Device and Method for Braking and Stopping a Vehicle in an Emergency

• US 20190322262A1
• Filed: 04/18/2019
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kearney, Norbert, Zechmeister, Steffen, Ackermann, Steffen, Huck, Thorsten, Weeber, Volker
• Granted Patent: US 11,072,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/033 characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/662 characterised by specified functions of the control system components
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/74 with electrical assistance or drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/402 Back-up
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/414 Power supply failure

Abstract

A device for braking a vehicle includes an actuator configured to control a brake of the vehicle for braking the vehicle. The device further includes a first battery configured to be electrically connected to the actuator via a first switching device and to supply energy to the actuator. The device further includes a second battery configured to be electrically connected to the actuator via a second switching device and to supply energy to the actuator. The device further includes a controller configured to detect a state of the energy supplied to the actuator by the first battery and switch the second switching device to electrically connect the second battery to the actuator instead of the first battery in order to supply energy to the actuator when the state indicates that a need exists.

Claims

1. A device for braking a vehicle, comprising:

an actuator configured to control a brake of the vehicle for braking the vehicle;

a first battery configured to be electrically connected to the actuator via a first switching device to supply energy to the actuator;

a second battery configured to be electrically connected to the actuator via a second switching device to supply energy to the actuator; and

a controller configured to;

detect a state of energy supplied to the actuator by the first battery; and

switch the second switching device to electrically connect the second battery to the actuator instead of the first battery in order to supply energy to the actuator when the detected state indicates that a need case exists.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a first voltage present at a first input of the first switching device and detect a first fault case in an energy supply of the actuator when the first voltage falls below a first threshold value; and

/or

detect a second voltage present at a second input of the actuator and detect a second fault case in the energy supply of the actuator when the second voltage falls below a second threshold value.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

switch the first switching device to electrically connect the first battery to the actuator in order to supply energy to the actuator.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the first and second switching devices includes a plurality of self-blocking insulated-gate field effect transistors, and

the field effect transistors of the respective switching device are configured to electrically conductively connect to each other on the source side.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the controller includes:

a first control device configured to control the first switching device in a brake control unit; and

a second control device configured to;

detect a first fault in an energy supply of the actuator by the first battery;

switch the second switching device to electrically connect the second battery to the actuator to supply energy to the actuator; and

control the second switching device.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein:

the second control device is further configured to control the first switching device and

the first control device is further configured to control a third switching device in a brake control unit.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the second control device is further configured to:

detect a first voltage which is present at an input of the first switching device;

detect the first fault case in energy supply of the actuator when the first voltage falls below the first threshold value, and/or detect the second voltage present at an input of the actuator; and

detect the second fault case in the energy supply of the actuator when the second voltage falls below the second threshold value.

8. The device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a first diode configured to connect the first control device to a positive terminal of the first battery, the first diode arranged to block a first reverse flow of a first current from the first control device to the positive terminal of the first battery,

wherein a positive terminal of the second battery is electrically connected via the second switching device to the first control device, and

wherein the first diode is configured to block a second reverse flow of a second current from the positive terminal of the second battery to the positive terminal of the first battery.

9. The device according to claim 8, further comprising:

a second diode configured to block a second reverse flow of a second current from the first control device and from the positive terminal of the first battery to the positive terminal of the second battery.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the second control device is configured to transmit a status of the energy supplied to the actuator and the second control device.

11. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first earth conductor configured to close an electrical circuit to a negative terminal of the first battery in a fault-free case;

a second earth conductor; and

a third control device configured to;

detect an earthing fault in the first earth conductor; and

close the electrical circuit to the negative terminal of the first battery via the second earth conductor instead of via the first earth conductor in an event of the earthing fault.

12. A method for operating a device for braking a vehicle, comprising:

detecting, using a controller, a state of energy supplied to an actuator by a first battery;

switching, using the controller, a second switching device to electrically connect a second battery instead of the first battery to the actuator in order to supply energy to the actuator when the state indicates that a need case exists,

wherein the device includes;

the actuator configured to control a brake of the vehicle in order to brake the vehicle;

the first battery configured to electrically connect to the actuator via a first switching device to supply energy to the actuator; and

a second battery configured to electrically connect to the actuator via a second switching device to supply energy to the actuator.