System and method for providing auxiliary braking to a towed vehicle
OwnerJerry A. Edwards, Michael Cannoninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An auxiliary braking device for use in a towed vehicle has an actuator with a moving element that connects via a cable or the like to a brake pedal arm of the towed vehicle. A pulley or similar redirection device is located in the space behind the brake pedal arm with the cable being routed from the actuator to the brake pedal arm via the pulley ensuring that the line of pull on the brake pedal arm is in the direction of the brake pedal's normal movement. The actuator may be a pneumatic actuator that is controlled by pressurized air from an air compressor of a controller.
Claims35
An auxiliary braking device for use in a towed vehicle, the towed vehicle including brakes, a driver cockpit, a brake pedal arm in the driver cockpit for applying the brakes, the brake pedal arm having a non-braking position in which the brakes of the towed vehicle are not applied and a braking position in which the brakes of the towing vehicle are applied, the auxiliary braking device comprising:
- (A) an actuator comprising a fixed element and a moving element, the moving element configured to move relative to the fixed element;
- (B) a controller that causes actuation by the actuator;
- (C) a first attachment that attaches at a brake pedal arm of the towed vehicle;
- (D) a second attachment that attaches to the towed vehicle at a position behind the brake pedal arm as viewed from the driver cockpit of the towed vehicle toward the brake pedal arm;
- (E) a connection between the first attachment and the second attachment;
- (F) wherein the moving element operatively connects to the first attachment;
- and
- (G) wherein actuation of the actuator by the controller causes the moving element of the actuator to pull the first attachment toward the second attachment, thereby moving the brake pedal from the non-braking position to the braking position.
An auxiliary braking device for use in a towed vehicle comprising:
- (A) an attachment for attaching to a brake pedal arm of the towed vehicle;
- (B) an actuator;
- (C) a connection line that attaches at a first end to the attachment and attaches at a second end to the actuator;
- (D) a controller that causes actuation by the actuator;
- and
- (E) wherein actuation by the actuator causes movement of the cable that causes the brake pedal of the towed vehicle to be depressed.
A method for installing an auxiliary braking device in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps, not necessarily in the order shown:
- (A) connecting an attachment to a brake pedal arm of the vehicle;
- (B) connecting a connection line to the attachment, the connection line configured to pull the brake pedal arm toward a braking position of the brake pedal arm;
- and
- (C) connecting the connection line to an actuator that causes the connection line to pull the brake pedal arm during a braking event.
An auxiliary braking system for a towed vehicle comprising:
- (A) connection means for pulling the brake pedal arm from a non-braking position to a braking position;
- (B) actuator means for actuating the connection means;
- and
- (C) controlling means for selectively controlling the actuator means.
An auxiliary braking device for use in a towed vehicle comprising power assisted brakes that utilize a power brake booster, the auxiliary braking device comprising:
- (A) a brake pedal actuator that actuates a brake pedal of the towed vehicle;
- and
- (B) an air compressor that provides pressurized air to the brake pedal actuator and that provides vacuum pressure to the power brake booster.
An auxiliary braking system for use in a towed vehicle comprising:
- (A) a brake pedal actuator that actuates a brake pedal of the towed vehicle;
- (B) a controller that draws power from a power supply of the towed vehicle to control the brake pedal actuator;
- (C) one or more electrical connectors that connect the power supply of the towed vehicle to the controller;
- and
- (D) wherein the controller comprises an electrical supply inlet that receives input power from the towing vehicle and applies a trickle charge to the electrical connectors in order to provide a re-charge current to the power supply.
An auxiliary braking system for use in a towed vehicle comprising:
- (A) a brake pedal actuator that actuates a brake pedal of the towed vehicle;
- (B) a controller that controls actuation of the brake pedal actuator;
- (C) wherein the controller comprises control circuitry that:
- (a) receives a brake signal from a towing vehicle;
- (b) actuates the brake pedal actuator in response to the brake signal;
- (D) wherein the controller comprises further control circuitry that:
- (a) detects a pattern of the brake signal;
- and
- (b) prevents actuation of the brake pedal actuator in response to detection of the pattern.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.