Patent ID: 6685281
Filing Date: 2004-02-03
Classification: B60T,F16H

Abstract:
In a vehicle comprising a motorized vehicle with a driver's cab and a towed vehicle being pulled by the motorized vehicle and having a parking brake, a brake control system comprising a controller system and a management system, the controller system comprising:sensors located on or near the vehicle comprising sensors that are located on the towed vehicle; an electronic controller located in the driver's cab adapted to receive signals from a plurality of sensors that signal conditions unsafe for vehicle movement on or near the vehicle, the controller adapted to command the management system to apply the parking brake when one or more of said sensors signal unsafe conditions; an electronic operator switch located in the vehicle cab and accessible to a driver of the vehicle, the operator switch having an apply-brake position and a release-brake position and operatively connected to the controller to communicate apply-brake and release-brake commands to the management system via the controller; and the management system located in the towed vehicle comprising means for applying the parking brake in response to apply-brake signals from the controller and for releasing the parking brake in response to release-brake signals from the controller; wherein said sensors on the towed vehicle signal the controller by means selected form the group consisting of electrical connections, electronic connections, data connections, fiber optics, wireless transmissions, and combinations thereof; wherein the controller communicates with the management system by means selected from the group consisting of electrical connections, electronic connections, data connections, fiber optics, wireless transmissions, and combinations thereof; wherein the motorized vehicle does not have a hand or foot operated parking brake handle in the cab that is mechanically linked to the parking brake.