System and method for remotely releasing a parking brake on a disabled vehicle
AssigneeTowhaul Corporation
InventorMatthew Wayne Crawford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method of remotely controlling the parking brake of a disabled vehicle to be towed by a towing vehicle includes using the hydraulic fluid of towing vehicle to control the parking brake operation of the disabled vehicle. The towing vehicle is equipped with a control valve and brake release manifold assembly. The brake release manifold assembly provides a source of hydraulic fluid of controlled pressure. The towing vehicle has means to connect the controlled pressure hydraulic fluid of the towing vehicle to the parking brake system. The towing vehicle also has means to control and monitor the flow of hydraulic fluid to the disabled vehicle in order to either release or apply the brakes when desired.
Claims19
A method of releasing or applying a parking brake of a disabled vehicle having a service braking system and a spring applied parking brake system with a towing vehicle to facilitate towing comprising:
- providing a source of hydraulic fluid at the towing vehicle;
- supplying the source of hydraulic fluid to the spring applied parking brake system of the disabled vehicle and controlling the pressure of the hydraulic fluid to a specified level, whereby the supplied hydraulic pressure at the specified level releases the spring applied parking brake of the disabled vehicle, the controlling performed from the towing vehicle, and
- monitoring at least the pressure of the hydraulic fluid supplied to the disabled vehicle during towing, wherein the pressure in the hydraulic fluid being applied to the spring applied parking brake is controlled at two or more elevated pressure levels and hydraulic fluid at one of the two or more elevated pressure levels is supplied to the spring applied parking brake system so that disabled vehicles with parking brakes systems using varying parking brake system elevated hydraulic pressures can be towed,
- wherein supply of hydraulic fluid, controlled to the specified level, and applied to the spring applied parking brake of the towed vehicle from the towing vehicle is through single line and return of the hydraulic fluid from the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle is through the same single line.
A system for releasing a spring applied parking brake of a disabled vehicle with a towing vehicle to facilitate towing comprising:
- a source of hydraulic fluid, the source of hydraulic fluid being provided in at least two different elevated pressure levels at the towing vehicle;
- means for selecting one of the at least two different elevated pressure level hydraulic fluids and supplying the selected hydraulic fluid to the spring applied parking brake system of the disabled vehicle;
- means for controlling and monitoring the supply of the hydraulic fluid to the disabled vehicle, the controlling and monitoring means located on the towing vehicle so as to control the operation of the spring applied parking brake system on the disabled vehicle from the towing vehicle, wherein the ability of supplying the different elevated pressure level hydraulic fluids to the disabled vehicle permitting towing of disabled vehicles with parking brakes systems using varying parking brake system hydraulic pressures,
- wherein a single line between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle is used for both supply and return of the selected hydraulic fluid applied to the spring applied parking brake system.
A system for releasing a parking brake of a disabled vehicle with a towing vehicle to facilitate towing comprising:
- a source of hydraulic fluid provided at the towing vehicle;
- means for supplying the hydraulic fluid via an output line to a parking brake system of the disabled vehicle;
- means for controlling and monitoring the supply of the hydraulic fluid to the disabled vehicle, the controlling and monitoring means located on the towing vehicle, wherein the means for controlling and monitoring further comprises:
- a) a control valve located on the towing vehicle, the control valve adapted to supply hydraulic fluid via the output line based on a sensed pressure;
- b) an accumulator adapted to receive supplied hydraulic fluid from the output line of the control valve for supply to the disabled vehicle via an output line;
- c) a pressure switch sensing pressure in the output line to control the output of the control valve;
- d) a solenoid valve adapted to control flow of hydraulic fluid from the output line of the control valve to the supplying means using a return line to a hydraulic fluid tank on the towing vehicle;
- e) a pressure transducer for monitoring the pressure in the output line and pressure of hydraulic fluid to the supplying means;
- and
- f) a display located in the towing vehicle and adapted to display the monitored pressures from the pressure transducers,
- wherein a single line between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle is used for both supply and return for the hydraulic fluid applied to the spring applied parking brake system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.