An electro-mechanical drum brake is disclosed. An electro-mechanical drum brake according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include a back plate, a drum disposed on one side of the back plate, a first brake shoe and a second brake shoe rotatably coupled on one surface of the back plate, a pressing member configured to press one sides of the first brake shoe and the second brake shoe so that the first brake shoe and the second brake shoe advance toward or retreat from an inner circumferential surface of the drum, an actuator configured to provide a driving force so that the pressing member presses the first and second brake shoes, and a sensor positioned between the other sides of the first and second brake shoes and formed to measure loads of the first and second brake shoes applied in a first direction tangent to a rotational radius of the drum.

A brake device applies a braking force to a vehicle by pressing a friction material against a rotor rotating integrally with a wheel. A temperature estimation method applied to the brake device includes: calculating an amount of absorbed energy absorbed by the rotor based on an amount of kinetic energy that the vehicle loses and an amount of potential energy that the vehicle loses during braking of the vehicle; and estimating a temperature of the rotor based on the amount of absorbed energy.

A brake device applies a braking force to a vehicle by pressing a friction material against a rotor rotating integrally with a wheel. A temperature estimation method applied to the brake device includes: calculating an amount of absorbed energy absorbed by the rotor based on an amount of kinetic energy that the vehicle loses and an amount of potential energy that the vehicle loses during braking of the vehicle; and estimating a temperature of the rotor based on the amount of absorbed energy.

An actuator for a motor vehicle functional unit includes a force transmission unit transmitting an actuating force to an actuating member and being displaced by a measuring travel in a force transmission direction. A force measurement device detects an actual value of the actuating force and includes a spring acting in the force transmission direction, having resilient action counter to which the force transmission unit is displaced and being tensioned by the actuating force over a resilient excursion, a micro switch having smaller switching travel than the measuring travel and being actuated upon displacement of the force transmission unit if the actuating force reaches the actual value, and a stop element for actuating the switch. The switch or element are coupled to or fixed relative to the force transmission unit and the switch and/or element are resiliently supported to compensate for a difference between the switching and measuring travels.

An actuator for a motor vehicle functional unit includes a force transmission unit transmitting an actuating force to an actuating member and being displaced by a measuring travel in a force transmission direction. A force measurement device detects an actual value of the actuating force and includes a spring acting in the force transmission direction, having resilient action counter to which the force transmission unit is displaced and being tensioned by the actuating force over a resilient excursion, a micro switch having smaller switching travel than the measuring travel and being actuated upon displacement of the force transmission unit if the actuating force reaches the actual value, and a stop element for actuating the switch. The switch or element are coupled to or fixed relative to the force transmission unit and the switch and/or element are resiliently supported to compensate for a difference between the switching and measuring travels.

A system for monitoring usage of rail car brake equipment and determining whether the actual lifespan of the brake equipment is shorter than an expected lifespan had the brake equipment been used under normal or constant parameters. The system includes a sensor for collecting and outputting data indicating how the brake equipment has been actually used. A controller is programmed to receive the data regarding how the brake system component has been used and to calculate whether the brake system component has an estimated lifespan that is shorter than the expected lifespan. The sensor may comprise an ambient temperature sensor, a flow sensor that determines the air used by the braking system that includes the brake system component, and/or a pressure sensor that can determines how frequently and in what manner the brake system has been used.

A system for monitoring usage of rail car brake equipment and determining whether the actual lifespan of the brake equipment is shorter than an expected lifespan had the brake equipment been used under normal or constant parameters. The system includes a sensor for collecting and outputting data indicating how the brake equipment has been actually used. A controller is programmed to receive the data regarding how the brake system component has been used and to calculate whether the brake system component has an estimated lifespan that is shorter than the expected lifespan. The sensor may comprise an ambient temperature sensor, a flow sensor that determines the air used by the braking system that includes the brake system component, and/or a pressure sensor that can determines how frequently and in what manner the brake system has been used.

A brake system and a method of controlling a brake system. The method may include indirectly estimating an air gap between a brake friction member and a brake pad assembly based on a position signal from a position sensor that detects cycling of the friction brake and a further signal indicative of an amount of brake force used to engage the brake pad assembly with the brake friction member. The air gap may be adjusted when an estimated air gap differs from a desired air gap.

A brake system and a method of controlling a brake system. The method may include indirectly estimating an air gap between a brake friction member and a brake pad assembly based on a position signal from a position sensor that detects cycling of the friction brake and a further signal indicative of an amount of brake force used to engage the brake pad assembly with the brake friction member. The air gap may be adjusted when an estimated air gap differs from a desired air gap.

Various systems, devices, and methods for a vehicle smart brake pad comprising a sensor such as a force sensing device, and a production process thereof. For example, a production process of a vehicle brake pad can include the following steps in time sequence: applying an electrical circuit a support plate; screen printing on the electrical circuit of at least a first electrode; screen printing on the at least first electrode of a sheet of piezoelectric material; screen printing on the sheet of at least a second electrode; applying a friction pad on the support plate; and bulk polarizing the sheet of piezoelectric material by a supply of power to the at least first and second electrodes.