Automatic braking apparatus with ultrasonic detector

• US 5,170,858 A
• Filed: 06/24/1991
• Issued: 12/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guo-Juh Chen
• Original Assignee: Guo-Juh Chen
• Inventors: Chen, Guo-Juh
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Douglas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MURATORI, ALFRED
• Application Number:
  US07/719,916
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 180/167-169, 303/114 PB, 303/115 EC, 303/116 R, 303/116 SP, 303/DIG. 6, 340/903
• US Class Current: 180/169
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/10 responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 303/901 ABS check valve detail

Abstract

An automatic braking apparatus includes: an ultrasonic wave emitter provided in a front portion of an automatic braking car producing and emitting ultrasonic waves frontwardly in a predetermined distance in front of the car, an ultrasonic receiver also formed in a front portion of the car operatively receiving a reflective ultrasonic wave signal as reflected by another car positioned within the pre-determined distance in front of the automatic braking car for actuating a driving motor to intermittently drive a brake master cylinder to boost brake oil towards two wheel cylinders of front and rear wheels to brake the car intermittently for automatically braking the car for a safe braking purpose.

Claims

1. An automatic braking apparatus comprising:

an ultrasonic-wave generating circuit including an oscillator and an emitter formed on a front portion of a first car operatively producing an ultrasonic wave signal frontwardly in a predetermined distance in front of the first car;

an ultrasonic-wave receiving circuit including a receiver receiving a reflected ultrasonic wave signal reflected from a second car in front of the first car within the predetermined distance of said ultrasonic-wave generating circuit, an amplifier circuit operatively amplifying the received reflected signal, a relay actuated by said amplified signal for outputing a voltage, and a transforming and rectifying circuit transforming and increasing the voltage and rectifying a current for outputing a direct current; and

a driving means driven by said direct current by said transforming and rectifying circuit and operatively intermittenly operating a brake system for braking the first car for automatic braking purpose.

2. An automatic braking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said driving means includes:

a driving motor driven by the direct current from the transforming and rectifying circuit, a cam eccentrically secured to a motor shaft of the driving motor, a pedal lever having a fulcrum pivot pivotally secured to the car body of the first car and a follower depression portion formed on a lower portion of the lever operatively inwardly depressed by the cam, a push rod pivotally secured to an upper portion of the lever under the pivot, and a restoring spring normally urging the lever outwardly ready for depression by the cam.

3. An automatic braking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said driving means includes a reciprocative means driven by a driving motor actuated by said ultrasonic-wave receiving circuit for reciprocatively driving a pedal lever pivotally secured to the car body of the first car for intermittently operating the brake system of the first car.

4. An automatic braking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said braking system actuated by said driving means forms an automatic brake system which is parallelly coupled with a manual brake system operatively driven by a pedal pivotally secured to the car body of the first car.

5. An automatic braking apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said automatic and said manual brake system are each provided with at least a check valve in an outlet pipe connected between a brake master cylinder and a wheel cylinder allowing an outward delivery of a brake oil from the master cylinder and precluding a returning flow of the brake oil from said wheel cylinder by said check valve.