Multi-purpose automobile brake anti-creep device

• US 4,310,064 A
• Filed: 02/01/1979
• Issued: 01/12/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Adam Kazarian Jr
• Original Assignee: Adam Kazarian Jr
• Inventors: Kazarian, Adam Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Underwood, Donald W.
• Application Number:
  US06/008,524
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 180/273, 180/77 R, 180/77 AD, 180/271, 192/3 TR, 188/265, 74/539, 74/478, 74/478.5, 74/471 R, 74/482, 74/512, 74/513, 307/10 R, 307/10 SB, 307/10 LS
• US Class Current: 180/271
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/04 foot actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20195 Offset extension
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20708 Pedal controlled

Abstract

An automatic-transmission wheeled motor vehicle having a wheel service brake applied by a brake pedal and an engine speed control operated by an accelerator pedal, the pedals being pivotally mounted side-by-side as to be operable by the vehicle operator'"'"'s feet, is provided with a service brake anti-creep (original equipment or retrofit) device extending from the vehicle fire wall toward the pedals, the device including a stationary member having a slot and a spring latch with a rear lock edge and a front cam edge normally resiliently positioned in the slot, the brake pedal having a member extending toward the device and adapted, on final braking travel of the brake pedal, to cam the latch out of the slot and enter the slot to a position behind the lock edge so that the latch can re-enter the slot and retain the brake pedal member therein in the brake-on position, the device having structure adapted, upon initial operation thereof for increasing engine speed from idle, to pivot the latch away from the slot and the member so as to release the brake, the member having structure to render the anti-creep device inoperative if desired. The device, which is adaptable to an electro-mechanical configuration, further includes structure cooperating with the vehicle stop/turn signal electrical circuit to manually or automatically deactivate the exterior brake lamp circuit, as when the vehicle is shut down with the anti-creep brake on and servicing as the parking brake, and to reactivate the brake light circuit when vehicle is subsequently operated.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising the combination of steering and driving road wheels, an engine, a fire wall, an accelerator foot pedal pivotable toward said fire wall to increase the speed of said engine and returned to its free engine-idle position by a spring, a service brake for said vehicle, control means such as a brake foot pedal pivotable toward said fire wall to apply said service brake and returned to its free brake-off position by a spring, drive means between said engine and said driving wheels to propel said vehicle, said drive means including an automatic transmission engagable to and from a vehicle drive condition, said vehicle having the potential of creeping when said transmission is in drive while said engine is operating and said brake and accelerator pedals are in their free brake-off and engine-idle positions, as when the vehicle driver brings said vehicle to a stop at a traffic light and then removes his feet from said brake and accelerator pedals, and an anti-creep device to prevent said creep, said device comprising first latch means operative to lock said service brake in the brake-on condition only upon attainment of a predetermined position of said brake pedal in final movement thereof toward the full (floored) brake-on position, whereby the driver can alternately depress said brake pedal to any extent less than said predetermined position and release the same without locking said brake, and second means operative to unlock said service brake upon initial movement of said accelerator pedal from its free engine-idle position, whereby said service brake can be either left in the brake-on position or alternately locked in the brake-on position by operation of said brake pedal and automatically released by operation of said accelertor pedal without any action by the driver that would not be required in the absence of said device, bracket means extending toward said pedals from said fire wall and having said latch means mounted thereon, said latch means being pivotally mounted on said bracket and retained in a free brake-locking position by resilient means urging the same against a stop, said latch having a locking element formed thereon, a member extending from said brake pedal toward said bracket and having a portion adapted to rotate said latch to its brake release position, whereby when said portion passes by said locking element of said latch, the latter will be automatically returned to its brake-locking position by said resilient means, said member comprising an extension of said brake pedal so as to be pivotable therewith and being formed with a bifurcated free end providing spaced arms and a pin extending through said space between the free ends of said arms, said bracket being positioned to be aligned with said space and formed at the free end thereof adjacent said brake pedal with a slot formed and adapted to receive said pin, said latch having a cam edge thereon adapted to be engaged by said pin upon pivoting of said brake pedal toward braking position so as to pivot said latch to its brake release position, said cam edge joining and terminating at said locking element which comprises a cut out area of said latch providing an edge to retain said pin when said latch is returned to brake lock position by said resilient means.

2. A vehicle such as that recited in claim 1, wherein said braket and said latch comprise side-by-side plates and said resilient means comprises a torsion spring.

3. A vehicle such as that recited in claim 2, wherein said pin is formed so as to be capable of being manually withdrawn from said space between said arms, when desired and until manually returned, so as to deactivate said anti-creep device and allow vehicle operation free of said device.

4. A vehicle such as that recited in claim 3, wherein said vehicle has a dash panel and said pin has a control cable connected thereto and extending to the said vehicle dash panel for manual control of said pin.

5. A motor vehicle, comprising the combination of steering and driving road wheels, an engine, a fire wall, an accelerator foot pedal pivotable toward said fire wall to increase the speed of said engine and returned to its free engine-idle position by a spring, a service brake for said vehicle, control means such as a brake foot pedal pivotable toward said fire wall to apply said service brake and returned to its free brake-off position by a spring, drive means between said engine and said driving wheels to propel said vehicle, said drive means including an automatic transmission engagable to and from a vehicle drive condition, said vehicle having the potential of creeping when said transmission is in drive while said engine is operating and said brake and accelerator pedals are in their free brake-off and engine-idle positions, as when the vehicle driver brings said vehicle to a stop at a traffic light and then removes his feet from said brake and accelerator pedals, and an anti-creep device to prevent said creep, said device comprising first latch means operative to lock said service brake in the brake-on condition only upon attainment of a predetermined position of said brake pedal in final movement thereof toward the full (floored) brake-on position, whereby the driver can alternately depress said brake pedal to any extent less than said predetermined position and release the same without locking said brake, and second means operative to unlock said service brake upon initial movement of said accelerator pedal from its free engine-idle position, whereby said service brake can be either left in the brake-on position or alternately locked in the brake-on position by operation of said brake pedal and automatically released by operation of said accelerator pedal without any action by the driver that would not be required in the absence of said device, said vehicle further comprising a battery, an ignition switch and a brake electrical circuit powered by said battery and including at least one service brake lamp activated by a first brake pedal switch, said circuit further including a second switch adapted when opened to deactivate said circuit so that said lamp will not be lighted even though said service brake is locked in the brake-on position by said anti-creep device as a parking brake.

6. A vehicle as that recited in claim 5, wherein said second switch is a separate manual switch in said circuit or a switch incorporated in said ignition switch.

7. A vehicle such as that recited in claim 5, wherein said second switch is a pressure switch disposed in said driver'"'"'s seat so as to be open to deactivate said circuit when there is no driver, as when the vehicle is left with said service brake locked in the brake-on position by said anti-creep device.

8. A motor vehicle, comprising the combination of steering and driving road wheels, an engine, a fire wall, an accelerator foot pedal pivotable toward said fire wall to increase the speed of said engine and returned to its free engine-idle position by a spring, a service brake for said vehicle, control means such as a brake foot pedal pivotable toward said fire wall to apply said service brake and returned to its free brake-off position by a spring, drive means between said engine and said driving wheels to propel said vehicle, said drive means including an automatic transmission engagable to and from a vehicle drive condition, said vehicle having the potential of creeping when said transmission is in drive while said engine is operating and said brake and accelerator pedals are in their free brake-off and engine-idle positions, as when the vehicle driver brings said vehicle to a stop at a traffic light and then removes his feet from said brake and accelerator pedals, and an anti-creep device to prevent said creep, said device comprising first latch means operative to lock said service brake in the brake-on condition only upon attainment of a predetermined position of said brake pedal in final movement thereof toward the full (floored) brake-on position, whereby the driver can alternately depress said brake pedal to any extent less than said predetermined position and release the same without locking said brake, and second means operative to unlock said service brake upon initial movement of said accelerator pedal from its free engine-idle position, whereby said service brake can be either left in the brake-on position or alternately locked in the brake-on position by operation of said brake pedal and automatically released by operation of said accelerator pedal without any action by the driver that would not be required in the absence of said device, said anti-creep device comprising electro-mechanical circuit means including an electromagnetic latch means, said electro-mechanical means comprises latch means including a solenoid-operated pin, said solenoid being energized and deenergized by a switch means.

9. In a motor vehicle having driving wheels, an engine, a passenger compartment including a driver'"'"'s seat, a drive train between said engine and said wheels including an automatic transmission engagable to and from vehicle drive condition, a fire wall between said engine and said driver'"'"'s seat, a service brake for said wheels, a brake foot pedal pivotable toward said fire wall for energizing said brake and returned to its free brake-off position by a spring, an accelerator foot pedal pivotable toward said fire wall for accelerating said engine and returned to its free engine idle position by a spring, and an electrical brake lamp circuit energized when said service brake is on, said vehicle having the potential of creeping when said transmission is in drive while said engine is operating and said brake and accelerator pedals are in their free positions, as when the drive brings said vehicle to a stop at a traffic light and removes his feet from said pedals, and a device to prevent said creep, said device comprising a bracket attached to said fire wall and extending toward said brake pedal, said bracket comprising a plate lying in a vertical plane and having the free end thereof formed with a first generally V-shaped slot and a latch plate secured on said bracket, said latch being pivotable on said bracket on a pin secured to said bracket, said pin having an enlarged head spaced therefrom to provide a retainer for the multiple loops of a torsion spring mounted on said pin, said spring having one end thereof secured to said bracket and the other end thereof secured to said latch, said spring urging said latch to its free brake-locked position against a stop on said bracket, said latch having a cam edge and a lock edge disposed at said V-slot in its free position, said brake pedal having an extension thereof with a bifurcated free end having spaced arms and a pin extending between said spaced arms at the free ends thereof, said pin being movable with said brake pedal so as to engage said cam edge and pivot said latch downwardly toward brake release position until said pin passes said lock edge, at which time said latch spring is operative to pivot said latch back to its brake lock position to prevent return of said brake pedal to its free brake-off position, said latch having a second slot therein, said accelerator pedal having a rod extending therefrom toward said fire wall and then laterally toward said latch, the free end of said rod extending into said second slot, said rod and second slot arrangement being such that initial movement of said accelerator pedal from its free engine-idle position to accelerate said engine pivots said latch to the brake-release position, said latch being pivotable beyond said brake-release position for full engine acceleration, said device being arranged so that said brake and accelerator pedals are each free to pivot through the full required operational range thereof without interference by said other pedal, said pin having a cable extending therefrom to said instrument panel so that said pin may be withdrawn from said space between said arms to render said device inoperative, and a switch to render said brake lamp circuit inoperative when said vehicle is left with said anti-creep device in the brake-on position.