SENSOR-EQUIPPED VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS

• US 20170082163A1
• Filed: 09/16/2016
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ITT Italia SRL
• Original Assignee: ITT Italia SRL
• Inventors: Serra, Stefano, Donzelli, Daniele, Terranova, Marco, Solari, Mattia, Martinotto, Luca
• Granted Patent: US 10,495,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/406 Test-mode; Self-diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/885 using electrical circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2066/001 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2066/003 Position, angle or speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2066/005 Force, torque, stress or strain
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2066/006 without direct measurement of the quantity monitored, e.g. wear or temperature calculated form force and duration of braking
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 55/225 the braking members being brake pads
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 66/00 Arrangements for monitoring working conditions, e.g. wear, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 66/021 using electrical detection or indication means
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 66/028 with non-electrical sensors or signal transmission, e.g. magnetic, optical
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/16 using properties of piezoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/284 Measuring braking-time or braking distance

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems, for analyzing and managing data generated by a sensor-equipped braking system for vehicles, comprising a support element a block of friction material, at least one sensor interposed between the block of friction material and the support element, comprising at least one central control unit capable of receiving in real time from the sensor means at least the basic data related to one or more of the pressure of the activated braking system, the temperature of the activated braking system, the braking torque, the residual braking torque when the braking system is deactivated, and the wear on the braking system during and after activation thereof. The system can also include one or more auxiliary sensors.

Claims

1. A system configured to generate data using a sensor-equipped brake unit, the system comprising:

a braking unit comprising;

a braking device comprising;

a support;

a friction material connected with the support and configured to interface with a brake disk or brake drum; and

at least one of a pressure sensor or a temperature sensor positioned between the friction material and the support and configured to output first sensor data;

at least one auxiliary sensor configured to output second sensor data indicative of one or more of a location and a kinematic state of a vehicle incorporating the braking unit;

one or more memory devices; and

a computing system comprising one or more hardware processors configured to receive the first sensor data and the second sensor data,

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of a pressure sensor or a temperature sensor comprises a piezoceramic sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing system is configured to store in the one or more memory devices first samples of the first sensor data or derived therefrom, and second samples of the location data or derived therefrom, such that respective first samples correspond to respective second samples captured at or around the same time as the respective first samples.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, further comprising a location sensor configured to provide location data indicative of or usable to determine a location of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein sequential sensor data samples of the sensor data or derived therefrom, and sequential location data samples of the location data or derived therefrom, are stored in the one or more memory devices, such that respective sensor data samples correspond to respective location data samples captured at or around the same time as the respective sensor data samples.

6. The vehicle of claim 4, further comprising an accelerometer configured to generate acceleration data indicative of or usable to determine an acceleration of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the vehicle computing system is configured to process the location data and the acceleration data to determine a location of the vehicle that is more accurate than a location that can be determined using the location data alone.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, further comprising at least one on-board system, wherein the vehicle computing system is configured to receive and process the sensor data, the location data, the acceleration data, and data received from the on-board system.

9. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the sensor is positioned between the block of friction material and the support.

10. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor.

11. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the sensor comprises at least one piezoceramic sensor comprising a protective element enclosing said at least one piezoceramic sensor.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the protective element is configured to direct a compression force at least in part onto an area of the support surrounding said at least one piezoceramic sensor.

13. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein braking device further comprises an electrically insulated electrical circuit integrated in the support, and wherein the sensor is mounted on the electrically insulated electrical circuit.

14. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the electrically insulated electrical circuit is screen printed on the support.

15. The vehicle of claim 3, further comprising a communication unit configured to wirelessly transmit data over a wide area network.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the communication unit is configured to transmit data over a cellular network.

17. A system comprising the vehicle of claim 15, and further comprising a computing system configured to:

receive data wirelessly transmitted from the communication unit;

analyze the data and, based on the analysis, generate a message to send to a user computing device; and

cause the message to be transmitted to a user computing device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the message includes one or more of a notification of a malfunction of the braking unit or an indication to replace, repair, or inspect the braking unit.

3-1. A vehicle comprising:

a body;

a plurality of wheels connected with the body;

a braking unit configured to brake at least one of the plurality of wheels, the braking unit comprising;

a braking device comprising;

a support;

a block of friction material connected with the support and configured to interface with a brake disk or brake drum associated with at least one of the wheels; and

at least one sensor configured to output sensor data indicative of or usable to determine one or more of;

a pressure associated with the braking unit during braking, a braking torque associated with the braking unit during braking, a temperature of the braking unit, a residual torque associated with the braking unit when braking unit is deactivated, and a wear associated with the braking system;

a vehicle computing system comprising one or more hardware processors configured to receive the data output from the at least one sensors; and

one or more memory devices.