An electronic parking brake system and method for controlling an EPB system are disclosed. An EPB system including EPB actuator operated by a motor includes a motor driver which drives the motor of the EPB actuator; a current detector which detects a current flowing in the motor; and an electronic control unit (ECU) which drives the motor using the motor driver according to an operation mode, calculates an amount of current energy consumed by the motor using the current detected by the current detector while the motor is driving and a detecting time taken to detect the current, compares the calculated amount of current energy and a preset value, and controls an operation of the motor according to a result of the comparison.

The invention relates to a multi-speed transmission (10, 110), comprising a power split device (11; 111), an input shaft (12, 112) of the transmission (10, 110) being connected or connectable to prime mover (18, 118), an output shaft (13; 113), two shiftable sub-transmissions (14, 114; 15, 115), each providing a plurality of different gear ratios, and at least one rotating electric machine (16; 116, 116a), connected to said power split device (11; 111), wherein the two sub-transmissions (14, 114; 15, 115) can be connected alternatively to the output shaft (13, 113), and a control system (26; 126, 126a), connecting said electric machine (16; 116, 116a) with an electric battery (27; 127) and auxiliary electrical consumers (31, 131). The electric machine (16; 116, 116a) is connected to the power split device (11; 111) in a way that it allows to reduce torque value down to zero on either an input shaft (20; 120) of the first sub-transmission (14; 114) or on an input shaft (22; 122) of the second sub-transmission (15; 115) by applying different shaft torque levels, and the internal heat generation capacity of the electric machine (16; 116, 116a) exceeds the power capacity of the power line in said control system (26; 126, 126a).

A number of variations may include a product comprising an output shaft having a radial flange comprising a plurality of teeth; a range shifter operatively connected to the output shaft constructed and arranged to selectively shift a vehicle between a low range, high range, and neutral mode; a mode shifter operatively connected to the output shaft constructed and arranged to shift the vehicle between a four-wheel and two-wheel drive mode; a dual drive gear operatively attached to the output shaft between the range shifter and the mode shifter constructed and arranged so that rotation of the dual drive gear drives the range shifter and the mode shifter; and at least one plunger radially displaced around the output shaft which is actuated by the dual drive gear to engage a slot between the plurality of teeth on the output shaft to prevent rotation of the shaft during a range shift.

A parking brake apparatus is provided for a vehicle including a vehicle drive train that extends between a vehicle propulsion engine and a vehicle wheel. The parking brake apparatus comprises a wheel drum located away from the vehicle wheel and fixedly attached to a drivetrain shaft that extends along a portion of the vehicle drive train between the vehicle propulsion engine and the vehicle wheel. The parking brake apparatus also comprises activatable drum brake components disposed in an interior chamber of the wheel drum. When activated, the drum brake components apply a clamping force to the wheel drum to prevent the wheel drum and the drivetrain shaft fixedly attached thereto from rotating and thereby preventing the vehicle wheel from rotating to provide the vehicle with a parking brake functionality.

A brake cylinder device having a parking spring brake mechanism, provided with a clutch mechanism configured so as to transmit or block urging force of a piston to or from a brake force transmitting unit; a latch member for restricting displacement of the brake force transmitting unit relative to the piston by engaging with the clutch mechanism, and allowing displacement of the brake force transmitting unit relative to the piston by disengaging from the clutch mechanism; a latch lock member for engaging at an inclined part with a protruding part of the latch member; and a rotation-preventing part for preventing the latch lock member from rotating.

A method for determining a position of a movable element of a linear actuator of a motor vehicle includes supplying a current to a coil of the linear actuator so as to move and/or hold the movable element by a magnetic field of the coil generated by the supplied current; modulating the current supplied to the coil with an electrical alternating variable having a predetermined frequency; determining an impedance or an admittance of the coil at the predetermined frequency by measuring a further variable at the predetermined frequency; and determining the position of the movable element as a function of the determined impedance or admittance.

Some embodiments relate to an electro-mechanical actuator that includes a screw, structurally segregated (split) housings, first and second nuts coupled to the screw, a sensor assembly, a plurality of motors, and a controller. The first nut is coupled to a first mounting point, and the second nut is coupled to a second mounting point. The sensor assembly may generate signals indicative of (e.g., relative) positions of left and right units of the actuator or positions of the first nut and the second nut on the screw. The controller controls the motors based on the signals generated by the sensor assembly. The motors may rotate each nut about a screw axis of the screw. This rotation results in one or both nuts moving along the screw. Movement between the first nut and the second nut along the screw adjusts a distance between the first mounting point and the second mounting point.

An actuator element is provided for a parking brake that has a mechanically acting actuating mechanism and that can be coupled via a shiftable clutch device to a pump drive of a hydraulic system of a primary assembly by means of a shiftable clutch device in order to activate the parking brake

A magnetic brake assembly for use with a wheel rim is described. The brake assembly includes a rotor secured to rotate with the rim and a stator secured to be rotationally stationary relative to the rotor. One of the rotor and stator has an electrically conductive body and the other of the rotor and stator has a magnetic array including a plurality of magnets configured to generate a magnetic flux. An actuator is connected to at least one of the electrically conductive body and magnetic array to selectively effect a brake mode and a non-brake mode. In the brake mode, the magnetic array induces eddy currents in the electrically conductive body to generate a magnetic braking force when the rim rotates above a threshold speed and in the non-brake mode, the induced eddy currents cause a negligible or no magnetic braking force as the rim rotates above the threshold speed.

In response to driver selection of PARK, a vehicle transmission is commanded to momentarily select and hold NEUTRAL before PARK, while a vehicle wheel brake is applied. Such an arrangement avoids trapping torque in the driveline, and thus can obviate pawl ‘thump’ when PARK is next disengaged.