The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 23, 1988
Filed:
Nov. 18, 1985
John S Frait, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Michael D Warner, Oak Park, MI (US);
David T Ayers, Birmingham, MI (US);
Kelsey-Hayes Co., Romulus, MI (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to a self-contained electric brake controller for energizing electrically operated brakes in a towed vehicle in response to a demand by a driver in a towing vehicle. The controller includes a unique deceleration sensing unit for generating a signal proportional to the magnitude of deceleration of the towing vehicle. The deceleration sensing unit includes an outer housing adapted to be secured relative to the towing vehicle, and a pendulum mounted on an axis for pivotal movement relative to the housing. The pendulum is movable in one direction from a resting position to a predetermined extended position when the vehicle is subjected to a predetermined magnitude of deceleration. The pendulum includes a magnet spaced from the pivot axis of the pendulum. A detector such as a Hall Effect device is carried by the housing and is responsive to the magnetic field produced by the pendulum magnet for generating a position signal representing the predetermined extended position of the pendulum. This position signal corresponds to the predetermined magnitude of deceleration of the vehicle. The deceleration sensing unit includes a second magnet carried by the housing and spaced from the pendulum for producing a magnetic field which, as the pendulum swings to its extended position, opposes the magnetic field of the pendulum magnet to produce a restoring force to resist further forward movement of the pendulum. The deceleration sensing unit also includes a damping element constructed of a ferromagnetic material spaced from the pendulum magnet for damping undesirable movement of the pendulum. Also, the circuit responsive to the deceleration signal includes several unique features.