Deceleration sensor for an electric brake controller

• US 4,726,627 A
• Filed: 11/18/1985
• Issued: 02/23/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hayes Brake Controller Co. LLC (Syncro Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Kelsey-Hayes Co. (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Frait, John S., Warner, Michael D., Ayers, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, Sr., John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin
• Application Number:
  US06/799,081
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 303/20, 303/7, 303/93, 303/92, 303/94, 303/95, 303/24 A, 303/24 R, 303/24 C, 188/3 R, 188/112, 188/181 R, 188/181 A, 188/181 C, 73/517 R, 73/516 B, 73/DIG. 3, 340/669, 340/71, 340/72, 200/61.45 M, 200/61.53, 200/61.52
• US Class Current: 303/24.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/74 with electrical assistance or drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/20 Safety devices operable by passengers other than the driver , e.g. for railway vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/266 using valves or actuators with external control means B60T8/261 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/323 Systems specially adapted for tractor-trailer combinations

Abstract

The present invention relates to a self-contained electric brake controller for energizing electrically operated brakes in a towed vehicle in response to a demand by a driver in a towing vehicle. The controller includes a unique deceleration sensing unit for generating a signal proportional to the magnitude of deceleration of the towing vehicle. The deceleration sensing unit includes an outer housing adapted to be secured relative to the towing vehicle, and a pendulum mounted on an axis for pivotal movement relative to the housing. The pendulum is movable in one direction from a resting position to a predetermined extended position when the vehicle is subjected to a predetermined magnitude of deceleration. The pendulum includes a magnet spaced from the pivot axis of the pendulum. A detector such as a Hall Effect device is carried by the housing and is responsive to the magnetic field produced by the pendulum magnet for generating a position signal representing the predetermined extended position of the pendulum. This position signal corresponds to the predetermined magnitude of deceleration of the vehicle. The deceleration sensing unit includes a second magnet carried by the housing and spaced from the pendulum for producing a magnetic field which, as the pendulum swings to its extended position, opposes the magnetic field of the pendulum magnet to produce a restoring force to resist further forward movement of the pendulum. The deceleration sensing unit also includes a damping element constructed of a ferromagnetic material spaced from the pendulum magnet for damping undesirable movement of the pendulum. Also, the circuit responsive to the deceleration signal includes several unique features.

Claims

1. A device for sensing the deceleration of a vehicle comprising:

pendulum means pivotally mounted relative to the vehicle, said pendulum means being movable in one direction from a generally vertical resting position to a predetermined extended position when the vehicle is subjected to a predetermined magnitude of deceleration and being movable in an opposite direction from said resting position to a predetermined retracted position, said pendulum means mounted on an axis for pivotal movement relative to said support means and including a first magnet spaced from the pivot axis of said pendulum means for producing a first magnetic field;

means coupled to said pendulum means for generating a signal corresponding to said predetermined extended position of said pendulum means, said signal representing said predetermined magnitude of deceleration; and

means for applying a restoring force to said pendulum means to only resist movement of said pendulum means in said one direction, said means for applying the restoring force including a second magnet mounted on said support means and spaced from said first magnet for producing a second magnetic field, said first and second magnetic fields adapted to oppose one another as said pendulum means moves to said extended position, said second magnet generating the restoring force to resist further movement of said pendulum means in only said one direction and generating no restoring force which resists movement of said pendulum means in said opposite direction.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said pendulum means is pivotally mounted about a generally horizontal axis.

3. A device for sensing the deceleration of a vehicle comprising:

pendulum means mounted on an axis for pivotal movement relative to the vehicle, said pendulum means being pivotal in one direction about said axis from a resting position to a predetermined extended position when the vehicle is subjected to a predetermined magnitude of deceleration, said pendulum means including a first magnet spaced from the pivot axis of said pendulum means for producing a first magnetic field;

means for mounting said pendulum means for limited axial movement along said axis;

means coupled to said pendulum means for generating a signal corresponding to said predetermined extended position of said pendulum means, said signal representing said predetermined magnitude of deceleration;

damping means spaced from said first magnet of said pendulum means and positioned within said first magnetic field, said damping means constructed of a ferromagnetic material and adapted to dampen the movement of said pendulum means;

said damping means including a first damping plate member spaced from said first magnet and located on one side of said pendulum means, said pendulum means being magnetically attracted and movable toward said first damping plate member in a first axial direction to dampen the pivotal movement of said pendulum means; and

stop means associated with said pendulum means for limiting the axial movement of said pendulum means in said first axial direction to substantially fix the axial position of said pendulum means along said axis.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein said first damping plate is generally perpendicular to the pivot axis of said pendulum means.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said damping means includes a second damping plate located on the opposite side of said pendulum means, said second damping plate being generally perpendicular to the pivot axis of said pendulum means.

6. A device according to claim 3 including means for applying a restoring force to said pendulum means to resist further movement of said pendulum means in the one direction from said extended position.

7. A device according to claim 6 including a support means adapted to be secured relative to the vehicle, said pendulum means mounted for pivotal movement relative to said support means, said means for applying the restoring force including a second magnet mounted on said support means and spaced from said first magnet for producing a second magnetic field, said first and second magnetic fields adapted to oppose one another as said pendulum means moves to said extended position, thereby generating the restoring force to resist further movement of said pendulum means in the one direction.

8. A device according to claim 3 wherein said pendulum means is pivotally mounted about a generally horizontal axis.

9. A device for sensing the deceleration of a vehicle comprising:

support means adapted to be secured relative to the vehicle, said support means including a housing adapted to be secured relative the vehicle and a carrier unit for holding a detector means;

pendulum means mounted on an axis for pivotal movement relative to said support means, said pendulum means being moveable in one direction from a vertical resting position to a predetermined extended position when the vehicle is subjected to a predetermined magnitude of deceleration, said pendulum means including a first magnet spaced from the pivot axis of said pendulum means for producing a first magnetic field;

means for adjustably mounting said carrier unit for movement relative to said housing to enable the position of said detector means to be adjusted relative to the position of said pendulum means when said pendulum means is in said vertical resting position; and

said detector means spaced from said first magnet of said pendulum means and responsive to said first magnetic field for generating a position signal representing said predetermined extended position of said pendulum means, said position signal corresponding to said predetermined magnitude of deceleration.

10. A device according to claim 9 wherein said detector means is a Hall Effect device.

11. A device according to claim 9 wherein said carrier unit includes a stop means for limiting the movement of said pendulum means in the opposite direction.

12. A device according to claim 9 wherein said carrier unit includes means for supporting a second magnet in spaced apart relationship with said first magnet for producing a second magnet field, said first and second magnetic fields adapted to oppose one another as said pendulum means moves to said extended position, thereby generating a restoring force to resist further movement of said pendulum means in the one direction.

13. A device according to claim 9 including means for applying a restoring force to said pendulum means to resist further movement of said pendulum means in the one direction from said extended position.

14. A device according to claim 13 wherein said means for applying the restoring force includes a second magnet mounted on said support means and spaced from said first magnet for producing a second magnetic field, said first and second magnetic fields adapted to oppose one another as said pendulum means moves to said extended position, thereby generating the restoring force to resist further movement of said pendulum means in the one direction.

15. A device according to claim 9 including damping means spaced from said first magnet of said pendulum means and positioned within said first magnetic field, said damping means constructed of a ferromagnetic material and adapted to dampen the movement of said pendulum means.

16. A device according to claim 15 wherein said damping means includes a first damping plate spaced from said first magnet and located on one side of said pendulum means, said first damping plate generally perpendicular to the pivot axis of said pendulum means, said pendulum means being attracted toward said first damping plate, thereby damping the pivotal movement of said pendulum means.

17. A device according to claim 16 wherein said damping means includes a second damping plate located on the opposite side of said pendulum means, said second damping plate being generally perpendicular to the pivot axis of said pendulum means.

18. A device according to claim 9 wherein said pendulum means is pivotally mounted about a generally horizontal axis.

19. A device for sensing the deceleration of a vehicle comprising:

pendulum means mounted on an axis for pivotal movement relative to the vehicle, said pendulum means being pivotal in one direction about said axis from a resting position to a predetermined extended position when the vehicle is subjected to a predetermined magnitude of deceleration, said pendulum means including a magnet spaced from the pivot axis of said pendulum means for producing a magnetic field;

means coupled to said pendulum means for generating a signal corresponding to said predetermined extended position of said pendulum means, said signal representing said predetermined magnitude of deceleration;

damping means spaced from said magnet of said pendulum means and positioned within said first magnetic field, said damping means constructed of a ferromagnetic material and adapted to dampen the movement of said pendulum means;

said damping means including a damping plate member spaced from said magnet and located on one side of said pendulum means, said damping plate member generally perpendicular to said axis of said pendulum means to maintain a substantially constant spacing between said magnet means and said damping plate member as said pendulum means is pivoted, said pendulum means being attracted toward said damping plate member in a first axial direction, said magnet and said damping plate member cooperating to apply a relatively constant damping force to said pendulum means as said pendulum means is pivoted.