Towed Vehicle Braking Apparatus

• US 20070114836A1
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation (Hoppy Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation (Hoppy Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sickler, Vicki, Kaminski, Gary, Gray, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,430,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 303/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/746 and mechanical transmission of the braking action
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/06 Disposition of pedal
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20 Control lever and linkage systems

Abstract

An auxiliary braking system and method of controlling the braking a towed vehicle is provided that includes a remote control that is in selective communication with an auxiliary braking unit positioned in a towing vehicle. More specifically, it is often desirable for the operator of the towing vehicle to assess the performance of the auxiliary braking apparatus positioned in a towed vehicle. In addition, it is often advantageous for the operator to perform real time adjustments to the performance parameters of the auxiliary braking apparatus positioned in the towing vehicle without having to cease driving and physically access the auxiliary braking device.

Claims

1. An auxiliary braking system, comprising:

a circuit for controlling selective braking logic;

an actuator operably interconnected and controlled by the circuit;

a mechanism adapted for interconnection to a brake pedal of a towed vehicle interconnected to the actuator; and

a remote device for positioning within a towing vehicle, the remote device having at least one indicator related to the performance of the auxiliary braking apparatus and the remote device being capable of selectively altering the braking logic.

2. The auxiliary braking system of claim 1, wherein the braking logic is related to proportional braking and non-proportional braking and the remote device allows an operator to selectively switch from proportional braking, non-proportional braking, or a combination thereof.

3. The auxiliary braking system of claim 1, wherein the braking logic is related to the sensitivity of the actuator.

4. The auxiliary braking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a piston operably associated with a fluid reservoir.

5. The auxiliary braking system of claim 1, further comprising an emergency braking switch that activates the actuator when the towing vehicle is spaced a predetermined distance from the towed vehicle, the auxiliary braking apparatus being inoperable if the emergency braking switch is not operatively associated with the auxiliary braking apparatus.

6. The auxiliary braking system of claim 1, wherein the remote device includes at least one of a braking indicator, a brake sensitivity indicator, an indicator related to the status of the auxiliary braking apparatus, an indicator related to the position of the towed vehicle in relation to the towing vehicle, and an indicator related to the power level of the remote device.

7. The auxiliary braking system of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary braking apparatus includes at least one of a normal operation indicator, low battery indicator, a compressor runtime indicator, an indication of an extension of the actuator, a reminder to bleed the brakes of the towed vehicle, an air pressure display, and a braking sensitivity indication.

8. The auxiliary braking system of claim 7, wherein the at least one indicator is at least one of visual and audio.

9. The auxiliary braking system of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary braking apparatus includes at least one of a test button, a start button and a sensitivity level button.

10. The auxiliary braking system of claim 9, wherein the start button causes the actuator to be cycled a preselected number of times to alter the vacuum pressure of a braking system of the towed vehicle.

11. A system of braking a towed vehicle comprising:

an actuating means adapted for interconnection to a brake pedal of the towed vehicle;

a control means in the towed vehicle for selectively operating the actuating means and operably interconnected to the actuating means; and

a means for communicating with the control means outside of the towed vehicle to selectively alter one or more logic parameters of the control means.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for communicating is a remote control that has at least one means for indicating and a user interface and is able to alter at least one of a sensitivity of the actuating means.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the actuating means has an extension side and a retraction side, each in communication with one or more sensors, and wherein the pressures sensed thereby may be transmitted to the means for communicating.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the actuating means further comprises a compressor in fluidic communication with a reservoir.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a means for releasing pressure in communication with the reservoir that is activated by at least one of automatically and manually.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the communicating means sends a signal to the control means for selectively positioning between proportional braking and non-proportional braking of the towed vehicle.

17. A method for adjusting the operating parameters of an auxiliary braking apparatus comprising:

remotely selecting a desired operating parameter;

communicating the desired operating parameter to the auxiliary braking apparatus to alter the operation of the auxiliary braking apparatus; and

wherein the desired operating parameter alters logic contained in the auxiliary braking apparatus.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the communicating is accomplished via an RF signal.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein altering the operation comprises at least one of switching from proportional to non-proportional braking, switching from non-proportional braking, altering braking sensitivity, engaging the brakes of a towed vehicle, and disengaging the brakes of the towed vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising at least one of visually or audibly indicating information related to the operating parameter.