Apparatus for stopping a vehicle

• US 7,191,862 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Wattenburg, Willard H., McCallen, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz; Christopher P.
• Application Number:
  US10/291,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20030111894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 303/7, 303/18, 303/123, 303/89, 188/265, 188/353, 188/112, 188/3, 180/287, 180/2, 180/5, 307 101- 106, 340/425.5, 293 4- 5
• US Class Current: 180/275
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00

Abstract

An apparatus for externally controlling one or more brakes on a vehicle having a pressurized fluid braking system. The apparatus can include a pressurizable vessel that is adapted for fluid-tight coupling to the braking system. Impact to the rear of the vehicle by a pursuit vehicle, shooting a target mounted on the vehicle or sending a signal from a remote control can all result in the fluid pressures in the braking system of the vehicle being modified so that the vehicle is stopped and rendered temporarily inoperable. A control device can also be provided in the driver'"'"'s compartment of the vehicle for similarly rendering the vehicle inoperable. A driver or hijacker of the vehicle preferably cannot overcome the stopping action from the driver'"'"'s compartment.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use with a vehicle having a body provided with a rear and a plurality of wheels rotatably carried by the body and a fluid pressurized braking system with a plurality of braking mechanisms for respectively decelerating the plurality of wheels and with a pursuit vehicle comprising a brake actuation device adapted for coupling to the braking system to modify a pressure in the braking system so as to activate the plurality of braking mechanisms and a bumper mechanism mounted on the rear of the body adapted for contact by the pursuit vehicle, the brake actuation device including means coupled to the bumper mechanism and responsive to the bumper mechanism being contacted at least twice by the pursuit vehicle for causing the brake actuation device to modify a pressure in the braking system and thus activate the plurality of braking mechanisms.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the brake actuation device includes a pressurizable vessel and reduces pressure in the vessel when the bumper mechanism is engaged by the pursuit vehicle whereby the vehicle can be remotely halted by reducing pressure in the vessel.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the vessel is a pressurizable conduit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the brake actuation device includes a valve for reducing pressure in the conduit.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 for use with a vehicle having a spring loaded brake wherein the conduit is coupleable between the pressurized braking system and the spring loaded brake so that pressure to compress the spring loaded brake is supplied through the conduit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the brake actuation device includes a valve for increasing pressure in at least a portion of the braking system to activate at least one of the braking mechanisms.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the brake actuation device includes an assembly for reducing pressure in at least a portion of the braking system to activate at least one of the braking mechanisms.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 for use with a vehicle having a driver'"'"'s compartment wherein the plurality of braking mechanisms are incapable of disengagement from the wheels by a driver in the driver'"'"'s compartment after such activation.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising indicator means carried by the vehicle for marking the pursuit vehicle as evidence of contact between the vehicle and the pursuit vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising indicator means carried by the vehicle and engaged when the pursuit vehicle has contacted the bumper mechanism.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 for use with a vehicle having an antilock braking system, wherein said brake actuation device includes means for activating said antilock braking system.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 for use with a vehicle having a spring brake, wherein said brake actuation device includes means for activating said spring brake.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said brake actuation device includes an electrical assembly actuatable by said means.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a pressurized fluid conduit coupled between the service braking system and the brake actuation device, the brake actuation device including a valve coupled to the fluid conduit.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means coupled to the bumper mechanism and the brake actuation device includes an impact counter.

16. An apparatus for use with a vehicle having a body provided with a rear and a plurality of wheels rotatably carried by the body and a fluid pressurized service braking system including a conduit carrying fully-pressurized air and a plurality of service braking mechanisms for respectively decelerating the plurality of wheels and with a pursuit vehicle comprising a brake actuation device adapted to be carried by the body and coupled to the service braking system and including a bumper mechanism mounted on the rear of the body adapted for contact by the pursuit vehicle and an inlet coupled to the fully-pressurized conduit and an outlet fluidly coupled to the plurality of service braking mechanisms whereby upon contact of the bumper mechanism by the pursuit vehicle fully-pressurized air from the conduit is directed by the brake actuation device to the plurality of service braking mechanism for stopping the vehicle when traveling at high speeds.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the body is a trailer.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 for use with a service braking system having a trailer braking control valve, wherein the brake actuation device includes a valve coupled between the trailer braking control valve and the bumper mechanism for directing fully-pressurized air to the plurality of service braking mechanisms upon contact of the bumper mechanism by the pursuit vehicle.