HOT RUNNER DETECTION AND RESPONSE SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS

• US 20170082164A1
• 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, Solari, Mattia, Terranova, Marco
• Granted Patent: US 10,295,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2066/001 Temperature
• 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 55/226 in which the common actuating member is moved axially , e.g. floating caliper disc brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/0006 Noise or vibration control
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/092 for axially-engaging brakes, e.g. disc brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/183 with force-transmitting members arranged side by side acting on a spot type force-applying member
• 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: G01L 5/28 for testing brakes

Abstract

Various systems, devices, and methods for detecting and/or responding to the temperature of brakes are disclosed. Certain embodiments relate to inhibiting or preventing the overheating of the brakes of such vehicles, such as could occur when a hot runner condition is present.

Claims

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

a temperature sensor positioned between the block of friction material and the support;

a computing system comprising a controller unit, the controller unit comprising;

an interface configured to receive, from the temperature sensor, the temperature of the braking device;

a memory comprising a first temperature threshold; and

a comparator configured compare the temperature of the braking device and the first temperature threshold; and

an alarm unit in communication with the controller unit;

wherein the computing system is configured such that, in response to the control unit determining that the temperature of the braking device is greater than the first temperature threshold and determining that the temperature of at least one other braking device is less than the first temperature threshold, the alarm unit transmits an alarm signal indicating that the braking unit is experiencing a hot runner condition.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the braking device further comprises a piezoceramic pressure sensor positioned between the block of friction material and the support.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the comparator is configured to compare the temperature of the braking device and the first temperature threshold in real time.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the memory further comprises a second temperature threshold that is less than the first temperature threshold; and

in response to the comparator determining that temperature of the braking device is greater than the second temperature threshold and less than the first temperature threshold, the alarm unit transmits a second alarm signal indicating that the braking unit is experiencing an elevated temperature condition.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, in response to the alarm signal, an audible or visual alarm is activated in a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the braking device comprises a brake pad.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a tractor-trailer.

8. A system configured to detect overheating of a braking unit of a heavy vehicle, the braking system comprising:

a brake pad comprising;

a support;

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

a temperature sensor positioned between the friction material and the support;

a peripheral control unit configured to receive, from the temperature sensor, the temperature of the braking pad;

a second control unit in communication with the peripheral control unit, the second control unit comprising;

a memory comprising a first temperature threshold; and

a comparator configured compare the temperature of the braking device and the first temperature threshold; and

an alarm unit in communication with the controller unit;

wherein the system is configured such that, in response to the second control unit determining that the temperature of the brake pad is greater than the first temperature threshold and determining that the temperature of at least one other braking pad is less than the first temperature threshold, the alarm unit activates a visual or audible alarm indicating that a hot runner condition exists.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the system further comprises a plurality of additional brake pads, and is configured to detect a temperature for each of the plurality of additional brake pads; and

the system is further configured to activate the alarm only if a majority of the plurality of additional brake pads are determined to have a temperature that is less than the first temperature threshold.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the brake pad further comprises an ancillary sensor positioned between the friction material and the support, the ancillary sensor configured to measure one or more of pressure or torque.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the ancillary sensor comprises a piezoceramic pressure sensor.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the ancillary sensor comprises a piezoceramic shear sensor.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is configured to determine whether, within a predetermined period, a predetermined correlation exists between the temperature signal produced by the temperature sensor and the signal produced by the ancillary sensor.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the memory further comprises a second temperature threshold that is less than the first temperature threshold; and

in response to the comparator determining that temperature of the braking device is greater than the second temperature threshold and less than the first temperature threshold, the alarm unit transmits an alarm signal indicating that the braking unit is experiencing an elevated temperature condition.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the centralized control unit is connected to a CAN-bus (Controller Area Network) of the heavy vehicle.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the system further comprises an energy harvesting device configured to convert energy from the motion of the vehicle into electrical energy.

17. A method of inhibiting or preventing the overheating of the brakes on a heavy vehicle comprising a plurality of wheels and a plurality of associated braking units, wherein the braking units each comprise at least one brake pad or a brake shoe having a support, a friction material that is connected with the support and is configured to act on a brake disk or brake drum associated with the wheel, and a temperature sensor located between the block of friction material and the support, the method comprising:

acquiring the temperature of at each of the brake pads or brake shoes from the respective temperature sensors;

accessing a temperature threshold;

determining, with an electronic control unit, whether an overheating condition exists, wherein determining whether an overheating condition exists comprises;

determining whether the temperature detected for at least one of the plurality of brake pads or brake shoes is greater than the temperature threshold; and

determining whether the temperature detected for at least one of the plurality of brake pads or brake shoes is lower than the temperature threshold; and

activating an alarm in response to the overheating condition being determined to exist.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

acquiring, from a pressure sensor in the at least one of the plurality of brake pads or brake shoes with a temperature that is greater than the temperature threshold, a pressure at the at least one of the plurality of brake pads or brake shoes with a temperature that is greater than the temperature threshold;

accessing a pressure threshold; and

determining, with the electronic control unit, whether the pressure is less than the threshold pressure.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein accessing the temperature threshold comprises accessing a memory of the electronic control unit, the memory comprising the temperature threshold.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises transmitting the alarm to a computer system off-board the vehicle.

21. A vehicle comprising:

a body;

a plurality of wheels connected with the body;

at least one first braking device configured to brake a first wheel of the plurality of wheels, the first braking device comprising;

a first support;

a first block of friction material connected with the first support and configured to interface with a brake disk or brake drum associated with the first wheel; and

a first sensor positioned between the first block of friction material and the first support;

at least one second braking device configured to brake a second wheel of the plurality of wheels, the second braking device comprising;

a second support;

a second block of friction material connected with the second support and configured to interface with a brake disk or brake drum associated with the second wheel; and

a second sensor positioned between the second block of friction material and the second support; and

one or more processors configured to;

receive first data, the first data output by the first sensor or derived from data output by the first sensor;

receive second data, the second data output by the second sensor or derived from data output by the second sensor; and

analyze one or more of the first and second data to determine that an overheating condition exists for the first braking device.

22. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein the one or more processors determines that the overheating condition exists at least in part by analyzing the first and second data to determine that a temperature of the first braking device is higher than a temperature of the second braking device by an amount sufficient to indicate the overheating condition.

23. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein first and second sensors comprise temperature sensors.

24. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors determines that the overheating condition exists at least in part by analyzing the first data to determine that the first braking device is at least about 450°

C.

25. The vehicle of claim 23, wherein the first braking device further comprises an a first ancillary sensor positioned between the first friction material and the first support, and the second braking device further comprises a second ancillary sensor positioned between the second friction material and the second support, the first ancillary sensor comprising a pressure sensor or a shear sensor, the second ancillary sensor comprising a pressure sensor or a shear sensor.

26. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein the first and second sensors comprise pressure sensors.

27. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein first and second sensors comprise shear sensors.