Granted Patent B2

US 8,327,982 · App. 10/200,734 · Granted Dec 11, 2012

Abstract

Claims (21)

1. A brake actuator for operating the brakes of a towed vehicle in response to the towing vehicle, comprising:

a) a generally hollow three-sided rectangular housing extending generally to two ends, the rear end for attachment to the towed vehicle;

b) a generally hollow coupler for attachment to the towing vehicle, the coupler being of a corresponding shape to the housing, telescopically extending from the front end of the housing, further comprising front and rear roller shafts set inside front and rear housing holes;

c) a coupler ball socket for attachment to the towing vehicle;

d) a plurality of rear rollers secured within the coupler wherein the rear rollers roll on the upper inside surface of the coupler; connected to

e) said rear roller shaft connecting the housing and the coupler by way of a rear elongated slot in the coupler and said rear housing hole in the housing, wherein the rear roller shaft allows for limited relative telescopic movement of the coupler relative to the housing;

f) said front roller shaft connecting the housing and the coupler by way of a front elongated slot in the coupler and said front housing hole in the housing, wherein the front roller shaft allows for limited relative telescopic movement of the coupler relative to the housing;

g) a plurality of front rollers completely enclosed within the coupler and secured to the front roller shaft;

h) an inner L-shaped plate, affixed to the coupler, wherein said front rollers roll only on the upper surface of the L-shaped plate within the coupler;

i) a dampener, affixed between the front and rear rollers and secured to the coupler, wherein in response to the movement of the towing vehicle relative to the towed vehicle, the coupler will correspondingly move relative to the housing, thereby causing the movement of the front rollers along the upper surface of the inner L-shaped plate and transferred to the dampener, the dampener responding to the movement to return the actuator to a neutral position;

j) a dampener shaft, fixed to the dampener and to the coupler by way of holes in the coupler;

k) a brake piston rod assembly, secured on one end to the L-shaped plate, and on the other end to the dampener shaft, the brake piston rod assembly further comprising an actuator spring surrounding a brake piston rod attached to a brake piston; the brake piston being partially housed within

l) a master cylinder assembly affixed to the rear roller shaft by way of slots in the master cylinder assembly that align with protruding ribs on the inner walls of the coupler, the master cylinder assembly further comprising a hydraulic cylinder, wherein when the brake piston rod is moved toward the master cylinder assembly by activation of the brake piston rod assembly, the brake piston compresses into the hydraulic cylinder to activate the towed vehicle brakes by way of a hydraulic connection; and

m) a safety mechanism, further comprising a safety cable, a spring clip, a safety cable ring, and a spring, which are in operational communication with the piston rod wherein the safety cable attaches to the towing vehicle, the spring clip and the safety cable ring, such that when the towing vehicle reaches a sufficient distance from the towed vehicle, the safety cable is pulled taut around the safety cable ring, which pulls the spring clip rearward and compresses the actuator spring so as to move the piston rod toward the master cylinder assembly to actuate the brakes of the towed vehicle.

2. The brake actuator of claim 1 wherein the housing detaches from the coupler by removing the front and rear roller shafts.

3. The brake actuator of claim 1 wherein said safety mechanism secured to the inner L-shaped plate within the generally hollow interior of the coupler, whereby the piston rod moves toward the master cylinder assembly to actuate the brakes in the event that the towed vehicle becomes detached from the towing vehicle.

4. The brake actuator of claim 1 wherein the brake piston rod assembly further comprises friction grooves to facilitate capture by a safety catch.

5. The brake actuator of claim 1 further comprising: a) a brake fluid reservoir; b) a fill cap; and c) a diaphragm, wherein the fill cap and diaphragm act to seal and fill the brake fluid reservoir.

6. The brake actuator of claim 5 further comprising a hydraulic line port for connection to the brakes of the towed vehicle.

7. The brake actuator of claim 6 further comprising a brake piston spring for returning the brake piston to a neutral position after actuating the brakes.

8. The brake actuator of claim 7 further comprising a solenoid having both open and closed positions and a valve cavity for control of fluid communication in the hydraulic chamber during reversing of the towing and towed vehicles, wherein the solenoid is in communication with the towing vehicle and normally closed so as to prevent fluid communication between the reservoir and the hydraulic cylinder, but is be opened in when it is indicated that the towing vehicle is in reverse so as to allow free fluid movement between the reservoir and hydraulic cylinder so as to disengage the actuator and permit reversal of the towed vehicle without actuating the brakes.

Assignments (16)