Claims
- 1. A controller for controlling the electric current supplied to at least one electric wheel brake comprising:
a brake control signal generator which is adapted to be connected to a vehicle stop light switch, said brake control signal generator including a device for sensing deceleration of a towing vehicle and generating a brake control signal which is a function of the towing vehicle deceleration; a brake control signal amplifier having an input terminal and an output terminal, said brake control signal amplifier input terminal connected to said brake control signal generator, said amplifier operative to amplify said brake control signal; at least one damping capacitor connected to said brake control signal amplifier, said damping capacitor operative to decrease the sensitivity of said deceleration sensor; an output signal generator having an input terminal which is connected to said output terminal of said brake control signal amplifier, said output signal generator also having an output terminal, said output signal generator being responsive to said amplified brake control signal to generate an output signal at said output terminal which is a function of said amplified brake control signal; and an electric current controller which is adapted to be connected between a vehicle power supply and the controlled electric wheel brake, said electric current controller coupled to said output terminal of said output signal generator, said electric current controller responsive to said output signal to supply an electric current to the controlled wheel brake which is a function of said output signal.
- 2. A controller according to claim 1 also including a voltage divider connected between said vehicle stop light switch and ground, said voltage divider coupled to said output signal generator, said voltage divider operative upon closure of said stop light switch to cause said output signal generator to generate a minimum output signal.
- 3. A controller according to claim 2 wherein said voltage divider includes resistors having tolerances which are less than ten percent whereby said output signal generator has a consistent turn-on characteristic.
- 4. A controller according to claim 1 also including a potentiometer connected between said vehicle stop light switch and ground, said potentiometer including a variable tap that is coupled to said output signal generator, said potentiometer operative upon closure of said stop light switch to apply an adjustable voltage to said output signal generator to cause said output signal generator to generate a minimum output signal.
- 5. A controller according to claim 1 further including at least one zener diode to control a voltage level within the controller.
- 6. A controller according to claim 4 wherein said zener diode has a positive temperature coefficient whereby the controller output current does not decrease when the temperature of said zener diode increases.
- 7. A controller for controlling the electric current supplied to at least one electric wheel brake comprising:
a brake control signal generator which is adapted to be connected to a vehicle stop light switch, said brake control signal generator including a device for sensing deceleration of a towing vehicle and generating a brake control signal which is a function of the towing vehicle deceleration; an output signal generator having an input terminal which is coupled to said brake control signal generator, said output signal generator having an output terminal, said output signal generator responsive to said brake control signal to generate an output signal at said output terminal which is a function of said brake control signal; an electric current controller which is adapted to be connected between a vehicle power supply and the controlled electric wheel brake, said electric current controller coupled to said output terminal of said output signal generator, said electric current controller responsive to said output signal to control said electric current as a function of said output signal; and an output current limiting circuit coupled to said electric current controller and said output signal generator, said current limiting circuit operable to modify said output signal to progressively reduce said current supplied to said controlled wheel brake upon said current exceeding a first predetermined threshold.
- 8. A controller according to claim 7 wherein said current limiting circuit includes at least one current sensing resistor connected between said vehicle power supply and said current controller, said current sensing resistor coupled to a first sensor transistor, a sensing capacitor connected between said first sensing transistor and ground, said sensing capacitor coupled to a second sensing transistor, said second sensing transistor coupled to said output signal generator, said first sensor transistor being progressively turned on as the current flowing though said sensing resistor increases above a first predetermined threshold, said sensing capacitor charging as said first sensing transistor conducts, the voltage across said sensing capacitor causing said second sensing transistor to turn on and progressively reduce said brake control signal supplied to said output signal generator.
- 9. A controller according to claim 8 wherein said output current limiting circuit is operative to disable said output signal generator upon said current supplied to said controlled wheel brake exceeding a second predetermined threshold, said second predetermined threshold being greater than said first predetermined threshold.
- 10. A controller according to claim 7 also including a voltage divider connected between said vehicle stop light switch and ground, said voltage divider coupled to said output signal generator, said voltage divider operative upon closure of said stop light switch to cause said output signal generator to generate a minimum output signal.
- 11. A controller according to claim 10 wherein said voltage divider includes resistors having tolerances which are less than ten percent whereby said output signal generator has a consistent turn-on characteristic.
- 12. A controller according to claim 7 also including a potentiometer connected between said vehicle stop light switch and ground, said potentiometer including a variable tap that is coupled to said output signal generator, said potentiometer operative upon closure of said stop light switch to apply an adjustable voltage to said output signal generator to cause said output signal generator to generate a minimum output signal.
- 13. A controller according to claim 7 further including at least one zener diode to control a voltage level within the controller.
- 14. A controller according to claim 13 wherein said zener diode has a positive temperature coefficient whereby the controller output current does not decrease when the temperature of said zener diode increases.
- 15. A controller for controlling the electric current supplied to at least one electric wheel brake upon actuation of towing vehicle brakes, said controller comprising:
a brake control signal generator which is adapted to be connected to a vehicle stop light switch, said brake control signal generator including a device for sensing deceleration of a towing vehicle and generating a brake control signal which is a function of the towing vehicle deceleration; an output signal generator having an input terminal which is coupled to said brake control signal generator, said output signal generator having an output terminal, said output signal generator being responsive to said brake control signal to generate an output signal at said output terminal which is a function of said brake control signal; an initial brake actuation detection device coupled to said output signal generator, said initial brake actuation detection device operative upon actuation of the towing vehicle brakes to cause said output signal generator to generate a minimum output signal; and an electric current controller which is adapted to be connected between a vehicle power supply and the controlled electric wheel brake, said current controller coupled to said output terminal of said output signal generator, said current controller responsive to said output signal to supply an electric current to the controlled wheel brake which is a function of said output signal.
- 16. A controller according to claim 15 wherein said initial brake actuation detection device includes a voltage divider connected between said vehicle stop light switch and ground, said voltage divider coupled to said output signal generator, said voltage divider operative upon closure of said stop light switch to cause said output signal generator to generate a minimum output signal.
- 17. A controller according to claim 16 wherein said voltage divider includes resistors having tolerances which are less than ten percent whereby said output signal generator has a consistent turn-on characteristic.
- 18. A controller according to claim 15 wherein said initial brake actuation detection device includes a potentiometer connected between said vehicle stop light switch and ground, said potentiometer including a variable tap that is coupled to said output signal generator, said potentiometer operative upon closure of said stop light switch to apply an adjustable voltage to said output signal generator to cause said output signal generator to generate a minimum output signal.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/302,813, filed on Apr. 30, 1999.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09302813 |
Apr 1999 |
US |
Child |
09963845 |
Sep 2001 |
US |