Brake pedal feel emulator with integral force and travel sensors
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorsSchuyler S. Shaw, Bryan P. Riddiford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A brake pedal feel emulator for a motor vehicle brake system includes a housing having a bore for supporting a first piston operably connected to a brake pedal. An elastomer spring encapsulating a magnet or magnetized by the dispersion of ferrous particles throughout the spring body is engageable by the first piston and is disposed in the emulator housing. A second piston is disposed in the housing and engaged with the elastomer spring and with a mechanical spring. Hall effect sensors mounted on the emulator housing sense changes in a magnetic field generated by the magnet to provide signals to a controller proportional to travel and force exerted on the brake pedal for use in controlling the vehicle brake system.
Claims17
An emulator for a motor vehicle braking system operably connected to an operator controlled brake actuator for said braking system, said emulator comprising:
- a housing including a bore formed therein;
- a first piston disposed in said bore for linear reciprocating movement in said bore;
- an actuating member interconnecting said first piston with said operator controlled brake actuator;
- a first spring disposed in said bore and operably engaged with said first piston;
- a first magnet for generating a magnetic field in the vicinity of said housing;
- a first sensor mounted on said housing for sensing a change in said magnetic field in response to movement of said operator controlled brake actuator, said first piston and said first spring;
- and
- said first sensor being operable to generate a signal related to displacement of said piston and said first spring in response to movement of said operator controlled brake actuator.
An emulator for a motor vehicle braking system operably connected to a brake pedal for said braking system, said emulator comprising:
- a housing including a bore formed therein;
- a first piston disposed in said bore for linear reciprocating movement in said bore;
- an actuating member interconnecting said first piston with a brake pedal of said vehicle;
- an elastomer spring disposed in said bore and operably engaged with said first piston;
- at least one magnet generating a magnetic field in the vicinity of said housing;
- a first sensor mounted in said housing for sensing a change in a magnetic field in response to movement of said brake pedal, said first piston and said elastomer spring, said first sensor being operable to generate a signal related to the displacement of said brake pedal;
- a second piston mounted in said bore and engaged with said elastomer spring and with a mechanical spring supported in said bore and engaged with a part of said housing, said second piston being moveable in response to movement of said first piston and deflection of said elastomer spring against the urging of said mechanical spring;
- and
- a second sensor disposed to sense a change in a magnetic field in response to movement of said elastomer spring and said second piston against the urging of said mechanical spring and to provide a signal related to force exerted on said brake pedal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.