Patent ID: 6139117
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: B60T,F16D

Abstract:
An electrically operated parking brake apparatus for an automotive vehicle having a drive power source, a plurality of wheels including at least one drive wheel driven by said drive power source, and a manually operated drive power source switch having an operated position in which said drive power source is in operation and a non-operated position in which said drive power source is not in operation, said parking brake apparatus comprising (a) a parking brake device provided for each of at least one of said plurality of wheels, (b) an electrically operated driving unit for activating said parking brake device with electric power, (c) an operating force holding mechanism for mechanically maintaining an operating force of said parking brake device while said electrically operated driving unit is placed in an off state with no electric power supplied thereto, and (d) a parking brake control device for supplying electric power to said electrically operated driving unit to activate said parking brake device, and then cutting a supply of the electric power from said electrically operated driving unit, for thereby applying a parking brake to the automotive vehicle, wherein an improvement comprises:said parking brake control device comprising an actual operating force changing device operable while said drive power source switch is placed in said non-operated position, for supplying electric power to said electrically operated driving unit so as to change an actual value of said operating force of said parking brake device, and then cutting a supply of the electric power from said electrically operated driving unit.