Abstract
The VE Brake is an electro-mechanical floating caliper disc brake (EMB) that uses a novel mechanism (effectively a mini crankshaft) with lowest possible friction in actuation, non linearity and a designable self amplification for very low actuation power, e.g. 100 W for mid size cars. It can cooperate for best regenerative braking and it can be designed to have no residual drag losses, both highly actual topics for electric and hybrid vehicles.
Earlier versions were intensely tested on a lab dynamometer. Latest road going versions are with fully integrated actuators are being developed for mid size SUV class vehicles . The new challenge was to fully protect the actuators (small electro motors with gears) and to integrate the actuators into the mechanical parts of the brake so that the brake fits into the given front axle, suspension and rim of standard SUV components maintaining the full steering angle, spring stroke and brake location without modifications. Both, a normal single channel design with one actuator for clamping forces and one for wear adjustment, and a two channel design with two clamping-force actuators and two wear adjustment actuators are presented.
This VE brake can be used as well in single channel design (saving costs) as in two-channel-design (for very high reliability purpose with few brakes, e.g. with only two brakes on motorcycles, city cars or even aircraft). In the conference paper it is shown how to solve the space issues for the single and the two channel design and how to adequately protect the complete actuation against impacts, dirt and salt water. Of course the wear adjustment can be done mechanically ( as with drum brakes). This version does it electrically to offer full flexibility of electronic control. It is also shown how the parameters of the brake could (if intended) even be changed “on the ride” by selecting the involved range of the eccentric part that changes transmission ratio, non-linearity and self amplification. Although these parameters have been unchanged on dynamometer tests the advantages of making them adjustable are shown, resulting in a further reduction in actuation power and size of mechanical parts.
KEYWORDS – Electro mechanical brake, EMB, self amplification, actuator, electric vehicle