Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-03
2001-05-01
Green, Mary Ann (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Elements
C074S538000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223624
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to parking brake devices and, more particularly, to a parking brake device for adjusting the tension of cables connected to a braking system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an exemplary conventional parking brake device of this type, a toggle link type such as shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
is available.
That is, a parking brake device
1
is constructed as follows. A vertically moving bracket
4
to which cables
3
are connected is slidably supported by a base member
2
, and a brake lever
5
is rotatably attached in the vicinity of an extension extending in the direction of the vertical motion of the bracket
4
in such a manner that the lever
5
is erectable. A toggle mechanism is formed by connecting the middle portion of the brake lever
5
to the vertically moving bracket
4
through a link
6
which is a junction member. The length of the cables
3
is adjusted by moving the link
6
through the adjustment of an adjust bolt
7
.
However, the thus constructed conventional parking brake device is neither satisfactory in adjusting operability nor easily maintained, since the tension adjusting mechanism for the cables
3
, which is constructed of the adjust bolt
7
and the like, is arranged within the brake lever
5
.
Further, the conventional parking brake device has a limited degree of freedom in construction, which in turn limits the range of its general-purpose use. In addition, the device may, in some cases, be redesigned depending on its mounting conditions, and this increases the manufacturing cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the aforementioned conventional problems, and the object thereof is therefore to provide a parking brake device having an improved adjusting operability for a cable tension adjusting mechanism and a wider range of general applicability with an increased degree of freedom in construction by arranging the cable tension adjusting mechanism outside a brake lever.
According to the present invention, there is provided a parking brake device comprising: a base member; at least one cable connected to a braking system at one end thereof; a connecting member to which the cable is connected at the other end thereof, the connecting member being slidably supported by the base member; a brake lever rotatably attached to the base member so as to be erectable around a position in the vicinity of an extension extending in the sliding direction of the connecting member; a junction member rotatably connected to the connecting member at one end thereof; at least one moving member to which the junction member is rotatably attached at the other end thereof, the moving member being movably attached to the brake lever; and adjusting means, provided outside the brake lever, for adjusting the tension of the cable through the junction member and the connecting member by changing the position of the moving member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4854187 (1989-08-01), Walters
patent: 5272935 (1993-12-01), Heinemann et al.
patent: 5-4565 (1993-01-01), None
patent: 9-52570 (1997-02-01), None
patent: WO93/19958 (1993-10-01), None
Iwanaga Yoshihisa
Masuda Satoru
Green Mary Ann
Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
Morgan & Finnegan , LLP
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