Abstract:
A parking brake assembly for use with a motor vehicle including first and second brake assemblies having a common cable. The assembly including a conduit disposed over the cable wherein one end of the conduit connects to a movable member or brake lever of one of the first and second brake assemblies. The opposite end of the conduit connects to a fixed member on the remaining brake assembly. The brake lever connected to the conduit functions as a conduit reaction bracket.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to a vehicle parking brake and, more particularly, to a parking brake system including a conduit reaction park brake cable. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Vehicle parking brakes may include a cable system having cable and a conduit. While conduit surrounds and guides the cable, it also functions as a force member. Such systems are often referred to as conduit-reaction-type systems and often require multiple cables/conduits and reaction brackets to connect a brake actuation member such as a parking brake pedal or handle to the braking mechanism associated with the rear wheels of a vehicle. 
         [0006]    Such systems typically operate such that tension on the cable operates a brake on the first wheel with the tension straightening the reaction conduit and displacing the reaction bracket causing a second strand to operate the opposite rear wheel brake operating means. Such systems often require multiple reaction brackets or arrangements for equalizing the force between the cables or conduit extending between the respective rear wheels of the vehicle. Such systems often have durability issues due to the large amount of unsupported conduit needed to account for relative motion between the vehicle axle and frame. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In one embodiment of the present invention the parking brake system uses one of the rear brake levers on one of the rear brakes as a reaction bracket. In one example, the parking brake system includes a first brake assembly having a movable member and a second brake assembly having a movable member. A cable connects a movable member of either the first brake assembly or second brake assembly with a brake actuation member. A conduit attaches to the movable member of the remaining brake assembly. In the disclosed example, the cable attaches to the movable member of the second brake assembly and the conduit attaches to the movable member of the first brake assembly. 
         [0008]    The present invention further contemplates a method for actuating a vehicle brake wherein a continuous cable extends from a brake actuation member past the first brake assembly and connects to the second brake assembly. A conduit extends from the second brake assembly and connects to the first brake assembly whereby the conduit cooperates with a movable member on the first brake assembly such that a movable member functions as a conduit reaction bracket. 
         [0009]    Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic plan view of one example of a cable system for a vehicle parking brake according to the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a partial top view of the first brake assembly associated with one of the vehicle rear wheels, the left wheel. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a partial top view of the second brake assembly associated with one of the vehicle rear wheels, the right wheel. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a cable system, seen generally at  10 , including brake lever used as a conduit reaction bracket. The cable system  10  shown is used with a parking brake of a motor vehicle. The cable system  10  includes a cable or cable strand  12  connected on one end to a brake actuator or actuation member, typically a brake handle or pedal (not shown), located in the vehicle operator compartment of a vehicle  16 . The vehicle includes longitudinally extending frame members  18  supporting a rear axle  20 . The axle  20  rotatably supports right and left wheels  22 ,  24 . The terms right and left are for illustration, with the term “left” associated with the wheel  24  on the left side of the vehicle as the vehicle  16  is traveling forward. Each of the right and left wheels  22 ,  24  include a brake assembly  22   a,    24   a  that when engaged prevents rotation of the wheel. The vehicle operator uses the brake actuation member to apply tension to the cable  12  and engage the brake assemblies  22   a ,  24   a  associated with each wheel  22 ,  24 . Releasing the tension on the cable  12  releases the brake assemblies  22   a,    24   a  and the wheels  22 ,  24  may rotate. 
         [0016]    Turning now to the present example of the cable system  10 , a single or continuous piece of cable strand  12  connects to the parking brake (not shown). The cable system further includes first and second sections of cable conduit  26 ,  28 . The cable  12  extends through a conduit abutment plate  30  connected to the frame  18  and through a fixed abutment member  32  associated with the brake assembly  24   a  of the left wheel  24 . The conduit abutment plate  30  and fixed abutment member  32  rigidly attach to the vehicle and their respective connection points do not move. As illustrated, the first section of conduit  26  extends between the conduit abutment plate  30  and fixed abutment member  32 . The conduit  26  need only have a length suitable to compensate for the jounce/rebound of the wheel  24  in relation to the frame  18 . 
         [0017]    The cable  12  continues from the fixed abutment plate  32  and extends through a brake lever  36  associated with the brake assembly  24   a  of the left wheel  24 , the second section of conduit  28 , a second abutment member  38  and attaches to a second brake lever  40 . In the disclosed example, the cable  12  is one continuous piece of cable strand extending from the brake actuation member to the brake lever  40  of the brake assembly  22   a  associated with the right wheel  22 . The cable  12  located within two separate sections of conduit  26 ,  28 . First and second conduit guides  42 ,  44  attached to the rear axle  20  support the second section of conduit  28 . 
         [0018]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a conduit end fitting  46  attaches one end of the second section of conduit  28  to the brake lever  36  of the brake assembly  24   a.  The cable  12  is not directly attached or connected to and passes through the brake lever  36 . That is the rear or backside  36   a  of the brake lever  36  is modified to accept the second section of conduit  28  and operates as a moving abutment member. The brake lever  36  acts as a conduit reaction bracket. 
         [0019]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a conduit end fitting  48  connects the opposite end of the second section of conduit  28  to the abutment member  38  of the brake assembly  24   a.  In the present example, the cable  12  extends through an aperture  54  in the second brake lever  40  and has a cable end fitting  56  swaged on the end  58  of the cable  12 . Tension in the cable  12  operates to pull the brake lever  40  of the brake assembly  22   a  and correspondingly actuate the brake assembly  22   a  associated with the right wheel  22 . The second section of conduit  28  functions as the reaction loop and is only required to have enough length for the reaction loop. 
         [0020]    In operation, actuation of the brake actuation member pulls on and correspondingly generates tension in the cable  12 . Since the cable  12  passes through the brake lever  36  of brake assembly  24   a  and travels through second section of conduit  28  tension in the cable  12  pulls the brake lever  40  of the brake assembly  22   a  rearwardly in the direction shown by the arrow  50  to actuate or engage the brake assembly  22   a  associated with the right wheel  22 . When the cable  12  pulls the brake lever  40  the cable  12  acts on the second section of conduit  28  such that the second section of conduit  28  pushes the brake lever  36  of the brake assembly  24   a  forward in the direction shown by the arrow  52  to actuate or engage the brake assembly  24   a  associated with the left wheel  24 . The cable  12  is one continuous piece of strand with two sections of conduit  26 ,  28 . This reduces the number of parts and the potential failure points. 
         [0021]    The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.