BRAKE ACTUATION DEVICE

• US 20150275991A1
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: De Concepts Pte., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: De Concepts Pte., Ltd.
• Inventors: De Leon, Craig Joshua
• Application Number:
  US14/432,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20150275991A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/08 Overrun brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/746 and mechanical transmission of the braking action
• 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 7/203 with automatic brake release or reduction in case of reverse travel, e.g. by means of mechanisms mounted on the draw bar
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1708 for lorries or tractor-trailer combinations
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2121/24 using motors
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/14 Actuating mechanisms for brakes; Means for initiating operation at a predetermined position brake control systems, parts thereof B60T

Abstract

A brake actuation device for a vehicle trailer including a mounting for mounting relative to the trailer, an actuator arranged to be coupled to a braking system of the trailer and movable to actuate the braking system, a movement driver for driving movement of the actuator, a sensor for sensing a predetermined condition, and a controller in communication with the sensor and arranged to operate the movement driver in response to the sensor detecting the predetermined condition, wherein the device has a locked condition in which the actuator is mechanically locked in position.

Claims

1. A brake actuation device for a vehicle trailer including a mounting for mounting relative to the trailer, an actuator arranged to be coupled to a braking system of the trailer and movable to actuate the braking system, a movement driver for driving movement of the actuator, a sensor for sensing a predetermined condition, and a controller in communication with the sensor and arranged to operate the movement driver in response to the sensor detecting the predetermined condition, wherein the device has a locked condition in which the actuator is mechanically locked in position.

2. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movement driver is powered by a power source, and the locked condition is independent of supply of power from the power source to the brake actuation device.

3. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the locked condition the actuator is mechanically locked in position relative to the mounting.

4. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the powered movement driver is a motor.

5. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the locked condition is provided by way of said motor having a worm drive arranged to allow drive transmission from the motor to the actuator and to prevent drive transmission from the actuator to the motor.

6. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locked condition is provided by way of a one way clutch or by way of a drive type of the movement driver.

8. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movement driver is powered by at least one capacitor.

7. (canceled)

9. A brake actuation device for a vehicle trailer including a mounting for mounting to the trailer, an actuator arranged to be coupled to a braking system of the trailer and movable to actuate the braking system, a movement driver for driving movement of the actuator, a sensor for sensing a predetermined condition, and a controller in communication with the sensor and arranged to operate the movement driver in response to the sensor detecting a predetermined condition, wherein the movement driver is powered by at least one capacitor.

10. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the movement driver is powered by a plurality of capacitors or a bank of capacitors.

12. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one capacitor comprises at least one supercapacitor.

13. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one capacitor is mounted relative to the trailer.

11. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. A brake actuation device for a vehicle trailer including a mounting for mounting to the trailer, an actuator arranged to be coupled to a braking system of the trailer and movable to actuate the braking system, a movement driver for driving movement of the actuator, a sensor for sensing a predetermined condition, and a controller in communication with the sensor and arranged to operate the movement driver in response to the sensor detecting a predetermined condition, wherein the sensor includes an accelerometer.

16. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the accelerometer is a multi-axis accelerometer or mounted relative to the trailer.

18. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the accelerometer forms part of the device.

19. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the accelerometer is arranged to sense lateral acceleration of the trailer, and the controller is able to monitor predetermined events of amplitude and/or frequency of lateral acceleration.

20. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to (i) gradually increase brake activation force once an event is detected or (ii) increase the rate of application of the brake activation force if amplitude of lateral acceleration increases during gradual increase of brake activation force following detection of said event.

17. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. A brake actuation device for a vehicle trailer including a mounting for mounting relative to the trailer, an actuator arranged to be coupled to a braking system of the trailer and movable to actuate the braking system, a movement driver for driving movement of the actuator, a sensor for sensing a predetermined condition, and a controller in communication with the sensor and arranged to operate the movement driver in response to the sensor detecting the predetermined condition, wherein the device has a retained condition in which the actuator is retained in position.

25. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 24, wherein, in the retained condition, the actuator is mechanically restrained against movement to maintain braking force of the braking system.

26. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the movement driver is powered by a power source, and the retained condition is (i) independent of supply of power from the power source to the brake actuation device or (ii) achieved mainly through mechanical retention of the actuator with only a minimal supply of power from the power source to the brake actuation device being required.

28. A brake actuation device as claimed in claim 24, wherein in the retained condition the actuator is mechanically retained in position relative to the mounting by a highly geared drive between the actuator and the powered movement driver, said drive being reversible such that it-the drive allows drive transmission from the movement driver to the actuator and drive transmission from the actuator to the movement driver.

27. (canceled)

29. (canceled)