Parking brake control device
A parking brake control device, including: a base attached to the vehicle body; a lever body rotatable with respect to the base and including a tubular handle portion; a ratchet gear formed on the base; a pawl rotatable with respect to the lever body and engaging with the ratchet gear to regulate rotation of the lever body; a release knob protruding from an end of the handle portion; a compression coil spring positioned inside the handle portion, the spring having a first end and a second end, wherein the compression coil spring at the first end urges the release knob outward of the handle portion; and a release rod inserted through the compression coil spring, with one end attached to the release knob, and another end connected to the pawl, wherein pushing in the release knob causes the release rod to rotate the pawl to disengage from the ratchet gear.
1. A parking brake control device, comprising:
a base configured to be attached to a vehicle body;
a lever body rotatable with respect to the base and comprising a tubular handle portion;
a ratchet gear formed on the base;
a pawl rotatable with respect to the lever body and engaging with the ratchet gear to regulate rotation of the lever body;
a release knob protruding from an end of the handle portion;
a compression coil spring positioned inside the handle portion, the spring having a first end and a second end,
wherein the compression coil spring at the first end urges the release knob outward of the handle portion; and
a release rod inserted through the compression coil spring, with one end attached to the release knob, and another end connected to the pawl,
wherein pushing in the release knob causes the release rod to rotate the pawl to disengage from the ratchet gear, and
wherein the compression coil spring always presses at the second end against a side surface of the release rod as the release rod moves forward and rearward by operation of the release knob.
2. The parking brake control device of claim 1 , wherein:
the lever body comprises a spring holding portion on the inner surface of the handle portion to support the second end of the compression coil spring; and
the release rod comprises an offset section having a length in a position facing the spring holding portion, the offset section being offset in a direction away from the spring holding portion, and the compression coil spring presses at the second end against the side surface of the offset section of the release rod.
3. The parking brake control device of claim 2 , wherein:
the lever body comprises a pair of lever halves coupled together, the lever halves being divided in the rotation axis direction, one lever half comprising a first half-tube portion and the other lever half comprising a second half-tube portion, the first and second half-tube portion together forming part of the handle portion;
the spring holding portion is formed on an inner surface of the first half-tube portion; and
the offset section of the release rod is offset toward the second half-tube portion.
4. The parking brake control device of claim 3 , wherein:
the second half-tube portion comprises an inwardly protruding portion; and
an intermediate section of the compression coil spring rests on the protruding portion.
5. The parking brake control device of claim 1 , wherein:
the release rod comprises a first flat surface portion in the side surface.
6. The parking brake control device of claim 5 , wherein:
the release rod further comprises a recessed second flat surface portion opposite to the first flat surface portion.
7. The parking brake control device of claim 1 , wherein:
the release rod further comprises two ridges in the side surface, and the compression coil spring presses against the release rod at the two ridges.
8. A parking brake control device, comprising:
a base configured to be attached to a vehicle body;
a lever body rotatable with respect to the base and comprising a tubular handle portion;
a ratchet gear formed on the base;
a pawl rotatable with respect to the lever body and engaging with the ratchet gear to regulate rotation of the lever body;
a release knob protruding from an end of the handle portion;
a compression coil spring positioned inside the handle portion, the spring having a first end and a second end,
wherein the compression coil spring at the first end urges the release knob outward of the handle portion; and
a release rod inserted through the compression coil spring, with one end attached to the release knob, and another end connected to the pawl,
wherein pushing in the release knob causes the release rod to rotate the pawl to disengage from the ratchet gear, and
wherein the release rod comprises (i) an offset section and (ii) non-offset sections adjacent to the offset section, a longitudinal center line of the offset section being offset from a longitudinal center line of the non-offset sections, and the compression coil spring presses at the second end against a side surface of the offset section of the release rod.
9. A parking brake control device, comprising:
a base configured to be attached to a vehicle body;
a lever body rotatable with respect to the base and comprising a tubular handle portion;
a ratchet gear formed on the base;
a pawl rotatable with respect to the lever body and engaging with the ratchet gear to regulate rotation of the lever body;
a release knob protruding from an end of the handle portion;
a compression coil spring positioned inside the handle portion, the spring having a first end and a second end,
wherein the compression coil spring at the first end urges the release knob outward of the handle portion; and
a release rod inserted through the compression coil spring, with one end attached to the release knob, and another end connected to the pawl,
wherein pushing in the release knob causes the release rod to rotate the pawl to disengage from the ratchet gear,
wherein the compression coil spring presses at the second end against a side surface of the release rod, and
wherein the lever body comprises an inwardly protruding portion, and an intermediate section of the compression coil spring rests on the protruding portion.