Wheel torque sensor for highly automated driving vehicles
AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH
InventorsSamuel Steele, Eduardo Herrera Lopez, Kevin M. Danford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for sensing wheel torque of a highly automated driving (HAD) vehicle includes a wheel hub configured to rotate around a rotation axis as the vehicle moves and a brake caliper, including a brake pad, configured to apply a caliper force to the wheel hub. A reaction carriage is interconnected with the brake caliper and is configured to have a reaction force applied to it when the brake caliper applies the caliper force to the wheel hub. The wheel torque sensor includes a hydraulic chamber having a hydraulic fluid and a pressure sensor, interconnected with the hydraulic chamber, that senses pressure applied to the hydraulic fluid in response to the reaction force.
Claims16
A wheel torque sensor system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a wheel hub configured to rotate around a rotation axis as the vehicle moves;
- a brake caliper, including a brake pad, configured to apply a caliper force to the wheel hub;
- a reaction carriage interconnected with the brake caliper and configured to have a reaction force applied thereto when the brake caliper applies the caliper force to the wheel hub;
- a vehicle frame member that retains the reaction carriage;
- a hydraulic chamber including a hydraulic fluid;
- and
- a pressure sensor, configured to be in communication with the hydraulic chamber, that senses pressure applied to the hydraulic fluid in response to the reaction force moving the reaction carriage relative to the vehicle frame member.
A bidirectional wheel torque sensor for a vehicle, comprising:
- a reaction carriage configured to be interconnected with a brake caliper of a vehicle disc brake;
- a first hydraulic chamber including a hydraulic fluid;
- a first pressure port interconnected with the first hydraulic chamber, the first pressure port configured
- to open when the hydraulic fluid flows in a first direction, and
- to close when the hydraulic fluid flows in a second direction;
- a second hydraulic chamber spaced from the first hydraulic chamber, the second hydraulic chamber having a second pressure port, the second pressure port configured
- to open when the hydraulic fluid flows in the second direction, and
- to close when the hydraulic fluid flows in the first direction;
- a hydraulic bypass passageway configured to be in communication with the first hydraulic chamber and the second hydraulic chamber;
- a pressure sensor, configured to be in communication with the first hydraulic chamber and the second hydraulic chamber, that senses pressure applied to the hydraulic fluid;
- and
- a vehicle frame member, interconnected with a vehicle frame, that retains the reaction carriage,
- wherein the pressure sensor senses the pressure applied to the hydraulic fluid when the reaction force moves the reaction carriage relative to the vehicle frame member.
A method for sensing the torque of a rotating vehicle wheel hub, comprising:
- affixing a reaction carriage to a brake caliper of the vehicle and retaining the reaction carriage with a vehicle frame member;
- applying a caliper force to the wheel hub to slow the speed of the vehicle;
- applying a reaction force to move the reaction carriage relative to the vehicle frame member upon the application of the caliper force;
- flowing a hydraulic fluid in a pressure line when the reaction force is applied to the reaction carriage;
- and
- sensing the hydraulic fluid flow as an indicator of wheel torque.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.