Brake actuation sensor device for a vehicle brake system and method for mounting a brake actuation sensor device on a vehicle brake system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9821776-B2
Application number	US-201314390722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2013
Priority date	Apr 3, 2012
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A brake actuation sensor device is described for a brake system of a vehicle having a strain and/or compression gage which is reversibly variable in its extension, whereby at least one electrical property is able to be changed, and an evaluation device, by which at least one electrical variable is able to be ascertained with respect to the changeable electrical property, and, taking into account the at least one ascertained electrical variable, an evaluation variable is able to be determined with respect to a brake actuating force, the strain and/or compression gage being additionally developed so that the strain and/or compression gage is able to be situated in direct or indirect contact with a brake booster housing device in such a way that a force exerted on the brake booster housing device causes a mechanical stress in the strain and/or compression gage. Furthermore, a method is described for mounting a brake actuation sensor device of a brake system of a vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A brake actuation sensor device for a brake system of a vehicle, comprising:
a strain and/or compression gage arranged so that the strain and/or compression gage is reversibly variable in its extension along at least one specified spatial direction, whereby at least one electrical property of the strain and/or compression gage is changeable; and
an evaluation device, by which at least one electrical variable is ascertainable with respect to an electrical property that is changeable by a variation of the extension of the strain and/or compression gage along the at least one specified spatial direction, wherein:
by taking into account the at least one ascertained electrical variable, an evaluation variable is able to be determined with respect to a brake actuating force exerted on a brake actuating element of the brake system, and
the strain and/or compression gage is able to be situated in direct or indirect contact with a brake booster housing device in such a way that a force exerted on the brake booster housing device causes a mechanical stress in the strain and/or compression gage.

2. The brake actuation sensor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the strain and/or compression gage includes at least one strain gage.

3. The brake actuation sensor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the strain and/or compression gage is situated or able to be situated at least one of at least partially directly on, and at least partially directly in the brake booster housing device.

4. The brake actuation sensor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the strain and/or compression gage is situated, or is able to be situated at least one of at least partially directly on, and at least partially directly in an intermediate piece insertible between the brake booster housing device and a vehicle wall component, on which the brake booster housing device is able to be fastened using at least one fastening component.

5. The brake actuation sensor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the strain and/or compression gage is situated in such a way that, during operation of the brake actuating element by the driver, the strain and/or compression gage carries out substantially no motion relative to a vehicle wall component on which the brake booster housing device is mounted.

6. The brake actuation sensor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the strain and/or compression gage is situated or able to be situated at least one of at least partially directly on, and at least partially in a fastening component, using which, the brake booster housing device is able to be fastened on the vehicle wall component.

7. The brake actuation sensor device as recited in claim 6 , wherein the strain and/or compression gage is situated at least one of at least partially directly on, and at least partially in an intelligent screw as the fastening component.

8. The brake actuation sensor device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the strain and/or compression gage is situated on and/or in a region of the brake booster housing device upstream of a force insertion mechanism of a brake booster of the brake booster housing device.

9. The brake actuation sensor device as recited in claim 8 , wherein the region is between a transmission of the brake booster and the brake actuating element.

10. A brake booster, comprising at least one of:
a brake actuation sensor device for a brake system of a vehicle and including:
a strain and/or compression gage arranged so that the strain and/or compression gage is reversibly variable in its extension along at least one specified spatial direction, whereby at least one electrical property of the strain and/or compression gage is changeable; and
an evaluation device, by which at least one electrical variable is ascertainable with respect to an electrical property that is changeable by a variation of the extension of the strain and/or compression gage along the at least one specified spatial direction, wherein:
by taking into account the at least one ascertained electrical variable, an evaluation variable is able to be determined with respect to a brake actuating force exerted on a brake actuating element of the brake system, and
the strain and/or compression gage is situated in direct or indirect contact with a brake booster housing device in such a way that a force exerted on the brake booster housing device causes a mechanical stress in the strain and/or compression gage; and

the brake booster housing device, including the strain and/or compression gage arranged so that the strain and/or compression gage is reversibly variable in its extension along the at least one specified spatial direction, whereby at least one electrical property of the strain and/or compression gage is able to be changed, and which is situated at least one of: directly on the brake booster housing device, or and in the brake booster housing device.

11. A method for mounting a brake actuation sensor device on a brake system of a vehicle, comprising:
situating a strain and/or compression gage of the brake actuation sensor device on the brake system in such a way that the strain and/or compression gage is reversibly varied in its extension along at least one specified spatial direction during an operation of a brake operating element of the brake system, whereby at least one electrical property of the strain and/or compression gage is changed; and
situating an evaluation device on the vehicle, which, during operation of the brake actuation sensor device, ascertains at least one electrical variable with respect to an electrical property that is changed by a variation of the extension of the strain and/or compression gage along the at least one specified spatial direction and, by taking into account the at least one ascertained electrical variable, determines an evaluation variable with respect to a brake actuating force exerted on a brake actuating element of the brake system, wherein the strain and/or compression gage is situated in direct or indirect contact with a brake booster housing device of the brake system in such a way that a force exerted on the brake booster housing device causes a mechanical stress in the strain and/or compression gage.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the strain and/or compression gage is situated at least one of at least partially directly on, and in the brake booster housing device.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein an intermediate piece, having the strain and/or compression gage at least one of at least partially situated at, and on the intermediate piece, is inserted between the brake booster housing device and a vehicle wall component, on which the brake booster housing device is fastened using at least one fastening component.

14. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the brake booster housing device is fastened to a vehicle wall component, using a fastening component, having the strain and/or compression gage that is at least one of at least partially situated at, and on the fastening component.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Mayer Jochen

Classifications

• G01L1/04

  by measuring elastic deformation of gauges, e.g. of springs · CPC title

• B60T13/745

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

• Y10T29/49947

  by applying separate fastener · CPC title

• B60T7/042 Primary

  by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors · CPC title

• G01L1/2287

  constructional details of the strain gauges (adjustable resistors H01C10/00) · CPC title