ELECTRIC BRAKE ARCHITECTURE WITH DISSIMILAR EMERGENCY BRAKING PATH

• US 20100274458A1
• Filed: 04/24/2009
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Snelling, Scott, Walsh, Andrew B., Cahill, Eric D., Corio, Lawrence F., May, Bill
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/76
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/741 acting on an ultimate actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/221 Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/413 Plausibility monitoring, cross check, redundancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1703 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/885 using electrical circuitry

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method provide a means for controlling an electric brake actuator. An electromechanical actuator controller (EMAC) is configured to receive first data indicative of a desired braking force, second data indicative of a braking command generated by a brake input device, the second data different from said first data, and third data indicative of a braking mode. Based on the third data, the EMAC selectively uses the first data or the second data to control the actuator.

Claims

1. An electromechanical actuator controller (EMAC) for controlling an electric brake actuator, said EMAC configured to:

receive first data corresponding to a first braking command generated based on a first brake input device;

receive second data corresponding to a second braking command generated based on a brake input device, said second data different from said first data;

receive third data corresponding to a braking mode; and

based on the third data, selectively use the first data or the second data to control the actuator.

2. The EMAC according to claim 1, further comprising a switch having a first input configured to receive the first data, second input configured to receive the second data, and third input configured to receive the third data, wherein the switch is operative to output the first data or the second data based on the third data.

3. The EMAC according to claim 2, further comprising an amplifier circuit, wherein said switch is part of said amplifier circuit.

4. The EMAC according to claim 3, wherein said amplifier circuit comprises a servo compensation network having an input configured to receive a control signal, said input operatively coupled to an output of said switch.

5. The EMAC according to claim 4, wherein said amplifier circuit further comprises a driver circuit for providing electrical power to the actuator, said driver circuit having an input operatively coupled to an output of said servo compensation network.

6. The EMAC according to claim 2, wherein the third input is generated by at least one of a hardware circuit or a combination hardware/software circuit.

7. The EMAC according to claim 1, further comprising a scaling circuit configured to receive the second data, and apply scale the second data in accordance with a predetermined function.

8. The EMAC according to claim 1, wherein the first data is at least one of a normal braking command or a parking command, and the second data is an emergency braking command.

9. An electric brake system for controlling braking operations of a vehicle, comprising:

the EMAC according to claim 1; and

a brake system control unit (BSCU) communicatively coupled to said EMAC and configured to provide the data indicative of the desired braking force to said EMAC.

10. The brake system according to claim 9, further comprising a brake input device configured to generate the second brake command, wherein said brake input device is operatively coupled to the EMAC so as to provide the second brake command to the EMAC.

11. The brake system according to claim 10, wherein the brake input device includes a signal generator for generating the second brake command, and a switch for generating the brake mode.

12. The brake system according to claim 11, wherein the brake input device is a combination parking brake and emergency brake input device.

13. The brake system according to claim 9, further comprising the brake actuator electrically coupled to the EMAC.

14. The brake system according to claim 13, wherein the brake actuator comprises an electric motor.

15. The brake system according to claim 13, further comprising at least one of a force sensor or a position sensor operatively coupled to said brake actuator.

16. A method for controlling emergency braking in a vehicle equipped with electrical brakes having an actuator and an electromechanical actuator controller (EMAC) electrically coupled to the actuator, comprising:

providing first data indicative of a first braking command generated based on a first brake input device;

providing second data indicative of a second braking command generated based on a second brake input device, said second data different from said first data;

providing third data indicative of a braking mode; and

based on the third data, selectively using the first data or the second data to control the actuator.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein selectively using the first data or the second data includes using a switch to select the first data or the second data.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein providing the first data includes generating the first data in a brake system control unit (BSCU) and communicating the first data to the EMAC.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the second brake input device is a combination parking brake and emergency brake input device.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the braking mode is one of a normal brake mode, park brake mode or an emergency brake mode.