Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems – Electric control
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-16
2003-08-26
Butler, Douglas C. (Department: 3683)
Fluid-pressure and analogous brake systems
Electric control
C303S124000, C074S489000, C074S48400R, C200S061570
Reexamination Certificate
active
06609768
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an emergency steering wheel braking system and more particularly pertains to rapidly and instinctively applying a braking force to trailer brakes only in an emergency situation such as fish-tailing. More specifically, the present invention relates to a trailer brake control system and more particularly pertains to rapidly and instinctively applying a braking force to just the trailer brakes in an emergency situation such as fish-tailing. The primary cause of trailer rollovers is the driver's inability to rapidly abort fish-tailing. The present invention eliminates driver inefficiency in the aforementioned regard. The present invention eliminates fish-tailing more rapidly and instinctively than any known prior art. Fish-tailing refers to having the rear end slide from side to side out of control while moving forward. Instinctively refers to the tendency to make a complex and specific response to environmental stimuli without involving reason.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of trailer and brake combinations of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, trailer and brake combinations of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of safely braking a trailer though conventional methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,747,683 to Gerum et al discloses a method of drive stability enhancement of multiunit vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,352 to Kulkarni discloses a microprocessor-based control for trailer brakes. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. D436,932 to Roth discloses a design for an electronic controller for towed vehicle brakes.
A controller for the application of braking forces only to a trailer, as during an emergency situation, such as gusts and crosswinds, requires a driver to keep one hand on the steering wheel while moving the other hand to a trigger-like mechanism on the controller. Such action by a driver is not a normal, or instinctive, reaction to an emergency situations since a normal or instinctive reaction would be to keep both hands on the steering wheel in an effort to overcome fish-tailing which often results in an accident with damage or total loss to the vehicles and injury or death to the driver and passengers.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a trailer brake control system that allows rapid and instinctive application of a braking force to a trailer in an emergency situation.
In this respect, the trailer brake control system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of rapidly and instinctively applying a braking force to a trailer in an emergency situation or to prevent an emergency situation by pre-applying the trailer brakes.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved trailer brake control system which can be used for rapidly and instinctively applying a braking force to a trailer in an emergency situation. In this regard, the.present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of inherent disadvantages in known types of trailer and brake combinations of conventional designs and configurations now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved trailer brake control system. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved trailer brake control system and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a trailer. The trailer has electrically operated brakes. The trailer also has a secondary electrical receiver. Provided next is a towing vehicle. The vehicle has a steering wheel and a dashboard. The vehicle also has a secondary electrical transmitter. The steering wheel is in a torus-shaped configuration with an outer periphery. The secondary transmitter of the vehicle is electrically coupled to the secondary receiver of the trailer. The vehicle is adapted to pull the trailer. Next provided is a steering wheel cover. The steering wheel cover is coupled around the outer periphery of the steering wheel of the vehicle. The steering wheel cover has an elastomeric, flexible, resilient, hollow sheath. The sheath is in a circular configuration. The sheath has a first edge, second edge, interior face, exterior face and inner cavity. The first and second edges form a slit. The slit runs the entire circumference of the cover. In this manner, the cover fits over the steering wheel. The cover supports a primary wireless signal transmitter. The primary wireless signal transmitter has a power source. The power source is coupled to the first edge of the outer face of the steering wheel cover. The cover supports an elastomeric, flexible and resilient tube. The resilient tube has an exterior surface. The tube is coupled to the entire first edge of the exterior face of the cover. The tube has a hollow bore. The hollow bore runs the entire distance of the tube. The tube has a top region. The tube also has a bottom region. A first flat wire is secured within the bore. A second toothed wire is secured within the bore. The second wire is toothed and is circumferentially offset diametrically spaced from the first flat wire by 180 degrees. The first wire is a negative conductor, preferably. The first wire runs along the top region. The second wire is a positive conductor, preferably. The second wire runs along the bottom portion. The first and second wires are spaced away from each other when in the resting state. The first and second wires are electrically coupled to the wireless primary signal transmitter. The tube has a ridge. The ridge runs the entire distance of the exterior surface of the tube and faces away from the exterior face of the cover. The ridge is adapted to facilitate the activation of the system. Activation occurs when the ridge on the tube is compressed by the thumb or thumbs of a driver of the vehicle. The first and second wires are then in contact and cause a closing of a circuit. In this manner, the primary signal transmitter generates a wireless signal. The steering wheel cover has a plurality of gripping regions. Last provided is a trailer brake processor. The trailer brake processor has a trailer brake actuating switch. The trailer brake actuating switch is electrically coupled with the brakes of the trailer via the connection made between the secondary wired transmitter of the vehicle and the secondary wired receiver of the trailer. The trailer brake processor is coupled to the dashboard of the vehicle and coupled to the vehicle's electrical and braking systems. The trailer brake processor has a primary wireless signal receiver. The primary wireless signal receiver receives signals from the primary wireless signal transmitter. The primary wireless signal receiver is coupled to the trailer brake actuating switch. A user can trigger the switch from the steering wheel cover by applying thumb pressure to the ridge on the tube. A spring urged manual switch on the trailer brake processor is an alternate operational component. In this manner, a user may, instead, activate the trailer brake actuating switch directly.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional f
Butler Douglas C.
Pezzlo Benjamin A
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