Patent ID: 8505705

Claim:
In a parking brake ( 10 ) for a transmission ( 12 ) of a motorized vehicle ( 14 ) for transporting at least one of passenger and cargo, where the transmission ( 12 ) receives rotary input torque from a power source ( 16 ) and transmits the rotary input torque to an output load ( 18 ) to propel the vehicle ( 14 ), and the parking brake ( 10 ) stops rotation of the output load ( 18 ) and prevents movement of the vehicle ( 14 ), the improvement comprising: an actuator ( 26 ) movable between a first position and a second position; a toothed parking gear ( 20 ) connected to the output load ( 18 ) and having an axis of rotation; a pivotable parking pawl ( 22 ) engageable with the toothed parking gear ( 20 ) for stopping rotational motion of the output load ( 18 ) in an engaged position even if the vehicle is unattended, the pivotable parking pawl ( 22 ) rotatable with respect to a pivot axis in response to movement of the actuator ( 26 ) between the first position and the second position, the parking pawl ( 22 ) pivotable between a disengaged position spaced from the toothed parking gear ( 20 ) and the engaged position contacting the toothed parking gear ( 20 ); and a stationary anchor ( 24 ) separate from the actuator and spaced from the actuator ( 26 ) when in the second position, while being located to support the actuator ( 26 ) interposed between the anchor ( 24 ) and the parking pawl ( 22 ) when the actuator ( 26 ) is in the first position driving the parking pawl ( 22 ) into the engaged position with the toothed parking gear ( 20 ), the anchor ( 24 ) defined by a plurality of stacked laminas ( 30 ), each of the plurality of stacked laminas ( 30 ) being rigid and having at least one peripherally extending surface ( 32 ), wherein the at least one peripherally extending surface ( 32 ) of at least two of the plurality of stacked laminas ( 30 ) cooperate to define at least one load-bearing surface ( 34 ) engaging the actuator ( 26 ) when in the first position, and wherein the plurality of stacked laminas ( 30 ) are secured together to prevent relative movement of any one of the plurality of stacked laminas ( 30 ) with respect to another of the plurality of stacked laminas ( 30 ) when a load is transmitted through the anchor ( 24 ) from the at least one load-bearing surface ( 34 ).