Patent ID: 6935474

Claim:
A vehicle comprising: a vehicle prime mover; an air brake system including a compressed air supply operated by the prime mover, a pressure sensor communication with the compressed air supply for providing air pressure readings for regulating the compressed air supply; an air clutched power take off unit having a drive input connected to the prime mover and an air input, the air clutched power take off unit having engaged and disengaged states with the disengaged state being a default operational state, the air clutched power take off unit assuming an engaged state in response to the application of compressed air from the compressed air supply to the air input; a valve connected between the compressed air supply and the air clutched power take off unit air input for applying and releasing the application of compressed air to the air clutched power take off unit resulting in the air clutched power take off unit assuming the engaged and disengaged states, respectively; means for generating a power take off request signal; a body controller coupled to receive the air pressure readings and the power take off request signal and for generating an engaged state valve position control signal in response to the power take off request signal when the air pressure readings indicate air pressure exceeds a minimum value and for generating a disengaged state valve position control signal otherwise; and a valve controller responsive to the engaged state valve position control signal for controlling the position of the valve to place the air clutched power take off unit in the engaged state and responsive to the second state valve position control signal for positioning the valve to allow the air clutched power take off unit to return to the default operational state.