System and method for brake pedal feel control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9561786-B2
Application number	US-201414514591-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2014
Priority date	Oct 15, 2014
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, adjusting the feel of a brake pedal based on a comparison between a predetermined level of resistance to an input braking force and a measured input braking force.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
adjusting the feel of a brake pedal if a measured input braking force deviates from a predetermined pedal resistance for a particular level of brake pedal travel, wherein adjusting the feel of the brake pedal includes adjusting the viscosity of a fluid resisting pedal movement.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
a piston assembly including a magneto-rheological fluid is connected to the brake pedal;
a magnetic field generator is adjacent the piston assembly; and
the feel of the brake pedal is adjusted by changing the level of current applied to the magnetic field generator to adjust the viscosity of the magneto-rheological fluid.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the feel of the brake pedal is adjusted in response to a pedal stab.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein, when a pedal stab occurs, the resistance of the brake pedal to the input braking force is increased.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the feel of the brake pedal is adjusted in response to an environmental condition.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the feel of the brake pedal is adjusted in response to a speed of a vehicle.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the brake pedal is associated with an electrified vehicle.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the feel of the brake pedal is always adjusted when there is any deviation in the measured input braking force from the predetermined pedal resistance for a particular level of brake pedal travel.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the predetermined pedal resistance is different for different levels of brake pedal travel.

10. A system, comprising:
a brake pedal assembly including a brake pedal;
a piston assembly connected to the brake pedal, the piston assembly including a fluid; and
a controller configured to adjust a viscosity of the fluid to adjust a feel of the brake pedal, wherein the adjustment to the feel of the brake pedal occurs if a measured input braking force deviates from a predetermined pedal resistance for a particular level of brake pedal travel.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the brake pedal assembly includes a brake pedal arm pivotably connected to a body of a vehicle, wherein the brake pedal is provided on a free end of the brake pedal arm.

12. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the piston assembly is provided between a midpoint of the pedal arm and a body of a vehicle.

13. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the piston assembly includes a housing containing a piston, and wherein the housing is filled with a magneto-rheological fluid.

14. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the controller adjusts the feel of the brake pedal in response to a pedal stab.

15. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the controller adjusts the feel of the brake pedal in response to a speed of a vehicle.

16. The system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the controller adjusts the feel of the brake pedal in response to an outside temperature.

17. A system, comprising:
a brake pedal assembly including a brake pedal;
a controller configured to adjust a feel of the brake pedal if a measured input braking force deviates from a predetermined pedal resistance for a particular level of brake pedal travel; and
a piston assembly provided between a midpoint of the pedal arm and a body of a vehicle, wherein the piston assembly includes a housing containing a piston, and wherein the housing is filled with a magneto-rheological fluid;
wherein the brake pedal assembly includes a magnetic field generator in communication with the controller, the controller configured to adjust the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator to adjust the viscosity of the magneto-rheological fluid.

18. A system, comprising:
a magnetic field generator;
a brake pedal, wherein movement of the pedal is resisted by a magneto-rheological fluid; and
a controller configured to adjust a feel of the pedal if a measured input braking force deviates from a predetermined pedal resistance for a particular level of brake pedal travel, the controller configured to adjust the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator to adjust the viscosity of the magneto-rheological fluid.

19. The system as recited in claim 18 , further comprising a piston assembly including a housing filled with the magneto-rheological fluid and containing a piston.

20. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the piston assembly is provided between a midpoint of an arm of the pedal and a body of a vehicle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc
• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Shand Mark Allen
• Gabor Daniel A

Classifications

• B60T8/3275

  Systems with a braking assistant function, i.e. automatic full braking initiation in dependence of brake pedal velocity · CPC title

• B60T2220/04

  Pedal travel sensor, stroke sensor; Sensing brake request · CPC title

• G05G1/44

  pivoting · CPC title

• B60T8/3255

  Systems in which the braking action is dependent on brake pedal data · CPC title

• B60W2710/18

  Braking system · CPC title