Parking brake apparatus for vehicle

1. A parking brake apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

brake units for right and left hydraulic transaxles, wherein each of the brake units comprise a brake arm;

a single hydraulic actuator comprising a cylinder and a piston housed in the cylinder in such a manner as to be reciprocably displaceable along the cylinder;

a valve for switching supply of hydraulic oil from the hydraulic transaxles to the single hydraulic actuator, wherein the hydraulic actuator is configured to displace the piston to one of a brake operating position and a brake non-operating position in response to the switching of the hydraulic supply by the valve;

a balance arm connected to the piston in such a manner as to be at least partially free to rotate with respect to a vertical axis of the vehicle; and

left and right brake rods connected between left and right end portions of the balance arm and the left and right brake arms, respectively,

wherein the piston is connected to the balance arm at a point disposed between the connections of the left and right brake arms to the balance arm,

wherein the hydraulic actuator further includes a spring member for constantly urging the piston to the brake operating position, and

wherein the parking brake apparatus is configured to simultaneously apply or release braking pressure from the brake units.

2. The parking brake apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a rod connected at a first end to the piston and connected at a second end to the balance arm.

3. The parking brake apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein each of the left and right hydraulic transaxles include:

left and right housings, respectively, in which the hydraulic oil is stored; and

left and right independent hydraulic continuously variable transmissions disposed in the housings, respectively,

wherein the left and right housings each include a discharge port for discharging the hydraulic oil from the housings, a supply port for supplying the hydraulic oil to the housings, and an oil passage that connects the discharge port of one of the housings to the supply port of the other housing, and

wherein the hydraulic oil is supplied to the single hydraulic actuator from one of the oil passages.

4. The parking brake apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2 ,

wherein the vehicle includes a seat on which a driver is seated,

the hydraulic actuator is disposed below the seat with a displacement direction of the piston oriented in an front-back direction of a body of the vehicle.

5. The parking brake apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first rod connected to the piston;

a second rod connected to the balance arm, being oriented in a front-back direction of the body of the vehicle; and

a bell crank connecting the first rod and the second rod.

6. The parking brake apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein each of the left and right hydraulic transaxles include:

left and right housings, respectively, in which the hydraulic oil is stored; and

left and right independent hydraulic continuously variable transmissions disposed in the housings, respectively,

wherein the left and right housings each include a discharge port for discharging the hydraulic oil from the housings, a supply port for supplying the hydraulic oil to the housings, and an oil passage that connects the discharge port of one of the housings to the supply port of the other housing, and

wherein the hydraulic oil is supplied to the single hydraulic actuator from one of the oil passages.

7. The parking brake apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 5 ,

wherein the vehicle includes a seat on which a driver is seated,

wherein the hydraulic actuator is disposed below the seat with a displacement direction of the piston oriented in an up-down direction of a body of the vehicle, and

wherein the bell crank is configured to convert displacement of the first rod in the up-down direction into displacement in the front-back direction and transmitting the displacement to the second rod.

8. The parking brake apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1 ,

wherein the valve is a solenoid valve which is operated by receiving an electrical signal generated by an operation of an operator, and

wherein the valve is integrally formed with a body of the hydraulic actuator.

9. A parking brake apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

brake units for right and left hydraulic transaxles, wherein each of the brake units comprise a brake arm;

a single hydraulic actuator comprising a cylinder and a piston housed in the cylinder in such a manner as to be reciprocably displaceable along the cylinder;

a valve for switching supply of hydraulic oil from the hydraulic transaxles to the single hydraulic actuator, wherein the hydraulic actuator is configured to displace the piston to one of a brake operating position and a brake non-operating position in response to the switching of the hydraulic supply by the valve;

a balance arm connected to the piston in such a manner as to be at least partially free to rotate with respect to a vertical axis of the vehicle;

a rod connected at a first end to the piston and connected at a second end to the balance arm; and

left and right brake rods connected between left and right end portions of the balance arm and the left and right brake arms, respectively,

wherein the hydraulic actuator further includes a spring member for constantly urging the piston to the brake operating position,

wherein the parking brake apparatus is configured to simultaneously apply or release braking pressure from the brake units

wherein each of the left and right hydraulic transaxles include:

left and right housings, respectively, in which the hydraulic oil is stored; and

left and right independent hydraulic continuously variable transmissions disposed in the housings, respectively,

wherein the left and right housings each include a discharge port for discharging the hydraulic oil from the housings, a supply port for supplying the hydraulic oil to the housings, and an oil passage that connects the discharge port of one of the housings to the supply port of the other housing, and

wherein the hydraulic oil is supplied to the single hydraulic actuator from one of the oil passages.

10. A parking brake apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

brake units for right and left hydraulic transaxles, wherein each of the brake units comprise a brake arm;

a single hydraulic actuator comprising a cylinder and a piston housed in the cylinder in such a manner as to be reciprocably displaceable along the cylinder;

a valve for switching supply of hydraulic oil from the hydraulic transaxles to the single hydraulic actuator, wherein the hydraulic actuator is configured to displace the piston to one of a brake operating position and a brake non-operating position in response to the switching of the hydraulic supply by the valve;

a balance arm connected to the piston in such a manner as to be at least partially free to rotate with respect to a vertical axis of the vehicle;

a pair of left and right brake rods connected between left and right end portions of the balance arm and the left and right brake arms, respectively;

a first rod connected to the piston;

a second rod connected to the balance arm, being oriented in a front-back direction of the body of the vehicle; and

a bell crank connecting the first rod and the second rod,

wherein the hydraulic actuator further includes a spring member for constantly urging the piston to the brake operating position, and

wherein the parking brake apparatus is configured to simultaneously apply or release braking pressure from the brake units.

11. The parking brake apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 10 ,

wherein the vehicle includes a seat on which a driver is seated,

wherein the hydraulic actuator is disposed below the seat with a displacement direction of the piston oriented in an up-down direction of a body of the vehicle, and

wherein the bell crank is configured to convert displacement of the first rod in the up-down direction into displacement in the front-back direction and transmitting the displacement to the second rod.