# US 10,118,599 B2 · Method for distributing a brake force, and braking device

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- Number: US 10,118,599 B2
- Document ID: US10118599B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/308,754
- Filed: 2015-04-09
- Published: 2017-06-29
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-06-03
- Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH
- Applicants: Robert Bosch GmbH
- Inventors: Tim Dackermann; Rinaldo Greiner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118599B2

## CPC

- B60T 8/261: {specially adapted for use in motorcycles}
- B60T 8/1706: {for single-track vehicles, e.g. motorcycles}
- B60T 8/171: Detecting parameters used in the regulation; Measuring values used in the regulation
- B60T 8/1766: Proportioning of brake forces according to vehicle axle loads, e.g. front to rear of vehicle
- B60T 8/3225: {Systems specially adapted for single-track vehicles, e.g. motorcycles (B60T8/3235 takes precedence)}
- B60T 8/341: {Systems characterised by their valves (B60T8/36, B60T8/38 take precedence)}
- B60T 8/4266: {having an electro-mechanically actuated expansion unit, e.g. solenoid, electric motor, piezo stack}
- B60T 13/16: using pumps directly, i.e. without interposition of accumulators or reservoirs
- B62L 3/023: {acting on fluid pressure systems}
- B62L 3/08: Mechanisms specially adapted for braking more than one wheel
- B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES
- B62L: BRAKES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES {(arrangements in cycles for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions B60T8/00)}

## Abstract

A method for braking a vehicle which is operable by a motor or by muscular power, in particular an electric bicycle. During a braking operation, a brake force influencing device is controlled by an electric brake pressure control device, and the brake pressure for the front wheel brake and/or for the rear wheel brake, and thus the brake force thereof, is increased and/or decreased. The brake pressure control device receives brake pressure signals in each case from a brake actuation detector for the front wheel brake and for the rear wheel brake, and an improved distribution of a total brake force on the front wheel and the rear wheel is effectuated which differs from the distribution that is effectuated by the driver.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for braking a vehicle, the vehicle being an electric bicycle, the vehicle including a front wheel, a rear wheel, a hydraulic front wheel brake and a hydraulic rear wheel brake, the method comprising:
changing, using an electrohydraulic brake force influencing device, at least one of: i) a brake pressure of the front wheel brake effectuated by a driver of the vehicle via a front wheel brake actuating device, and ii) a brake pressure of the rear wheel brake effectuated by a driver of the vehicle via a rear wheel brake actuating device, wherein during a braking operation, the brake force influencing device is controlled by an electric brake pressure control device, and during the braking operation, the brake force influencing device increases and/or decreases at least one of the brake pressure of the front wheel brake, and the brake pressure of the rear wheel brake;
wherein the brake pressure control device receives brake pressure signals from a brake actuation detector for the front wheel and for the rear wheel brake, and implements a distribution of a total brake force across the front wheel and the rear wheel that is different from a distribution of the total brake force that is effectuated by the driver, the driver effectuating the distribution of the total force via actuation of at least one of the front wheel brake actuating device and the rear wheel brake actuating device; and
locking one of the front wheel or the rear wheel, and subsequently releasing for rotation the locked one of the front wheel or rear wheel, the brake pressure control device controlling the brake force influencing device to perform the locking and the subsequent releasing multiple times in succession during a single braking operation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the distribution of the total brake force is carried out according to stored information, the stored information being stored in the brake pressure control device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein information from at least one of a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a rotation rate sensor, an inclination sensor, and a sensor for a position of a brake actuating device, is taken into account in the distribution of the total brake force.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a braking operation is divided into multiple different influencing stages as a function of a brake pressure at the front wheel, the stages including: (i) a stage in which no influencing of the brake pressure at the front wheel takes place, (ii) stages in which the brake pressure at the front wheel is influenced with various levels of intensity the brake force influencing device, and (iii) the brake pressure at the front wheel is held constant, at least on average, regardless of an effectuation of a higher brake pressure by the driver.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the brake force influencing device increases a brake pressure to reduce the braking distance.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein for a reduction of the hydraulic brake pressure of one of the front wheel brake or the rear wheel brake, the hydraulic brake pressure of the respective other wheel brake is increased, so that the total brake force is at least approximately as great as the total brake force prior to the reduction of the brake pressure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein in the event of actuation of only one of the front wheel brake or the rear wheel brake, the respective other wheel brake is also actuated by the brake pressure control device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein an action of the brake force influencing device on the brake pressure is prevented upon a power failure.

### Claim 9

An electrohydraulic braking device for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is an electric bicycle having a front wheel and a rear wheel, the electrohydraulic braking device comprising:
a hydraulic front wheel brake;
a hydraulic rear wheel brake;
a brake actuating device for the front wheel brake, and a brake actuating device for the rear wheel brake, each of the brake actuating device for the front wheel device and the brake actuating device for actuation by a driver of the vehicle;
an electrohydraulic brake force influencing device for at least one of increasing and decreasing a brake pressure of at least one of the front wheel brake and a brake pressure of the rear wheel brake, and for at least one of increasing and decreasing a brake force of at least one of the front wheel brake and the rear wheel brake;
an electric brake pressure control device via which the brake force influencing device is controllable;
a brake actuation detector to detect the actuation of the front wheel brake and of the rear wheel brake in each case;
wherein the brake pressure control device is configured to receive brake pressure information from the brake actuation detection devices and to distributing the total brake force on at least one of the front wheel brake and the rear wheel brake based on signals from the brake actuation detector, and to control the brake force influencing device, the brake pressure control device implementing a distribution of the total brake force across the front wheel and the rear wheel of the vehicle that differs from the distribution of the total brake force that is effectuated by the driver via the brake actuating devices, the driver effectuating the distribution of the total force via actuation of at least one of the brake actuating device for the front wheel brake and the brake actuating device for the rear wheel brake;
wherein the brake pressure control device controls the brake force influencing device to lock one of the front wheel or the rear wheel, and subsequently release for rotation the locked one of the front wheel or rear wheel, the brake pressure control device controlling the brake force influencing device to perform the lock and the subsequent release multiple times in succession during a single braking operation.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The braking device as recited in claim 9, wherein information from at least one of a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a rotation rate sensor, an inclination sensor, and a sensor for ascertaining a position of a brake actuating device is suppliable to the brake pressure control device for ascertaining the distribution of a total brake force on the front wheel brake and the rear wheel brake.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The braking device as recited in claim 9, wherein the brake pressure influencing device includes an electrically actuated shut-off valve, via which the brake pressure influencing device is hydraulically disconnectable from the front wheel brake and the rear wheel brake, and the brake actuating devices.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The braking device as recited in claim 9, wherein the brake pressure influencing device includes a pressure generation device for the front wheel and for the rear wheel which is one of electromagnetically, piezoelectrically, thermally, or electrochemically actuatable, and which is connected to a brake fluid of the front wheel brake or the rear wheel brake, and via which the brake pressure may be influenced, the pressure generation device being at least one of a displaceable piston in a cylinder, or an expandable and/or contractible element.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The braking device as recited in claim 9, wherein the brake pressure control device is a central control electronics system or a human-machine interface electronics system.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The braking device as recited in claim 9, wherein the braking device is configured to:
change, using the electrohydraulic brake force influencing device, at least one of: i) the brake pressure of the front wheel brake effectuated by the driver of the vehicle via the front wheel brake actuating device, and ii) the brake pressure of the rear wheel brake effectuated by the driver of the vehicle via the rear wheel brake actuating device, wherein during a braking operation, the brake force influencing device is controlled by the electric brake pressure control device, and during the braking operation, the brake force influencing device increases and/or decreases at least one of the brake pressure of the front wheel brake, and the brake pressure of the rear wheel brake.