ELECTRIC BRAKE CONTROLLER

• US 3,740,691 A
• Filed: 06/01/1971
• Issued: 06/19/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald D. Brown
• Original Assignee: Donald D. Brown
• Inventors: Brown, Donald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Albritton, C. L.
• Application Number:
  US05/148,784
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 338/39,92,93,95,96,97,153,202
• US Class Current: 338/39
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/58 Combined or convertible systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/74 with electrical assistance or drive
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/08 with intervening conducting structure between the resistive element and the short-circuiting means, e.g. taps

Abstract

An electric brake controller having a wound resistor and having an elongated electrical contact strip which is supported at both ends with the strip being engaged with a movable contact member intermediate its support ends whereby the contact strip successively engages the turns on the resistor to vary the current to the brakes.

Claims

1. An electric brake controller for controlling the magnitude of current to electrically actuated brakes, comprising:

resistor means comprising a control winding wound about a longitudinally extending axis, conductor means comprising a flexible conductor extending longitudinally relative to said axis and spaced from said control winding, support means generally fixed relative to said control winding for supporting said flexible conductor as a beam at both ends, and actuating means operatively connected with said conductor means for applying a force to said conductor at a location intermediate said ends whereby said conductor engages the coils of said control winding as a result of beam bending of said conductor.

2. The controller of claim 1 with said support means supporting said flexible conductor freely at at least one end.

3. The controller of claim 2 with said support means fixing the opposite end of said flexible conductor.

4. The controller of claim 1 with said flexible conductor comprising a flexible electrical conductor strip made of a material being a good conductor of electricity and a support strip and securing means securing said conductor strip and said support strip together.

5. The controller of claim 1 with said flexible conductor comprising a flexible electrical conductor strip made of a material being a good conductor of electricity and a flexible support strip and securing means securing said conductor strip and said support strip together, said support strip partially overlaying said conductor strip whereby said support strip is directly supported by said support means at only one of said ends.

6. The controller of claim 1 with said support strip being of a shape similar to that of said conductor strip and with said support strip and said conductor strip both being flat strips.

7. The controller of claim 1 with said resistor means including an electrical stop member located near a first end of said control winding, said actuating means connected for applying the force to said flexible conductor at a location generally between said first end and one of said ends of said flexible conductor.

8. An electric brake controller for controlling the magnitude of current to electrically actuated brakes for a vehicle, comprising:

resistor means comprising a control winding wound about a longitudinally extending dielectric body, a first tab supported at one end of said dielectric body and being electrically connected to one end of said control winding, a second tab supported at the opposite end of said dielectric body and being electrically connected to the opposite end of said control winding and to the electrically actuated brake, conductor means comprising a flexible conductor extending longitudinally with said dielectric body and spaced from said control winding, support means on said dielectric body generally fixed relative to said control winding for supporting said flexible conductor as a beam at both ends, and actuating means operatively connected with said conductor means for applying a force to said conductor at a location intermediate the ends of said conductor to bend said conductor as a beam into engagement successively with said first tab, with adjacent turns of said control winding and finally with said second tab.

9. The controller of claim 8 with said actuating means comprising a pivotally supported lever arm actuable when pivoted to flex said conductor.

10. The controller of claim 9 for use with the hydraulic brake system of a towing vehicle for towing the electrically braked vehicle, and with said actuating means further comprising a piston connected to said hydraulic brake system and to said lever arm for pivoting said lever arm in response to fluid pressure in the hydraulic brake system.

11. The controller of claim 9 further comprising a box-like case and a generally flat cover for housing said resistor means, said conductor means and said actuating means and including a pair of bosses in said case and in said cover receiving a pair of pin portions on said lever arm for pivotally supporting said lever arm.

12. The controller of claim 9 with said dielectric body including a depressed portion containing the last turns of said control winding with said depressed portion following said second tab and with said last turns being out of contact position with said flexible conductor.

13. The controller of claim 12 with said support means supporting said flexible conductor freely at at least one end.

14. The controller of claim 13 with said support means fixing the opposite end of said flexible conductor.

15. The controller of claim 14 with said flexible conductor comprising a flexible electrical conductor strip made of a material being a good conductor of electricity and a support strip and securing means securing said conductor strip and said support strip together.

16. The controller of claim 14 with said flexible conductor comprising a flexible electrical conductor strip made of a material being a good conductor of electricity and a support strip and securing means securing said conductor strip and said support strip together, said support strip being of a shape similar to that of said conductor strip and partially overlaying said conductor strip whereby said support strip is directly supported by said support means at only one of said ends, said support strip and said conductor strip both being flat strips.

17. The controller of claim 16 with said support strip being of a heavier gage material than said conductor strip.

18. The controller of claim 17 with said securing means comprising a contact block located on said conductor generally in confrontation with said second tab, said actuating means further comprising an actuating block movably supported on said lever arm and engageable with said contact block for actuating said conductor.

19. The controller of claim 11 comprising first means on said body and said housing for slidably supporting said body in said housing whereby said body can be slidingly assembled in said housing, and second means on said cover for clamping said body in said housing when said cover is assembled to said housing.

20. The controller of claim 10 further comprising a box-like case and a generally flat cover for housing said resistor means, said conductor means and said actuating means and including a pair of bosses in said case and in said cover receiving a pair of pin portions on said lever arm for pivotally supporting said lever arm, first means on said body and said housing for slidably supporting said body in said housing whereby said body can be slidingly assembled in said housing, and second means on said cover for clamping said body in said housing when said cover is assembled to said housing, third means on said piston and said housing for slidably supporting said piston in said housing whereby said piston can be slidingly assembled in said housing, and fourth means on said cover for clamping said body in said housing when said cover is assembled to said housing.

21. An electric brake controller foR controlling the magnitude of current to electrically actuated brakes for a vehicle, comprising:

resistor means including a control winding wound about a longitudinally extending dielectric body, conductor means comprising a flexible conductor supported on said dielectric body, and actuating means operatively connected with said conductor means for moving said conductor into engagement with said control winding, a housing comprising a box-like case and a cover, first means on said body and said housing for slidably supporting said body in said housing whereby said body can be slidingly assembled in said housing, and second means on said cover for clamping said body in said housing when said cover is assembled to said housing.

22. The controller of claim 21 for use with the hydraulic brake system of a towing vehicle for towing the electrically braked vehicle, and with said actuating means further comprising a pivotally supported lever arm actuable when pivoted to move said conductor into engagement with said control winding, said actuating means further comprising a piston connected to said hydraulic brake system and to said lever arm for pivoting said lever arm in response to fluid pressure in the hydraulic brake system, third means on said piston and said housing for slidably supporting said piston in said housing whereby said piston can be slidingly assembled in said housing, and fourth means on said cover for clamping said body in said housing when said cover is assembled to said housing.

23. The controller of claim 22 further comprising a box-like case and a generally flat cover for housing said resistor means, said conductor means and said actuating means and including a pair of bosses in said case and in said cover receiving a pair of pin portions on said lever arm for pivotally supporting said lever arm.

24. The controller of claim 21 with said actuating means including a pivotally supported lever arm actuable when pivoted to move said conductor into engagement with said control winding, said actuating means further comprising a box-like case and a generally flat cover for housing said resistor means, said conductor means and said actuating means and including a pair of bosses in said case and in said cover receiving a pair of pin portions on said lever arm for pivotally supporting said lever arm.

25. An electric brake controller for controlling the magnitude of current to electrically actuated brakes comprising:

resistor means comprising a control winding wound about a longitudinally extending axis, conductor means comprising a flexible conductor extending longitudinally relative to said axis and spaced from said control winding, means for supporting said conductor means contiguous to at least one of its ends, said conductor means having a more flexible portion contiguous to said one end than the remaining portion of said conductor means, and actuating means operatively connected with conductor means for applying a force to said conductor means at a location spaced from said end for deflecting said conductor means into engagement of the coils of said control winding.

26. An electric brake controller as set forth in claim 25 wherein the conductor means comprises a flexible electrical conductor strip and a support strip secured to said conductor strip, said support strip having one end spaced from the point of support of the one end of said conductor means for providing the more flexible section of said conductor means.