Vehicle brake safety system apparatus and methods
First Claim
1. A combination of a vehicle with a parking brake for preventing movement of the vehicle and a parking brake control system for the parking brake, the vehicle having a plurality of stations at which conditions are monitored by the control system to determine whether vehicle movement should be permitted, and a driver'"'"'s cab from which a driver operates the vehicle, and the control system comprising:
- a management mechanism adapted to apply the parking brake to prevent vehicle movement from a stationary parked position;
a plurality of sensors at said stations in the vehicle adapted to sense conditions at the stations;
an electronic controller operatively connected to the management mechanism and to the plurality of sensors, wherein the controller is adapted to receive signals from the plurality of sensors and, in response to signals from the plurality of sensors indicating a condition that is unsafe for vehicle movement, to actuate the management mechanism to apply the parking brake to prevent vehicle movement if the parking brake is not already applied;
an operator switch mounted in the vehicle cab, the operator switch being electrically connected to said electronic controller, wherein the operator switch is adapted to be switched by the driver to a lock position wherein the switch electrically signals the electronic controller to actuate the management mechanism even if none of the said plurality of sensors indicate a condition that is unsafe for vehicle movement, and the operator switch is adapted to be switched by the driver to a release position wherein the switch electrically signals the electronic controller to cause the management system to release the parking brake only if said plurality of sensors do not indicate a condition that is unsafe for vehicle movement;
wherein the controller is adapted to maintain the parking brake in an applied condition until said plurality of sensors do not indicate a condition that is unsafe for vehicle movement and until said operator switch is switched by the driver to said release position;
wherein the controller comprises a signal validation circuit for preventing noise and defective sensors from causing the parking to be applied by the electronic controller, the validation circuit being adapted to validate signals from the sensor acceptance by the controller only if the signals arrive at the controller, uninterrupted, for a predetermined minimum duration of time; and
wherein the combination of vehicle and control system does not comprise a driver-operated handle mechanically connected to the management mechanism, so that said parking brake is controlled by said electronic controller and by said operator switch electrically connected to said electronic controller and is not controlled by a driver-operated handle mechanically connected to the management mechanism.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a safety-enhancing automatic brake control system that automatically applies and maintains the brakes in the applied state, in response to sensors at various stations around/in the vehicle or equipment that signal an invented controller when conditions exist that make vehicle movement potentially dangerous. The controller validates the signals and then actuates a mechanism that manages the air, brake fluid, or mechanical brake linkage/cable that applies the brakes. The control system preferably includes a vehicle motion override system that prevents automatic application of the brakes if the vehicle is in motion above a set speed, and a manual brake-releasing override that allows a driver to override the controller temporarily at the driver'"'"'s discretion.
82 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A combination of a vehicle with a parking brake for preventing movement of the vehicle and a parking brake control system for the parking brake, the vehicle having a plurality of stations at which conditions are monitored by the control system to determine whether vehicle movement should be permitted, and a driver'"'"'s cab from which a driver operates the vehicle, and the control system comprising:
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a management mechanism adapted to apply the parking brake to prevent vehicle movement from a stationary parked position;
a plurality of sensors at said stations in the vehicle adapted to sense conditions at the stations;
an electronic controller operatively connected to the management mechanism and to the plurality of sensors, wherein the controller is adapted to receive signals from the plurality of sensors and, in response to signals from the plurality of sensors indicating a condition that is unsafe for vehicle movement, to actuate the management mechanism to apply the parking brake to prevent vehicle movement if the parking brake is not already applied;
an operator switch mounted in the vehicle cab, the operator switch being electrically connected to said electronic controller, wherein the operator switch is adapted to be switched by the driver to a lock position wherein the switch electrically signals the electronic controller to actuate the management mechanism even if none of the said plurality of sensors indicate a condition that is unsafe for vehicle movement, and the operator switch is adapted to be switched by the driver to a release position wherein the switch electrically signals the electronic controller to cause the management system to release the parking brake only if said plurality of sensors do not indicate a condition that is unsafe for vehicle movement;
wherein the controller is adapted to maintain the parking brake in an applied condition until said plurality of sensors do not indicate a condition that is unsafe for vehicle movement and until said operator switch is switched by the driver to said release position;
wherein the controller comprises a signal validation circuit for preventing noise and defective sensors from causing the parking to be applied by the electronic controller, the validation circuit being adapted to validate signals from the sensor acceptance by the controller only if the signals arrive at the controller, uninterrupted, for a predetermined minimum duration of time; and
wherein the combination of vehicle and control system does not comprise a driver-operated handle mechanically connected to the management mechanism, so that said parking brake is controlled by said electronic controller and by said operator switch electrically connected to said electronic controller and is not controlled by a driver-operated handle mechanically connected to the management mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 6, 7, 25, 26, 28, 36, 37, 38)
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43. A combination of a vehicle with a parking brake for preventing movement of the vehicle and a parking brake control system for the parking brake, the vehicle having one of more stations at which conditions are monitored by the control system to determine whether vehicle movement should be permitted, and a driver'"'"'s cab from which a driver operates the vehicle, and the control system comprising:
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a management mechanism adapted to apply the parking brake to prevent vehicle movement from a stationary parked position;
a sensor at each of said stations in the vehicle adapted to sense conditions at the stations;
an electronic controller operatively connected to the management mechanism and to the one or mor sensors, wherein the controller is adapted to receive signals from the one or more sensors and, in response to signals from the one or more of sensors indicating a condition that is unsafe for vehicle movement, to actuate the management mechanism to apply the parking brake to prevent vehicle movement if the parking brake is not already applied;
an operator switch mounted in the vehicle cab, the operator switch being electrically connected to said electronic controller, wherein the operator switch is adapted to be switched by the driver to a lock position wherein the switch electrically signals the electronic controller to actuate the management mechanism even if none of said one or more sensors indicate a condition that is unsafe for vehicle movement, and the operator switch is adapted to be switched by the driver to a release position wherein the switch electrically signals the electronic controller to cause the management system to release the parking brake only if said one or more sensors do not indicate a condition that is unsafe for vehicle movement;
wherein the controller is adapted to maintain the parking brake in an applied condition until said one or more sensors do not indicate a condition that is unsafe for vehicle movement and until said operator switch is switched by the driver to said release position;
wherein the controller comprises a signal validation circuit for preventing noise and defective sensors from causing the parking to be applied by the electronic controller, the validation circuit being adapted to validate signals from the one or more sensors for acceptance by the controller only if the signals arrive at the controller, uninterrupted, for a predetermined minimum duration of time; and
wherein the combination of vehicle and control system does not comprise a driver-operated handle mechanically connected to the management mechanism, so that said parking brake is controlled by said electronic controller and by said operator switch electrically connected to said electronic controller and is not controlled by a driver-operated handle mechanically connected to the management mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification