Park brake control assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9845083-B2
Application number	US-201514789222-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2015
Priority date	Jul 1, 2015
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

A parking brake control assembly having a brake actuator includes an engagement member, a retention member, a release actuator, and a biasing member. In a first position of brake actuator, the retention member is arranged to engage the engagement member upon movement of the brake actuator from a first position to a second position to hold the brake actuator in the second position. Movement of the brake actuator from the first to the second position causes the release actuator to move relative to the retention member such that the biasing member provides a force on the retention member tending to disengage the retention member from the engagement member so that upon movement of the brake actuator to return the brake actuator from the second position to the first position, the retention member disengages from the engagement member enabling the brake actuator to be returned to the first position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A parking brake control assembly having a brake actuator movable between a first position and a second position, comprising:
an engagement member coupled to the brake actuator; and
a control mechanism comprising:
a retention member that rotates about an axis;
a release actuator that moves relative to the retention member as the brake actuator moves between the first and second positions, the release actuator rotating about the same axis as the retention member; and
a biasing member acting on the retention member and responsive to the movement of the release actuator,

wherein, in the first position of the brake actuator, the retention member is arranged to engage the engagement member upon movement of the brake actuator from the first position to the second position, and movement of the brake actuator from the first position to the second position causes the release actuator to move relative to the retention member such that the biasing member provides a force on the retention member that urges the retention member out of engagement with the engagement member.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retention member includes a slot sized to receive a coupler, the slot enabling translation and rotation of the retention member with respect to the coupler.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the slot is smaller in one dimension than another dimension to permit rotation of the retention member relative to the coupler and to permit translation of the retention member relative to the coupler.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the biasing member is coupled to the retention member so that translation of the retention member relative to the coupler changes the direction of force the biasing member provides on the retention member so that the biasing member yieldably biases the retention member for rotation in a first direction about the coupler before translation of the retention member and the biasing member yieldably biases the retention member for rotation in a second direction about the coupler after translation of the retention member.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the biasing member is also coupled to the release actuator and translation of the retention member causes rotation of the release actuator relative to the coupler.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member includes a spring having a first leg coupled to the retention member and a second leg coupled to the release actuator.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retention member and the release actuator are coupled by the biasing member and received for rotation about a coupler, wherein a plane is defined that includes an axis of the coupler and a point of contact of the biasing member with the release actuator, and when a point of contact between the biasing member and the retention member is on one side of the plane, the retention member is urged toward the engagement member, and when the point of contact between the biasing member and the retention member is on an opposite side of the plane, the retention member is urged away from the engagement member.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the point of contact between the biasing member and the retention member is on said one side of the plane when the brake actuator is in the first position and the point of contact between the biasing member and the retention member is on said opposite side of the plane when the brake actuator is in the second position.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the control mechanism further comprises a stop surface which limits movement of the release actuator.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the control mechanism further comprises a coupler about which the release actuator rotates, and the coupler includes the stop surface.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the release actuator comprises a projection for engaging the stop surface.

12. The assembly of claim 10 , which further comprises a bracket that carries or includes the stop surface spaced from the coupler.

13. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein, as the brake actuator moves from the first position to the second position, a driving portion of the retention member engages a driven surface of the release actuator and moves the release actuator so that the biasing member urges the retention member away from the engagement member.

14. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a bumper adapted to move the retention member to a starting position as the brake actuator moves from the second position to the first position.

15. A parking brake control assembly, comprising:
a brake actuator movable between a first position and a second position;
an engagement member carried by the brake actuator for movement with the brake actuator; and
a control mechanism comprising:
a coupler having an axis;
a retention member arranged for rotation about the axis of the coupler and translation relative to the coupler;
a release actuator arranged for rotation about the axis of the coupler and for rotation relative to the retention member; and
a biasing member coupled to the retention member and the release actuator to yieldably bias the retention member for rotation about the coupler,

wherein when the brake actuator is in the first position the biasing member biases the retention member in a first direction about the coupler and movement of the brake actuator from the first position to the second position causes movement relative to the coupler of the retention member and the release actuator so that the biasing member biases the retention member in a second direction about the coupler that is opposite to the first direction.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the first direction corresponds to rotation of the retention member in a direction that provides the retention member within a path of movement of the engagement member, and the second direction corresponds to rotation of the retention member in a direction that removes the retention member from the path of movement of the engagement member.

17. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the retention member includes a slot in which a portion of the coupler is received, the slot enabling translation and rotation of the retention member with respect to the coupler.

18. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein the slot is smaller in one dimension than another dimension to permit rotation of the retention member relative to the coupler and to permit translation of the retention member relative to the coupler.

19. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the brake actuator pivots to define a path of movement of the engagement member, and the brake actuator reciprocates between the first position and second position during repeated actuations of the brake actuator.

20. The assembly of claim 19 which also comprises a cable coupled to the brake actuator or engagement member and applying a force on one or both of the brake actuator and engagement member when the brake actuator is in the second position.

Assignees

• Dura Operating Llc
• Dura Operating Llc

Inventors

• Henck Jeremy M
• Steakley Brian E

Classifications

• B60T7/045 Primary

  with locking and release means, e.g. providing parking brake application · CPC title

• G05G1/30

  Controlling members actuated by foot · CPC title

• G05G5/24

  by positive interengagement, e.g. by a pawl · CPC title