DIFFERENTIAL TRAVEL SENSOR FOR A BRAKING SYSTEM OF A VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR ASCERTAINING A DIFFERENTIAL TRAVEL

• US 20150027214A1
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Published: 01/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Binder, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 10,442,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/129
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/12 the fluid being liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/66 Electrical control in fluid-pressure brake systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/743 with a spring accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/745 acting on a hydraulic system, e.g. a master cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/04 foot actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/003 for measuring position, not involving coordinate determination coordinate measuring G01B7/004

Abstract

A differential travel sensor for a braking system of a vehicle includes: a field generation component, with the aid of which a first electrical and/or magnetic field having a predefined intensity distribution is generated in a spatial axis system fixedly definable with respect to a first body which is a driver brake force transmission component or an actuator force transmission component; and a sensor unit detecting at least one intensity variable of a second electrical and/or magnetic field generated due to an interaction of the first electrical and/or magnetic field with a second body, the second body being different from the first body and being the driver brake force transmission component or the actuator force transmission component.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A differential travel sensor for a braking system of a vehicle, comprising:

a field generation component situated one of on or adjacent to one of (i) a driver brake force transmission component of the braking system or (ii) an actuator force transmission component of the braking system, wherein the field generation component generates at least one of a first electrical field and a first magnetic field having a predefined intensity distribution in a spatial axis system defined fixedly with respect to a first body which is one of the driver brake force transmission component or the actuator force transmission component;

a sensor unit situated on the vehicle in such a way that the driver brake force transmission component and the actuator force transmission component are displaceable in relation to the sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit determines at least one intensity variable of at least one of a second electrical field and a second magnetic field generated due to an interaction of the at least one of the first electrical field and the first magnetic field with a second body which is one of the driver brake force transmission component or the actuator force transmission component, the second body being different from the first body; and

an analysis unit which determines, by taking into consideration the at least one intensity variable, an item of output information with respect to a differential travel present between the driver brake force transmission component and the actuator force transmission component.

16. The differential travel sensor as recited in claim 15, wherein the field generation component includes a permanent magnet situated fixedly on the first body.

17. The differential travel sensor as recited in claim 16, wherein the field generation component includes a light source.

18. The differential travel sensor as recited in claim 17, wherein the light source is situated adjacent to one of the driver brake force transmission component or the actuator force transmission component in such a way that the driver brake force transmission component and the actuator force transmission component are displaceable in relation to the light source.

19. A brake booster device for a braking system of a vehicle, comprising:

a differential travel sensor including;

a field generation component situated one of on or adjacent to one of (i) a driver brake force transmission component of the braking system or (ii) an actuator force transmission component of the braking system, wherein the field generation component generates at least one of a first electrical field and a first magnetic field having a predefined intensity distribution in a spatial axis system defined fixedly with respect to a first body which is one of the driver brake force transmission component or the actuator force transmission component, wherein the field generation component includes a permanent magnet situated fixedly on the first body;

a sensor unit situated on the vehicle in such a way that the driver brake force transmission component and the actuator force transmission component are displaceable in relation to the sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit determines at least one intensity variable of at least one of a second electrical field and a second magnetic field generated due to an interaction of the at least one of the first electrical field and the first magnetic field with a second body which is one of the driver brake force transmission component or the actuator force transmission component, the second body being different from the first body; and

an analysis unit which determines, by taking into consideration the at least one intensity variable, an item of output information with respect to a differential travel present between the driver brake force transmission component and the actuator force transmission component.

20. The brake booster device as recited in claim 19, wherein the brake booster device includes the driver brake force transmission component and the actuator force transmission component.

21. The brake booster device as recited in claim 20, wherein the one of the driver brake force transmission component or the actuator force transmission component, which functions as the second body and interacts with the permanent magnet of the field generation component, is at least partially produced from a ferromagnetic material.

22. The brake booster device as recited in claim 20, wherein at least one light-transmissive area is provided in each of the driver brake force transmission component and the actuator force transmission component.

23. The brake booster device as recited in claim 22, wherein at least one first light-transmissive area and one second light-transmissive area are implemented in each of the driver brake force transmission component and the actuator force transmission component, and wherein a first vector representing a relative position of the first light-transmissive area of the driver brake force transmission component in relation to the second light-transmissive area of the driver brake force transmission component is offset in relation to a second vector representing a relative position of the first light-transmissive area of the actuator force transmission component in relation to the second light-transmissive area of the actuator force transmission component by a third vector aligned parallel to a displacement axis along which the driver brake force transmission component is displaceable in relation to the actuator force transmission component.

24. The brake booster device as recited in claim 22, wherein at least one of:

(i) the driver brake force transmission component is at least one subunit of an input piston via which a driver brake force is transmittable from a brake actuating element to at least one displaceable piston of a brake master cylinder; and

(ii) the actuator force transmission component is at least one subunit of a booster piston via which an actuator force is transmittable from an actuator to the at least one displaceable piston of the brake master cylinder.

25. A method for ascertaining a differential travel present between a driver brake force transmission component and an actuator force transmission component of a braking system, comprising:

generating at least one of a first electrical field and a first magnetic field having a predefined intensity distribution in a spatial axis system defined fixedly with respect to a first body which is one of the driver brake force transmission component or the actuator force transmission component;

determining at least one intensity variable of at least one of a second electrical field and a second magnetic field generated due to an interaction of the at least one of the first electrical field and the first magnetic field with a second body which is one of the driver brake force transmission component or the actuator force transmission component, the second body being different from the first body; and

determining, by taking into consideration the at least one intensity variable, an item of output information with respect to a differential travel present between the driver brake force transmission component and the actuator force transmission component.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein a permanent magnet is fixedly situated on the first body to generate a magnetic field distribution which is (i) fixed with respect to the first body and (ii) at least a partial component of the at least one of the first electrical field and the first magnetic field.

27. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein light from a light source, which is situated fixedly separate from the driver force transmission component and the actuator force transmission component, is oriented onto at least one adjacent light-transmissive area of one of the driver brake force transmission component or the actuator force transmission component to generate an electromagnetic field distribution which is (i) fixed with respect to the first body and (ii) at least a partial component of the at least one of the first electrical field and the first magnetic field.