Brake S-CAM positioning sensor system
First Claim
1. Apparatus to monitor the rotation of the brake cam shaft comprising a sensor which can convert the rotational movement of the brake cam shaft S-CAM to an electrical signal.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a brake monitoring system for trucks, tractors, trailers or buses (class 6, 7 & 8 vehicles) using air brakes. In particular the present invention provides apparatus to monitor the braking system and the brake pad S-CAM positioning comprising a positioning transducer which can convert the rotational movement of the brake cam shaft S-CAM to an electrical signal. This signal is used as the input to a microprocessor system for further analysis and comparison in determining the condition of the S-CAM operations. The transducer signal not only provides the S-CAM position, but the speed of rotation both in braking and release of the brakes. There are many variables that can change the brake shoe application from the source (actuator canister) to the S-CAM including brake drum wear, worn S-CAM bushing, brake pad wear, worn pins & rollers, brake drum failure expanse(cracked drum), worn slack adjusters, pinched airlines, worn or broken return springs, brake chamber diaphragm braking, faulty modulator valve and brake release. After analyzing the signal from the transducer with a microprocessor system some of the failure of the braking system can be detected. By comparing the signal from different wheels, the system can detect delays of applying brakes or delays of releasing brakes which also could be a failure condition of the air brake system.
9 Citations
18 Claims
- 1. Apparatus to monitor the rotation of the brake cam shaft comprising a sensor which can convert the rotational movement of the brake cam shaft S-CAM to an electrical signal.
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12. A brake cam monitoring system for monitoring the rotation of a brake cam shaft on vehicles equipped with air brakes, said system comprising one or more brake cam rotation sensors capable of converting the rotational movement of the brake cam shaft to an electrical signal, a programmable micro processor for receiving and processing the sensor signals to detect an alarm condition and alarm means to alert the driver of a problem with one or more of the brakes.
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14. A networked micro-controller based system for monitoring and recording the rotation of a brake cam shaft for a multi axle vehicle where each of the axles on the vehicle has wheels and air brakes at both ends of said axles, said system comprising sensors capable of capable of converting the rotational movement of the brake cam shaft associated with said brakes mounted on each axle to an electrical signal, one or more sensor CPUs connected to the sensors monitoring the brakes, a fault recording CPU connected to said sensor CPUs, and a fault warning means.
Specification