Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems – Electric control
Patent
1998-02-17
2000-06-27
Oberleitner, Robert J.
Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems
Electric control
188 111E, 74625, 74388R, 74471R, B60T 1514, F16H 3500
Patent
active
060797940
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a brake actuating device for a parking brake of automotive vehicles, including a hand brake lever which acts upon two wheel brakes by way of two brake cables.
In hand brake devices of this type, the actuation is frequently felt as uncomfortable because a high amount of actuating force must be generated manually by the driver for operation of the hand brake lever, especially in order to arrest the vehicle on a sloping road surface.
An object of the present invention is to provide a more comfortable brake actuating device for a parking brake which necessitates in particular a small amount of force for the operation of the hand brake lever.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is achieved by the additional provision of an electric motor which generates at least part of the actuating force for the operation of the hand brake lever. Thus, with the actuating device of the present invention, the driver is required to produce only a small amount of actuating force or no actuating force at all. In the latter case, the brake actuating device would simply be operable by an electric switch.
The pivot bearing axis of the hand brake lever has a large-size toothed wheel which is engaged by a small pinion gear of the electric motor. The mentioned arrangement is a reduction gear used to multiply the relatively low force of the electric motor for operation of the parking brakes. A particularly compact arrangement is achieved by positioning the motor axis beside the hand brake lever and vertically relative to the pivot bearing axis. An arrangement of this type can easily be accommodated in the center console of a vehicle.
The boosting force of the electric motor is especially comfortably adjusted by the provision of a potentiometer which senses the position of the hand brake lever and controls the desired boosting force by means of the associated motor current.
According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, a mechanic locking engagement of the hand brake lever in the braking position is releasable by an electromechanic stroke magnet. An arrangement of this type permits full electric remote control of the parking brake. Additional possible applications of the parking brake actuation are achieved, for example, an automatically controlled release when the vehicle starts to drive uphill, or automatic locking of the brake when there is imminent danger of the vehicle rolling downhill.
According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, the hand brake lever is additionally rotatable about its longitudinal axis, with the result that one of the two operating cables is tensioned depending on the direction of rotation. Only one wheel brake is selectively operated in a subsequent operation of the hand brake lever. This way, a spinning drive wheel can be selectively braked to increase the driving force applied to the other drive wheel. In this case, the hand brake will function as a differential lock.
Further, wear of the friction linings in the wheel brakes can be determined from the actuating travel of the brake actuating device by measuring the motor current in relation to the angle of rotation about the pivot bearing axis. The motor current is generally proportional to the actuating force, and the angle of rotation is generally proportional to the actuating travel. The actuating travel until the full response of the brakes rises with increasing wear of the friction linings.
One embodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail hereinbelow, making reference to the accompanying drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawing,
FIG. 1 is a side view of a brake actuating device of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the same device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The brake actuating device includes a hand brake lever 1 which is connected to a pivot bearing axis 2 and is thereby pivoted. The pivot bearing axis 2 includes a pin portion 3 to which the hand brake lever 1 and two brake c
REFERENCES:
patent: 3455418 (1969-07-01), Littmann
patent: 5067366 (1991-11-01), Gandiglio
patent: 5178237 (1993-01-01), Ursel et al.
patent: 5417624 (1995-05-01), Weissbrich et al.
patent: 5485764 (1996-01-01), Sugimoto et al.
patent: 5555773 (1996-09-01), Nanno et al.
ITT Manufacturing Enterprises Inc.
Oberleitner Robert J.
Siconolfi Robert A.
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