# Patent

## Title
Electronic stroke sensor for air disc brake

## Abstract

A vehicle brake monitor assembly for an air disk brake includes a brake actuator having a pushrod projecting from inside a chamber of said brake actuator. The pushrod releasably actuates a lever arm of a caliper thereby moving the disk brake into a braking position when the pushrod is in an extended position and releasing the disk brake from the braking position when the pushrod is in a retracted position. The pushrod includes a pushrod shaft and a contact member biased in a telescoping relationship relative to the pushrod shaft and the lever arm of the caliper abuts the contact member counteracting the bias of the contact member. A sensor is integrated with the assembly proximate the contact member and detects movement of the pushrod relative to the lever arm and to the pushrod shaft.

## Background
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/162,691 filed on Jun. 17, 2011, which is a U.S. non-provisional application which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/356,325, filed Jun. 18, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to an electronic stroke monitor for a vehicle brake. More specifically, the present invention is related to an electronic stroke monitor of an air disc brake for use on a heavy duty truck.
The number of miles traveled by heavy-duty trucks and passenger busses increases significantly every year. Because the size of passenger cars being driven has become smaller due to the increased price of gasoline, it has become increasingly necessary to ensure the proper performance of brake actuators and brake systems of these heavy-duty vehicles to provide the truck operator every opportunity to avoid a loss of control. Therefore, various systems have been developed to monitor the stroke of a brake actuator for use on drum brakes widely used in industrial trucking.
However, on heavy-duty passenger vehicles, such as, for example, busses, the use of air disc brakes is becoming more popular. To date, a viable brake monitoring system for use on an air disk brake has not been developed.
Brake monitoring systems used on air drum brakes are directed toward monitoring the length of stroke of a pushrod projecting from inside a chamber of the brake actuator. The monitoring enables the user to determine if the brake actuator is functioning properly, is subject to an over-stroke condition, or is subject to a hanging or dragging brake condition. Monitoring these conditions by monitoring the stroke of the pushrod is possible because the pushrod of the brake actuator is fixedly attached to the actuation device of the drum brake. In the case of a hanging or dragging brake, the actuation device of the drum brake is immobilized in an actuated position preventing the pushrod from returning to an un-actuated position when the brake pedal is released by the vehicle operator.
However, the pushrod of an air disk brake actuator is not fixedly attached to the lever arm of a caliper that actuates the disk brake. Therefore, should a hanging or dragging brake condition occur, the lever arm becomes separated from the pushrod rendering the type of monitoring system used on a drum brake non-functional for a disk brake. An electronic sensor that monitors the stroke of the pushrod senses that the pushrod has returned to its un-actuated position and incorrectly senses that the brake is operating normally. Therefore, it has become necessary to develop a vehicle brake monitoring assembly that is capable of identifying and distinguishing between an over-stroke condition and a hanging brake condition of an air disk brake.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A vehicle brake monitor assembly for an air disk brake includes a brake actuator having a pushrod projecting from inside a chamber of the brake actuator. The pushrod releasably actuates a lever arm of the caliper moving the disk brake into braking position when the pushrod is disposed in an extended position and releases the disk brake from the braking position when the pushrod is disposed in a retracted position. The pushrod includes a pushrod shaft and a contact member biased in a telescoping relationship relative to the pushrod shaft. The lever arm of the caliper abuts the contact member and counteracts the bias of the contact member preventing the contact member from telescoping from the pushrod shaft. A sensor is integrated with the assembly proximate the contact member. The sensor detects movement of the pushrod relative to the lever arm and the pushrod shaft.
The sensor that is positioned proximate the contact member detects differences in transmission along a length of the contact member that enables the determination of the condition of the brake actuator. For example, the sensor detects when the brake is operating in a normal condition, is subject to a dragging brake condition, is subject to an over stroke condition, or subject to an out of adjustment condition. As set forth above, prior attempts to monitor all these conditions on an air disk brake have proven futile. In particular, prior monitoring devices have been unable to identify a hanging brake condition due to separation between the pushrod and a lever arm of the air disk brake. This separation results when the lever arm is immobilized in an actuated position and a vehicle operator releases a brake pedal causing the pushrod to retract into the brake actuator. The telescoping design of the present invention allows the sensor to detect when the lever arm is immobilized in an actuated position.
A further benefit of the present inventive assembly is its use with a conventional brake caliper without modification to the caliper. Prior attempts to monitor air disk brake systems require modifying the brake caliper in an attempt to determine if the lever arm is immobilized in an actuated position. By providing a sensor pack proximate the pushrod of the actuator, the inventive assembly has eliminated the need to modify the caliper of an air disk brake system, to detect a dragging brake condition.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 shows a side sectional view of the brake monitoring assembly of the present invention;
FIG. 2a shows a first embodiment of the pushrod of the present invention;
FIG. 2b shows an alternative embodiment of the pushrod of the present invention;
FIG. 3 shows an expanded view of the pushrod of the present invention;
FIG. 4 shows the brake actuator in an extended position in a normal operating condition;
FIG. 5 shows a partial sectional view of the brake actuator in an over stroke condition; and
FIG. 6 shows the brake actuator of the present invention having a hanging or dragging brake condition.



DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A brake actuator is shown generally at 10 in FIG. 1. The brake actuator 10 includes a brake monitor assembly 12 for determining if the brake actuator is functioning in a normal condition or a fault condition as will be explained further hereinbelow. The brake actuator 10 includes a pushrod 14 disposed inside a service chamber 16. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the service chamber 16 can also be used in cooperation with a secondary chamber or power spring chamber (not shown), and various other brake activator configurations, as might be necessary for a given vehicle braking system.
The service chamber 16 includes a diaphragm 18 that is secured between an upper housing member 20 and a lower housing member 22. Therefore, the service chamber 16 is separated by the diaphragm 18 into a pressure side 24 (best seen in FIG. 4) and a return side 26 which houses a return spring 28. Pressurized air enters the pressure side 24 of the service chamber 16 through air pressure port 30, the pressure of which is monitored by pressure sensor 32. Although the pressure sensor 32 is shown proximate the service chamber 16, it is contemplated by the inventors that the pressure sensor 32 is located at the treadle valve (brake pedal) of the vehicle. It should be understood to those of ordinary skill in the art that each embodiment also includes a separate pressure sensor (not shown) located at the brake pedal to identify pressure being applied by the vehicle operator to the brake pedal. When the operator actuates the brake pedal, pressurized air passes through the air pressure port 30 forcing the diaphragm 18 against the pushrod 14 causing the pushrod 14 to extend outwardly from the service chamber 16 in a known manner.
When the vehicle operator depresses the brake pedal, as set forth above, air pressure enters the pressure side 24 of the service chamber 16 through the air pressure port 30 forcing the pushrod 14 outwardly from the service chamber. A lever arm 34 disposed inside a caliper 36 is pivoted by the pushrod 14, when extending outwardly, causing the brakes (not shown) of the vehicle to actuate in a known manner. When the vehicle operator removes pressure from the brake pad, air is vented from the pressure side 24 of the service chamber 16 and the return spring 28 forces the pushrod 14 inwardly of the service chamber 16 allowing the lever arm 34 to return to its unactuated position. It should be understood by those of skill in the art, that the caliper 36 described above functions in a normal manner.
Referring now to FIG. 2A, the pushrod 14 includes a contact member 38 that circumscribes a pushrod shaft 40. The contact member 38 defines a terminal end 41 that abuts the lever arm 34 of the caliper 36. The pushrod shaft 40 is received in a tubular opening 42 defined by the contact member 38. An adjustment shim 44 is disposed at a base 46 of the tubular opening 42 and is sandwiched between a shaft stop 48 of the pushrod shaft 40 and the base 46. The adjustment shim 44 is provided in a plurality of thicknesses from which the length of the pushrod 14 is adjusted to provide dimensional accuracy between terminal end 41 of contact member 38 and lever arm 34 as will become more evident below.
The pushrod shaft 40 defines an elongated opening 50, which receives a biasing member 52 shown here in the form of a spring. The biasing member 52 is compressed between a floor 53 and a terminal wall 54 of the elongated opening 50. Therefore, the biasing member 52 provides a biasing force that telescopes the contact member 38 from the pushrod shaft 40, affectively lengthening the pushrod 14.
The pushrod shaft 40 defines a circumscribing groove 56 into which a retaining member 58 that is fixedly attached to an inner wall 60 of the tubular member 42 is received. The retaining member 58 slides in an axial direction defined by the pushrod shaft 40 within an expanse of the groove 56. A stop 62 prevents the biasing member 52 from separating the contact member 38 from the pushrod shaft 40 when abutted by the retaining member 58. The stop 62 takes the form of a spring clip or equivalent received by a notch 63 (FIG. 3) in the pushrod shaft 40.
A sensor element 64 is sandwiched between the service chamber 16 and the caliper 36. A sensor 66 is disposed inside the sensor element 64 and is provided sensing access to the contact member 38, which is received through an opening 68 in the sensor element 64. The sensor 66 communicates through communication line 70 with a controller or central processing unit 72. The sensor 66 is contemplated by the inventors to take the form an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, a mechanical sensor, or a radio frequency enhanced sensor. For clarity, however, the following description will describe an optical sensor, further contemplated to be an infrared sensor. The exemplary embodiment makes use of an Optek infrared optical OPB733TR sensor capable of both transmitting an infrared signal and receiving a reflected infrared input. However, it should be understood by those of skill in the art, that any of the sensors explained above are operable. As best represented in FIG. 2a, the contact member 38 defines a non-reflective surface 74, a semi-reflective surface 76, and a fully reflective surface 78.
As best seen in FIG. 1, a sealing boot 80 seals to the pushrod shaft 40 at an upper end and to the sensor element 64 at an opposite end. Therefore, the contact member 38, and the non-reflective, semi-reflective, and fully reflective surfaces 74, 76, 78 are protected from environmental contamination that is known to enter the service chamber 16. A secondary seal 82 seals the sensor element 64 to the caliper 36, which is fully enclosed to protect the lever arm 34 from environmental contamination. Therefore, the contact member 38 and the sensor 66 are completely protected from the environment, preventing the optical sensor 66 and the reflective surfaces 74, 76, 78 from becoming fouled.
An alternative embodiment is shown in FIG. 2b where common elements have the same numbers as those elements disclosed in FIG. 2a. The alternative embodiment makes use of an alternative contact member 84 and a linear sensor 86. The alternative contact member 84 includes an alternative reflective coating 88 that has a variable reflective surface. A first end 90 of the contact member is more reflective than a second end 92 of the contact member with a gradual transition in between. The sensor detects the variation in the amount of reflectivity to determine the location of the alternative contact member 84, and therefore the lever arm 34 as will become more evident in the description below.
The sequence of brake monitoring will now be described. It is contemplated by the inventors that the sensor 66 takes the form of an infrared sensor that transmits an infrared signal toward the contact member 38 which has varying degrees of reflectivity as described above to reflect the infrared signal back toward the sensor 66, which in turn signals the controller 72 the degree of reflectivity via communication lines 70. It should be understood to those of skill in the art that other optical sensors may be used, including photoelectric digital lasers, ordinary lasers, and equivalents.
During normal operation, when the brake is released (shown in FIG. 1), the optical sensor transmits a light signal toward the non-reflective surface 74 of the contact member 38 receiving no reflective signal from the contact member 38. The brake application pressure, as indicated by the pressure sensor 32, is less than or equal to about 2 psi. Therefore, no active fault is signaled to the vehicle operator.
Referring now to FIG. 4, pressure is applied to the brake pedal by the operator causing air to fill the pressure side 24 of the service chamber 16 to actuate the lever arm 34. Because the pushrod 14 is forced outwardly from the service chamber 16 by the diaphragm 18, the sensor 66 is positioned proximate the semi-reflective surface 76 of the contact member 38. The pressure sensor 32 signals air pressure of greater than or equal to about 2 psi indicating normal operation of the brake actuator 10 so long as the sensor 66 detects reflectivity from the semi-reflective surface 76. It is contemplated by the inventors that the semi-reflective surface 76 reflects about thirty percent of the light transmitted from the sensor 66. It should be noted that the biasing member 52 remains fully compressed because the lever arm 34 counteracts the biasing force of the biasing member 52 during normal, activated condition.
FIG. 5 shows an overstroke condition causing the controller 72 to signal the operator that a fault condition exists. In the overstroke condition, the pushrod 14 extends outwardly of the service chamber 16 beyond normal extension length so that the sensor 66 transmits light to the fully reflective surface 78 and detects a full reflectivity. The brake pressure, as detected by the pressure sensor 32, is greater than or equal to about 2 psi. Therefore, the sensor 66 signals the controller 72 full reflectivity with normal application pressure causing the controller to signal an over stroke condition to the operator.
FIG. 6 represents a dragging brake condition. The dragging brake condition is identified by the controller 72 both when the vehicle is moving at road speed and when the vehicle is not moving at road speed. In the dragging brake condition, air pressure has been released from the pressure side 24 of the service chamber 16 causing the return spring 28 to retract the pushrod 14 into the service chamber 16. However, because the brake is now subject to a dragging condition, the lever arm 34 is retained in the actuated position causing separation with the contact member 38. Because the lever arm 34 is no longer counteracting the biasing force of the biasing member, the biasing member 52 causes the contact member 38 to telescope from the pushrod shaft 40. Therefore, the sensor 66 now transmits light toward the semi-reflective surface 76 of the contact member 38 as opposed to transmitting light toward the non-reflective surface 74 as is typical of a normally functioning brake. Because the pressurized air has been vented from the pressure side 24 of the service chamber 16, the brake application pressure now reads less than or equal to about 2 psi. The combination of the semi-reflective surface 76 being detected by the sensor 66 and the low air pressure of less than or equal to about 2 psi causes the controller 72 to indicate a dragging or hanging brake condition.
A further fault condition is indicated when the sensor 66 detects the non-reflective surface 74 when the brake pedal is depressed by the operator causing an air pressure reading of greater than or equal to about 12 psi. In this instance, the controller signals a non-functioning actuator condition to the operator.
The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology that has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, a hall effect or equivalent sensor can be used in combination with a magnet affixed to the contact member 38 having varying degrees of magnetism. It is therefore to be understood that within the specification, the reference numerals are merely for convenience, and are not to be in any way limiting, the invention may be practiced otherwise than is specifically described.

## Claims

1. A method of monitoring a condition of a brake actuator used for actuating an air disc brake, comprising the steps of:
providing a brake actuator having a pushrod being extensible from said brake actuator for actuating a lever arm of an air disk brake, and said pushrod being separable from the lever arm of the air disc brake actuator during a hanging brake condition;
determining when said brake actuator is operating in a normal condition relative to a disposition of a brake pedal by sensing a length of telescopic extension of said pushrod from said brake actuator when said brake actuator is known to be operating in a normal condition; and
when the disposition of the brake pedal is inconsistent with a condition of said brake actuator, identifying one of a plurality fault conditions of said brake actuator by detecting an over-stroke condition by sensing when said pushrod has extended beyond its normal limit, identifying the hanging brake condition by sensing said pushrod has separated from the lever arm when said brake actuator is disposed in a retracted position without sensing disposition of the lever arm, and identifying a non-functioning brake condition by sensing when said pushrod has not properly extended to its normal limit.

2. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of sensing a length of telescopic extension of said pushrod is further defined by sensing variation of indicia disposed upon said pushrod correlated to the normal condition, the over-stroke condition, the hanging brake condition, and the non-functioning brake condition.

3. The method set forth in claim 2, wherein said step of sensing a hanging brake condition by sensing said pushrod has separated from the lever arm is further defined by sensing a disposition of said indicia inconsistent with a normal operating condition of said brake actuator when said brake actuator is disposed in a retracted position.

4. The method set forth in claim 2, further including the step of correlating air pressure of said brake actuator with a normal actuated position and a normal retracted position and sensing a disposition of said indicia relative to said actuator position thereby determining if said actuator is in a normal condition or a fault condition.

5. The method set forth in claim 2, wherein said step of identifying the hanging brake condition is further defined by determining if said indicia are extended beyond a normal operating range when said pushrod is disposed in a retracted position.

6. The method set forth in claim 2, wherein said step of identifying the over-stroke condition is further defined by sensing if said indicia is extended beyond its normal operating range when said brake actuator is disposed in an extended condition.

7. The method set forth in claim 2, wherein said step of identifying the non-functioning condition is further defined by sensing if said indicia and said pushrod has not extended to its normal operating range when said brake actuator is actuated to an extended condition.

8. The method set forth in claim 2, wherein said step of sensing variation of said indicia is further defined by sensing variation of reflectivity of said indicia.

9. The method set forth in claim 8, wherein said step of sensing variation of reflectivity of said indicia is further defined by sensing linear variation of reflectivity of said indicia.

10. The method set forth in claim 8, wherein said step of sensing variation of reflectivity of said indicia is further defined by sensing a plurality of distinctive surfaces of said indicia, each surface having differing amounts of reflectivity.

11. The method set forth in claim 2, wherein said step of sensing variation of indicia is further defined by sensing movement of said indicia inconsistent with telescoping extension of said pushrod.

12. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of determining when said brake actuator is operating in a normal condition is further defined by determining an air pressure of said brake actuator is consistent with the telescopic extension of said pushrod.

13. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of identifying a fault condition of said brake actuator is further defined by determining an air pressure of said brake actuator is inconsistent with the telescopic extension of said pushrod.