Patent Application
20230211757
This invention relates to an Emergency Truck Braking System. The present invention relates to certain improvements in emergency brake systems for large vehicles. This relates to an emergency brake system and has for an object to provide a brake carried by the vehicle and adapted to be dropped down so that the vehicle wheel will run upon it as a track and thereby be locked to the vehicle so that the vehicle will be halted instead of getting out of control from either brake failure or other causes such as when going down runaway inclines. The mechanism of the system relates to a general type of structure and configuration involving a pivoted arm construction coupling a stopping mat to the vehicle and serving to effectively support the mat in position for the desired action held under the wheels of the vehicle and impeding movement. System is designed not to cause any damage to the driver, vehicle, tires, and freight. The system relates to safety devices, and more particularly to a safety device for use with trailers of the type towed by trucks or other vehicles at relatively heavy cargo loads, often at times when the towing vehicle and the trailer are traveling at high speeds and the operator desires to slow down or stop, however the brakes on the trailer fail to operate or respond to the normal controls (i.e., sometimes neither the trailer nor the vehicle brakes will respond to the controls). Finally, the present invention relates to an emergency brake device for the stopping of heavy vehicles, such as trucks and trailers, in an extreme emergency requiring a panic stop or in the event of the failure of the regular braking system.
None.
None.
As far as known, there are no Emergency Truck Braking System or the like as demonstrated herein. It is believed that this product is unique in its design and technologies.
This background as to emergency braking system for trucks and trailers and other heavy vehicles should prove useful. For many years, an effort has been made to provide an emergency brake device for trucks and trailers that is safe, effective, and reliable. The situation has become more acute in recent years due to the overcrowding of the interstate highway system, particularly around urban areas. Due to higher speeds, higher gross weights and/or steep downhill grades, existing brake systems in trucks or other heavy vehicles are often inadequate to prevent them from causing accidents. Heavier loads are being allowed on interstate highways, contributing to the increased incidence of accidents involving trucks. One cause of brake failure is glazing. When a truck is negotiating downhill, the driver even if he downshifts before starting downhill must often use his brakes to further slow down the truck, for control around curves, etc. Often the heat build-up exceeds the capacity of present brake systems to dissipate the heat generated, resulting in a set of glazed brake pads and a runaway truck. Glaze renders the brakes useless. Another cause of brake failure is failure in the hydraulic or pneumatic system, causing loss of pressure necessary to activate the brake pads. In the event of brake failure, it is almost impossible to avoid an accident often accompanied by serious injuries or loss of life.
A fully loaded tractor-trailer under a panic stop situation often will experience jack-knifing. Under this situation, the trailer skids sideways at a faster rate than the tractor, overrunning the tractor and often causing the entire tractor-trailer to overturn. If the roadway is icy or snow-covered, the tendency of the tractor trailer to jack-knife is magnified many times over. The present invention relates to emergency braking mechanisms for vehicles including particularly tractor trailer combinations, and generally buses, recreation vehicles, and trucks. The system is deployable when regular brakes fail. It is considered applicable to genera commuter vehicles, trailers, semi-trailers, and other fast moving and often heavily-laden road vehicles.
There are a variety of brake mechanisms used in modern vehicles, including air brakes, electronic braking devices (EBD), electrical and hydraulically operated brakes, and anti-lock braking systems (ABS). Most vehicles use some combination of these mechanisms, allowing generally for safe and efficient braking. It is known, however, for braking systems such as these to fail with hazardous and sometimes fatal consequences. 4] The present invention proposes to supplement an existing vehicle braking system with an independent back-up emergency braking system. Prior art braking systems have not been as successful in addressing these problems. Braking systems which depend on activating the brake pads to stop a moving tractor-trailer or large commercial truck have not been satisfactory. There is therefore a need to provide an emergency brake device for tractor trailers and the like that would stop the vehicle during a panic stop without jack-knifing even when the road is slippery.
The improvement and problem solved as to Emergency Truck Braking System are: Trailer and tractor is salvaged/not destroyed; Freight/cargo is salvaged/not destroyed; Can be a Reusable Emergency Truck Braking System by switching out, replacing the mats; Universal—same system for many types of truck trailer makes and models; Versatile control systems—direct wired, wireless, pneumatic, hydraulic; The use of Recycled tire treads in an environmentally friendly manner; and can Save human lives in truck/trailer crashes.
As far as known, there are no Emergency Truck Braking System such as developed and described by Carter. It is believed that this product is unique in its design and technologies. A novelty search revealed:
As can be observed, none of the prior art has anticipated or caused one skilled in the art of Emergency Truck Braking Systems or similar devices to consider or view this invention by Dann Allen as obvious to a person skilled in the ordinary art of this industry. The Emergency Truck Braking System provides an answer to the problems that are shown above. The Allen invention addresses the shortfalls and solves them, unlike previous/prior art in this industry.
This invention is an Emergency Truck Braking System. Taught here are the ways a trailer and tractor can be transformed and retrofitted easily by adding the system as described to provide a safety braking system that can avoid destroying tractor, trailers, cargo, and human lives in an emergency. The preferred embodiment of the Emergency Truck Braking System for a truck and trailer combination being comprised of: An Emergency Truck Braking System for a truck and trailer combination comprised of: (a) a locking element/mat made with a durable material/recycled material, made as a length/strip with two ends, an interior surface, and an exterior surface, and configured such that at one end the length the mat forms a loop for encircling a support member and the interior surface of the loop is connected and secured by a means (glue, adhesive, pins, heat weld) for connecting and the exterior surface of the loop is connected with a pair of straps (metal/steel straps) with means to fasten the pair of straps such as pins, bolts, clips, onto the exterior surface of the mat; (b) the support member having two ends, each end supported by a closed-end or open-end shaft bearing and a release clamp offset near the middle of the support member for engaging a release clamp; (c) an electric or fluids control system for release (electrical hard-wired/wireless with transmitter and receiver or pneumatic or hydraulic with piping) which controls a motor and switch box or a valve and a latch release, respectively, that releases the clamp which is holding the support member at the release clamp offset; (d) a blocking structure/member secured and affixed to the chassis and inter-placed between the wheel and the support member and the mat; and (e) a structure system for holding the support member comprising a coupling between support member and the mat, a support contiguous with chassis, a means for fastening (weld, bolt, rivet) the structure system to the chassis, and a pivot/rotatable support (bearing, bushing, or rotational enabler whereby the mat can extend and be placed between a wheel of the truck and trailer combination and a roadbed surface to cause the wheel to stop turning and stop the truck and trailer combination.
The newly invented Emergency Truck Braking System can be manufactured at low volumes by remarkably simple means and in high volume production by more complex and controlled systems. System makes retrofitting mats simpler and with less cost
There are several objects and advantages of the Emergency Truck Braking System. There are currently no other emergency stopping systems for tractor trailers and the like that are effective at providing the objects of this invention.
The Emergency Truck Braking System has various advantages and benefits:
Finally, other advantages and additional features of the present Emergency Truck Braking System will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the full description of the device. For one skilled in the art of truck braking systems and emergency stopping systems for trucks and vehicles, it is readily understood that the features shown in the examples with this product are readily adapted to other types of emergency braking system for trucks and other vehicles.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of an Emergency Truck Braking System that is preferred. The drawings together with the summary description given above and a detailed description given below explain the principles of the emergency braking system for trucks and the like. It is understood, however, that the Emergency Truck Braking System provided here is not limited to only the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
The following list refers to the drawings:
This invention relates to an Emergency Truck Braking System. The present invention relates to certain improvements in emergency brake systems for large vehicles. This relates to an emergency brake system and has for an object to provide a brake carried by the vehicle and adapted to be dropped down so that the vehicle wheel will run upon it as a track and thereby be locked to the vehicle so that the vehicle will be halted instead of getting out of control from either brake failure or other causes such as when going down runaway inclines. The mechanism of the system relates to a general type of structure and configuration involving a pivoted arm construction coupling a stopping mat to the vehicle and serving to effectively support the mat in position for the desired action held under the wheels of the vehicle and impeding movement. System is designed not to cause any damage to the driver, vehicle, tires, and freight. The system relates to safety devices, and more particularly to a safety device for use with trailers of the type towed by trucks or other vehicles at relatively heavy cargo loads, often at times when the towing vehicle and the trailer are traveling at high speeds and the operator desires to slow down or stop, however the brakes on the trailer fail to operate or respond to the normal controls (i.e., sometimes neither the trailer nor the vehicle brakes will respond to the controls). Finally, the present invention relates to an emergency brake device for the stopping of heavy vehicles, such as trucks and trailers, in an extreme emergency requiring a panic stop or in the event of the failure of the regular braking system.
The advantages for the Emergency Truck Braking System 30 are listed above in the introduction. Succinctly the benefits are that the device:
The preferred embodiment of the Emergency Truck Braking System 30 for a truck and trailer combination being comprised of: An Emergency Truck Braking System 30 for a truck and trailer combination comprised of: (a) a locking element/mat 50 made with a durable material/recycled material, made as a length/strip with two ends, an interior surface, and an exterior surface, and configured such that at one end the length the mat forms a loop 52 for encircling a support member 83 and the interior surface of the loop is connected and secured by a means 51 (glue, adhesive, pins, heat weld) for connecting and the exterior surface of the loop is connected with a pair of straps 51A (metal/steel straps) with means 51B to fasten the pair of straps such as pins, bolts, clips, onto the exterior surface of the mat 50;
(b) the support member 83 having two ends, each end supported by a closed-end or open-end shaft bearing and a release clamp offset 83A near the middle of the support member 83 for engaging a release clamp 80; (c) an electric or fluids control system 70 for release (electrical hard-wired/wireless with transmitter and receiver or pneumatic or hydraulic with piping) which controls a motor and switch box 76 or a valve and a latch release 76A, respectively, that releases the clamp 80 which is holding the support member 83 at the release clamp offset 83A; (d) a blocking structure/member 82 secured and affixed to the chassis 225 and inter-placed between the wheel 33 and the support member 83 and the mat 50; and (e) a structure system 32,34,38,46 for holding the support member 83 comprising a coupling 84 between support member 83 and the mat 50, a support 88 contiguous with chassis 225, a means for fastening 86 (weld, bolt, rivet) the structure system 32,34,38,46 to the chassis 225, and a pivot/rotatable support 87,55 (bearing, bushing, or rotational enabler 55 whereby the mat 50 can extend and be placed between a wheel 33 of the truck 210 and trailer 220 combination and a roadbed surface GR to cause the wheel to stop turning and stop the truck and trailer combination.
There is shown in
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the Emergency Truck Braking System 30 that is preferred. The drawings together with the summary description given above and a detailed description given below explain the principles of the Emergency Truck Braking System 30. It is understood, however, that the System 30 is not limited to only the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. Other examples of emergency stopping systems and devices for vehicles such as tractor trailers and the like are still understood by one skilled in the art to be within the scope and spirit shown here.
an Emergency Truck Braking System (ETBS) 30; a front drop mechanism 32 of Emergency Truck Braking System 30; a wheel 33 of trailer 220; a locking element/mat 50; a control system for release 70; a motor and switch box 76 or valve and latch release 76A; a release clamp 80 (pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical direct hard wire or wireless); a blocking structure/member 82; a support member 83; a release clamp offset 83A of support member 83; coupling 84 between support member 83 or chains 85 and mat 50; a drop chain 85; a means for fastening 86 (weld, bolt, rivet) support 88 or encasement 46 to chassis 225; a pivot/rotatable support 87 (bearing, bushing or rotational enabler); a vertical support 88 from chassis 225; a trailer 220; a chassis, trailer under frame 225; a wheel axel 230; and ground, roadbed surface GR.
a support member 83; a release clamp offset 83A of support member 83; a means for fastening 86 (weld, bolt, rivet) support 88 or encasement 46 to chassis 225; a pivot/rotatable support 87 (bearing, bushing or rotational enabler); a support 88 (vertical or horizontal) contiguous with chassis 225 aperture 88A for installing support member 87 and bearings 87 notched riser 89 for support and aligning support member 87 at support 88; a trailer 220; a chassis, trailer under frame 225; a mud flap 245 (reference); and ground, roadbed surface GR.
The anticipated materials for the Emergency Truck Braking System 30 include: (1) various road worthy materials for the pneumatic, hydraulic and electrical controls similar to others used with commercial carries and tractor/trailer combination; (2) steel and steel alloys for the structural and load bearing members—whereby it is understood and anticipated that composite materials (polymers and plastics with additives and reinforcement strands and powdered metals) are becoming more durable and with strength to substitute for steel and its alloys as technology improves; and rotatable pivots and pivot members meaning, for example and not as a limitation, bearings, flange ball bearings, bushings, greased raceways, ceramics, and various emerging composite materials. Again, as durable, and composite materials are developed, it is anticipated they can replace some of the materials known today.
The details mentioned here are exemplary and not limiting. Other specific components and manners specific to describing an Emergency Truck Braking System 30 may be added as a person having ordinary skill in the field of the art of emergency systems for stopping or braking a vehicle such as a tractor trailer in an emergency.
The Emergency Truck Braking System 30 has been described in the above embodiment. The manner of how the device operates is described below. One notes well that the description above and the operation described here must be taken together to fully illustrate the concept of the Emergency Truck Braking System 30. The preferred embodiment of the Emergency Truck Braking System 30 for a truck and trailer combination being comprised of: An Emergency Truck Braking System 30 for a truck and trailer combination comprised of: (a) a locking element/mat 50 made with a durable material/recycled material, made as a length/strip with two ends, an interior surface, and an exterior surface, and configured such that at one end the length the mat forms a loop 52 for encircling a support member 83 and the interior surface of the loop is connected and secured by a means 51 (glue, adhesive, pins, heat weld) for connecting and the exterior surface of the loop is connected with a pair of straps 51A (metal/steel straps) with means 51B to fasten the pair of straps such as pins, bolts, clips, onto the exterior surface of the mat 50;
(b) the support member 83 having two ends, each end supported by a closed-end or open-end shaft bearing and a release clamp offset 83A near the middle of the support member 83 for engaging a release clamp 80; (c) an electric or fluids control system 70 for release (electrical hard-wired/wireless with transmitter and receiver or pneumatic or hydraulic with piping) which controls a motor and switch box 76 or a valve and a latch release 76A, respectively, that releases the clamp 80 which is holding the support member 83 at the release clamp offset 83A; (d) a blocking structure/member 82 secured and affixed to the chassis 225 and inter-placed between the wheel 33 and the support member 83 and the mat 50; and (e) a structure system 32,34,38,46 for holding the support member 83 comprising a coupling 84 between support member 83 and the mat 50, a support 88 contiguous with chassis 225, a means for fastening 86 (weld, bolt, rivet) the structure system 32,34,38,46 to the chassis 225, and a pivot/rotatable support 87,55 (bearing, bushing, or rotational enabler 55 whereby the mat 50 can extend and be placed between a wheel 33 of the truck 210 and trailer 220 combination and a roadbed surface GR to cause the wheel to stop turning and stop the truck and trailer combination.
The Emergency Truck Braking System 30 is operated by a driver or user of the truck situated in the tractor cab.
Vehicle operator can also use this system if he/she cannot get the vehicle into gear and determines the vehicle is going too fast. In this case the driver already realizes by applying the brakes that it would not likely stop the vehicle. The driver could release mats saving the brakes and once stopped, the driver could retract the mats to the original set position without any damage. Then the vehicle can proceed without any major repairs needed.
System can be deployed remotely or possibly on-board by monitoring the vehicles in case of erratic driving caused by health conditions, theft of vehicle, trailer, vehicle too far out of route, so on, falling asleep, wreck reported a X distance ahead on very slick conditions, fog, obstructed views such as around corners and other conditions when operator could not be notified.
Many embodiments are anticipated for the Emergency Truck Braking System 30. Some examples, and not limitations, are shown in the following Table.
With this description it is to be understood that the Emergency Truck Braking System 30 is not to be limited to only the disclosed embodiment of system. The features of the Emergency Truck Braking System 30 are intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the description.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which these inventions belong. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present inventions, the preferred methods and materials are now described above in the foregoing paragraphs.
Other embodiments of the invention are possible. Although the description above contains much specificity, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. It is also contemplated that various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the inventions. It should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed inventions. Thus, it is intended that the scope of at least some of the present inventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above.
The terms recited in the claims should be given their ordinary and customary meaning as determined by reference to relevant entries (e.g., definition of “plane” as a carpenter's tool would not be relevant to the use of the term “plane” when used to refer to an airplane, etc.) in dictionaries (e.g., widely used general reference dictionaries and/or relevant technical dictionaries), commonly understood meanings by those in the art, etc., with the understanding that the broadest meaning imparted by any one or combination of these sources should be given to the claim terms (e.g., two or more relevant dictionary entries should be combined to provide the broadest meaning of the combination of entries, etc.) subject only to the following exceptions: (a) if a term is used herein in a manner more expansive than its ordinary and customary meaning, the term should be given its ordinary and customary meaning plus the additional expansive meaning, or (b) if a term has been explicitly defined to have a different meaning by reciting the term followed by the phrase “as used herein shall mean” or similar language (e.g., “herein this term means,” “as defined herein,” “for the purposes of this disclosure [the term] shall mean,” etc.). References to specific examples, use of “i.e.,” use of the word “invention,” etc., are not meant to invoke exception (b) or otherwise restrict the scope of the recited claim terms. Other than situations where exception (b) applies, nothing contained herein should be considered a disclaimer or disavowal of claim scope. Accordingly, the subject matter recited in the claims is not coextensive with and should not be interpreted to be coextensive with any particular embodiment, feature, or combination of features shown herein. This is true even if only a single embodiment of the particular feature or combination of features is illustrated and described herein. Thus, the appended claims should be read to be given their broadest interpretation in view of the prior art and the ordinary meaning of the claim terms.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers or expressions, such as those expressing dimensions, physical characteristics, etc. used in the specification (other than the claims) are understood as modified in all instances by the term “approximately.” At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the claims, each numerical parameter recited in the specification or claims which is modified by the term “approximately” should at least be construed in light of the number of recited significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.
The present invention contemplates modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art. While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in. detail in the figures and the foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only selected embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes, modifications, and equivalents that come within the spirit of the disclosures described heretofore and or/defined by the following claims are desired to be protected.
This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application with Ser. No. 63/296,002 filed Jan. 3, 2022, by Dann M. Allen. The application is entitled “An Emergency Truck Braking System.”
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63296002 | Jan 2022 | US |
