Mazda Motor Corporation

Kazuhiro Takagishi

Yukihiro Kanemaru

Kouji Tobita

Masayoshi Matsuo

An improved electric parking brake system for a vehicle capable of controlling the brake-applying and releasing operations of a parking brake in an optimal manner in accordance with the gradient of the road on which the vehicle is stopped. The inventive parking brake system comprises in combination: a parking brake; an electromagnetic element in the form of a motor for controlling application and release of the parking brake; a command-signal producing device operable to alternatively feed a brake-application command signal or a brake-release command signal to the electromagnetic element; a gradient sensor adapted to detect the gradient of the road on which the vehicle rests for sending out a signal indicative of the gradient detected; and a controller adapted to receive the signals from the command-signal producing device and the gradient sensor for controlling the brake-applying operation and/or the brake-releasing operation of the electromagnetic element in a manner such that the parking brake can be operated optimally in accordance with the gradient of the road.

Growing community of inventors

Hiroshima, Japan

Kazuhiro Takagishi