Brake booster assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9925968-B2
Application number	US-201615070030-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2016
Priority date	May 18, 2015
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A brake booster assembly is provided. The assembly includes a rack including a plurality of rack teeth extending therefrom and moveable and extending along a first axis. A sensor is coupled with the rack for sensing force and axial displacement of the rack and outputting a signal proportional to the sensed force and the sensed displacement. A planetary gear subassembly is disposed about a second axis transverse to the first axis and is coupled with the rack for moving the rack along the first axis in response to rotation of the planetary gear subassembly about the second axis. A pair of motors are coupled to the planetary gear subassembly for rotating the planetary gear subassembly and moving the rack along the first axis. A controller is electrically connected to the sensor and to the motors for controlling rotation of the planetary gear subassembly in response to the signal from the sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A brake booster assembly comprising:
a rack moveable along a first axis,
at least one sensor coupled with said rack for sensing force and axial displacement of said rack and outputting a signal proportional to the sensed force and the sensed displacement,
a planetary gear subassembly disposed about a second axis transverse to said first axis and coupled with said rack for moving said rack along said first axis in response to rotation of said planetary gear subassembly about said second axis,
a first motor coupled to said planetary gear subassembly for rotating said planetary gear subassembly about said second axis to move said rack along said first axis,
a second motor coupled to said planetary gear subassembly for rotating said planetary gear subassembly about said second axis to move said rack along said first axis,
and
a controller electrically connected to said at least one sensor and to said first motor and said second motor for controlling rotation of said planetary gear subassembly and axial movement of said rack in response to the signal from said at least one sensor,
wherein said planetary gear subassembly includes a planetary carrier coupled to said rack and rotatable about said second axis and a plurality of planet gears are rotatably coupled to said planetary carrier and a sun gear engages said planet gears and rotates about said second axis and a ring gear annularly disposed about and engages said planet gears and rotates about said second axis and a drive gear couples to said sun gear for rotatably driving said sun gear.

2. A brake booster assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rack includes a plurality of rack teeth extending therefrom and said assembly further including a sleeve coupled to said planetary carrier of said planetary gear subassembly and having an exterior defining a plurality of sleeve teeth meshingly engaging said rack teeth for moving said rack along said first axis in response to rotation of said planetary carrier.

3. A brake booster assembly as set forth in claim 2 further including a first pinion gear coupled to and driven by said first motor and engaging said ring gear of said planetary gear subassembly and a second pinion gear coupled to and driven by said second motor and engaging said drive gear of said planetary gear subassembly for rotating each of said sun gear and said ring gear about said second axis.

4. A brake booster assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first motor includes a first axle attached to said first pinion gear and rotatable about a third axis generally parallel to said second axis and said second motor includes a second axle attached to said second pinion gear and rotatable about a fourth axis generally parallel to said second axis.

5. A brake booster as set forth in claim 3 wherein said ring gear has a plurality of inner ring teeth extending radially inwardly therefrom and a plurality of outer ring teeth extending radially outwardly therefrom and said sun gear includes a plurality of sun teeth extending radially therefrom and said plurality of planet gears include planet teeth meshingly engaging said inner ring teeth and said sun teeth and said first pinion gear has a plurality of first pinion teeth meshingly engaging said outer ring teeth and said second pinion gear has a plurality of second pinion teeth and said drive gear includes a plurality of drive teeth meshingly engaging said second pinion teeth.

6. A brake booster assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of planet gears is a pair of planet gears.

7. A brake booster assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including a main shaft extending through said planetary gear subassembly along said second axis.

8. A brake booster assembly comprising:
a rack moveable along a first axis,
at least one sensor coupled with said rack for sensing force and axial displacement of said rack and outputting a signal proportional to the sensed force and the sensed displacement,
a planetary gear subassembly disposed about a second axis transverse to said first axis and coupled with said rack for moving said rack along said first axis in response to rotation of said planetary gear subassembly about said second axis,
at least one motor coupled to said planetary gear subassembly for rotating said planetary gear subassembly about said second axis to move said rack along said first axis,
a clutch subassembly disposed adjacent said rack and coupled between said planetary gear subassembly and said rack for selectively transferring torque from said planetary gear subassembly to move said rack,
and
a controller electrically connected to said at least one sensor and said at least one motor for controlling rotation of said planetary gear subassembly in response to the signal from said at least one sensor.

9. A brake booster assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said rack includes a plurality of rack teeth extending therefrom and said brake booster assembly further including a sleeve coupled to said clutch subassembly and having an exterior defining a plurality of sleeve teeth meshingly engaging said rack teeth for moving said rack along said first axis in response to rotation of said planetary gear subassembly.

10. A brake booster assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said clutch subassembly includes a drum disposed about and extending along and radially from said second axis and coupled to said planetary gear subassembly and a hub disposed about and extending along and radially from said second axis and coupled to said sleeve for selectively engaging said drum and transferring torque from said drum to said hub.

11. A brake booster assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said planetary gear subassembly includes a planetary carrier coupled to said drum of said clutch subassembly and rotatable about said second axis and a plurality of planet gears are rotatably coupled to said planetary carrier and a sun gear engages said planet gears and rotates about said second axis and a ring gear annularly disposed about and engages said planet gears and rotates about said second axis and a drive gear couples to said sun gear for rotatably driving said sun gear.

12. A brake booster assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said at least one motor includes a first motor and a second motor and said brake booster assembly further including a first pinion gear coupled to and driven by said first motor and engaging said ring gear of said planetary gear subassembly and a second pinion gear coupled to and driven by said second motor and engaging said drive gear of said planetary gear subassembly for rotating each of said sun gear and said ring gear about said second axis.

13. A brake booster assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said first motor includes a first axle attached to said first pinion gear and rotatable about a third axis generally parallel to said second axis and said second motor includes a second axle attached to said second pinion gear and rotatable about a fourth axis generally parallel to said second axis.

14. A brake booster as set forth in claim 12 wherein said ring gear has a plurality of inner ring teeth extending radially inwardly therefrom and a plurality of outer ring teeth extending radially outwardly therefrom and said sun gear includes a plurality of sun teeth extending radially therefrom and said plurality of planet gears include planet teeth meshingly engaging said inner ring teeth and said sun teeth and said first pinion gear has a plurality of first pinion teeth meshingly engaging said outer ring teeth and said second pinion gear has a plurality of second pinion teeth

Assignees

• Beijingwest Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cann Barton

Classifications

• B60T13/745 Primary

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

• F16H1/28

  with gears having orbital motion · CPC title

• B60T13/746 Primary

  and mechanical transmission of the braking action · CPC title

• F16H19/04

  comprising a rack · CPC title

• F16H1/16

  comprising worm and worm-wheel · CPC title