Brake monitoring system

• US 8,204,668 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2011
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haldex Brake Corporation
• Original Assignee: Haldex Brake Corporation
• Inventors: Greene, James L., Engelbert, David G., Donovan, Jerry J., Mullikin, Thomas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US13/337,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20120092150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 175 Days
• Field of Search: 701/78, 701/83, 303/9.66, 340/479, 340/453, 340/471
• US Class Current: 701/78
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/18 operated by wayside apparatus

Abstract

An air brake monitoring system for monitoring a pressure of the system and providing various alarms and/or warnings to a user. The air brake monitoring system configurable to function with the existing wiring of the vehicle and including an air brake monitoring device to be positioned in the vicinity of a brake valve. The air brake monitoring system is further provided to monitor the electrical stoplight power transmitted to the ABS brakes as well as the vehicle static/dynamic condition.

Claims

1. A brake monitoring system comprising:

a service/control pressure line coupled to a source of pressurized air;

an emergency/supply pressure line coupled to the source of pressurized air;

a brake valve coupled to the service/control pressure line and the emergency/supply pressure line;

a brake monitoring device coupled to the service/control pressure line and the emergency/supply pressure line, the monitoring device monitoring the pressure of both the service/control pressure line and the emergency/supply pressure line;

said brake monitoring device comparing the measured pressure of said service/control pressure line and said emergency/supply pressure line to a pressure set point; and

said brake monitoring device generating an indication when the measured pressure exceeds a threshold value corresponding to a deviation from the pressure set point.

2. The brake monitoring system according to claim 1 wherein said indication is selected from the group consisting of:

an alarm, a warning lamp, a wireless message, a signal, and combinations thereof.

3. The brake monitoring system according to claim 1 further comprising a power source coupled to said brake monitoring device via a power line, the brake monitoring device monitoring a power level of the power line.

4. The brake monitoring system according to claim 3 said brake monitoring device comparing the measured power level of the power line to a power level set point.

5. The brake monitoring system according to claim 3 further comprising a stoplight powered circuit coupled to a stoplight pressure switch and said brake monitoring device is coupled to said stoplight powered circuit.

6. The brake monitoring system according to claim 3 further comprising a vehicle wheel speed measurer for measuring vehicle wheel speed and generating data sent via a power line connection to a processor to determine a static or a dynamic condition of the vehicle.

7. The brake monitoring system according to claim 3 wherein said brake monitoring device generates a power line carrier message that interfaces with a wireless communication media when the measured pressure exceeds the threshold value.

9. The brake monitoring system according to claim 1 wherein said brake valve is coupled to said brake monitoring device and a warning signal is generated for one of the following conditions:

brake drag warning, emergency/supply pressure line warning, service/control pressure line warning, loss of stoplight power warning, incorrect state of trailer glad-hand shut off valves warning, incorrect dolly connection warning, incorrect air connection warning and closed brake valve warning and incorrect vehicle static/dynamic condition.

10. The air brake monitoring system according to claim 9 wherein said warning signal is transmitted to at least one vehicle warning indicator via the power line.

8. The brake monitoring system according to 7 wherein said power line carrier message is formatted for Recommended Standard 232 (RS232) or Universal Serial Bus (USB).