Electric trailer brake controller

• US 7,575,286 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation (Hoppy Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Syncro Corp.
• Inventors: Robertson, Charles L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burch; Melody M
• Application Number:
  US10/962,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20050077780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 303/7, 303/9.61, 303/13, 303/123, 303/124, 303/128, 303/20, 303/191, 303/199, 188/3.R, 188/3.H, 188/112.R, 188/112.H, 188/112.A, 701/78
• US Class Current: 303/123
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/74 with electrical assistance or drive
• 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

Abstract

A trailer brake controller comprising a brake control signal generator, a microprocessor connected to the brake control signal generator, at least one pushbutton connected to the microprocessor, and a programmable current sensing power switch with temperature protection which is operative to change to a non-conducting state upon a current feed back signal exceeding a predetermined current shut down threshold and also upon the temperature of the switch exceeding a temperature shut down threshold.

Claims

1. A trailer brake controller comprising:

a pendulum device for generating a brake control signal that is a function of the deceleration of a towing vehicle;

a microprocessor that includes an internal Read Only Memory (ROM) that stores coding for an algorithm that controls operation of the brake controller, said microprocessor connected to said pendulum device and responsive to said brake control signal to generate an output brake actuation signal at a brake signal output pin, said output brake actuation signal varying in proportion to said brake control signal between a minimum value and a maximum value;

a pair of pushbuttons connected to said microprocessor, said pushbuttons being selectively operative to change said minimum and maximum values of said output brake actuation signal that is generated by said microprocessor;

an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM) connected to said microprocessor, said EEPROM receiving and storing said selected minimum and maximum values; and

a programmable current sensing power switch with temperature protection which is adapted to be connected between a power supply and a set of trailer brake coils, said power switch connected to said brake signal output pin of said microprocessor and responsive to said brake control signal to supply a current that is a function of said brake control signal to said trailer brake coils, said power switch also connected by a feedback resistor to a current feedback port on said microprocessor, said power switch cooperating with said current feedback resistor to supply a current feedback signal to said microprocessor, said current feedback signal being a function of said current being supplied to said trailer brake coils, said microprocessor being operative to monitor said current feed back signal and also being responsive to said current feedback signal exceeding a predetermined current shut down threshold to cause said power switch to change to a non-conducting state for a predetermined period of time, said power switch also being operative to change directly to a non-conducting state upon the temperature of said switch exceeding a temperature shut down threshold and to remain in said non-conducting state for a predetermined period of time.

2. The trailer brake controller according to claim 1 further including a visual display, said microprocessor being operative to monitor parameters within the controller and, upon detection of a problem, to illuminate said display to inform an operator of the towing vehicle of the problem.

3. The trailer brake controller according to claim 2 wherein said microprocessor is further operative to monitor output parameters of the controller and further wherein selective manipulation of said pushbuttons will display a selected parameter upon said display to said operator of the towing vehicle.

4. A trailer brake controller comprising:

a brake control signal generator for generating a brake control signal that is proportional to the deceleration of a towing vehicle;

a microprocessor connected to said brake control signal generator and responsive to said brake control signal to generate an output brake actuation signal at a brake signal output pin, said output brake actuation signal varying in proportion to said brake control signal between a minimum value and a maximum value;

at least one pushbutton connected to said microprocessor, said at least one pushbutton being operative to change said minimum and maximum values of said output brake actuation signal that is generated by said microprocessor; and

a programmable current sensing power switch with temperature protection which is adapted to be connected between a power supply and a set of trailer brake coils, said power switch connected to said brake signal output pin of said microprocessor and responsive to said brake control signal to supply current to said trailer brake coils that is a function of said brake control signal, said power switch also connected by a feedback resistor to a current feedback port on said microprocessor, said power switch cooperating with said current feedback resistor to supply a current feedback signal to said microprocessor that is a function of said current being supplied to said trailer brake coils, said microprocessor being operative to monitor said current feed back signal and also being responsive to said current feedback signal exceeding a predetermined current shut down threshold to cause said power switch to change to a non-conducting state for a predetermined period of time, said power switch also being operative to change directly to a non-conducting state upon the temperature of said switch exceeding a temperature shut down threshold and to remain in said non-conducting state for a predetermined period of time.

5. The trailer brake controller according to claim 4 wherein said brake control signal generator is a pendulum device that generates said brake control signal that is a function of the deceleration of said towing vehicle.

6. The trailer brake controller according to claim 5 wherein said at least one pushbutton includes a pair of pushbuttons that are selectively operative to select minimum and maximum brake output power limits.

7. The trailer brake controller according to claim 6 further including an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM) connected to said microprocessor, said EEPROM receiving and storing said selected minimum and maximum brake output power limits.

8. The trailer brake controller according to claim 7 wherein said microprocessor includes an internal Read Only Memory (ROM) that stores coding for an algorithm that controls the operation of the brake controller.