Abstract: A method of estimating wear of a vehicle brake element including at least a braking disk (10), a wearable block of friction material (20) and a support back plate (40) of the block of friction material (20), comprising at least: —providing a temperature sensor (100) configured and placed to sense the temperature of the support back plate (40) —providing an Electronic Processing Unit (200) connected to the temperature sensor (100); —providing an acquisition of the sensed temperature of the support back plate (40), a generation of a temperature signal of the sensed temperature and a transmission of the temperature signals to the Electronic Processing Unit (200); —and the Electronic Processing Unit (200) providing an estimation (500) of the thickness of the wearable block of friction material (20) by processing of the temperature signals.

Abstract: Various systems, devices, and methods for a vehicle smart brake pad comprising a sensor such as a force sensing device, and a production process thereof. For example, a production process of a vehicle brake pad can include the following steps in time sequence: applying an electrical circuit a support plate; screen printing on the electrical circuit of at least a first electrode; screen printing on the at least first electrode of a sheet of piezoelectric material; screen printing on the sheet of at least a second electrode; applying a friction pad on the support plate; and bulk polarizing the sheet of piezoelectric material by a supply of power to the at least first and second electrodes.

Abstract: Methods and devices for estimating a residual torque between the braked (e.g., brake disk or drum) and braking elements (e.g., support plate or friction block) of a vehicle based on acquired and reference temperatures, where the reference temperature can be calculated using an N-dimensional calculation model with an N-dimensional vector of input variables, and where said N-dimensional calculation model can be an analytical or experimental characterization of the thermal behavior of the brake.

Abstract: A vehicle electronic system including a parking brake equipment, comprising a brake element (2) including either a brake pad or a brake shoe, said brake element (2) including an electrical circuit equipped with one or more sensors (3, 4, 5) for real-time detection of signals relating to temperatures and/or to normal forces and/or to shear forces and having electrical terminals arranged in a zone for collecting the signals from the brake element, said vehicle electronic parking brake system further comprising an actuator (8) of the brake element (2), a controller (7) delivering a braking force command to the actuator (8), and regulating means (9, 10) driving the controller (7), wherein the regulating means (9, 10) include a closed regulating loop of the braking force including a reference braking force generator (10), said closed regulating loop of the braking force being communicating with said sensors (3, 4, 5) to acquire at least one of temperatures and/or normal forces and/or shear forces measurements.

Abstract: Various systems, devices, and methods for detecting and/or responding to the temperature of brakes are disclosed. Certain embodiments relate to inhibiting or preventing the overheating of the brakes of such vehicles, such as could occur when a hot runner condition is present.

Abstract: Various antilock braking systems, devices, and methods using sensorized brake pads are disclosed. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method for improving the performance of an antilock braking (ABS) and anti-slip regulation (ASR) system of a vehicle. The method can include detecting the actual value of the coefficient of friction (e.g., between a tire and the ground), updating the coefficient of friction during braking using the braking torque data derived from at least one braking pad of each wheel, and adjusting brake force. For example, the brake force can be adjusted as a function of and/or to be approximately equal to the value of the actual tire-road friction during braking.

Abstract: Methods and devices for estimating a residual torque between the braked (e.g., brake disk or drum) and braking elements (e.g., support plate or friction block) of a vehicle based on acquired and reference temperatures, where the reference temperature can be calculated using an N-dimensional calculation model with an N-dimensional vector of input variables, and where said N-dimensional calculation model can be an analytical or experimental characterization of the thermal behavior of the brake.

Abstract: The force sensing device (1) comprising: a sheet (2) of piezoelectric; at least a first and a second interdigitated electrodes (5, 50) located on a first main face (3) and at least a third and fourth interdigitated electrodes (6, 60) located on a second main face (4) of the sheet (2), the first and third electrodes (5, 6) being aligned to each other along a normal stress direction (N), the second and fourth electrodes (50, 60) being aligned to each other along the normal stress direction (N); the piezoelectric material comprising first portions (100) facing the first and third electrodes (5, 6) interposed with second portions (101) facing the second and fourth electrodes (50, 60), the first portions (100) having bulk electric polarization with vector field (E) mostly oriented in alignment with the normal stress direction (N), the second portions (101) having bulk electric polarization with vector field (E) mostly oriented transversally to the normal stress direction (N).

Abstract: A vehicle brake pad (100) comprising: a support plate (21); a friction pad (20); at least a shear force sensing device; and an electrical circuit configured to collect signals from the shear force sensing device (1); wherein the shear force sensing device (1) comprises: a sheet (2) of piezoelectric material having a first and a second main faces (3, 4) parallel to each other identifying a shear stress direction (S); at least a first digitated reading electrode (5) located on the first main face (3); at least a second digitated reading electrode (6) located on the second main face (4), the first and second reading electrodes (5, 6) having digits (5a, 6a) aligned along a reading direction (R) orthogonal to the stress shear direction (S); at least a first digitated polarizing electrode (7) located on the first main face (3) and interdigitated with the first digitated reading electrode (5); and at least a second digitated polarizing electrode (8) located on the second main face (4) and interdigitated with the sec

Abstract: Various systems, devices, and methods for a vehicle smart brake pad comprising a sensor such as a force sensing device, and a production process thereof. For example, a production process of a vehicle brake pad can include the following steps in time sequence: applying an electrical circuit a support plate; screen printing on the electrical circuit of at least a first electrode; screen printing on the at least first electrode of a sheet of piezoelectric material; screen printing on the sheet of at least a second electrode; applying a friction pad on the support plate; and bulk polarizing the sheet of piezoelectric material by a supply of power to the at least first and second electrodes.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems, for analyzing and managing data generated by a sensor-equipped braking system for vehicles, comprising a support element a block of friction material, at least one sensor interposed between the block of friction material and the support element, comprising at least one central control unit capable of receiving in real time from the sensor means at least the basic data related to one or more of the pressure of the activated braking system, the temperature of the activated braking system, the braking torque, the residual braking torque when the braking system is deactivated, and the wear on the braking system during and after activation thereof. The system can also include one or more auxiliary sensors.

Abstract: Various systems, devices, and methods for a vehicle smart brake pad comprising a sensor such as a force sensing device, and a production process thereof. For example, a production process of a vehicle brake pad can include the following steps in time sequence: applying an electrical circuit a support plate; screen printing on the electrical circuit of at least a first electrode; screen printing on the at least first electrode of a sheet of piezoelectric material; screen printing on the sheet of at least a second electrode; applying a friction pad on the support plate; and bulk polarizing the sheet of piezoelectric material by a supply of power to the at least first and second electrodes.

Abstract: Methods and devices for estimating a residual torque between the braked (e.g., brake disk or drum) and braking elements (e.g., support plate or friction block) of a vehicle based on acquired and reference temperatures, where the reference temperature can be calculated using an N-dimensional calculation model with an N-dimensional vector of input variables, and where said N-dimensional calculation model can be an analytical or experimental characterization of the thermal behavior of the brake.

Abstract: Various residual braking torque indication devices, systems, and methods are described. The devices, systems, and methods can include a sensorized brake pad. An output signal of the sensorized brake pad can be processed to provide an indication of a residual braking torque. The residual braking torque indicator can be calibrated to reference data to provide an actual measurement of the residual braking torque.

Abstract: Various residual braking torque indication devices, systems, and methods are described. The devices, systems, and methods can include a sensorized brake pad. An output signal of the sensorized brake pad can be processed to provide an indication of a residual braking torque. The residual braking torque indicator can be calibrated to reference data to provide an actual measurement of the residual braking torque.

Abstract: Various systems, devices, and methods for detecting and/or responding to the temperature of brakes are disclosed. Certain embodiments relate to inhibiting or preventing the overheating of the brakes of such vehicles, such as could occur when a hot runner condition is present.

Abstract: Various systems, devices, and methods for detecting and/or responding to the temperature of brakes are disclosed. Certain embodiments relate to inhibiting or preventing the overheating of the brakes of such vehicles, such as could occur when a hot runner condition is present.

Abstract: Various systems, devices, and methods for a vehicle smart brake pad comprising a sensor such as a force sensing device, and a production process thereof. For example, a production process of a vehicle brake pad can include the following steps in time sequence: applying an electrical circuit a support plate; screen printing on the electrical circuit of at least a first electrode; screen printing on the at least first electrode of a sheet of piezoelectric material; screen printing on the sheet of at least a second electrode; applying a friction pad on the support plate; and bulk polarizing the sheet of piezoelectric material by a supply of power to the at least first and second electrodes.

Abstract: Various braking devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, the braking device includes a support element, a block of friction material supported by the support element, at least one piezoceramic sensor supported by the support element and interposed between the block of friction material (and the support element, and a protective element located at the piezoceramic sensor and embedding the latter. The protective element can have one or more layers of resin-based material applied to protect the piezoceramic sensor and direct a predetermined part of the external compression force onto an area of the support element surrounding the piezoceramic sensor. In some embodiments, a signal transduction device is provided and includes at least one piezoceramic sensor supported on a support element and has an integral protective coating having properties of mechanical and temperature resistance.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems, for analyzing and managing data generated by a sensor-equipped braking system for vehicles, comprising a support element a block of friction material, at least one sensor interposed between the block of friction material and the support element, comprising at least one central control unit capable of receiving in real time from the sensor means at least the basic data related to one or more of the pressure of the activated braking system, the temperature of the activated braking system, the braking torque, the residual braking torque when the braking system is deactivated, and the wear on the braking system during and after activation thereof. The system can also include one or more auxiliary sensors.