FR3118668A1 - "Method for measuring the speed or displacement or position of an electric motor, in particular in an automotive brake actuator" - Google Patents

Abstract

"Method for measuring the speed or displacement or position of an electric motor, in particular in an automotive brake actuator" The invention relates to a method (E1) for measuring the speed and/or position of a moving part (R1) within an electric motor (M1), in particular a rotary one. An electronic control unit (ECU) performs the following steps: activation (E10) of said motor, and application of a supply voltage to the motor supply terminals (M19), measurement (E12) of a signal of variation in intensity and/or voltage at the supply terminals, analysis (E13) of said variation signal to detect one or more events (p1-p14, i1-i14) representing a displacement of said moving part of said motor. A direct measurement of the displacement or the speed of the motor is thus obtained, by electronic processing, without requiring any specific sensor in the motor or the actuator. The invention also relates to a control unit, or a motor or actuator, or a brake or a vehicle, implementing such a method. Figure for the abstract: Fig.1

Description

"Method for measuring the speed or displacement or position of an electric motor, in particular in an automotive brake actuator"

The invention relates to a method for measuring the speed and/or position of a moving part within an electric motor, in particular a rotary one. An electronic control unit performs the following steps:

• activation of said motor, and application of a supply voltage to the motor supply terminals,
• measurement of a current and/or voltage variation signal at the power supply terminals,
• analysis of said variation signal to detect one or more events representing a displacement of said moving part of said motor.

A direct measurement of the displacement or the speed of the motor is thus obtained, by electronic processing, without requiring any specific sensor in the motor or the actuator.

The invention also relates to a control unit, or a motor or actuator, or a brake or a vehicle, implementing such a method.

State of the art

In the field of electric actuators, for example in the field of road and/or motor vehicles but also in other fields, it is often useful to be able to measure the mechanical and dynamic state of such an actuator or of the engine which drives, that is to say in particular its speed (generally of rotation) and/or its position.

For all types of electric motors, it is known to use one or more position sensors, for example a Hall effect sensor, which simply count the number of passages of a rotating marker in front of a sensor (or vice versa). An electronic calculation unit can thus know the movement of the actuator by counting the number of revolutions of the motor, or even its speed of movement by comparing this movement with an elapsed time.

In the field of vehicle braking, in particular automobiles, it is common practice to use brakes actuated by an electric motor, typically for a parking and/or emergency brake function, or even for a service brake function. The motors used are often DC motors, brushed or brushed and for example of the "universal motor" type, or even of the brushless type ("brushless" in English) with electronic switching.

For such electric actuators, the actuation control is generally managed by a control unit which supplies and/or controls the actuator motor according to the commands of the driver, and also of the vehicle itself in certain automated functions in all or part. The control unit can for example adjust the actuation of braking controlled by the driver as a function of additional parameters, for example in functions such as anti-locking of the wheels. It can also perform certain complete functions automatically, for example emergency braking.

In all these functions, it is often necessary to know and/or regulate the position of the actuator and/or its torque and/or its speed, for example to adjust the braking force applied. The control unit then generally uses a measurement by position sensor, internal or external to the motor, or an estimate calculated for example by compiling the commands sent from a known reference position.

This need involves using a relatively complex architecture, for example by using a complex technology engine with integrated measurement and by retrieving this information outside the engine, or by adding one or more sensors on the engine or within the actuator.

An object of the invention to overcome in whole or in part the drawbacks of the state of the art. It is sought in particular to improve or optimize the speed and/or displacement data of such an actuator, measured or estimated, as well as the processes and systems which use these data. These aims are sought through the various constituents and methods used and taking into account the constraints which prevail in the field of motors and actuators and in particular for automobiles and their braking; while improving or optimizing performance in terms of accuracy, repeatability, acquisition speed, as well as reliability, simplicity, flexibility and cost of manufacture, maintenance and/or design.

Presentation of the invention

The invention proposes a method for measuring the speed and/or position of a moving part within an electric motor, typically but not necessarily a rotary motor. This method is implemented by an electronic control unit, which can be produced in one or more circuits or sub-units, integrated or not in the motor or the actuator or the brake.

According to the invention, this method comprises carrying out the following steps:

• activation control of said motor, comprising an application of a supply voltage to supply terminals of said motor,
• measurement of an intensity and/or voltage variation signal at the supply terminals of said motor,
• analysis of said variation signal, for example by filtering, to extract therefrom a detection of one or more events representing a displacement of said moving part within said motor.

This signal is in particular that created by the variations of impedance and counter-electromotive force within the motor, during switching events between the various electromagnetic circuits.

Voltage and current measurements are two pieces of information that are available in most electric motor control modes. However, at each revolution or movement, an electric motor produces electrical disturbances or irregularities in the current it consumes, which depend on the architecture of the motor and vary with its speed.

The invention thus proposes to analyze these irregularities, which are usually considered as high-frequency noise, in order to extract characteristics of speed and/or displacement therefrom. Depending on the mode of supply, disturbances in the intensity can also produce significant variations in the supply voltage. These variations can also be detected, instead of or in combination with the intensity variations

The invention thus makes it possible to obtain a direct measurement of the displacement or of the speed of the motor, by electronic processing, without requiring any specific sensor in the motor or the actuator.

This avoids all the constraints and disadvantages specific to the installation of a sensor, for example the bulk, the complexity, the adaptations necessary for its interfacing, the cost and the risks of breakdowns.

The invention also makes it possible to use simpler motors or actuators, while having access to exact data instead of the estimation methods currently used, in particular in the automobile and/or braking field.

For many control algorithms, having speed data in this way can improve accuracy and operating performance.

According to particularities, which can be combined with each other:

• The method is applied to a commutating motor, and in that the extracted event or events represent one or more supply switchings from one circuit to another within a plurality of circuits and/or electromagnetic windings, typically during a transition from a powered state to a non-powered state and/or vice versa.
• The measurement step relates to the current absorbed by the motor during an application of a power supply according to a constant voltage, in particular regulated to be constant or applied according to an unchanged voltage setting.
• The analysis step comprises an application of a filter to select one or more ranges of filtering frequencies, which correspond to the occurrence of said event or events extracted when the speed of the engine varies within a determined range of speeds of said motor, for example in particular a filtering range including the range of rotation and/or switching frequencies of the motor and/or intermediate between the two.

When the events extracted correspond to switching of poles, the process may present one or more of the following particularities:

• The analysis step provides events representing the succession of all the successive commutations within the motor.
• The method is applied to a rotary, or at least periodic, motor, the analysis step providing events each corresponding to a sequence of one or more switchings, providing an identifiable sequence or signal, within a revolution of the motor (or of a period), whether by a presence or absence of signal characteristics.

According to other particularities, which can be combined with each other:

• The method is applied to a rotary motor using switching by conductive contact between one or more brushes and one or more contact pads of a rotary commutator, in particular applied to a DC motor, or a universal motor typically a current motor DC with series excitation between the rotor and the field winding.
• The method is applied to a rotary motor using circuit or electronic component switching, for example a motor called "brushless", or "brushless" in English, in particular a self-driven synchronous motor.
• The method performs a count of the events detected to obtain a number of switchings and/or a number of revolutions performed by the motor.
• The method uses the counting of events over a determined duration to obtain a measurement of a speed of movement of the moving part of the motor.

More particularly, the method can calculate a displacement stroke and/or a position of the movable part of the motor and/or of the movable part of an actuator driven by said motor.

According to another aspect, the invention proposes a method for regulating the power supply of a motor, which uses a method as disclosed here to control said power supply so as to reach a setpoint value determined in speed and/or in displacement and/or in position.

According to yet another aspect, the invention proposes an electronic control unit for a motor or an actuator, arranged to implement a method as described here.

The invention, according to yet other aspects, further provides:

• A system for actuating or driving an electric actuator, which system implements a method as described here, for controlling said motor or actuator, or comprises on the one hand a motor or respectively an actuator and on the other hand a control unit as described above.
• A device forming an electrically motorized brake or braking system for a road vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle parking and/or emergency brake, for example of the disc brake or drum brake or drum brake type in a disc. According to the invention, this device implements a method as described above, or comprises an actuation or drive system as described above, or a control unit as described above. above.
• A vehicle or vehicle subassembly implementing a method as disclosed herein, or comprising a system as disclosed herein, or comprising a control unit as disclosed herein.

Various embodiments of the invention are provided, integrating according to all of their possible combinations the various optional characteristics set out here.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description of a non-limiting mode of implementation, and from the appended drawings in which:

: the is a symbolic diagram which partially illustrates the architecture of a vehicle including a braking system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

: the is a symbolic diagram which illustrates the architecture of a brush-commutated motor, controlled according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

: the is a graph that illustrates measurements made on the engine of the after filtering of high frequency noise, at constant speed and over a rotation of one turn, and represents:

• in the upper part, the variation signal over time, of the intensity absorbed by the motor of the , when applying a constant supply voltage, after filtering out high-frequency noise, measured at constant speed and without load over a rotation of one revolution,
• in the lower part, the signal delivered at the same time by a Hall effect sensor placed on the same motor to measure its speed as a test;

: the is a graph that illustrates the same measurements as in , after filtering of the high-frequency noise and during a no-load starting phase of the engine;

: the is a schematic flowchart illustrating steps for controlling the actuator motor of the , according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

: the is a perspective view of a motorized brake system, shown without its disc, according to an exemplary embodiment with a sliding caliper disc brake with external control unit, in an architecture with service braking by hydraulic chamber and parking brake by screw-nut piston electric actuator and motor gearmotor parallel to the piston;

: the is a sagittal sectional view of the brake caliper with the screw-nut piston and without the gearmotor, in the example of the .

Description of exemplary embodiments

The partially illustrates the architecture of a vehicle including a braking system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

The vehicle V1 includes a braking system, here illustrated with a single complete brake F1. This brake F1 comprises a braking base F11, which is actuated at least in part by an actuator A1. The actuator comprises a motor M1, here a rotary motor with a stator S1 and a rotor R1, for example a DC motor commutated by collector or by electronics (i.e. "brushless", or " brushless" in English).

The rotor R1 forms a moving part drives a reduction gear A11, which forms with the motor M1 a geared motor A12. The geared motor drives moves a linear thrust member A18, the movement of which exerts a clamping producing friction on a rotating moving member.

Motor M1 is powered, through terminals M19, by an electrical source V11 such as a battery or a rectifier alternator. This supply is controlled by an electronic control unit ECU, as a function of braking commands COM received from the vehicle, for example by a control computer or directly by the driver, or a combination of the two.

The illustrates an example of such a brake F1, in a disc brake architecture with service braking by hydraulic chamber and parking brake by electric actuator. This architecture is for example identical or similar to that described in document FR2999257A1. is a sagittal section view of the brake caliper, according to a section plane P10. It shows the caliper with the screw-nut piston and without the gearmotor, in the example of the .

The example of the is however applicable to many other brake architectures.

In this example, the output of motor M1 is directed to the side opposite to yoke 12, and drives a reduction gear A11 in rotation along a motor axis M10. The reducer comprises for example one or more planetary gear trains, and its output is rotatable and directed towards the stirrup 12, along an axis A10 parallel and separate from the motor axis M10. The geared motor A12 fixed to the rear face 20 of the yoke 12, where the output of its gear A11 drives in coaxial rotation the screw 44 of a screw-nut assembly forming a linear transmission A18 with rotary input.

The screw-nut assembly 44, 46 is housed inside the skirt 32 of the piston 16, which is housed in a hydraulic chamber 25 inside the body or housing of the caliper 14. The nut 46 of this screw-nut assembly there is fixed in rotation and moves linearly along the axis A10, to exert a linear thrust against the inner wall 31 of the bottom of the piston. The outer wall 31 of this piston bottom comes to rest on the inner shoe 18, which clamps the disc against the outer shoe 19, which is held by the outer branch of the caliper 12.

The hydraulic chamber 25 allows hydraulic actuation of the brake, for example directly by the driver as a service brake. The electric actuator A1 is implemented by an electric control, for example as a parking or emergency brake, or by an automatic driving assistance system, or any other automatic or semi-automatic control.

The illustrates an example of the architecture of the rotor R1 of a brush-commutated motor, also called brushes, represented here in an unrolled form.

The rotor comprises a plurality of poles, here 7 poles, each formed by an electromagnetic circuit G1 to G7 which surrounds a core N1 to N7, usually laminated. Each circuit G1 to G7 is powered by a rotary commutator formed of a plurality of AC to CG contacts, generally parallel copper tabs arranged around the axis of the motor. When the rotor rotates, the commutator contacts successively come into contact with brushes B1 and B2 connected to motor supply terminals M19, and thus successively supply the various poles as the motor rotates.

In the figure, the first brush B1 is in contact with the AC contact of the circuit G1. During rotation, when one of the brushes loses contact, the other comes into contact. At each contact or loss of contact of a brush with the commutator, that is to say during the switchings carried out by the rotary commutator, there is a disturbance of the current absorbed by the motor, which the invention proposes to detect. by measuring this current. These disturbances depend on the displacement of the rotor, and therefore on its speed of rotation.

The illustrates measurements carried out on the engine of the , with no load and at constant speed and over a rotation of one revolution, between 18ms and 419ms, after filtering of high-frequency noise. This filtering is carried out for example in a known way, for example by a band-pass filter, typically to keep only the disturbances linked to the switchings carried out, that is to say at frequencies which are linked to the speed range at detect by combining it with the number of contacts and brushes.

For example, at a speed of 7500 rpm, for example a band pass filter of about 1750 Hz is used, which only retains the frequencies between 1700 Hz and 1800 Hz. To measure speeds between 10,000 rpm and 2,500 rpm, the frequencies concerned are calculated, and one or more bandpass filters covering the frequencies from 2333Hz to 583Hz will be used, for example.

As can be seen on the top curve, obtained by analog acquisition at 51.2 kHz, the intensity variation signal obtained after filtering gives a periodic curve, close to a sinusoid, which presents a succession of events p1 to p14 at regular intervals.

In parallel, the bottom curve represents the signal delivered by a Hall effect sensor installed on this motor for these tests, measured at 51.2 kHz. It presents regular slots h1 to h7 which show a constant speed, in a way consistent with the regularity of the peaks p1 to p14 of the top curve.

The the same measurements as in , performed this time during an engine starting phase, from time t=0 to t=872ms. When it starts, called "inrush" in Anglo-Saxon vocabulary, the motor begins by absorbing a high intensity, which can be seen on the top curve in the form of a gradual rise to the intensity plateau "i1". As the speed increases, as can be seen by the slots h2 to h8 becoming closer and closer together, the absorbed intensity decreases from i1 to i14.

The speed then stabilizes on the right of the curve, and the spacing of the slots becomes regular, here to arrive at the constant speed with no load. In parallel, the intensity gradually stabilizes and decreases more slowly, to reach the average intensity consumed in steady state.

As seen in , the variation of the intensity is there also with disturbances, creating here sudden drops from one level to another from i1 to i14, from 259ms to 872ms.

It will be noted that the end of the initial increase in the intensity curve and the first level i1, between approximately 0 and 259 ms, constitute in themselves an event detected, or even evaluated. The analysis thus makes it possible to detect the fact that the motor has actually started to rotate, very early, even with respect to the detection of the Hall sensor. This is information that is itself very useful in many situations.

In as in , we see that the events p1-p14 and i1-i14 represent the displacement and therefore the speed of the motor rotor. The ECU control unit will analyze this signal to detect these events, and derive information on the movement of the rotor and therefore its speed by comparing it to time. In addition or instead, this count is also used by the control unit to evaluate the position of the rotor starting from a known initial position, for example a previously detected and stored position and/or from a position in abutment whose position is known and stored.

The schematically illustrates steps for controlling the actuator motor of the , which can be carried out in whole or in part.

At E10, after receiving a braking request, the ECU unit activates the motor by applying its supply voltage to it E11, for example at 12V on a conventional automobile.

In E12, during a determined period of engine operation, the ECU unit measures the current absorbed and/or the voltage.

The analysis step E13 here comprises the following sub-steps:

• In E131, the ECU unit filters the measured signal and extracts one or more events therefrom, for example an event by switching. Depending on the types of motors, this detection can also relate to a group of switchings producing a recognizable sequence, for example one sequence per revolution or a known number of several sequences per revolution.
• In E132, the ECU unit counts the events detected and for example deduces therefrom the number of laps performed.
• In E133, the ECU unit uses this number of events or revolutions to calculate the displacement and/or position of the rotor, and of the actuator it drives, for example the value of the linear displacement made by the nut 46, and the piston 16 when the nut 46 bears against the bottom 31 of the piston.
• In E134, the ECU measures the elapsed time during the movement measured in E132 and E133.
• In E135, the ECU uses this time measurement to calculate the engine rotational speed.

In the context of regulation operation, these speed, displacement and/or position measurements can then be used to control a switching E11 for interrupting or maintaining the power supply to the motor, according to a setpoint value E19 received or calculated by the control unit.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described and many adjustments can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention.

Nomenclature

12 caliper

14 body / caliper housing

16 brake piston

18 inner pad

19 outside pad

20 rear side of the caliper

25 inner wall of hydraulic cavity

26 14 yoke housing bottom rear wall

30 outer face of piston support

31 inner face of piston support

32 cylindrical piston skirt

44 linear transmission drive screw

46 linear transmission axial thrust nut

A1 roto-linear actuator

A10 axis of the linear part of the shareholder

A11 gear motor reducer

A12 gearmotor

A18 actuator linear transmission (screw 44, nut 46, piston 16)

B1 first broom / carbon

B2 second broom / carbon

COM brake control

E10 enable 12V

E11 switching

E12 current measurement

E13 analysis

E131 filtering + detection

E132 switching/turn count

E133 displacement/position calculation

E134 time measurement

E135 speed calculation

E14 regulation

E19 speed / displacement / position reference value

ECU Electronic Control Unit

F1 complete brake

F11 motorizable hydraulic brake

M1 electric motor

M10 electric motor axis

M19 connector / motor power terminals

P10 cutting plan

R1 motor rotor

S1 motor stator

V1 road motor vehicle

N1 to N7 rotor cores

G1 to G7 rotor poles

AC to CG rotary commutator contacts

h1 to h8 hall sensor slots

i1 to i14 intensity steps / patterns

p1 to p14 events - intensity spikes/patterns

Claims (14)

Method (E1) for measuring the speed and/or position of a moving part (R1) within an electric motor (M1), typically a rotary motor, said method comprising the production, by an electronic control unit (ECU), of the following steps:

• activation control (E10) of said motor, comprising an application of a supply voltage to supply terminals (M19) of said motor,
• measurement (E12) of an intensity and/or voltage variation signal at the supply terminals of said motor,
• analysis (E13) of said variation signal to extract therefrom a detection of one or more events (p1 to p14, i1 to i14) representing a displacement of said moving part within said motor.

Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it is applied to a commutation motor (M1), and in that the event or events (p1 to p14, i1 to i14) extracted represent one or more supply switchings of one circuit to another within a plurality of circuits and/or electromagnetic windings (G1 to G7), typically during a transition from a powered state to a non-powered state and/or vice versa. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measurement step (E12) relates to the current absorbed by the motor during an application of a power supply according to a constant voltage, in particular regulated to be constant or applied at an unchanged voltage setting. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the analysis step (E13) comprises applying a filter (E131) to select one or more ranges of filtering frequencies, which correspond to the occurrence of the or of said events extracted when the speed of the motor varies within a determined range of speeds of said motor. Method according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that it is applied to a rotary motor using switching by conductive contact between one or more brushes (B1, B2) and one or more contact pads (CA to CG ) of a rotary commutator, in particular applied to a DC motor or a universal motor. Method according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that it is applied to a rotary motor using circuit or electronic component commutation, in particular a self-controlled synchronous motor. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it counts the events (p1 to p14, i1 to i14) detected to obtain a number of switchings and/or a number of revolutions performed by the motor (M1 ). Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it uses the counting (E132) of events (p1 to p14, i1 to i14) during a determined duration to obtain a measurement of a speed of movement of the part mobile (R1) of the motor. Method according to any one of Claims 7 to 8, for calculating a travel distance and/or a position of the movable part (R1) of the motor (M1) and/or of the movable part (A18, 44, 46, 16) an actuator (A1) driven by said motor. Method for regulating the supply of a motor, characterized in that it uses a method according to any one of the preceding claims to control (E11) said supply so as to reach a setpoint value (E19) determined in speed and/or in motion and/or in position. Electronic control unit (ECU) of a motor (M1) or an actuator (A1), arranged to implement a method according to any one of the preceding claims. System for actuating or driving an electric actuator, characterized in that it comprises on the one hand a motor (M1) or respectively an actuator (A1) and on the other hand a control unit (ECU) according to claim 11 or implementing a method according to any preceding claim for controlling said motor or actuator. Electric motorized brake (F1) or electric motorized braking system for a road vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle parking and/or emergency brake, for example of the disc brake type (F1) or drum brake or drum brake in a disc, characterized in that it comprises:

• a system for actuating or driving an electric actuator according to claim 12 arranged to control said electric motorization, or
• a control unit (ECU) according to claim 11 arranged to control said electric motorization, or
• in that it implements a method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 for controlling said electric motorization.

Vehicle (V1) or vehicle sub-assembly comprising:

• a system for actuating or driving, within said vehicle, an electric actuator according to claim 12; Where
• a brake (F1) or an electrically motorized braking system according to claim 13; Where
• a control unit (ECU) arranged to control, within said vehicle, a motor (M1) or an actuator (A1), according to claim 11; Where
• implementing a method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 for controlling an electric motor (M1) within said vehicle.