Kelsey-hayes Company

Daniel L Neill

Leonard T Tribe

James Becker

Paul C Weiner

A digital odometer having a mechanical memory in the form of an encoder supplies binary data to a logic control and memory which may be a microprocessor. Both total distance and trip distance are stored in memories in the logic control and memory and are supplied to digital displays.

Digital odometer

A secondary and/or piggy-back brake pedal transducer assembly adapted to be secured to a primary brake pedal, said secondary or piggy-back pedal being moveable with respect to the primary brake pedal responsive to foot pressure and including novel spring means and an integral lever controlled by that said spring means, said lever being deflectible to correspondingly deflect a plunger member of a connected potentiometer to thereby develop an electric signal proportionate to said foot pressure, said signal being translatable to corresponding electrical energization of an electric brake situated on a vehicle towed by the vehicle bearing said secondary or piggy-back brake assembly.

Secondary brake pedal assembly

A hydraulic pressure transducer comprises a cylindrical housing having a plurality of circumferential inwardly and outwardly directed ribs which axially position and retain coaxially aligned operative components within the transducer. These components include a hydraulic piston and cylinder, a restoring spring disposed between two centering and retaining stabilizer cups, and a biasing spring which maintains the components in compressed juxtaposition to ensure accurate and immediate response while minimizing axial dimensional stack up. The transducer senses hydraulic pressure in, for example, a brake line and provides a variable resistance output which may be used in an auxiliary electric brake system controller commonly used on recreational trailers and the like.

Pressure transducer and method of making same

The control system for electrically operated brakes utilizes solid state electronic components to control the braking mechanism in a towed vehicle. Energy is provided by a pulsating voltage, the pulse width of which is varied by a pulse width modulator in accordance with the amount of braking effort desired for the vehicle being towed. The pulse width modulator has the width of its output pulse directly controlled by either a hand control, or by a foot pedal control, or in response to the brake hydraulic pressure for the hydraulic brake system of the towing vehicle. Protection against short circuit conditions in the towed vehicle is provided which disables the modulator from producing output pulses for a predetermined period of time. Adjustment of the ratio of braking effort in the towed vehicle to the braking effort in the towing vehicle is provided so as to compensate for different towed vehicle to towing vehicle weight ratios. A transducer develops a control signal corresponding to the braking effort desired, and may be actuated by the hydraulic brake system of the towing vehicle, or alternatively may be actuated from the foot pedal itself. The transducer is adapted to provide a substantially linear relationship between the towed vehicle brake force and the towing vehicle brake effort, either from brake system hydraulic pressure or from brake pedal force.

Electric brake system

Pressure transducer

An electromagnet for brakes and clutches having outer and inner poles and an electrical coil for creating a magnetic field between these poles is provided having a circumferential gap in the forward portion of the outer pole. The gap reduces the flux density over the forward portion of the magnet face while increasing the flux density over the rearward portion. The variable flux density over the magnet face thus establishes an unbalance of forces attracting the magnet toward the armature plate causing the magnet to engage the armature plate heel first thereby eliminating 'squeal' caused by magnet gouging and two plane wear of the magnet's friction face.

Growing community of inventors

Belleville, MI, United States of America

Daniel L Neill