JP2009166742A - Brake control unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a brake control unit high in air ventilation performance in a solenoid valve. <P>SOLUTION: A pressure-booster valve 40 and a pressure-reducing valve 42 are fixed to a housing 152, while one of two outlet ports 105 is opened upward and the valves keep their inclined posture in which the outlet ports 105 are arranged at positions higher than a back pressure chamber 142. If air bubbles generate when brake fluid passes through valve parts of the solenoid valve, the air bubbles are guided to the outside from the outlet port 105 opened upward. If there is residual air in the back pressure chamber 142 or the like, it is guided to the upper outlet port 105 and discharged as air bubbles. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a brake control unit including a plurality of hydraulic pressure control valves constituting a hydraulic pressure circuit of a brake device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a brake device that applies a braking force by generating a hydraulic pressure in a hydraulic circuit according to an operation force of a brake pedal and supplying the hydraulic pressure to a wheel cylinder of each wheel. Between the hydraulic pressure source and each wheel cylinder, when the pressure increase valve that opens when supplying brake fluid (hydraulic fluid), the pressure reducing valve that opens when brake fluid is discharged, or when the brake fluid supply path is switched Various electromagnetic valves such as a switching valve that is opened and closed are provided. The brake device adjusts the supply / discharge amount of the brake fluid to / from the wheel cylinder by controlling the opening / closing of these solenoid valves, and controls the hydraulic pressure to apply an appropriate braking force to each wheel.

Such a brake device is generally configured in the form of a brake control unit in which most of the hydraulic circuit and the electromagnetic valve are unitized as a brake actuator (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The brake control unit is constructed by hermetically assembling a housing in which a hydraulic passage is formed and a body of a plurality of solenoid valves is assembled, and a terminal box that covers and protects the solenoid of the solenoid valve exposed from the housing. Is done. In view of restrictions on mounting on a vehicle, processing, and assembling properties, the solenoid valve is usually installed laterally with respect to the housing, that is, substantially horizontally.
JP 2005-255168 A

  By the way, when the solenoid of such a solenoid valve is energized, the brake fluid flows from the high pressure primary pressure side to the low pressure secondary pressure side. At this time, the brake fluid introduced from the valve section into the valve chamber passes through the communication passage formed in the plunger and circulates to the back pressure chamber on the opposite side of the valve chamber so that the pressure before and after the plunger is eventually balanced. Act on. However, when the brake fluid is released from the high pressure side to the low pressure side through the valve portion in this way, gas dissolved under high pressure may precipitate in the brake fluid and become bubbles. If this bubble is introduced into the back pressure chamber together with the brake fluid, the rigidity of the plunger due to the hydraulic pressure on the back pressure chamber side is reduced, and a differential pressure acts on the plunger, and self-excited vibration is likely to occur. . Self-excited vibration can greatly affect the quietness of the vehicle. In particular, when the electromagnetic valve is a so-called linear valve (proportional valve) whose valve opening varies depending on the magnitude of the supply current, bubbles are likely to be generated due to a delicate balance of the valve opening. There is also a problem that once such a bubble flows into the back pressure chamber, it cannot be easily discharged due to its structure. Further, the brake fluid is filled in the hydraulic circuit by vacuum filling at the vehicle assembly factory. However, if air remains in the electromagnetic valve at the time of vacuum filling, it is preferable to eliminate this.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a brake control unit with improved air bleeding performance in a solenoid valve for hydraulic pressure control.

  A brake control unit according to an aspect of the present invention includes a housing in which a plurality of hydraulic pressure passages that constitute a hydraulic pressure circuit that connects a hydraulic pressure source and a wheel cylinder of each wheel are formed, and a hydraulic pressure passage that is incorporated in the housing Including a body part of which is formed, a valve portion that is disposed between the inlet port and the outlet port for the hydraulic fluid in the body and opens and closes the hydraulic pressure passage, and a solenoid that drives the valve portion to open and close And a hydraulic pressure source that supplies hydraulic fluid to each wheel cylinder by applying a current control to the solenoid, and a braking force can be applied to each wheel by the hydraulic pressure. In particular, the electromagnetic valve has a pressure chamber formed on the outlet port side of the valve portion, and a flow path extending from the side opposite to the valve portion to the valve portion side in the pressure chamber extends from the pressure chamber to the outlet port. It arrange | positions so that it may incline upwards with respect to a housing.

  Here, the “flow path extending from the side opposite to the valve portion to the valve portion side” may extend along the axis of the electromagnetic valve, or may extend in parallel to the axis. And it may be comprised so that the flow path may incline upwards by arrange | positioning an electromagnetic valve inclining with respect to a housing. Alternatively, the flow path extends so as to incline with respect to the axis of the electromagnetic valve, and the flow path is inclined upward even when the electromagnetic valve is disposed so that the horizontal direction is the longitudinal direction with respect to the housing. May be. When a plurality of outlet ports for the solenoid valve are provided, at least one of them should open at the top and communicate with the flow path.

  According to this aspect, even if the working fluid passes through the valve portion of the solenoid valve, bubbles are generated, and even if some of the bubbles escape without leaving the valve portion toward the outlet port, the bubbles are inclined upward. It is led to the lead-out port along the flow path and led to the outside. Further, even if air remains in the pressure chamber from the beginning of the filling of the hydraulic fluid, it becomes a bubble and is guided to the outlet port along the upwardly inclined channel and discharged. For this reason, the air bleeding performance in the solenoid valve is improved.

  As a more specific configuration of the solenoid valve, a valve body that is detachably disposed on a valve seat provided in the body and that can open and close the valve portion, and a pressure chamber that is disposed in the body and that connects the pressure chamber to the valve portion side valve are provided. While partitioning into a chamber and a back pressure chamber on the opposite side of the valve portion, and forming a predetermined communication path for communicating the valve chamber and the back pressure chamber as the flow path, while supporting the valve body on the valve chamber side, There may be provided a plunger disposed opposite to the fixed iron core of the solenoid on the back pressure chamber side, and an urging member for urging the plunger in the valve closing direction of the valve body. The “communication path” may be formed to penetrate the plunger, for example, or may be formed by a gap between the plunger and the body.

  More specifically, the mounting hole of the body in the housing is formed such that its axis is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal direction, and the electromagnetic valve is naturally inclined with respect to the housing by being inserted into the mounting hole. It may be configured to be fixed in a posture. This facilitates the assembly of the electromagnetic valve at a predetermined angle.

  In that case, the mounting surface of the electromagnetic valve in the housing may be formed so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical direction. For example, the mounting hole can be easily formed in the housing by installing the jig so that the mounting surface is perpendicular to the drilling direction of the mounting hole. On the other hand, the pipe connection port for connecting the housing and the wheel cylinder may be provided so as to open on a surface different from the mounting surface of the housing. That is, the pipe connection port can be connected to the pipe without any sense of incongruity in the assembling work by making it as usual, such as perpendicular to the surface of the housing. As a result, workability can be maintained satisfactorily.

  When a plurality of outlet ports are provided in the body, it is preferable that all outlet ports of the solenoid valve are arranged at a position higher than the lowest position of the back pressure chamber. In other words, if there is one of the derivation ports arranged at a position lower than the back pressure chamber, the possibility that the generated bubbles are once guided to the upper derivation port via the back pressure chamber cannot be denied. According to this aspect, the generated bubbles can be directly guided to the upper outlet port, and the air bleeding efficiency can be improved.

  In general, the solenoid is disposed so as to be exposed from the housing, and a case is attached so as to cover the solenoid from the outside. The case is provided with a terminal connecting portion to which a solenoid terminal is connected, and a control current from the outside is supplied to the solenoid through the terminal connecting portion. In such a configuration, when hydraulic fluid leaks from the hydraulic pressure passage in the housing for some reason, it accumulates at the bottom of the case. On the other hand, if the attitude of the solenoid valve is defined as described above, the solenoid terminal may be relatively low. For this reason, if the amount of the leaked hydraulic fluid increases, the possibility that the electrical connection part of the solenoid will get wet cannot be denied.

  Therefore, a level sensor that detects that the amount of the liquid staying at the bottom of the case has exceeded an allowable level may be disposed at a predetermined position below the terminal and the terminal connecting portion in the case. When the level sensor detects that the amount of leakage of the hydraulic fluid has exceeded the allowable level, the fact may be notified. Thereby, it is possible to take appropriate measures such as removing the accumulated hydraulic fluid.

  According to the brake control unit of the present invention, the air bleeding performance in the solenoid valve is improved.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a hydraulic circuit of a brake device including a brake control unit according to the first embodiment.
The brake device 10 constitutes an electronically controlled brake system for a vehicle, and controls the four-wheel brakes of the vehicle independently and optimally based on the amount of operation of the brake pedal 12 by the driver. Disc brake units including wheel cylinders 20FR, 20FL, 20RR, and 20RL are provided on the right front wheel, the left front wheel, the right rear wheel, and the left rear wheel, respectively. By supplying brake fluid as hydraulic fluid to each wheel cylinder from a hydraulic pressure source, a braking force is applied to each wheel by the hydraulic pressure. Each of the wheel cylinders 20FR to 20RL is connected to a corresponding connection port of the brake actuator 80 via a pipe 21FR to 21RL, respectively. In the following description, the wheel cylinders 20FR to 20RL are collectively referred to as “wheel cylinder 20”, and the pipes 21FR to 21RL are collectively referred to as “pipe 21”.

  The brake device 10 includes a right master cut valve 22FR and a left master cut valve 22FL, pressure increasing valves 40FR to 40RL, pressure reducing valves 42FR to 42RL, a motor 32, a pump 34, an accumulator 50, various sensors, and the like, which will be described later. A brake actuator 80 as a unit is configured. When brake fluid is supplied from the brake actuator 80 to the wheel cylinder 20, the brake pad is pressed against the brake disc that rotates with the wheel. Thereby, a braking force is applied to each wheel. In this embodiment, a disc brake unit is used, but other mechanisms including a wheel cylinder 20 such as a drum brake may be used.

  The brake pedal 12 is connected to a master cylinder 14 that sends out brake fluid in response to a depression operation by the driver. The brake pedal 12 is provided with a stroke sensor 46 for detecting the depression stroke. One output port of the master cylinder 14 is connected to a stroke simulator 24 that creates a reaction force according to the operating force of the brake pedal 12 by the driver. A simulator cut valve 23 is provided in the flow path connecting the master cylinder 14 and the stroke simulator 24. The master cylinder 14 is connected to a reservoir tank 26 for storing brake fluid.

  A brake hydraulic pressure control pipe 16 for the right front wheel is connected to one output port of the master cylinder 14. The brake hydraulic pressure control pipe 16 is connected to the hydraulic pressure passage 216 via the predetermined connection port of the brake actuator 80, and thus to the wheel cylinder 20FR for the right front wheel. A brake hydraulic pressure control pipe 18 for the left front wheel is connected to the other output port of the master cylinder 14. The brake hydraulic pressure control pipe 18 is connected to the hydraulic pressure passage 218 and, by extension, the wheel cylinder 20FL for the left front wheel via a predetermined connection port of the brake actuator 80. The hydraulic passage 216 is provided with a right master cut valve 22FR, and the hydraulic passage 218 is provided with a left master cut valve 22FL. These right master cut valve 22FR and left master cut valve 22FL are normally open solenoid valves that are open when not energized and switched to closed when energized.

  The hydraulic pressure passage 216 is provided with a right master pressure sensor 48FR for detecting the master cylinder pressure on the right front wheel side, and the hydraulic pressure passage 218 is provided with a left master pressure sensor 48FL for measuring the master cylinder pressure on the left front wheel side. Is provided.

  On the other hand, one end of a hydraulic supply / discharge pipe 28 is connected to the reservoir tank 26. The other end of the hydraulic supply / discharge pipe 28 is connected to the discharge path 220 via a predetermined connection port of the brake actuator 80. The discharge path 220 is connected to a suction port of a pump 34 driven by the motor 32. The discharge port of the pump 34 is connected to the high pressure passage 30. An accumulator 50 and a relief valve 53 are connected to the high pressure passage 30.

  The accumulator 50 stores the brake fluid boosted by the pump 34. When the pressure of the brake fluid in the accumulator 50 is abnormally increased, the relief valve 53 is opened, and the high-pressure brake fluid is returned to the reservoir tank 26 via the hydraulic supply / discharge pipe 28. The high pressure passage 30 is provided with an accumulator pressure sensor 51 that detects the outlet pressure of the accumulator 50.

  The high-pressure passage 30 is connected to the wheel cylinders 20FR, 20FL, 20RR, and 20RL via the pressure increasing valves 40FR, 40FL, 40RR, and 40RL. Hereinafter, as appropriate, the pressure increasing valves 40FR to 40RL are collectively referred to as “pressure increasing valve 40”. The pressure increasing valve 40 is a normally closed electromagnetic flow control valve (linear valve) that is closed when not energized and is used for pressure increasing of the wheel cylinder 20 as necessary. The valve opening degree of the pressure increasing valve 40 is adjusted in proportion to the current supplied to the solenoid. An upstream pressure, that is, an accumulator pressure is supplied through the pressure increasing valve 40, and the wheel cylinder 20 is increased.

  Further, the wheel cylinders 20FR and 20FL for the front wheels are connected to the discharge path 220 via pressure reducing valves 42FR and 42FL, respectively. The pressure reducing valves 42FR and 42FL are normally closed electromagnetic flow control valves (linear valves) used for pressure reduction of the wheel cylinders 20FR and 20FL as necessary. On the other hand, the wheel cylinders 20RR and 20RL for the right rear wheel are connected to the discharge passage 220 via pressure reducing valves 42RR and 42RL, which are normally open electromagnetic flow rate control valves, respectively. Hereinafter, the pressure reducing valves 42FR to 42RL are collectively referred to as “pressure reducing valve 42” as appropriate. The valve opening of the pressure reducing valve 42 is adjusted in proportion to the current supplied to the solenoid. When the brake fluid is discharged through the pressure reducing valve 42, the wheel cylinder 20 is decompressed.

  In the vicinity of the wheel cylinders 20FR to 20RL, wheel cylinder pressure sensors 44FR, 44FL, 44RR and 44RL for detecting wheel cylinder pressure, which is the pressure of the brake fluid acting on the corresponding wheel cylinder 20, are provided.

  The brake actuator 80 is controlled by the ECU 200. The ECU 200 includes a CPU that executes various arithmetic processes, a ROM that stores various control programs, a RAM that is used as a work area for data storage and program execution, an input / output interface, a memory, and the like.

  In the brake device 10, the ECU 200 calculates the target deceleration of the vehicle from the pedal stroke indicating the depression amount of the brake pedal 12 and the master cylinder pressure, and the target value of the wheel cylinder pressure of each wheel according to the target deceleration. A target hydraulic pressure, that is, a target wheel cylinder pressure is obtained. Then, the ECU 200 controls the pressure increasing valve 40 and the pressure reducing valve 42 so that the wheel cylinder pressure of each wheel becomes the target wheel cylinder pressure.

  When the accumulator pressure is less than the lower limit value of the preset control range, the ECU 200 drives the pump 34 to increase the accumulator pressure, and when the accumulator pressure enters the control range, the drive of the pump 34 is stopped. .

  Next, the configuration of the brake actuator 80 will be described. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the brake actuator. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing the main part of the brake actuator.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the brake actuator 80 is configured by assembling the motor 32 and the accumulator 50 to a rectangular main body 150 in which the above-described electromagnetic valve or the like is incorporated. The main body 150 includes a trapezoidal aluminum housing 152 and a terminal box 154 (corresponding to a “case”) having a complementary shape (that is, a trapezoidal shape).

  As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 152 has a main body having an inclined surface 156 on the side opposite to the installation surface of the motor 32 and the accumulator 50 and having a trapezoidal shape whose upper surface is larger than the bottom surface. The inclined surface 156 forms an angle θ with respect to the vertical direction when the brake actuator 80 is mounted on the vehicle in the illustrated state. In the lower half of the housing 152, mounting holes 158 and 160 for mounting the pressure increasing valve 40 and the pressure reducing valve 42 side by side are provided. These mounting holes 158 and 160 are formed to be perpendicular to the inclined surface 156. As a result, the pressure increasing valve 40 and the pressure reducing valve 42 are fixed to the housing 152 at an angle θ with respect to the horizontal direction as illustrated. The housing 152 is formed with a fluid pressure passage for communicating the fluid pressure source and each wheel cylinder 20. In the drawing, a high-pressure passage 30 for communicating the pressure increasing valve 40 and the pressure reducing valve 42 with the wheel cylinder 20 is displayed. The connection port 161 of the pipe 21 that connects the housing 152 and the wheel cylinder 20 is provided so as to open on a surface different from the inclined surface 156 in the housing 152. That is, in the present embodiment, not only the pipe 21 but also the connection mode of the pipe connected to the housing 152 from the outside is configured to be the same as the conventional one, and the workability of the pipe connection by the worker is not affected. Has been.

  On the other hand, the terminal box 154 has a hollow main body having a trapezoidal shape whose upper surface is smaller than the bottom surface. The terminal box 154 has an inclined opening 162 and is assembled to the housing 152 so that the opening 162 faces the inclined surface 156. The terminal box 154 is liquid-tightly assembled to the housing 152 via a seal member, and protects the portions of the pressure increasing valve 40 and the pressure reducing valve 42 exposed from the housing 152 from the outside. A wiring board 164 that is electrically connected to an external drive circuit is provided in the housing 152, and a terminal 168 of each electromagnetic valve is connected to the wiring board 164. In addition, the connection part with the terminal 168 of the solenoid valve in the wiring board 164 constitutes a terminal connection part. When the ECU 200 drives the drive circuit, a necessary control current is supplied to each solenoid valve.

  In addition, a level sensor 166 that detects that the amount of liquid staying at the bottom of the terminal box 154 has exceeded an allowable level is disposed at a predetermined position below the terminal connection portion of the wiring board 164. For example, if brake fluid leaks from the hydraulic passage in the housing 152 for some reason, it may accumulate at the bottom of the terminal box 154. When the fluid level of the brake fluid exceeds an allowable level (see broken line), a signal indicating that is output to ECU 200. By acquiring the signal, the ECU 200 displays a warning indicating external leakage of the brake fluid on, for example, a predetermined display device of the vehicle. Thereby, appropriate measures can be taken to eliminate the brake fluid accumulated by the driver or the operator.

  In the figure, a set of pressure increasing valve 40 and pressure reducing valve 42, high pressure passage 30, and pump 34 appear in the cross section of housing 152. In housing 152, right master cut valve 22FR, left master cut valve are shown. A valve 22FL and various sensors are also provided. In addition, a pressure increasing valve 40 and a pressure reducing valve 42 other than those shown in the figure are arranged in parallel in the depth direction of the drawing.

  Next, a specific configuration of the hydraulic control valve used as the pressure increasing valve 40 and the pressure reducing valve 42 will be described. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the hydraulic control valve. In the following description, the positional relationship of each component may be expressed on the basis of the illustrated state for convenience.

The hydraulic control valve 101 is configured as an electromagnetic valve in which a body 102 provided with a valve portion therein and a solenoid 103 for controlling the opening degree of the valve portion are provided integrally.
The body 102 has a stepped cylindrical shape, and is provided with an introduction port 104 for introducing brake fluid from the upstream side (primary pressure side) at the upper end opening, and downstream of the brake fluid at the side near the center in the longitudinal direction. A pair of outlet ports 105 that lead out to the side (secondary pressure side) is provided. A bottomed cylindrical valve seat member 106 is press-fitted into a passage communicating between the introduction port 104 and the outlet port 105, and a valve hole penetrating in the axial direction is provided at the center of the bottom of the valve seat member 106. 107 is provided. The opening on the outlet port 105 side of the valve hole 107 is formed in a tapered shape, and the valve seat 108 is formed by the tapered surface.

  A valve body 109 is disposed below the valve seat 108 in the body 102. The valve body 109 is composed of one end of a stepped columnar rod member 110 and is detachably disposed on the valve seat 108 from the outlet port 105 side. In the present embodiment, the rod member 110 itself can be regarded as a valve body.

  In addition, a filter 112 is attached to the upper end portion of the valve seat member 106 so as to cover the introduction port 104, thereby preventing foreign matter from entering the body 102. Similarly, a filter 113 is attached to the side portion of the body 102 so as to cover the outlet port 105.

  On the other hand, the solenoid 103 includes a cylindrical fixed iron core 121 joined to the lower end portion of the body 102, a columnar plunger 122 disposed in a space surrounded by the body 102 and the fixed iron core 121, and a fixed iron core 121. An electromagnetic coil 123 that is externally attached to the electromagnetic coil 123 and a case 124 that accommodates the electromagnetic coil 123 therein are provided. The case 124 has an upper end fixed to the lower end of the body 102 and a lower end fixed to the lower end of the fixed iron core 121. In the present embodiment, the combination of the body 102 and the fixed iron core 121 can be regarded as the body of the hydraulic control valve 101 as a whole. The plunger 122 divides the inside of the body into a valve chamber 141 on the valve portion side and a back pressure chamber 142 on the opposite side to the valve portion.

  The plunger 122 is provided with a connecting hole 126 at the center of the upper end surface. The valve body 109 is integrally fixed to the plunger 122 by press-fitting the end of the rod member 110 opposite to the valve body 109 into the connecting hole 126. The rod member 110 has a flange portion 111 slightly extending outward at the center thereof, and the press-fitting amount is regulated by the flange portion 111 abutting against the end surface of the plunger 122. In addition, a plurality of communication holes 127 penetrating the plunger 122 in the axial direction are formed in the peripheral portion of the plunger 122, and the hydraulic fluid that has flowed into the valve chamber 141 passes through the communication hole 127 and the back pressure chamber 142. Has also been introduced. The plunger 122 is disposed to face the fixed iron core 121 on the back pressure chamber 142 side.

  The fixed iron core 121 has a bottomed cylindrical shape, and its inner diameter is gradually reduced toward the bottom. Between the bottom of the spring accommodating part 128 formed in the fixed iron core 121 and the plunger 122, a spring 129 as an urging member for urging the plunger 122 in the upward valve closing direction is interposed.

  Returning to FIG. 3, the pressure increasing valve 40 and the pressure reducing valve 42 configured as described above are assembled into the housing 152 so that the body 102 is inserted into the mounting holes 158 and 160, respectively. As a result, the passage connecting the introduction port 104 and the outlet port 105 forms a part of the hydraulic passage in the housing 152. The solenoid 103 is exposed from the housing 152, but is protected from the outside by a terminal box 154. A terminal 168 (not shown in FIG. 4) of the solenoid 103 extends to the wiring board 164 side and is connected to the terminal connection portion.

  Next, the air bleeding structure in the brake control unit of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing a state of the hydraulic control valve in which the air bleeding structure is reflected. (A) shows a state (see FIG. 3) in which the hydraulic pressure control valve 101 (the pressure increasing valve 40 and the pressure reducing valve 42) is installed at an inclination, and (B) shows the hydraulic pressure control valve 101 as a comparative example. It shows a state where it is installed almost horizontally.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, the hydraulic control valve 101 is installed such that its axis forms an inclination angle θ (for example, 7 ° <θ ≦ 90 °) with respect to the horizontal direction, and a pair of outlet ports 105. One of the openings is opened upward, and the other is opened downward. In the present embodiment, the angle θ is set to be larger than the angle θ1 in FIG. The angle θ1 represents an angle formed by the horizontal direction and the direction connecting the bottom peripheral edge of the back pressure chamber 142 and the outlet port 105. Since the hydraulic pressure control valve 101 has a substantially symmetric structure with respect to the axis thereof, the position P1 of the lower lead-out port 105 is set at the bottom bottom portion of the back pressure chamber 142 by setting the inclination angle θ in this way. It is arranged at a position higher than the position P2. That is, the hydraulic control valve 101 is fixed to the housing 152 in a posture in which all the outlet ports 105 are arranged at a position higher than the lowest position of the back pressure chamber 142.

  Thus, by installing the hydraulic control valve 101 in an inclined posture, the air in the back pressure chamber 142, which has been difficult to be discharged in the past, can be efficiently discharged to the outside. That is, when the hydraulic pressure control valve 101 is installed in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 5B, if bubbles remain in the back pressure chamber 142, as shown by the arrows in the figure, the bubbles It does not discharge smoothly as it moves back and forth along the upper wall of the back pressure chamber 142. On the other hand, according to this embodiment, the upper wall of the back pressure chamber 142 is inclined as shown in FIG. , And is further led out from the lead-out port 105 by passing through the gap between the body 102 and the plunger 122. On the other hand, even if there is a bubble generated on the lower outlet port 105 side when the brake fluid passes through the valve portion, the position of the back pressure chamber 142 is low, so that the bubble does not go to the back pressure chamber 142 side. , It is led directly to the upper outlet port 105.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the hydraulic control valve 101 (the pressure increasing valve 40 and the pressure reducing valve 42) has one of its two outlet ports 105 opened upward, and both outlet ports 105 It is fixed to the housing 152 in an inclined posture arranged at a position higher than the back pressure chamber 142. For this reason, even if bubbles are generated when the brake fluid passes through the valve portion of the hydraulic pressure control valve 101, the bubbles are led out to the outside from the outlet port 105 opened upward. Further, even if air remains in the back pressure chamber 142 or the like, it becomes a bubble and is guided to the upper outlet port 105 and discharged. The discharged bubbles are discharged to the reservoir tank 26 through the high pressure passage 30 and the discharge passage 220 provided in the housing 152. For this reason, the air bleeding performance in the outlet port 105 is improved.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment is almost the same as the first embodiment except that the structure of the terminal box is slightly different. For this reason, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as necessary, and the description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view schematically showing the main part of the brake actuator according to the second embodiment.
The brake actuator according to the present embodiment is slightly different from the terminal box 154 according to the first embodiment in the shape of the terminal box 254 constituting the main body 250. That is, the area of the terminal box 254 is extended to a position below the housing 152, and the extended portion forms a fluid receiving portion 260. In this configuration, when the brake fluid leaks as described above, the brake fluid stays in the fluid receiving portion 260. Since the level sensor 166 is installed at the same position as that of the first embodiment, the allowable amount of external leakage of the brake fluid can be adjusted by appropriately setting the size of the fluid receiving portion 260. it can.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the installation manner of the pressure increasing valve 40 and the pressure reducing valve 42 in the brake actuator, and the accompanying structure. In the following description, components that are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as necessary, and the description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing the main part of the brake actuator according to the third embodiment.
The brake actuator of the present embodiment has a main body 350 configured by assembling a stepped rectangular parallelepiped housing 352 and a hollow rectangular parallelepiped terminal box 354. The housing 352 and the terminal box 354 are not provided with inclined surfaces as in the first embodiment. A mounting hole 358 for mounting the pressure increasing valve 40 is formed on the vertical surface 356 of the housing 352 so that its axis is in the horizontal direction, and a mounting hole 360 for mounting the pressure reducing valve 42 is formed so that its axis is in the vertical direction. ing.

  That is, the pressure increasing valve 40 is assembled to the housing 352 so that its axis is substantially horizontal as in the conventional case, and its terminal 368 is connected to the terminal connection portion of the wiring board 164. On the other hand, the pressure reducing valve 42 is assembled with the housing 352 so that its axis is substantially vertical and the back pressure chamber 142 is below the outlet port 105. And the bottomed cylindrical terminal box 370 is assembled | attached with respect to the housing 352 so that the solenoid 103 of the pressure-reduction valve 42 may be liquid-tightly covered from the outside. A terminal 369 of the pressure reducing valve 42 is bent at a right angle and connected to a terminal connection portion of a wiring board 364 installed in the terminal box 370. The wiring board 364 is electrically connected to the ECU 200 via a drive circuit in the same manner as the wiring board 164.

  As described above, also in the present embodiment, since the outlet port 105 is located above the back pressure chamber 142 for the pressure reducing valve 42, even if there is air staying inside, it is efficiently removed from the outside. Can be discharged. On the other hand, the pressure increasing valve 40 is arranged horizontally as in the prior art. However, since the liquid pressure to be handled is higher than that of the pressure reducing valve 42, the generated bubbles tend to be crushed. It is considered that there is no harmful effect. However, it is preferable that the pressure increasing valve 40 of the present embodiment is also inclined as in the first embodiment. According to the present embodiment, there is also an advantage that the processing of the housing is simplified as compared with the first and second embodiments.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications such as design changes can be added to the embodiments based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Embodiments to which is added can also be included in the scope of the present invention.

  In the first and second embodiments, the configuration in which the pressure increasing valve 40 and the pressure reducing valve 42 are inclined is shown. However, for example, the switching valves such as the right master cut valve 22FR and the left master cut valve 22FL are similarly inclined. It is good also as arrangement. However, since bubbles are likely to be generated in a linear valve whose valve opening degree changes, it can be said that a great effect can be found by setting the pressure increasing valve 40 and the pressure reducing valve 42 shown in the embodiment to an inclined posture.

  Although not described in the first and second embodiments, the level sensor 166 disposed in the terminal box may be configured as a special sensor that detects only the brake fluid. For example, when the liquid tightness of the joint between the housing and the terminal box is not perfect, and there is a possibility that water from rain or car wash may enter, it may be possible to identify the brake fluid leak. For example, paint that does not dissolve in water but dissolves in the brake fluid is applied to the terminals of the level sensor, and when the amount of retained brake fluid exceeds the allowable amount, the brake fluid dissolves the paint and conducts. It may be possible to detect the amount of leakage of the brake fluid.

It is explanatory drawing showing the hydraulic circuit of the brake device containing the brake control unit which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view showing the appearance of a brake actuator. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which represents roughly the principal part of a brake actuator. It is sectional drawing showing the structure of a hydraulic control valve. It is a conceptual diagram showing the state of the hydraulic control valve in which the air bleeding structure is reflected. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which represents roughly the principal part of the brake actuator concerning 2nd Embodiment. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which represents roughly the principal part of the brake actuator concerning 3rd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  10 brake device, 12 brake pedal, 14 master cylinder, 16 brake hydraulic control pipe, 18 brake hydraulic control pipe, 20 wheel cylinder, 21 pipe, 26 reservoir tank, 28 hydraulic supply / discharge pipe, 30 high pressure passage, 32 motor, 34 pump , 40 pressure increasing valve, 42 pressure reducing valve, 50 accumulator, 80 brake actuator, 101 hydraulic control valve, 102 body, 103 solenoid, 104 introduction port, 105 outlet port, 107 valve hole, 108 valve seat, 109 valve body, 129 spring , 141 valve chamber, 142 back pressure chamber, 152 housing, 154 terminal box, 156 inclined surface, 158 mounting hole, 161 connection port, 164 wiring board, 166 level sensor, 168 terminal, 200 ECU, 216 hydraulic passage, 218 hydraulic passage, 220 discharge passage, 254 terminal box, 352 housing, 354 terminal box, 358 mounting hole, 360 mounting hole, 364 wiring board, 370 terminal box.

Claims (6)

A housing in which a plurality of hydraulic passages forming a hydraulic circuit for communicating a hydraulic pressure source and a wheel cylinder of each wheel are formed;
A body that is incorporated in the housing and in which a part of the hydraulic pressure passage is formed, and a valve portion that is disposed between an introduction port and a discharge port for hydraulic fluid in the body and opens and closes the hydraulic pressure passage; A solenoid valve including a solenoid for opening and closing the valve unit;
A brake control unit capable of supplying hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pressure source to each wheel cylinder by energization control of the solenoid, and applying a braking force to each wheel by the hydraulic pressure,
The solenoid valve has a pressure chamber formed on the outlet port side with respect to the valve portion, and a flow path extending from the side opposite to the valve portion to the valve portion side in the pressure chamber extends from the pressure chamber. A brake control unit, wherein the brake control unit is disposed so as to incline upward with respect to the housing over the lead-out port. The solenoid valve is
A valve body that is detachably disposed on a valve seat provided in the body and capable of opening and closing the valve portion;
The pressure chamber is disposed in the body and divides the pressure chamber into a valve chamber on the valve portion side and a back pressure chamber on the opposite side of the valve portion, and the valve chamber and the back pressure chamber as the flow path. A plunger that forms a predetermined communication path to be communicated and supports the valve element on the valve chamber side, while being opposed to the fixed iron core of the solenoid on the back pressure chamber side;
A biasing member that biases the plunger in the valve closing direction of the valve body;
The brake control unit according to claim 1, comprising: The mounting hole of the body in the housing is formed such that its axis is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal direction,
The brake control unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electromagnetic valve is configured to be fixed in a posture inclined with respect to the housing by being inserted into the mounting hole. . The mounting surface of the solenoid valve in the housing is formed to be inclined at the predetermined angle with respect to the vertical direction,
4. The brake control unit according to claim 3, wherein a connection port of a pipe connecting the housing and the wheel cylinder is provided so as to open on a surface different from the mounting surface in the housing. A plurality of the outlet ports are provided in the body;
The brake control unit according to claim 2, wherein the solenoid valve is fixed to the housing in a posture in which all outlet ports are arranged at positions higher than the lowest position of the back pressure chamber. While the solenoid is disposed to be exposed from the housing,
The case is assembled to the housing so as to cover the solenoid from the outside, and includes a case provided with a terminal connection portion to which a terminal of the solenoid is connected,
A level sensor is provided at a predetermined position below the terminal and the terminal connecting portion in the case to detect that the amount of liquid staying at the bottom of the case exceeds an allowable level. The brake control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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