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Introduction - : Electronic Parking Brake Systems (EPB)

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521 views

Introduction - : Electronic Parking Brake Systems (EPB)

Uploaded by

Hesham Saleh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Electronic parking brake systems (EPB)

Introduction - Developments in vehicle comfort and convenience systems


In recent years the modern motorcar has seen rapid change in respect to the development and
use of advanced vehicle electronic systems. Amongst these new innovations, are the following:

o hands free vehicle entry


o tyre pressure monitoring
o electronic park brake
o driver parking aid's

Most of these are functions that would have been carried out by the driver in the natural course of
using and maintaining his/her vehicle, such as unlocking the car with a key, checking the tyre
pressures or simply reversing the car into a parking space.

Electronic parking brake systems (EPB)


An excellent example of this new use of technology, is the parking brake, although originally
known to most of us as a “handbrake”, (the name “parking brake” was required to encompass the
fact that this method of locking the wheels, could be achieved by the use of a foot operated lever in
addition to the hand controlled mechanism). Most manufacturers now include an electronic
parking brake system on at least one of their current models, the primary purpose of which, is to
ensure that the driver has total confidence in the ability of the parking brake to “hold” the car
securely on any incline regardless of the total load being carried by the vehicle.

EPB systems enable the driver to apply and disengage the parking brake by the simple touch of a
button, additional features can include:

hill start assistance (automatic release)


automatic operation in stop-go traffic
application of parking brake when the ignition is turned off (automatic application)
brake pad wear indication
links to vehicle immobiliser function
re-application of tension as the brake discs cool down
manual override to allow the driver to apply maximum tension to the parking brake

whilst by no means exhaustive, this list gives us a clear indication of how sophisticated EPB
systems can be.

Copyright Jim Scivyer (August 2007 - Revised January 2009)


Electronic parking brake systems (EPB)

EPB system overview


Depending upon the specific vehicle layout (Fig 1) and the different features that have been
included by the OEM, the EPB will use an electronic control unit (ECU), an electric motor, brake
cables, a cable tension or torque sensor, a vehicle incline sensor, driver application/release control
switch and an emergency release mechanism.

Driver Information Driver


Display Unit Control

Multiplex Motor
Gateway
Brake Calipers

ECU
Incline Sensor
High speed data transfer
between:
• Engine Management Torque Sensor
• Immobiliser
• ABS/ESP
Clutch Pedal
Travel Sensor

Figure1 : Electronic Parking Brake System (EPB)

Copyright Jim Scivyer (August 2007 - Revised January 2009)


Electronic parking brake systems (EPB)

EPB system operation


Beginning with the most basic type of EPB, the system operation is very simple. When the driver
starts the engine, the EPB controller receives a “ wake up” signal from the engine management
ECU, at this stage the EPB is ready to operate. As the driver increases the engine revs and
begins to release the clutch pedal the EPB motor gradually releases the tension on the park brake
cables until the wheels are free to turn. The engine speed information comes from the engine
management ECU, via the multiplex network, whilst clutch movement data can come directly from
a clutch pedal travel sensor. For vehicles fitted with an automatic transmission (AT), the clutch
pedal travel sensor input is replaced by a “ point of drive” signal from the AT controller.

Once the vehicle comes to rest, the park brake will either be applied automatically, or the driver will
be required to apply it by manually operating the EPB switch.

In some vehicles, the park brake is always applied to a maximum torque, that is somewhere in the
region of 1500 Newtons. Other systems though, are far more sophisticated and will only apply a
very precise torque value, that has been calculated by the EPB controller. This calculation is
carried out by using data pre-programmed to the ECU (the total unladen weight of the vehicle)
along with voltage signal inputs from a vehicle incline sensor and the park brake cable torque
sensor, both of which are usually located inside the EPB motor assembly.

For those vehicles that are capable of varying the amount of torque applied to the cables, the
driver is provided with the ability to manually apply maximum torque, simply by holding the EPB
switch for a longer period of time (normally about 3 seconds). This facility would become
necessary when towing a trailer, or if the vehicle was being parked on a car ferry where the
vehicle’s inclination value would vary with the movement of the sea.

The ECU will be linked to all of the other relevant electronic systems via a CAN bus (Controller
Area Network) or similar high speed multiplex network, this will ensure that when the engine is
turned off and the immobiliser is enabled, the park brake can be held securely on, until the EPB
controller receives a “release” command from the engine immobiliser.

Other such high speed data links will include a connection to the ABS controller where wheel
movement can be monitored for up to 24 hours. This will ensure that even the slightest amount of
vehicle creeping, is detected and then countered immediately by commanding the EPB motor to
increase the torque value that has been applied to the parking brake cables.

Having now seen how the system operates on different vehicles, it is easy to understand the ways
in which drivability can be increased by simple changes to the EPB controller software. For
example it could be programmed to apply the park brake as soon as the vehicle has been
stationary for more than 3 seconds, thus providing automatic assistance in traffic.

Copyright Jim Scivyer (August 2007 - Revised January 2009)


Electronic parking brake systems (EPB)

MASERATI EHB System

This is a basic system that provides the driver with an automatic


release function whilst application of the park brake is via manual
control of the EHB switch. Manual release of the callipers has to be
carried out by the dealer.

1 = EPB controller and motor assembly


2 = EPB actuation cable
3 = Park brake cable compensator unit

Copyright Jim Scivyer (August 2007 - Revised January 2009)


Electronic parking brake systems (EPB)

Renault EHB System

This is a more sophisticated system that applies a variable torque


to the cables, it also provides the driver with a manual over-ride that
allows maximum torque to be applied. It has an emergency release
mechanism that can also be operated by the driver.

1 = EPB controller and motor assembly (including cable torque


sensor and vehicle incline sensor).

2 = EPB actuation cable


3 = Park brake emergency release cable

Copyright Jim Scivyer (August 2007 - Revised January 2009)


Electronic parking brake systems (EPB)

EPB emergency release


In the unlikely event of a vehicle failure, such as a flat battery, it will be
necessary to manually release the park brake cable tension to allow the car
to be moved to safety.
Whilst on some systems it is possible to wind the calipers back, others
provide a mechanical release cable that enables, even the driver to
effectively unhook the park brake cables.
Whichever method is employed on the system that you are working on, it will
need to be reset. This will be carried out, either by the dealer or automatically
as the system initiates a reset procedure whilst the vehicle is being driven
along the road.

Copyright Jim Scivyer (August 2007 - Revised January 2009)

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