Motor vehicle electric parking brake

A motor vehicle parking brake in a braking system having first and second braking members, said parking brake comprising:

• a housing containing a gearwheel, said gearwheel being mechanically linked to a screw-nut mechanism, said screw-nut mechanism aligned coaxial with said gearwheel, said screw-nut mechanism having driving and driven elements wherein said driving element is adapted to be driven in rotation by said gearwheel, and wherein said driven element is correspondingly driven in translation by said driving element relative to said driving element and said gearwheel, said driving element having first and second extensions extending axially on either side of said gearwheel and said driven element having first and second driven components,
• first and second cables passing through said housing on either side of said gearwheel, said first cable having a first end and a second end, said second cable having a first end and a second end, said first end of said first cable connected to said first driven component and said first end of said second cable connected to said second driven component, said second end of said first cable connected to said first braking member and said second end of said second cable connected to said second braking member, and
• an electric gear motor unit for driving said gearwheel in rotation, said motor unit connected to a control button actuable by an operator of the vehicle, wherein rotation of said gearwheel alternatively pulls said first and second cables together and alternatively allows said cables to move apart depending upon the direction of rotation of said motor unit and of said gearwheel to thereby alternately bring about application and release of said first and second braking members.