Electrically actuated brake with vibration damping

Abstract

An electrically actuated braking system ( ) of the type having a plurality of brake actuators ( ) disposed on a carrier housing ( ) to selectively apply a braking force to effect the restraint of wheel rotation has the particular actuators employed during a braking event determined, at least in part, by monitored wheel motion. The system ( ) reduces brake energy consumption and heat generation during slow speed operations, reduces braking induced vibration, and compensates for individual actuator failure. The system ( ) includes a first circuit for energizing only a first proper subset of the plurality of the brake actuators ( ) upon occurrence of a braking command ( ); a second circuit for energizing only a second proper subset of the plurality of brake actuators upon occurrence of a braking command; and wheel motion monitors ( ) providing control signals for selectively enabling the first circuit and not the second circuit in response to certain of the control signals, the second circuit and not the first circuit in response to other of the control signals, and both the first and second circuits in response to still other of the control signals. Typically, there are four disjoint proper subsets the union of which comprises all actuators for the given brake. Preferably the first and second circuits each energize exactly one brake actuator. In one form, the first and second circuits are both energized during normal braking while the first, but not the second, is energized during slow speed taxi or towing operation. In another form, the first subset comprises all properly operating brake actuators while the second comprises all malfunctioning brake actuators and the second circuit remains un-energized.