Abstract: An electric brake apparatus generates an appropriate brake force without unnecessarily consuming electric power. The electric brake apparatus has a brake actuator generating a brake force. The brake actuator uses a brake motor system including a brake motor as a power source. A motor current provided to the brake motor is generated under a normal control so as to generate a brake force required for a vehicle. The motor current generated under the normal control is reduced when the brake motor is overheated or when the vehicle is stopped for a long time.

Abstract: A method of diagnosing an electrically operated brake for abnormality thereof in an automotive vehicle wherein a wheel is braked by a friction force generated by an electric motor of the brake upon an operation of a brake operating member, the method comprising the steps of: applying an abnormality checking drive signal to the electric motor to operate the electric motor while the brake operating member is placed in a non-operated position; detecting a quantity relating to an output of the electric motor while the drive signal is applied to the electric motor; and determining that the electrically operated brake is abnormal, if the detected quantity does not normally correspond to a magnitude of the abnormality checking drive signal.

Abstract: An electrically operated brake for braking a moving body, including two electric motors and a planetary gear device having a sun gear, at least one planetary gear and a ring gear, wherein the two electric motors are connected to two members of the planetary gear device and the third member of the planetary gear device rotates an output shaft which operates a friction member driving device to move a friction member for braking the moving body.

Abstract: Electrically operated parking brake apparatus for a vehicle, including a parking brake device provided for each of at least one vehicle wheel, an electrically operated driving unit for activating the parking brake device, an operating force holding mechanism for mechanically maintaining an operating force of the parking brake device while the driving unit is off, and a parking brake control device for supplying electric power to the driving unit to activate the parking brake device and then cutting a supply of the electric power to the driving unit, for thereby applying a parking brake to the vehicle, wherein the parking brake control device includes an actual operating force changing device operable while a manually operated drive power source switch provided for turning on and off a vehicle drive power source is placed in the non-operated position, for supplying electric power to the driving unit so as to change an actual value of the operating force of the parking brake device, and then cutting a supply of