Electric trailer brake controller

• US 20050077780A1
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation (Hoppy Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hayes Brake Controller Co. LLC (Syncro Corp.)
• Inventors: Robertson, Charles L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,575,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/74 with electrical assistance or drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/20 specially for trailers, e.g. in case of uncoupling of or overrunning by trailer inertia-actuated overrun brakes B60T13/08

Abstract

A micro processor based electric brake controller includes an internal Read Only Memory that stores operating code and an external Electrically Erasable Read Only Memory that stores operating parameters supplied by the vehicle operator.

Claims

1. A trailer brake controller comprising:

a brake control signal generator for generating a brake control signal;

a microprocessor connected to said brake control signal generator and responsive to said brake control signal to generate an output brake actuation signal which is related to said brake control signal; and

at least one pushbutton connected to said microprocessor, said pushbutton being operative to change selected operating parameters of said microprocessor;

.

2. The trailer brake controller according to claim 1 wherein said brake control signal increases as a function of time from a minimum value to a maximum value.

3. The trailer brake controller according to claim 2 including a pair of pushbuttons that are selectively operative to select said maximum brake control signal, said pushbuttons being further operative to select a time period for increasing said brake control signal from said minimum to said maximum value.

4. The trailer brake controller according to claim 3 further including an EEPROM connected to said microprocessor, said EEPROM receiving and storing said selected maximum brake control value and said time period.

5. The trailer brake controller according to claim 4 wherein said microprocessor includes an internal ROM that stores coding for an algorithm that controls the operation of the brake controller.

6. The trailer brake controller according to claim 5 further including a programmable current sensing power switch which is adapted to be connected between a power supply and a set of trailer brake coils, said power switch connected to an output pin of said microprocessor and responsive to said brake control signal to supply a current that is a function of said brake control signal to said trailer brake coils.

7. The trailer brake controller according to claim 6 wherein said power switch is also connected to a current feedback port of said microprocessor, said microprocessor being operative to monitor the current being supplied to said trailer brake coils and being further operative, upon the brake coil current exceeding a predetermined threshold, to cause said power switch to change to a non-conducting state for a predetermined period of time.

8. The trailer brake controller according to claim 7 further including a visual display, said microprocessor being operative to monitor parameters within the trailer brake circuit and, upon detection of a problem, to illuminate said display to inform the operator of the towing vehicle of the problem.

9. The trailer brake controller according to claim 8 wherein said microprocessor is further operative to monitor output parameters of the controller and further wherein selective manipulation of said pushbuttons will display a selected parameter to the operator of the towing vehicle.

10. A trailer brake controller comprising:

a brake control signal generator for generating a brake control signal that is proportional to the deceleration of a towing vehicle;

a microprocessor connected to said brake control signal generator and responsive to said brake control signal to generate an output brake actuation signal which is related to said brake control signal; and

at least one pushbutton connected to said microprocessor, said pushbutton being operative to change selected operating parameters of said microprocessor.

11. The trailer brake controller according to claim 10 wherein said brake control signal generator is a pendulum device that generates a brake control signal that is a function the deceleration of a towing vehicle.

12. The trailer brake controller according to claim 11 further including a power switch which is adapted to be connected between a power supply and a set of trailer brake coils, said power switch also connected to an output pin of said microprocessor and responsive to said brake control signal to supply output power to said trailer brake coils that is a function of said brake control signal.

13. The trailer brake controller according to claim 12 including a pair of pushbuttons that are selectively operative to select minimum and maximum brake output power limits.

14. The trailer brake controller according to claim 13 further including an EEPROM connected to said microprocessor, said EEPROM receiving and storing said selected minimum and maximum brake output power limits.

15. The trailer brake controller according to claim 14 wherein said microprocessor includes an internal ROM that stores coding for an algorithm that controls the operation of the brake controller.

16. The trailer brake controller according to claim 15 wherein said power switch is a programmable current sensing power switch which is adapted to be connected between a power supply and a set of trailer brake coils, said power switch connected to an output pin of said microprocessor and responsive to said brake control signal to supply a current that is a function of said brake control signal to said trailer brake coils.

17. The trailer brake controller according to claim 16 wherein said power switch is also connected to a current feedback port of said microprocessor, said microprocessor being operative to monitor the current being supplied to said trailer brake coils and being further operative, upon the brake coil current exceeding a predetermined threshold, to cause said power switch to change to a non-conducting state for a predetermined period of time.

18. The trailer brake controller according to claim 15 further including a visual display, said microprocessor being operative to monitor parameters within the trailer brake circuit and, upon detection of a problem, to illuminate said display to inform the operator of the towing vehicle of the problem.

19. The trailer brake controller according to claim 18 wherein said microprocessor is further operative to monitor output parameters of the controller and further wherein selective manipulation of said pushbuttons will display a selected parameter to the operator of the towing vehicle.

20. The trailer brake controller according to claim 10 wherein said brake control signal generator includes a two axis accelerometer that generates a pair of deceleration signals that are combined by said microprocessor to produce a brake control signal that is a function the deceleration of a towing vehicle.

21. The trailer brake controller according to claim 21 wherein said accelerometer includes a first sensing device oriented in a general longitudinal direction and a second sensing device oriented in a generally vertical direction, said first and second sensing devices operative to generate signals that are a function of the deceleration of a towing vehicle, said signals being combined by said microprocessor to produce said brake control signal.

22. The trailer brake controller according to claim 21 further including a power switch which is adapted to be connected between a power supply and a set of trailer brake coils, said power switch also connected to an output pin of said microprocessor and responsive to said brake control signal to supply output power to said trailer brake coils that is a function of said brake control signal.

23. The trailer brake controller according to claim 22 including a pair of pushbuttons that are selectively operative to select said minimum and maximum brake output power limits.

24. The trailer brake controller according to claim 23 further including an EEPROM connected to said microprocessor, said EEPROM receiving and storing said selected minimum and maximum brake output power limits.

25. The trailer brake controller according to claim 24 wherein said microprocessor includes an internal ROM that stores coding for an algorithm that controls the operation of the brake controller.

26. The trailer brake controller according to claim 25 wherein said power switch a programmable current sensing power switch which is adapted to be connected between a power supply and a set of trailer brake coils, said power switch connected to an output pin of said microprocessor and responsive to said brake control signal to supply a current that is a function of said brake control signal to said trailer brake coils.

27. The trailer brake controller according to claim 26 wherein said power switch is also connected to a current feedback port of said microprocessor, said microprocessor being operative to monitor the current being supplied to said trailer brake coils and being further operative, upon the brake coil current exceeding a predetermined threshold, to cause said power switch to change to a non-conducting state for a predetermined period of time.

28. The trailer brake controller according to claim 25 further including a digital display, said microprocessor being operative to monitor parameters within the trailer brake circuit and, upon detection of a problem, to illuminate said display to inform the operator of the towing vehicle of the problem.

29. The trailer brake controller according to claim 28 wherein said microprocessor is further operative to monitor output parameters of the controller and further wherein selective manipulation of said pushbuttons will display a selected parameter to the operator of the towing vehicle.