus as recited in claim 2 , wherein the output piston is displaced by the external-force braking device at a first maximum displacement speed which is less than a second maximum displacement speed of the input piston displaced out of the initial position, so that by actuation of the braking input element at a maximum actuation speed at which the input piston is displaced at the second maximum displacement speed, the coupling apparatus is switched automatically out of the first operating mode into the second operating mode.

15. A method for operating a coupling apparatus with which a braking input element is connected to a brake master cylinder of a vehicle, the coupling apparatus having (i) an input piston disposed on the braking input element in such a way that upon actuation of the braking input element, the input piston is displaced out of an initial position over a brake application distance, and (ii) an output piston to which a dri

Assignees

• Weiberle Reinhard
• Jahnz Timo
• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Weiberle Reinhard
• Jahnz Timo

Classifications

• B60L2240/12

  Speed · CPC title

• B60T8/17

  Using electrical or electronic regulation means to control braking {(detecting or indicating faulty operation B60T8/885)} · CPC title

• B60L2250/10

  by alarm · CPC title

• B60T7/107

  with electrical power assistance · CPC title

• B60T8/1755

  Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve (road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02) · CPC title