Method for operating a brake system for motor vehicles, and brake system

Abstract

Method for operating a brake system of a motor vehicle having a hydraulic service brake device with hydraulically actuated wheel brakes on at least one front axle of the motor vehicle, and a parking brake device with wheel brakes, which can be actuated in each case by an electromechanical actuator, on a rear axle of the motor vehicle, wherein a motor vehicle actual longitudinal deceleration is measured, wherein during a braking operation by the hydraulic service brake device a braking operation is carried out by the parking brake device while the motor vehicle is traveling, wherein a motor vehicle setpoint longitudinal deceleration which is to be achieved is determined, and the electromechanical actuators of the parking brake device are actuated in such a way that the motor vehicle actual longitudinal deceleration is adjusted to the motor vehicle setpoint longitudinal deceleration.

Claims

1. A method for operating a brake system of a motor vehicle having a hydraulic service brake device with hydraulically actuated wheel brakes on at least one front axle of the motor vehicle, and a parking brake device with wheel brakes, which can be actuated in each case by an electromechanical actuator, on a rear axle of the motor vehicle, the method comprising: measuring a motor vehicle actual longitudinal deceleration, wherein during a braking operation by the hydraulic service brake device a braking operation is carried out by the parking brake device while the motor vehicle is traveling, determining a motor vehicle setpoint longitudinal deceleration which is to be achieved, actuating the electromechanical actuators of the parking brake device in such a way that the motor vehicle actual longitudinal deceleration is adjusted to the motor vehicle setpoint longitudinal deceleration; monitoring a first time profile representing a change in the motor vehicle actual longitudinal deceleration over time and a second time profile representing a change in a wheel brake pressure of the hydraulically actuated wheel brakes over time; detecting locking of at least one of the wheels on the basis of the first time profile representing the change in the motor vehicle actual longitudinal deceleration over time and on the basis of the second time profile representing the change in the wheel brake pressure of the hydraulically actuated wheel brakes over time; and reducing the motor vehicle setpoint longitudinal deceleration when the locking of the at least one of the wheels is detected.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle setpoint longitudinal deceleration is determined on the basis of a brake pressure of the service brake device.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the motor vehicle setpoint longitudinal deceleration is additionally determined on the basis of a measured lateral acceleration of the motor vehicle.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle setpoint longitudinal deceleration is calculated from a first motor vehicle longitudinal deceleration portion, for the front axle, and a second motor vehicle longitudinal deceleration portion, for the rear axle.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first motor vehicle longitudinal deceleration portion is determined from a wheel brake pressure of the hydraulically actuated wheel brakes of the service brake device.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first motor vehicle longitudinal deceleration portion is calculated from the wheel brake pressure on the basis of a first predefined relationship.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second motor vehicle longitudinal deceleration portion is determined as a function of a measured lateral acceleration of the motor vehicle.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second motor vehicle longitudinal deceleration portion is calculated from a third motor vehicle longitudinal deceleration portion and a predefined or predetermined safety deceleration value.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the third motor vehicle longitudinal deceleration portion is calculated from the first motor vehicle longitudinal deceleration portion on the basis of a second predefined relationship.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a change in a side slip angle of the motor vehicle is determined on the basis of a lateral acceleration of the motor vehicle, a yaw rate of the motor vehicle and a vehicle speed, and if the determined change in the side slip angle exceeds a limiting value, a brake application force at the electromechanical actuators of the parking brake device is reduced, or the motor vehicle setpoint longitudinal deceleration, is reduced.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle setpoint longitudinal deceleration is determined on the basis of a wheel brake pressure of the hydraulically actuated wheel brakes of the service brake device.

12. A brake system for a motor vehicle comprising: a hydraulic service brake device with hydraulically actuated wheel brakes on at least one front axle, a parking brake device with wheel brakes, which can each be actuated by an electromechanical actuator, at a rear axle (HA), and an electronic open-loop and closed-loop control unit, wherein the brake system comprises an acceleration-detection device which detects at least one longitudinal deceleration of the motor vehicle or receives measurement data of such an acceleration-detection device, wherein a method as claimed in claim 1 is carried out in the electronic open-loop and closed-loop control unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further preferred embodiments of aspects of the invention can be found in the claims and the following description with reference to a FIGURE.

(2) The FIGURE shows an exemplary brake system for the execution of a method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(3) The FIGURE illustrates an exemplary brake system of a motor vehicle for carrying out a method according to an aspect of the invention in a highly schematic form. The motor vehicle comprises a front axle VA with a left-hand front wheel VL and a right-hand front wheel VR and a rear axle HA with a left-hand rear wheel HL and a right-hand rear wheel HR. The brake system comprises a hydraulic service brake device 10 and an electric parking brake device 20.

(4) The service brake device 10 comprises hydraulically actuated wheel brakes at least for the front axle VA. According to the example, a hydraulically actuated wheel brake 1 is provided for the left-hand front wheel VL, and a hydraulically actuated wheel brake 2 is provided for the right-hand front wheel VR. A hydraulically actuated wheel brake 3 can optionally be provided for the left-hand rear wheel HL, and a hydraulically actuated wheel brake 4 for the right-hand rear wheel HR, which is indicated by the dashed connections. The service brake device 10 also comprises a hydraulic open-loop and closed-loop control unit 40 which can comprise e.g. a brake-pedal-actuated master brake cylinder, an electrically controllable pressure source for a brake-by-wire operating mode, a simulation apparatus which interacts with the master brake cylinder in order to generate a brake pedal sensation in the brake-by-wire operating mode, and electrically actuated valves, e.g. pressure regulating valves for setting wheel brake pressures at the wheel brakes 1-4.

(5) The parking brake device 20 comprises electrically actuated wheel brakes for the rear axle HA. According to the example, a wheel brake 5 is provided for the left-hand rear wheel HL, and a wheel brake 6 is provided for the right-hand rear wheel HR. Each of the electrically actuated wheel brakes comprises an electromechanical actuator (not illustrated in more detail) by which it is actuated.

(6) The wheel brakes 5, 6 of the parking brake device 20 can also be combined with the hydraulic wheel brakes 3, 4 of the rear axle of the service brake device in one unit, e.g. what is referred to as an electromechanically driven combination brake caliper. Electric parking brakes (EPBs) which act on the service brake in order to generate a suitable braking effect, particularly for the parking brake function, are known per se. In the case of an electromechanically driven combination brake caliper, a rotational-translational gear mechanism, (e.g. a spindle drive or ball screw drive) which applies an axial force to the brake piston in the brake caliper, is driven, for example, by means of an electric motor via a primary gear mechanism (usually a rotational-rotational gear mechanism). With this force acting on the brake piston, the brake linings of the brake caliper are pressed against the brake disk and therefore generate a clamping force.

(7) Furthermore, the brake system comprises an electronic open-loop and closed-loop control unit 30. This serves to actuate the electrically actuated components of the hydraulic service brake device 10 and of the parking brake device 20.

(8) An acceleration detection device 11 is provided which measures, for example, the longitudinal deceleration (or longitudinal acceleration) a.sub.Fzg,ist and the lateral acceleration a.sub.Quer,ist of the motor vehicle. For example, the acceleration detection device 11 is connected to the electronic open-loop and closed-loop control unit 30, with the result that the measurement data a a.sub.Fzg,ist, a.sub.Quer,ist of the acceleration detection device are made available to the electronic open-loop and closed-loop control unit 30 and can be evaluated in order to carry out a method according to an aspect of the invention.

(9) For example, during travel of the motor vehicle a braking operation is carried out by means of the parking brake device 20 at the rear axle chronologically in parallel with a braking operation by means of the hydraulic service brake device 10 at at least the front axle VA. For this purpose, a motor vehicle longitudinal deceleration (referred to as the motor vehicle setpoint longitudinal deceleration) a.sub.Fzg,soll which is to be achieved is determined. The electromechanical actuators of the wheel brakes 5, 6 of the parking brake device 20 are then actuated in such a way that the motor vehicle actual longitudinal deceleration a.sub.Fzg,ist measured by means of the acceleration detection device 11 is adjusted to the determined motor vehicle setpoint longitudinal deceleration a.sub.Fzg,soll.

(10) The operating method according to the example for the electrical parking brakes (EPB) 5, 6 during a dynamic braking operation is suitable to be used in parallel with a front axle VA which is also braked. This permits the use of the EPBs 5, 6 in order, for example, to implement a braking operation of the rear axle HA in parallel with a hydraulically braked front axle VA.

(11) The operating method according to the example is also suitable for electric parking brakes 5, 6 in order to assist a hydraulic braking operation which acts on both axles VA, HA (front and rear axles). This is used, for example, to assist an unboosted, driver-actuated braking operation by means of the hydraulic service brake device 10 and therefore to increase the overall braking effect with the same actuation work of the driver.

(12) In both cases, during a dynamic braking operation a braking operation of the rear axle HA is implemented by means of the electric parking brakes 5, 6 on the basis of motor vehicle longitudinal decelerations a.sub.Fzg,ist and, if appropriate, motor vehicle lateral accelerations a.sub.Quer,ist without using wheel rotational speed information. This constitutes support or use of the electric parking brakes 5, 6 in parallel with hydraulic braking during travel.

(13) In order to implement a braking operation of the rear axle in parallel with a hydraulically braked front axle, the operating method operates according to the example with a suitable evaluation of the longitudinal acceleration information and, if appropriate, the lateral acceleration information and suitable actuation of the EPB actuators. This advantageously permits analog and stepless generation of a rear axle braking force in proportion to the front axle braking force.

(14) The method provides the advantage that it can be carried out with electric parking brakes which are known per se. Electromechanical EPB actuators which are known per se usually do not have a sensor system, such as for example force, travel or angle sensors, since this is sufficient for operation as an electric parking brake in a stationary state for which these actuators are designed. Use of electrical parking brake actuators during travel would require detection of the current braking force or clamping force if the braking effect is to be able to be set by means of an actuation signal in an analog (in the stepless case) and reproducible fashion. However, this is not implemented for reasons of cost. The wheel rotational speed information could be used to permit use of the EPB actuators for a dynamic braking operation during travel. However, the wheel rotational speed information is not always available, e.g. if the wheel rotational speed sensors fail or are not available in every operating situation as a result of the design of the brake system architecture or fallback level architecture. Here, the exemplary operating method for electric parking brakes can be used on the basis of acceleration information during a dynamic braking operation. This acceleration information can be obtained internally or via bus communication from the sensor system which is usually already installed or, if appropriate, additionally installed, i.e. a control unit.

(15) An exemplary method for operating a brake system with a hydraulic service brake device 10 with hydraulically actuated wheel brakes 1, 2 at at least the front axle VA and a parking brake device 20 with wheel brakes 5, 6, which can be actuated in each case by an electromechanical actuator, at the rear axle HA is carried out as follows:

(16) If the front axle VA is braked hydraulically by building a wheel brake pressure p.sub.VA, initially a corresponding vehicle deceleration a.sub.Fzg,ist occurs. According to the example, the rear wheels HR, HL are braked in proportion to the front axle VA using the wheel brakes 5, 6 on the basis of the longitudinal acceleration information (a.sub.Fzg,ist) and the front wheel brake pressure or pressures.

(17) For this purpose, the corresponding vehicle deceleration a.sub.VA (referred to as first motor vehicle longitudinal deceleration portion) at the set front axle brake pressure p.sub.VA is acquired. That is to say a (“theoretical”) longitudinal deceleration portion of the VA is calculated from the front axle brake pressure p.sub.VA using a predefined relationship, e.g. a formula.

(18) A permissible deceleration portion a.sub.HAtheo of the rear axle HA (referred to as the third motor vehicle longitudinal deceleration portion) is acquired on the basis of the vehicle geometry and center of gravity which are known for the motor vehicle, including the calculated longitudinal deceleration portion a.sub.VA of the front axle VA. For this purpose, a formula is advantageously predefined for the deceleration portion a.sub.HAtheo of the rear axle HA. That is to say it is determined what braking force the rear axle HA can still apply to the underlying surface with course stability according to the dynamic axle load displacement, that is to say without a loss of stability of the vehicle.

(19) The acquired possible deceleration portion a.sub.HAtheo of the rear axle HA is used, minus a safety margin Δa, as a target deceleration a.sub.HA for the rear axle HA (referred to as the second motor vehicle longitudinal deceleration portion).

(20) The rear axle target deceleration a.sub.HA is added to the front axle deceleration portion a.sub.VA, already acquired by means of the front axle brake pressures p.sub.VA, (a.sub.Fzg,soll=a.sub.VA+a.sub.HA). This entire vehicle target deceleration (motor vehicle setpoint longitudinal deceleration a.sub.Fzg,soll) is now compared with the measured longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle a.sub.Fzg,ist and serves as a control error with respect to the actuation of the electric parking brake actuators at the rear axle HA.

(21) For example, the rear axle braking force is then therefore increased until the measured vehicle longitudinal acceleration a.sub.Fzg,ist has reached the acquired vehicle target deceleration a.sub.Fzg,soll. For this purpose, the electric parking brake actuators are correspondingly applied, and therefore increase their clamping force, until the desired vehicle target deceleration a.sub.Fzg,soll is reached. When the braking specification is reduced (e.g. by the driver or an autopilot), the parking brake actuators are correspondingly released again to such an extent that the desired vehicle target deceleration a.sub.Fzg,soll is reached.

(22) The control error between the acquired vehicle target deceleration a.sub.Fzg,soll and the measured vehicle deceleration a.sub.Fzg,ist is therefore eliminated, according to the example, by correspondingly applying and releasing the parking brake actuators. The rear axle HA is therefore also braked in proportion to the front axle VA and instability of the vehicle is avoided by the suitably acquired rear axle target deceleration a.sub.HA.

(23) Since the rear axle target deceleration a.sub.HA has been acquired on the basis of the dynamic axle load displacement minus a safety margin Δa, the locking sequence is ensured in the case of breaking specifications which exceed the possible deceleration or braking force at the current coefficient of friction of the underlying surface, i.e. the front axle VA is locked before the rear axle HA.

(24) In order to avoid locking of the wheels as far as possible, according to the example an attempt is further made to detect locking the wheels on the basis of the vehicle longitudinal acceleration a.sub.Fzg,ist. For this purpose, according to the example it is observed whether the vehicle longitudinal acceleration a.sub.Fzg,ist does not increase further despite an increasing breaking specification, thus remains constant or even decreases again even though the brake pressure has not been reduced. This indicates locking of the wheels. After this detection, the brake pressure p.sub.VA is modulated in accordance with an ABS-cycle-similar pressure profile, a suitable pressure value is thus built up and after a short time a portion of the pressure value is built up again.

(25) In order to avoid locking the wheels, e.g. a time profile or a change in the motor vehicle actual longitudinal deceleration over time and the time profile of the wheel brake pressures of the hydraulically actuated wheel brakes of the front axle VA is observed. Locking of at least one of the wheels can be inferred on the basis of the observation.

(26) In this context, a reduction in or plateauing of the motor vehicle actual longitudinal deceleration are to be detected. As long as the brake pressure at the front wheels becomes higher, the motor vehicle actual longitudinal deceleration also increases correspondingly. If at least one of the front wheels locks, the motor vehicle actual longitudinal deceleration plateaus or drops again since locking wheels according to known coefficient of adhesion curves of tyres can transmit significantly less force after an adhesion maximum, which, depending on the tyre and the underlying surface, has an approximately 10-15% slip, is exceeded. That is to say locked wheels or wheels which have a high degree of brake slip transmit less braking force to the road than if the wheel is still in the stable slip range. Measurement variables or motor vehicle actual longitudinal deceleration measured values which are filtered to differing degrees are advantageously used for observing the motor vehicle actual longitudinal deceleration. Since a relatively strong filtering also results in a relatively large time offset of the signal, this provides the possibility that in the case of a reduction in the motor vehicle actual longitudinal deceleration an intersection point is produced between a strong signal and a less strongly filtered signal. On the basis of this intersection point between the signals and the observation of the signal profile it is possible to infer that at this moment or shortly before the front wheels have begun to lock or an excessively large slip has started.

(27) Locking of at least one of the wheels can be detected on the basis of this observation of the specified variables. According to the example, a reduction in pressure is then carried out at the wheel brakes of the service brake device. The reduction in pressure is carried out here similar to as is customary in the case of an ABS control, with the objective of ensuring that the wheels return to a stable slip range, and therefore, on the one hand, can output more longitudinal force again and furthermore can also transmit lateral guidance force again. Higher deceleration can therefore be achieved and the vehicle continues to be steerable.

(28) During cornering, according to the example the target deceleration a.sub.HA of the rear axle HA is furthermore reduced further on the basis of the vehicle lateral acceleration a.sub.Quer,ist in order to obtain an increased and therefore suitable safety margin for stable lateral guidance of the rear axle HA during cornering.

(29) Furthermore, according to the example stability monitoring is carried out by using lateral acceleration information, yaw rate information and vehicle speed information. For this purpose, a relationship is formed between the specified information items, in order to detect an excessive change in the side slip angle of the vehicle and subsequently reduce the rear axle braking force again in favor of the lateral guidance, in order thereby to maintain the vehicle stability.

(30) With the exemplary operating method for electric parking brakes, during a dynamic braking operation it is possible to assist or make parallel use of a hydraulic braking operation during travel on the basis of longitudinal acceleration information without using wheel rotational speed information. In this context, the vehicle stability is advantageously maintained by suitably acquiring the rear axle setpoint longitudinal deceleration or vehicle setpoint longitudinal deceleration and regulating the rear axle brake actuators (electric parking brake actuators) on the basis of the vehicle longitudinal acceleration.

(31) The regulation according to an aspect of the invention on the basis of the vehicle longitudinal deceleration permits the braking effect of the rear wheels in proportion to the front wheels.