Design and testing of a new electric parking brake actuator

Chien-Tai. Huang, Chien-Tzu Chen, Shou-Yi Cheng,

Bo-Ruei Chen and Ming-Hu Huang
Automotive Research & Testing Center (ARTC)
Copyright 2008 SAE International
ABSTRACT
Electric parking brake (EPB) system provides the
roomy space for vehicles compared with traditional
handbrake system. Combining a control unit realizes
the intelligent functions, which make vehicles more
convenient and secure, and avoid the vehicle damage
and danger caused by the negligence of drivers.
This paper provides a new concept design of the
EPB system that has simple and low-cost
characteristics. The testing results have proved the
feasibility of this design. First we describe the working
principle of this new design, and then introduce the
arrangement of the testing system, followed by the
discussion of experimental data. The last is conclusion
paragraph.

No force sensor lets EPB be simpler and cost less.

No balancer lets EPB be easily assembled on vehicle.
No inner cable combine interface lets EPB reduce the
production cost and assembly processes.
Self-balance feature is useful to reduce difference of
two side cable-pulling force.
Therefore, this new design concept has benefits
such as without inner cable interface, simple structure,
low cost, and easy assembly.
Table 1. Four products of cable type EPB comparison.

INTRODUCTION
The intelligent function of EPB systems makes
the parking brake be operated and released
automatically. That is more convenient to use than
traditional systems, and has the following merits:
1.

Use an operation button to replace a hand lever.

2.

Because of no hand lever, the vehicle has more

spacious space.

3.

Combining a control unit, EPB system can be

automatically operated and released at the right
time, which makes the operation simpler and the
driver feel more comfortable and safe.

There are two types of existing EPB. One is the

cable puller, and the other is the caliper. This new
concept design belongs to the cable puller type. Many
design concepts of the cable puller type use the ways of
two cables [1,2]. Some perhaps use one cable to
connect by way of the balancer one divides into two
brakes [3]. Minorities also use the design concept of
one cable method [4,5], which has small curvature
radius of cable that will reduce the cable life and
mechanical efficiency. The new concept design of this
paper will also use one cable to connect two sides of
the parking brake, but still maintain the cable life and
mechanical efficiency.
Benchmarking - In table 1, there are four products
of cable type EPB comparing with the new design
concept. The important differences are shown as
follows.

At present only some specific high price vehicles

use the EPB system. But according to EPB system
markets tendency report [11], the global EPB systems
market demand will exceed 9 million sets in 2012; the
revenue will reach 3500 million dollars.

SYSTEM DESIGN CONCEPT DESCRIPTION

It is not difficult to control an EPB. The
mechanism is the key point of EPB system. The
important factors that need be considered include:
Cable-pulling force.
Parking brake force can be maintained when the
power source of electric motor is off.
Working time of the actuator.
The force for two sides of parking brake is near.
Actuator parts - The schematic drawing of
actuator prototype is shown in Figure 1a. It comprises a
brush motor, a pair of screw pole and six reduction
gears, and uses one cable and two cable tubes to
connect to two sides of brake. The prototype picture
is shown in Figure 1b. The length, width and height of

this box are 15cm, 10.5cm and 7cm. The volume is

approximately 40% smaller than market products [12].
Working principle - This actuator uses one cable
only, and two sides of cable connect brakes separately.
When the electric motor rotates clockwise, it actuates
the reduction gears (process 3 section reduction), and
then propels the inner screw pole to rotate. When the
inner screw pole rotates, it will actuate the outer screw
pole and the guide tube, and then the right cable tube
will move to right side, (the outer screw pole, guide
tube and right cable tube are fixed as a combination.)
Therefore, It will cause the cable tube to provide force
to cable to pull the two sides of brakes. Cable-pulling
force achieves balance in pulling process, and then
keeps the vehicle motionless when it is parked. When
the parking brake need be released, the motor reverses
and the cable-pulling force will disappear. The
principle that can make the cable have large curvature
radius will maintain the cable life and mechanical
efficiency. Besides, without a cable balancer, it has
fewer inner interfaces for the cable, which provides
characteristics of simple structure, low cost and easy
assembly.

Figure 1b. The prototype picture.

TESTING EQUIPMENT
Testing equipment - The testing equipment of this
new concept design prototype includes the following:

Force control method To control cable-pulling

force to keep the vehicle motionless when it is parked
is our target. The control method of actuator belongs to
close loop control. The controller uses feedback from
the current sensor to control the motor. When the
feedback motor electric current reach set value, the
controller cuts off the power source. As the motor
power source is off, the screw pole set has self-locking
effect, and then the cable-pulling force will be retained.
Using a current sensor instead of force sensor brings
benefits of low cost and saving volume.
motor

A rigid fixed platform.

A power supply (maximum : DC 60V/30A).
A Notebook.
A control unit of motor.
Two load cells (5 KN).
Two amplifiers of load cell.

reduction gears

A data recorder.

left cable tube

guide tube

System testing construction - This system testing

construction is shown in Figure 2. The mechanism of
EPB and two cable tubes were fixed on rigid platform,
and one end of the cable was connected to the load cell
first, and then the load cell was connected to the brake.

cable

cable
outer screw pole
inner screw pole

right cable tube

Figure 1a. The schematic drawing of actuator prototype

Figure 2. System testing construction schematic.

left side cable

linear (left side cable)

right side cable

linear (right side cable)

cabel pulling force v.s current

160
140
120
pulling force (Kgf)

The control unit was connected to the power

source. When pressed down the start button, the motor
started transmitting torque to the mechanism of the
EPB, and the cable also started generating pulling force.
The cable-pulling force was measured by the load cell,
and the signal of load cell passed through amplifier and
transmitted into the data recorder shown on the
notebook finally. Figure 3 is the picture of the testing
construction.

100
80
60
40
20
0
8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
current (A)

Figure 4. Cable-pulling force to the motor current chart.

Figure 3. Testing construction schematic picture.

TESTING RESULTS
Several important characteristics of the actuator
may be indicated in the ways listed below:
The linearity of the cable pulling force and electric
current.
The working time of the actuator.
The feedback motor electric current signal of the
actuator.
The accuracy of the cable-pulling force.
The repeatability of the cable-pulling force.
The linearity Cable-pulling force to the motor current
chart is shown in Figure 4. The control unit was
connected to a DC12V power supply. The electric
current started from 8A, and the cable pulling force
was recorded corresponding to electric current with an
increment of 1A until 20A. Because the actuator needs
certain start torque, the testing below 7A was not
carried out.

In Figure 4, the linear equation of left side cable

curve is y = 6.8242( x 8) + 61.5 , where y
indicates the cable-pulling force, x indicates motor
current value. The linear line R Square of this curve is

R 2 = 0.9954 . The linear equation of right side cable

curve is y = 7.0824( x 8) + 57.4 , and the linear
2
line R Square of curve is R = 0.9964 . From the
results, the cable-pulling force to motor current has a
good linear relationship, and it is feasible to control the
cable-pulling force by means of setting the electric
current.
The feedback of motor electric current signal - As
shown in Figure 5, the electric current was set at 20A.
The motor started to rotate and electric current signal
rose from 0A to 20A. The data recorder through the
low-pass filter circuit recorded the feedbacks of motor
electric current signals. The first peak of the current
caused by start torque was not considered, but the
second peak current represented the loading torque.
The range inside the circle shows the current is smooth,
which indicates low noise of current signal, and it is
helpful to control cable-pulling force.
The working time In Figure 5. The working time
of actuator needs 1.7 seconds approximately.
Comparing with market vehicles EPB [7], the working
time within 2 seconds is acceptable.

cut-off motor electric current after reaching 20A. There

was a drop of cable pulling force by way of cut-off
motor electric current method; the drop is 13.3%
approximately.

Motor feedback current

1.7 sec

I (A)
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
-2
0

6
sec

Figure 5. Feedback motor electric current to time chart.

Cable-pulling
force
without
control

Cable-pulling force to time chart is shown in Figure 6.

When supplied a set voltage DC12V and electric
current 20A to the motor, the actuator starts to produce
the cable pulling force until the motor was stall. The
cable pulling force can reach 150Kgf approximately,
and could be maintained when motor power source was
off.

Figure 7. Cable-pulling force and electric current to time chart.

Repeatability of cable-pulling force by way of

control unit As shown in Figure 8 that is
cable-pulling force to number of testing times chart.
The power voltage was set at DC12V, and the cut-off
motor electric current was at 19.5A, 15A and 12A
respectively. The tests were run 10 times.

Left side cable pulling force

Right side cable pulling force
kgf
160
150
140
130
120
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0

6
sec

Figure 6. Cable-pulling force to time chart.

To Control cable-pulling force - Cable pulling
force and electric current to time chart is shown in
Figure 7. The cable pulling force was controlled by
way of cut-off motor electric current method. The
corresponding cable pulling force was 130Kgf when

Figure 8. Cable-pulling force to number of times chart.

In table 2, when cut-off motor current was at

19.5A, the average values of left side cable-pulling
force and right side were 120.5Kgf and 119.9Kgf, and
the inaccuracies of cable-pulling force were 1.2% and
1.58%. The average difference of two side
cable-pulling force is 0.6Kgf.

2.

M. Taniguchi, et al., Electrically Operated

Parking Brake Apparatus, Patient Number US
6,662,909, 2003.

3.

P. Revelis, et al., Electrically Driven Parking

Brake Actuator Assembly, Patient Number US
6,755,584, 2004.

4.

T. Jaume, et al., OPERATING MECHANISM

FOR A PARKING BRAKE , Patient Number EP
1,487,680, 2003.

5.

When cut-off motor current at 12A, the average

values of left side cable-pulling force and right side
were 68.9Kgf and 68.1Kgf, and the inaccuracies of
cable-pulling force were 4.2% and 4.55%. The average
difference of two side cable-pulling force is 0.7Kgf.

B.Christian, et al., PARKING BRAKE

COMPRISING
A
CABLE
TRACTION
CEVKCE, Patient Number EP 1,613,517, 2004.

6.

AISIN web site, Retrieved July, 2008, website:

www.aisin.com/news/products/061030.html

Table 2. Two sides of cable-pulling force at 19.5A, 15A and 12A.

7.

Continental Web site, Retrieved July, 2008,

website:
http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/e
n/cas/cas/themes/products/electronic_brake_and_s
afety_systems/parking_brake_1003_en.html

8.

Continental Web site, Retrieved July, 2008,

website:
http://www.vdo.de/products_solutions/cars/chassis
/actuation/electric-parking-brake-epb/elektrische-p
arkbremse-epb.htm

9.

J. Gill, et al., Electric Parking Brake, Patient

Number US 6,533,082 B2, 2003.

When cut-off motor current at 15A, the average

values of left side cable-pulling force and right side
were 98.4Kgf and 97Kgf, and the inaccuracies of
cable-pulling force were 1.62% and 2.06%. The
average difference of two side cable-pulling force is
1.4Kgf.

Electric
current
(A)
19.5
15
12

Left side
cable
average
(Kgf)
120.5
98.4
68.9

Inaccurac Right side cable Inaccurac

y (%)
average (Kgf)
y (%)
1.2
1.62
4.2

119.9
97
68.1

1.58
2.06
4.55

The results show the performance of the actuator

is good. Using a current sensor instead of force sensor
is feasible and provides low cost and saving actuator
volume characteristics.
CONCLUSION
This paper describes a new concept design of EPB
and the testing for the EPB prototype. The results
reveal as follows:

10. DURA web site, Retrieved July, 2008, website:

http://www.duraauto.com/include/template.cfm?
ID=15

1.

This paper provides a new concept design of the

EPB system that has simple and low-cost
characteristics.

11. F. Viquez, et al., Market Strategies for Electronic

Power Steering, Brake-by-Wire, and Electronic
Parking Brake Systems , ABIresearch,
pp.4-11~4-12, 2005.

2.

The testing results prove the feasibility and

excellence of this new concept.

12. Production vehicles: RENAULT Espace IV EPB

system, 2003.

3.

This new concept is not only theoretical interest,

but also can be applied into a practical parking
brake system.

CONTACT
Chien-Tai. Huang

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work is funded by the Department of
Industrial Technology of MOEA (Ministry of
Economic Affairs, Taiwan, R.O.C.) under the contract
no. 97-EC-17-A-16-R7-0792
REFERENCES
1.

J. Belmond, et al., Motor Vehicle Electric

Parking Brake, Patient Number US 5,590,744,
1997.

R & D Division, Automotive Research & Testing

Center (ARTC), Taiwan
e-mail: chien-tai@artc.org.tw