Itt Italia S.r.l.

Fabrizio Merlo

Luca Martinotto

Daniele Donzelli

Mattia Solari

Stefano Serra

Paolo Galimberti

Augusti Sin Xicola

Agustin Sin Xicola

Pietro Bertoldo

Alessandro Angeleri

Sandro De Dominicis

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.

Smart braking devices, systems, and methods with resin features

A method in which at least one piezoceramic sensor, which converts every mechanical force to which it is subjected into an electrical signal and having a Curie temperature higher than 200&#xb0; C., is solidarized directly onto the surface of a metal support element of a vehicle braking element, which during use faces a vehicle element to be braked. While in contact with such a surface, an electrical circuit is implemented that picks up and eventually processes the electrical signal, the electrical circuit being connected with a connector integrated with the metal support element. An electrically insulating layer sandwiches the at least one piezoceramic sensor and the electrical circuit, and a block of friction material with an underlying damping layer is formed upon the electrically insulating layer. After forming the block of friction material, the piezoceramic sensor is polarized by applying a predetermined potential difference thereto by means of the connector.

Vehicle braking systems and methods

A brake element is sensorized by at least one piezoceramic sensor arranged between a metallic support element and a block of friction material of a brake element, the sensor being completely embedded within the block. An electrical voltage signal generated by at least one piezoceramic sensor, without the need for a power supply, is picked up by an electrical circuit integrated into the metallic support element. The electrical voltage signal is processed in the form of equal length of samples per unit of time of the detected signal by successively processing in real time each sample of equal length of time sample of the signal by applying an algorithm. The algorithm is selected from at least one of a sequence of integrations of voltage values in the sample carried out in an interval of time in the order of milliseconds; FFT voltage data sample; and integral of the voltage data sample.

Method and device for real time estimation of the applied pressure and of noisiness in a brake element, in particular a brake pad

A method in which at least one piezoceramic sensor and an electric circuit to collect an electric signal emitted by the piezoceramic sensor when subjected to a mechanical stress and possibly processing it are made as an electrically insulated unit. The unit is equipped with at least a branching ending with respective electric contacts and having the connected at least one piezoelectric sensor. The electric circuit and the at least one sensor are mechanically fixed integral with a first surface of a supporting metal element of a brake pad. Branching is formed so as to position the at least one piezoelectric sensor at a predetermined point of the first surface.

Method for manufacturing a sensorized braking element, in particular a brake pad and a sensorized brake pad obtained thereby

A vehicle braking unit comprising a support designed to be positioned in use close to an element to be braked, braking elements which are carried in a movable way by the support, actuation elements which are carried by the support for pushing the braking elements against the element to be braked and first and second guide surfaces that are integral, respectively, to the braking elements and to the support, and that cooperate together to guide and support the braking elements when they are moved towards the element to be braked by the activation of the actuation elements; the first and/or the second guide surfaces are covered by a sliding coating consisting of a polymeric resin layer with solid lubricants and/or anti-friction materials being dispersed therein, that has been cured at a temperature greater than 300&#xb0; C.

Vehicle braking unit, brake pad and associated methods

Method wherein at least one piezoceramic sensor () and an electric circuit () to collect an electric signal emitted by the piezoceramic sensor () when subjected to a mechanical stress and possibly processing it are made as a unit electrically insulated () equipped with at least a branching () ending with respective electric contacts () having connected the at least one piezoelectric sensor (), where the electric circuit () and the at least one sensor () are mechanically fixed integral with a first surface () of a supporting metal element () of a brake pad () and branching () is formed so as to position the at least one piezoelectric sensor () at a predetermined point of the first surface ().

Method for manufacturing a braking element with integrated sensor, in particular a brake pad, brake pad with integrated sensor, vehicle braking system and associated method

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Barge, Italy

Fabrizio Merlo