Patent Application
20100242667
The present invention generally relates to brakes and, more specifically, to a brake for busses.
Current air brakes for busses and trucks are often controlled by a shaft with a knob, possibly rectangular shape, diamond shape, or another shape. The knob is held to the shaft with a removable pin. The driver pulls on the knob to pull the shaft away from the dashboard, thereby affecting operation of the brake.
Pulling of the air brake handle may cause pressure and pain. When the driver pulls the knob or handle of the air brake located on the dash, it may have a kick to it that can cause pain to go through the driver's hand, elbow, and up the arm, and even to the shoulder. Users must pull the handle, possibly hurting their hands.
As can be seen, there is a need for a brake for busses and trucks.
In one aspect of the present invention, a device utilizing a shaft with a knob includes: a hand plate; a lifting portion attached to the hand plate; and a depressor portion attached to the lifting portion; wherein when the user pulls on the hand plate, the depressor portion presses away from the lifting portion and the lifting portion presses on the knob thereby pulling upon the shaft.
In another aspect of the present invention, a handle for a vehicle having a dashboard and a shaft with a knob includes: a hand plate; a lifting portion attached to the hand plate, adapted to press the knob away from the dashboard; a depressor portion attached to the lifting portion, adapted to press upon the dashboard to provide leverage; and a resting lever attached to the handle, adapted to rest upon the dashboard when the handle is not being operated; wherein when the user pulls on the hand plate, the lifting portion engages with and presses upon the knob so as to pull the shaft away from the dashboard.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of urging a shaft with a knob away from a dashboard includes: pulling a hand plate away from the dashboard; utilizing a lifting portion attached to the hand plate to urge the knob away from the dashboard, thereby pulling upon the shaft; and utilizing a depressor portion attached to the lifting portion to press upon the dashboard, thereby providing leverage for the lifting portion.
The preferred embodiment and other embodiments, including the best mode of carrying out the invention, are hereby described in detail with reference to the drawings. Further embodiments, features and advantages will become apparent from the ensuing description or may be learned without undue experimentation. The figures are not drawn to scale, except where otherwise indicated. The following description of embodiments, even if phrased in terms of “the invention,” is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but describes the manner and process of making and using the invention. The coverage of this patent will be described in the claims. The order in which steps are listed in the claims does not indicate that the steps may be performed in that order.
Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally relates to a unit that goes on a truck, buss, vehicle, pick-up, car, or other vehicle having a hand-operated pull device that may be pulled by the operator in order to operate the vehicle. An embodiment of the present device may include an anti-terrorist, anti-theft, security brake or other device. An embodiment for busses may be pulled at every bus stop. The unit may eliminate the pressure and pain to the driver when pulling the brake.
An embodiment of the present invention may include a device that goes behind the knob and has the freedom to absorb the shock of the air pressured brake, so that it eliminates or reduces the effect of the kick. In return that use may avoid pain to the hand, elbow or shoulder.
An embodiment may include two metal bars joined together, having a small downward curve. The two parts may separate and curve around the shaft of the existing brake unit, past the brake unit, and coming back together. Three metal bars may be included. One bar bends downward to rest on the dash, and the two others curve upwards to form a handle. The handle is what one may grab to activate the air brake. The unit may be loose around the brake handle so that when one uses the handle, the handle does not induce the pain of pulling that might be caused by an existing solid unit.
As depicted in
As depicted in
To install an embodiment, brake knob 34 may be separated from brake shaft 32, possibly by removing a pin. One may install the device 10 around an existing brake handle. The device will hang down, and it is needed, one may just grab the unit and pull. This may activate the brake without causing any kick, which otherwise causes pain to the hand and arm or shoulder.
With application of an embodiment of the invention, users might be able to affect controls on vehicles, such as brakes for trucks and busses. The user may be able to affect the brake or control with reduced stress, pain, or pressure to the hand of the user, because the device may provide a leverage that helps effect the brake/control. An effective, efficient leverage may enhance the effective strength of the user's available hand strength and/or pressure.
An embodiment may include a device for a bus having a knob, a dash and a brake. The device may include a unit positioned behind the knob on the bus, the unit having freedom to absorb a shock of the brake; a first metal bar, having a downward curve; a second metal bar, having a downward curve. The first and second metal bars may have a separation and curve around a shaft of the brake. The downward curves of both bars may bend downward to rest on the dash, the two bars curving upward to form a handle. An embodiment may be made of metal that may separate to conform around the handle of a brake, which may include a handle for the driver to grab. To make an embodiment, a machinist could cast a form and then pour in metal to form this unit. Alternatively, one may machine press metal to form the device. One may also weld two metal rods together and then separate them to shape this form.
This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Patent Application No. 61/164,555, filed Mar. 30, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61164555 | Mar 2009 | US |
