Brake cable tensioning and calibration system and method
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsBenjamin B. Macarthur, Andrew Silver
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described are various embodiments of a brake cable tensioning system and method. In one embodiment, the system generally comprises a sensor mounted on a support structure for engagement with the cable in sensing a load applied thereby on the sensor, and a tensioning tool for adjusting a tension of the cable responsive to the sensor.
Claims20
A system for controlling a brake cable tension adjustment in a brake assembly, the brake assembly comprising at least one brake cable operatively coupled to a brake actuator moveable relative to a base of the assembly to act upon the cable between a release position and one or more selectable engagement positions, the system comprising:
- a sensing device;
- a support structure separate from the brake assembly and configured to rest upon the base of the assembly and thereby support and position said sensing device in operative engagement with the cable to sense a tension therein, said support structure further comprising a locating component arranged so to structurally engage the actuator only upon the actuator being in a preselected engagement position, and to otherwise structurally obstruct operative positioning of the support structure;
- and
- a tensioning tool for controllably adjusting the tension in response to said sensing device.
A method for reproducibly adjusting tension in a brake cable of a brake assembly to a preset tension, the preset tension defined for a selectable engagement position of the brake assembly, wherein adjustment of the cable tension is provided via a threaded tensioning fastener having preset fastener characteristics, the method comprising:
- setting the brake assembly in the selectable engagement position for which the preset tension is defined;
- sensing a tension in the cable;
- computing, from said preset fastener characteristics and said sensed tension, a total rotation of the tensioning fastener that will impart a tension adjustment required to achieve the preset tension;
- communicating said total rotation to a fastening tool;
- and
- operating said fastening tool to automatically impart said total rotation to the tensioning fastener.
A system for controlling a brake cable tension adjustment in a brake assembly, the brake assembly comprising at least one brake cable operatively coupled to a brake actuator moveable relative to a base of the assembly to act upon the cable between a release position and one or more selectable engagement positions, the system comprising:
- a support structure separate from the brake assembly and configured to rest reproducibly upon the base of the assembly alongside a cable path;
- a sensor assembly mounted to said support structure and comprising a sensor arm extending outwardly therefrom above the base to cross the path and thereby engage the cable such that a load is applied by the cable on the sensor arm, said sensor assembly further comprising a transducer for converting said load into a signal representative of the cable tension;
- and
- a tensioning tool for controllably adjusting the tension in response to said signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.