An electromechanical brake apparatus includes a housing supporting an inboard brake pad and an oppositely facing outboard brake pad for selective frictional contact with a rotor interposed longitudinally therebetween. An adjuster ramp assembly indirectly receives torque from the motor unit. A spindle is provided for selectively moving the inboard brake pad longitudinally. The spindle is operatively connected with the adjuster ramp assembly to indirectly receive torque from the motor unit therethrough. A leading ramp assembly is configured to transmit applied torque from the motor unit to the adjuster ramp assembly via at least one ramp ball longitudinally interposed therebetween. A predetermined amount and direction of torque is applied to each of the adjuster ramp assembly and the leading ramp assembly to assist with a selected one of (1) service brake application and (2) service brake release functions. The electromechanical brake apparatus is operative, at different times, for both functions.

An electric motor with a rotor and a stator, where the rotor and/or the stator can comprise two or more sections, and a torque ripple caused by the magnetic field(s) associated with a section of the rotor (or stator) can at least partially counters torque ripple caused by the magnetic field(s) associated with other section(s) of the rotor (or stator).

A vehicle steering system comprises: a motor assembly operably coupled to a steering rack, the motor assembly comprising a motor having a rotor and a motor position sensor configured to sense a rotor angle of the motor in a single-turn range; and a rotary-to-linear conversion mechanism operably coupled between the motor assembly and the steering rack, the rotary-to-linear conversion mechanism comprising a rotor operably coupled to the rotor of the motor. A processor calculates an absolute angular position of the pinion in a full-turn range of rotation of the pinion based on the sensed rotor angle of the motor and a pinion angle sensed by a pinion angle sensor in a single-turn range, or based on the sensed rotor angle of the motor and an angle of the rotor of the rotary-to-linear conversion mechanism sensed by an angular position sensor in the single-turn range.

A piston configured for use in a brake system is disclosed. The piston can comprise: a body; and a footing; the footing positioned adjacent an end of the body, and having a recess that receives a central portion of the end; during operation of the brake system, the footing extends along a brake pad, and is configured to exert force on the brake pad during actuation of the disk brake system; and the footing having a face configured to contact the brake pad, the face having a length and a width, wherein the length is longer than an outside width of the body, and the length is greater than the width, and/or the face having a cross-sectional area normal to a direction of travel of the piston that is larger than a cross-sectional area of the piston body that is normal to the direction of travel of the piston.

An electromechanical actuator package for actuating a brake assembly configured to operate a vehicle brake comprises: a motor; a differential operably connected to the motor, the differential comprising a pulley and an output connectable to the brake assembly; and a locking mechanism configured to lock the pulley of the differential, the locking mechanism comprising: a base configured to be movable, a plurality of projections projecting from the movable base, the projections comprising first and second projections, wherein at least a part of the pulley is positioned between the first and second projections projected from the movable base, an electromagnet assembly disposed adjacent to at least one of the projections, the electromagnet assembly operably associated with at least one of the projections, and one or more springs operably coupled to the movable base and/or at least one of the projections.

An electromechanical brake apparatus includes a housing supporting an inboard brake pad and an oppositely facing outboard brake pad for selective frictional contact with a rotor interposed longitudinally therebetween. An adjuster ramp assembly indirectly receives torque from the motor unit. A spindle is provided for selectively moving the inboard brake pad longitudinally. The spindle is operatively connected with the adjuster ramp assembly to indirectly receive torque from the motor unit therethrough. A leading ramp assembly is configured to transmit applied torque from the motor unit to the adjuster ramp assembly via at least one ramp ball longitudinally interposed therebetween. A predetermined amount and direction of torque is applied to each of the adjuster ramp assembly and the leading ramp assembly to assist with a selected one of (1) service brake application and (2) service brake release functions. The electromechanical brake apparatus is operative, at different times, for both functions.

A piston configured for use in a brake system is disclosed. The piston can comprise: a body; and a footing; the footing positioned adjacent an end of the body, and having a recess that receives a central portion of the end; during operation of the brake system, the footing extends along a brake pad, and is configured to exert force on the brake pad during actuation of the disk brake system; and the footing having a face configured to contact the brake pad, the face having a length and a width, wherein the length is longer than an outside width of the body, and the length is greater than the width, and/or the face having a cross-sectional area normal to a direction of travel of the piston that is larger than a cross-sectional area of the piston body that is normal to the direction of travel of the piston.

A vehicle steering system comprises: a motor assembly operably coupled to a steering rack, the motor assembly comprising a motor having a rotor and a motor position sensor configured to sense a rotor angle of the motor in a single-turn range; and a rotary-to-linear conversion mechanism operably coupled between the motor assembly and the steering rack, the rotary-to-linear conversion mechanism comprising a rotor operably coupled to the rotor of the motor. A processor calculates an absolute angular position of the pinion in a full-turn range of rotation of the pinion based on the sensed rotor angle of the motor and a pinion angle sensed by a pinion angle sensor in a single-turn range, or based on the sensed rotor angle of the motor and an angle of the rotor of the rotary-to-linear conversion mechanism sensed by an angular position sensor in the single-turn range.

An electromechanical actuator package for actuating a brake assembly configured to operate a vehicle brake comprises: a motor; a differential operably connected to the motor, the differential comprising a pulley and an output connectable to the brake assembly; and a locking mechanism configured to lock the pulley of the differential, the locking mechanism comprising: a base configured to be movable, a plurality of projections projecting from the movable base, the projections comprising first and second projections, wherein at least a part of the pulley is positioned between the first and second projections projected from the movable base, an electromagnet assembly disposed adjacent to at least one of the projections, the electromagnet assembly operably associated with at least one of the projections, and one or more springs operably coupled to the movable base and/or at least one of the projections.

An electric motor with a rotor and a stator, where the rotor and/or the stator can comprise two or more sections, and a torque ripple caused by the magnetic field(s) associated with a section of the rotor (or stator) can at least partially counters torque ripple caused by the magnetic field(s) associated with other section(s) of the rotor (or stator).