Patent ID: 7478575

Claim:
A brake actuating assembly for use in a vehicle having a brake system, the brake actuating assembly comprising: a mounting bracket for mounting the brake actuating assembly to the vehicle; a lever mounted to the mounting bracket for pivotal movement about a pivot axis in a brake applying direction and in a brake releasing direction, the lever being configured to be engaged and moved by a person in at least the brake applying direction, the lever being connectable to the brake system of the vehicle such that movement of the lever in the brake applying direction activates the brake system and movement of the lever in the brake releasing direction de-activates the brake system; an arcuate rack of teeth provided on one of the lever and the mounting bracket; a clutch assembly constructed and arranged to interact with the arcuate rack of teeth, the clutch assembly comprising a pinion provided on the other of the lever and the mounting bracket, the pinion comprising a shaft and a plurality of teeth disposed circumferentially around the shaft, the plurality of teeth engaging the arcuate rack of teeth; and a torsion clutch spring comprising a plurality of coils, a fixed end at one end of the coils, and a free end at an opposite end of the coils, the coils being wrapped around the shaft of the pinion, the fixed end being connected to said other of the lever and the mounting bracket, the torsion clutch spring normally being in a contracted position frictionally engaging the shaft of the pinion in an interference fit, the torsion clutch spring in the contracted position being arranged to (a) allow the pinion to rotate in a first rotational direction caused by movement of the lever in the brake applying direction, and (b) prevent rotation of the pinion in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction to thereby prevent movement of the lever in the brake releasing direction; the free end of the torsion clutch spring being movable to move the torsion clutch spring to an expanded position allowing the pinion to rotate in both the first and second rotational directions, thereby allowing the lever to move in both the brake applying and releasing directions; and wherein at least one of the shaft of the pinion and the torsion clutch spring is tapered in an axial direction thereof such that the interference fit between the torsion clutch spring and the shaft is lower near the free end of the torsion clutch spring than near the fixed end of the torsion clutch spring.