UNIVERSAL TRAILER MOUNTED PROPORTIONAL BRAKE CONTROLLER

• US 20100152989A1
• Filed: 11/25/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Horizon Global Americas Inc. (Horizon Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cequent Electrical Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Chandrakumar, Hilsbos, Richard Lyons, Austin, Mark William, Smith, Bruce Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,150,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/78
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/085 by electrical means, e.g. travel, force sensors
• 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: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations

Abstract

A trailer mounted proportional brake controller for a towed vehicle and a method of controlling the brakes of a towed vehicle is described. The brake control unit may control the brakes of a towed vehicle. The brake control unit may include a power control unit and a hand control unit. The power control unit may be connected to the brakes of the towed vehicle and the power control unit may be capable of selectively controlling the brakes of the towed vehicle based on a set of braking parameters. The hand control unit may be configured to remotely communicate with the power control unit. The hand control unit may be capable of transmitting information to the power control unit to adjust at least one of the braking parameters and receiving information from the power control unit.

Claims

1. A brake control unit for controlling the brakes of a towed vehicle, said brake control unit comprising:

a power control unit connected to said towed vehicle, said power control unit capable of selectively controlling the brakes of said towed vehicle based on a set of braking parameters;

a hand control unit configured to remotely communicate with said power control unit; and

wherein said hand control unit is capable of transmitting information to said power control unit to adjust at least one of said braking parameters.

2. The brake controller of claim 1, wherein said hand control unit communicates with said power control unit by way of Radio Frequency (RF) communication.

3. The brake controller of claim 2, wherein said power control unit is capable of transmitting information to said hand control unit.

4. The brake controller of claim 1, wherein said power control unit is capable of selectively applying a voltage to said brakes.

5. The brake controller of claim 4, wherein said hand control unit is capable of adjusting said voltage applied to said brakes.

6. The brake controller of claim 1, wherein said braking parameters include gain to control maximum braking force.

7. The brake controller of claim 6, wherein said gain is adjustable by said hand controller.

8. The brake controller of claim 1 further comprising an accelerometer connected to said power control unit.

9. The brake controller of claim 8, wherein said power control unit is connected to a braking system on said towing vehicle.

10. The brake controller of claim 9 further comprising a microprocessor connected to said power control unit.

11. The brake controller of claim 10, wherein said microprocessor is configured to adjust said braking parameters based on an input from said accelerometer, an input from said braking system on said towing vehicle, and an input from said hand control unit.

12. The brake controller of claim 11 wherein said microprocessor is capable of regulating the braking force of said brakes on said towed vehicle to be proportionate to the braking force of said brakes on said towing vehicle.

13. A brake controller comprising:

a power control unit connected to the brakes of a towed vehicle, said power control unit capable of controlling said brakes;

a hand control unit remotely connected to said power control unit;

wherein said hand control unit is capable of receiving information regarding the status of said brakes from said power control unit; and

wherein said hand control unit includes a display that is capable of displaying said information from said power control unit.

14. The brake control unit of claim 13, wherein said information includes the status of said brakes including diagnostics and fault conditions related to said power control unit.

15. The brake control unit of claim 13, wherein said power control unit includes a cover and is capable of being mounted in any direction on said towed vehicle whereby said cover is in an upwards direction.

16. The brake control unit of claim 13, wherein said hand control unit is configured to receive power from a vehicle'"'"'s auxiliary power port.

17. The brake control unit of claim 13, wherein said hand control unit is capable of transmitting information to said power control unit.

18. A method of controlling the brakes of a towed vehicle comprising:

inputting information into a hand control unit;

remotely transmitting said information from said hand control unit to a power control unit;

adjusting at least one of a set of braking parameters in said power control unit based on said information; and

controlling said brakes based on said braking parameters.

19. The method of controlling the brakes of a towed vehicle of claim 18 further comprising the step of sending information from said power control unit to said hand control unit.

20. The method of controlling the brakes of a towed vehicle of claim 18, wherein said power control unit is removably connectable in series between the towed vehicle and a towing vehicle.