Detailed Description
FIG. 1 is a hydraulic circuit diagram with a vehicle brake device power off in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the vehicular brake device shown in FIG. 1; fig. 3 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the vehicle brake system shown in fig. 1 in a normal braking state; fig. 4A and 4B are hydraulic circuit diagrams of the vehicle stability assist unit of the vehicle brake device shown in fig. 1 at the time of braking; fig. 5 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the vehicle stability assist unit of the vehicle brake device shown in fig. 1 when it is abnormal; fig. 6 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of the vehicle brake system shown in fig. 1 when the power supply is abnormal.
Referring to fig. 1, in the present embodiment, a tandem master cylinder 11 of a vehicle brake device 100 includes a first piston 14 connected to a brake pedal 12 operated by a driver via a push rod 13, and a second piston 15 arranged in front of the first piston 14, and divides a first hydraulic chamber 17 in which a return spring 16 is housed between the first piston 14 and the second piston 15, and divides a second hydraulic chamber 19 in which a return spring 18 is housed in front of the second piston 15. The first hydraulic chamber 17 and the second hydraulic chamber 19 that can communicate with the reservoir 20 are provided with a first output port 21 and a second output port 22, respectively, the first output port 21 is connected to wheel cylinders 26,27 (first system) of, for example, disc brake devices 24,25 of the left and right rear wheels via fluid paths Pa, pb, a vehicle stabilizing assist unit 23, and fluid paths Pc, pd, and the second output port 22 is connected to wheel cylinders 30, 31 (second system) of, for example, disc brake devices 28, 29 of the left and right front wheels via fluid paths Qa, qb, a vehicle stabilizing assist unit 23, and fluid paths Qc, qd.
In the present specification, the upstream side of the hydraulic paths Pa to Pd and the hydraulic paths Qa to Qd means the master cylinder 11 side, and the downstream side means the wheel cylinders 26,27; 30. 31 side.
A first main switching valve 32 as a normally open solenoid valve is disposed between the hydraulic paths Pa and Pb, and a second main switching valve 33 as a normally open solenoid valve is disposed between the hydraulic paths Qa and Qb. The fluid paths Ra and Rb branched from the fluid path Pa on the upstream side of the first main switching valve 32 are connected to a stroke simulator 35 via a simulator valve 34 that is a normally closed electromagnetic valve. In the stroke simulator 35, a piston 38 is slidably fitted in a cylinder 36 by a spring 37, and a hydraulic chamber 39 formed on the opposite side of the piston 38 to the spring 37 communicates with a hydraulic path Rb. A check valve 40 that allows only brake fluid to flow from the stroke simulator 35 to the fluid path Pa side is connected in parallel with the simulator valve 34.
A communication control valve 41, which is a normally closed solenoid valve, is disposed in the third fluid passage Rc that connects the fluid passage Pb and the fluid passage Qb on the downstream side of the first and second main switching valves 32 and 33 to each other, and a slave cylinder 42 is connected to the fluid passage Rd branched from the fluid passage Pb. The actuator 43 that actuates the slave cylinder 42 transmits the rotation of the motor 44 to the ball screw mechanism 46 via the gear train 45. The slave cylinder 42 has a cylinder body 47 connected to the reservoir 20 of the master cylinder 11 via a fluid passage Re, and a piston 48 slidably fitted to the cylinder body 47 is biased in the backward direction by a return spring 49. When the piston 48 is driven in the forward direction by the ball screw mechanism 46 of the actuator 43, the brake fluid pressure generated in the fluid pressure chamber 50 is transmitted to the fluid path Rd via the output port 51.
The vehicle stability assist unit 23 is configured as a known structure, and members having the same structure are provided on a first brake actuator 23A and a second brake actuator 23B, wherein the first brake actuator 23A controls a first system of disc brake devices 24,25 of the left and right rear wheels, and the second brake actuator 23B controls a second system of disc brake devices 28, 29 of the left and right front wheels.
Hereinafter, the first brake actuator 23A of the first system of the disc brake devices 24,25 of the left and right rear wheels will be described as a representative.
The first brake actuator 23A is disposed between a fluid passage Pb connected to the first master switching valve 32 on the upstream side and fluid passages Pc, pd connected to the wheel cylinders 26,27 of the left and right rear wheels on the downstream side, respectively.
The first brake actuator 23A includes a fluid passage 52 and a fluid passage 53 which are common to wheel cylinders 26 and 27 of the left and right rear wheels, and includes a regulator valve 54 which is disposed between the fluid passage Pb and the fluid passage 52 and is composed of a normally open type solenoid valve having a variable opening degree; a check valve 55 disposed in parallel with the regulator valve 54 and allowing brake fluid to flow from the fluid path Pb to the fluid path 52; an input valve 56 formed of a normally open type solenoid valve and disposed between the liquid passage 52 and the liquid passage Pd; a check valve 57 disposed in parallel with the input valve 56 and allowing brake fluid to flow from the fluid path Pd side to the fluid path 52 side; an input valve 58 composed of a normally open solenoid valve and disposed between the liquid path 52 and the liquid path Pc; a check valve 59 disposed in parallel with the input valve 58 and allowing brake fluid to flow from the fluid path Pc side to the fluid path 52 side; an output valve 60 composed of a normally closed electromagnetic valve disposed between the liquid paths Pd and 53; an output valve 61 composed of a normally closed electromagnetic valve disposed between the liquid path Pc and the liquid path 53; a reservoir 62 connected to the liquid path 53; a check valve 63 disposed between the fluid path 53 and the fluid path Pb and allowing the brake fluid to flow from the fluid path 53 side to the fluid path Pb side; a pump 64 disposed between the liquid paths 52 and 53 and configured to supply brake liquid from the liquid path 53 side to the liquid path 52 side; a motor 65 for driving the pump 64; a pair of check valves 66, 67 provided on the suction side and the discharge side of the pump 64, for preventing the reverse flow of the brake fluid; a suction valve 68 composed of a normally closed electromagnetic valve and disposed between the intermediate position of the check valve 63 and the pump 64 and the liquid passage Pb.
The motor 65 is common to the pumps 64, 64 of the first brake actuator 23A and the second brake actuator 23B, but dedicated motors 65, 65 may be provided for each of the pumps 64, 64.
As shown in fig. 1 and 2, a first hydraulic pressure sensor Sa for detecting the hydraulic pressure is connected to the liquid path Pa, and a second hydraulic pressure sensor Sb for detecting the hydraulic pressure is connected to the liquid path Qb. The first hydraulic pressure sensor Sa, the second hydraulic pressure sensor Sb, a wheel speed sensor Sc that detects the wheel speeds of the respective wheels, and a stroke sensor Sd that detects the stroke of the brake pedal 12 are connected to the first master switching valve 32, the second master switching valve 33, the simulator valve 34, the communication control valve 41, the slave cylinder 42, and the electronic control unit U connected to the vehicle stability assist unit 23.
Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention having the above-described configuration will be described.
First, a normal braking operation at the time of normal operation will be described with reference to fig. 3.
When the first hydraulic pressure sensor Sa provided in the hydraulic path Pa detects a depression of the brake pedal 12 by the driver, the first main switching valve 32 and the second main switching valve 33 each constituted by a normally open solenoid valve are excited to close the valves, the simulator valve 34 constituted by a normally closed solenoid valve is excited to open the valves, and the communication control valve 41 constituted by a normally closed solenoid valve is excited to open the valves. At the same time, the actuator 43 of the slave cylinder 42 is operated to advance the piston 48, and brake fluid pressure is generated in the fluid pressure chamber 50. At this time, since the communication control valve 41 constituted by the normally closed electromagnetic valve is excited to open, the brake fluid generated by the slave cylinder 42 is transmitted to the fluid passage Pb and the fluid passage Qb connected to the fluid passage Pb via the third fluid passage Rc, and the brake fluid is transmitted from the two fluid passages Pb, qb via the open-valve input valves 56, 56 of the vehicle stability assist unit 23; 58. 58 to disc brake devices 24,25; 28. wheel brake cylinders 26,27 of 29; 30. 31 are transmitted to brake the wheels.
Further, since the simulator valve 34 constituted by the normally closed electromagnetic valve is excited to open the valve, the brake hydraulic pressure generated in the first hydraulic chamber 17 of the master cylinder 11 is transmitted to the hydraulic chamber 39 of the stroke simulator 35 via the open simulator valve 34, and the piston 38 is moved against the urging force of the spring 37, thereby allowing the stroke of the brake pedal 12 to generate a simulated pedal reaction force, and further, the uncomfortable feeling of the driver can be eliminated.
Further, the operation of the actuator 43 of the slave cylinder 42 is controlled so that the brake fluid pressure generated by the slave cylinder 42 detected by the second fluid pressure sensor Sb provided in the fluid passage Qb is set to a magnitude corresponding to the brake fluid pressure generated by the master cylinder 11 detected by the first fluid pressure sensor Sa provided in the fluid passage Pa, whereby the disc brake devices 24 and 25 can be operated; 28. 29 generates a braking force corresponding to the operation amount input to the brake pedal 12 by the driver.
The operation of the actuator 43 of the slave cylinder 42 may be controlled based on the target hydraulic pressure calculated by the electronic control unit U instead of the operation amount of the brake pedal 12.
Next, the operation of the vehicle stability assist unit 23 will be described based on fig. 3, 4A, and 4B.
As shown in fig. 3, in a state where the vehicle stability assist unit 23 is not operating, the regulator valves 54, 54 are demagnetized to open the valves, the intake valves 68, 68 are demagnetized to close the valves, and the input valves 56, 56; 58. 58 is demagnetized to open the valve, and output valves 60, 60; 61. 61 is demagnetized to close the valve. Therefore, when the driver depresses the brake pedal 12 to actuate the slave cylinder 42 for braking, the brake hydraulic pressure output from the output port 51 of the slave cylinder 42 passes through the open-valve input valves 56, 56 from the regulator valves 54, 54; 58. 58 to wheel brake cylinders 26,27; 30. 31, thereby enabling braking of four wheels.
Fig. 4A and 4B show a state in which the driven hydraulic cylinder 42 is stopped in the emergency braking, that is, a state in which the current to the motor 44 is cut off and the forward movement of the piston 48 is stopped, and the vehicle stability supporting unit 23 is operated. At this time, the regulator valves 54, 54 of the vehicle stability assist unit 23 are excited to close the valves, and the intake valves 68, 68 are excited to open the valves, so that the brake hydraulic pressures sucked from the slave cylinder 42 side via the intake valves 68, 68 by the pumps 64, 64 pass through the open input valves 56, 56; 58. 58 to wheel cylinders 26,27; 30. 31.
From this state, control is performed such that the opening degree of the regulator valves 54, 54 is adjusted to release the brake fluid pressure generated by the pumps 64, 64 to the slave cylinder 42 side, thereby generating a brake fluid pressure corresponding to the operation amount of the brake pedal 12 or the target fluid pressure required from the outside. When the pumps 64, 64 are operated to suck the brake fluid from the slave cylinder 42 side, the actuator 43 is not operated and only the piston 48 advances under negative pressure, so that the brake fluid is supplied to the vehicle stability support unit 23 side.
When the vehicle stability assist unit 23 is operated, the suction valves 68 and 68 are excited to open, and in this state, the pumps 64 and 64 are driven by the motor 65, and the brake fluid, which has been sucked from the slave cylinder 42 side through the suction valves 68 and pressurized by the pumps 64 and 64, is supplied to the regulator valves 54 and the input valves 56 and 56; 58. 58. Therefore, the opening degree is adjusted by exciting the regulator valves 54, so that the brake fluid pressure of the fluid passages 52, 52 is adjusted, and the brake fluid pressure is passed through the valve-opening input valves 56, 56;58,58 selectively to wheel cylinders 26,27; 30. 31 are supplied so that the braking forces of the four wheels can be controlled individually even in a state where the driver does not step on the brake pedal 12.
Therefore, by controlling the braking forces of the four wheels by the first brake actuator 23A and the second brake actuator 23B, the braking force of the turning inner wheel can be increased to improve the turning performance, or the braking force of the turning outer wheel can be increased to improve the straight-ahead steady performance.
When the driver detects that the left rear wheel enters the low friction coefficient road surface and is locked during braking by stepping on the brake pedal 12, for example, based on the output of the wheel speed sensor Sc, as shown in fig. 4B, one of the input valves 58 of the first brake actuator 23A is excited to close the valve, and one of the output valves 61 is excited to open the valve, so that the brake fluid of the wheel cylinder 26 of the left rear wheel is released to the reservoir 62 and depressurized to a predetermined pressure. Then, when the brake fluid pressure of the wheel cylinder 26 of the left rear wheel is maintained by demagnetizing the output valve 61 to close the valve, and the locking tendency of the wheel cylinder 26 of the left rear wheel tends to be resolved, the input valve 58 is demagnetized to open the valve, and the brake fluid pressure from the output port 51 of the slave cylinder 42 is supplied to the wheel cylinder 26 of the left rear wheel to be pressurized to a predetermined pressure, thereby increasing the braking force, and the state is returned to the state shown in fig. 4A.
When the left front wheel is again locked due to the pressure increase, the pressure decrease is repeated to maintain the pressure increase, whereby ABS (antilock brake system) control can be performed in which the braking distance is minimized while suppressing the locking of the left front wheel.
While the ABS control when the left front wheel cylinder 26 has a tendency to lock has been described above, the ABS control when the right rear wheel cylinder 27, the right front wheel cylinder 30, and the left rear wheel cylinder 31 have a tendency to lock may be similarly performed.
However, when the vehicle stability assist unit 23 is abnormal, for example, due to a valve failure, a motor failure, a pump failure, or the like, an abnormality occurs in the pressure reducing process of the brake fluid discharged to the reservoir 62 of the vehicle stability assist unit 23, at which time the electronic control unit U may operate the slave cylinder 42 and the vehicle stability assist unit 23 by the arrangement of the reservoir 70 and the normally closed solenoid valve that are independently provided, to stabilize the behavior of the vehicle. As will be further explained below in conjunction with fig. 5.
As shown in fig. 1, 2 and 5, the vehicle brake system 100 further includes the reservoir 70 and the solenoid valve 69 as a normally closed solenoid valve, each reservoir 70 is connected to the fluid passages Qb, pb through the solenoid valve 69, the fluid passages Qb, pb connect the slave cylinder 42 and the vehicle stability assist unit 23 as described above, and the electronic control unit U can switch the solenoid valve 69 to the open valve state.
More specifically, as shown in fig. 5, when the vehicle stability assist unit 23 is abnormal and the output valve 61 cannot be excited to open, the brake fluid may not be discharged to the reservoir 62 of the vehicle stability assist unit 23 and the brake fluid pressure of the wheel cylinders 26 may not be released to the reservoir 62 via the output valve 61 to be reduced in pressure, and at this time, the electronic control unit U may switch the solenoid valve 69 to the open state and discharge the brake fluid from the slave cylinder 42 to the reservoir 70. In this way, the reservoir 70 can be used as a temporary storage space for the brake fluid when the vehicle stability assist unit 23 is abnormal, so that the brake fluid of the wheel cylinder 26 is released to the reservoir 70 and depressurized to a predetermined pressure, and then the solenoid valve 69 is demagnetized to switch the solenoid valve 69 to the closed state, thereby maintaining the brake fluid of the wheel cylinder 26. When the locking tendency of the wheel cylinder 26 tends to be released, the input valve 58 is not excited and is in the valve-open state, so that the brake fluid from the output port 51 of the slave cylinder 42 is supplied to the wheel cylinder 26 to be pressurized to a predetermined pressure, thereby increasing the braking force. When the left front wheel is again locked due to the pressure increase, the pressure decrease is repeated to maintain the pressure increase, whereby ABS (antilock brake system) control can be performed in which the brake distance is minimized while suppressing the locking of the left front wheel.
While the ABS control when the left front wheel cylinder 26 has a tendency to lock has been described above, the ABS control when the right rear wheel cylinder 27, the right front wheel cylinder 30, and the left rear wheel cylinder 31 have a tendency to lock may be similarly performed.
In this way, the vehicle brake device 100 can discharge the brake fluid from the slave cylinder 42 to the reservoir 70 through the solenoid valve 69 by switching the solenoid valve 69 to the valve-open state by the electronic control unit U, and can satisfactorily decompress the brake fluid from the slave cylinder 42 as a temporary storage space for the brake fluid when the vehicle stability support unit 23 is abnormal. Further, when the vehicle stability assist unit 23 is abnormal and the brake fluid may not be discharged to the reservoir 62 of the vehicle stability assist unit 23, the brake fluid generated by the slave cylinder 42 can be smoothly supplied to the wheel cylinders 26 and 27 by the arrangement of the reservoir 70 and the control of the solenoid valve 69; 30. 31 to brake any of the wheels, further improving the redundancy of the ABS.
Meanwhile, in the case of fig. 1 to 5, the electronic control unit U maintains the first main switching valve 32 and the second main switching valve 33 in the closed valve state during the operation of the vehicle stability assist unit 23 or during the operation of the automatic system such as the following control for automatically operating the slave cylinder 42, the low vehicle speed following control, and the collision reduction braking. However, when an abnormality such as a failure of the electric motor of the slave cylinder 42 occurs during the operation of the vehicle stability assist unit 23 or the automatic system, the control device opens the first master switching valve 32 and the second master switching valve 33, and reflects the depression of the brake pedal 12 directly to the braking of the vehicle.
More specifically, when the power supply fails, the first main switching valve 32 and the second main switching valve 33 each constituted by a normally open solenoid valve are automatically opened, the simulator valve 34 and the communication control valve 41 each constituted by a normally closed solenoid valve are automatically closed, and the input valve 56.56 each constituted by a normally open solenoid valve is automatically closed; 58. 58 is an automatic valve and regulator valve 54, 54 is in a valve-opening state, and output valves 60, 60 composed of normally closed solenoid valves; 61. 61 and the suction valves 68, 68 are automatically closed. In this state, the brake fluid pressure generated in the first and second hydraulic chambers 17, 17 of the master cylinder 11 is not absorbed by the stroke simulator 35 and passes through the first and second master switching valves 32, 33, the regulator valves 54, and the input valve 56.56; 58. 58, disc brake devices 24,25 for each wheel; 28. wheel brake cylinders 26,27 of 29; 30. 31, thereby generating braking force without any obstacle. As shown in fig. 6, when the electronic control unit U switches the first main switching valve 32 and the second main switching valve 33 to the open valve state, the solenoid valve 69 can be switched to the open valve state.
In this way, when the power source fails and the slave cylinder 42 is abnormal and the master cylinder 11 performs the antilock brake control, the vehicle brake system 100 can switch the solenoid valve 69 to the open valve state by the electronic control unit U, and can discharge the brake fluid from the master cylinder 11 to the reservoir 70 through the first master switching valve 32, the second master switching valve 33, and the solenoid valve 69, as shown in fig. 6, and can further satisfactorily depressurize the brake fluid from the master cylinder 11. Further, as described above, the brake fluid pressure of any one of the wheel cylinders 26,27, 30, and 31 may be released to the reservoir 70 and depressurized to a predetermined pressure, and then the solenoid valve 69 may be demagnetized to switch the solenoid valve 69 to the closed state, thereby maintaining the brake fluid pressure of any one of the wheel cylinders 26,27, 30, and 31. When any one of wheel cylinders 26,27, 30, 31 tends to be unlocked, brake fluid from master cylinder 11 is supplied to any one of wheel cylinders 26,27, 30, 31 to be pressurized to a predetermined pressure, thereby increasing braking force. When any one of the wheels is again locked due to the pressure increase, the pressure decrease and the pressure increase are repeated to maintain one pressure increase, whereby ABS (antilock brake system) control can be performed in which the braking distance is minimized while suppressing the locking of any one of the wheels.
In this way, even when the power source fails and the slave cylinder 42 is abnormal and the antilock brake control is performed by the master cylinder 11, the brake fluid pressure generated by the master cylinder 11 can be smoothly supplied to the wheel cylinders 26,27 by the arrangement of the reservoir 70 and the control of the solenoid valve 69, the first master switching valve 32, and the second master switching valve 33; 30. 31 to brake the wheels, further improving the redundancy of ABS (antilock brake system).
As described above, in the vehicle brake system according to the present invention, when the electromagnetic valve is switched to the open state by the electronic control unit, the brake fluid from the slave cylinder is discharged to the extra reservoir through the electromagnetic valve, so that the extra reservoir is used as a temporary storage space for the brake fluid when the vehicle stability assist unit is abnormal, and the brake fluid from the slave cylinder can be satisfactorily depressurized. In this way, when the vehicle stability assist unit is abnormal, and the brake fluid may not be discharged to the reservoir of the vehicle stability assist unit due to a valve failure, a motor failure, a pump failure, etc., the brake fluid generated from the slave cylinder can be smoothly transferred to the wheel brake cylinder to brake each wheel by the arrangement of the additional reservoir and the control of the first solenoid valve, and the redundancy of ABS (antilock brake system) can be further improved. When the power supply fails and the slave hydraulic cylinder is abnormal and the master hydraulic cylinder performs anti-lock braking control, the brake hydraulic pressure generated by the master hydraulic cylinder can be smoothly transmitted to the wheel brake cylinder to brake each wheel through the arrangement of the additional liquid storage device and the control of the first electromagnetic valve, the first master switching valve and the second master switching valve, so that the redundancy of the ABS (anti-lock braking system) can be further improved.
Finally, it should be noted that: the above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical solution of the present invention, and are not limiting; although the invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that: the technical scheme described in the foregoing embodiments can be modified or some or all of the technical features thereof can be replaced with equivalents; such modifications and substitutions do not depart from the spirit of the invention.