JPH0325061A - Automatic releasing device for foot step type parking brake - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically release a brake by providing an engagement releasing means to release engagement between a ball and a ratchet, detecting an automobile in a previously decided condition, and automatically actuating the releasing means. CONSTITUTION:In the condition in which an operation pedal 18 is operated by foot step and working condition of a parking brake is maintained by engagement between a ball 24 and a ratchet 22, when an automobile is in a previously decided operating condition, the condition is detected with a controller 50, an actuator 42 for an engagement releasing means is actuated to release the engagement between the ball 24 and the ratchet 22. Hereby, as rotational movement of the operation pedal 18 to the initial position is allowed, the operation pedal 18 is returned to the initial position, for example, with tension of a brake cable or a return spring or the like, and working condition of the parking brake is automatically released.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to a foot-operated parking brake operating device,
In particular, the present invention relates to a device that automatically releases the operating state of the parking brake in relation to the operating state of the vehicle.

Conventional technology The parking brake is actuated by stepping on an operating pedal that is rotatable around a single axis from its original position, and the engagement of the pawl and ratchet causes the operating pedal to move in the direction toward its original position. A parking brake operating device that prevents rotation and maintains the operating state of the parking brake is used, for example, in automobiles with automatic transmissions. In such a parking brake operation device, a release operation member for mechanically releasing the engagement between the pawl and the ratchet is provided at the driver's seat in order to release the operating state of the parking brake. Normally, the release operation member is operated manually or with a foot to allow the operation pedal to rotate in a direction toward its original position, thereby releasing the operating state of the parking brake.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, it is necessary to always operate the release operation member when releasing the operating state of the parking brake. This has the disadvantage that it is not always easy to drive a car.

The present invention was made against the background of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to automatically release the parking brake when the vehicle is in a predetermined driving state. It's about doing. Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention operates a parking brake by stepping on an operation pedal rotatable about one axis from its original position, and also operates a parking brake. In a parking brake operating device of the type that maintains the operating state of the parking brake by preventing rotation of the operation pedal in the direction toward the original position by engaging with the ratchet, the operating state of the parking brake is automatically released. A device for releasing the mesh between the pawl and the ratchet in order to release the pawl and the ratchet, the device comprising: (a) mesh release means for releasing the mesh between the pawl and the ratchet by actuating an actuator; and (b) a device for releasing the mesh between the pawl and the ratchet. and a controller that detects that the actuator is in a predetermined constant operating state and automatically operates the actuator.

Here, the pawl is not only disengaged from the ratchet when the actuator of the disengagement means is operated by the controller, but also operated by the disengagement member provided on the driver's seat as in the past. There is no problem even if the meshing with the ratchet is mechanically released by doing so, regardless of the operation of the actuator.

That is, the automatic release device of the present invention may be added to a conventional foot-operated parking brake operating device. In that case, at least a parking brake provided at the driver's seat is provided so that the driver can arbitrarily select whether to release the parking brake using the above-mentioned release operation member or to have the parking brake automatically released by the controller. It is desirable that the controller is configured so that the actuator is operated on the condition that the automatic brake release switch is turned on. In addition, instead of mechanically releasing the engagement between the pawl and the ratchet using the release operation member, a switch or the like may be provided in the driver's seat to operate the actuator at the driver's will regardless of the driving state of the vehicle. It is also possible to

In addition, the constant operating state in which the actuator of the mesh release means is operated by the controller is such that at least the ignition switch is activated in order to prevent the parking brake from being released against the driver's will. It is desirable that the condition is that the shift lever is turned on, the shift lever is placed in the forward or reverse position, and the accelerator pedal is depressed by a predetermined amount or more.

Operation and Effects of the Invention In such an automatic release device for a foot-operated parking brake, when the operating pedal is operated by the foot and the parking brake is maintained in the operating state by the engagement between the pawl and the ratchet, the vehicle is activated. When a predetermined constant operating state is reached, this is detected by the controller, and the actuator of the mesh release means is operated to release the mesh between the pawl and the ratchet. This allows the operation pedal to rotate in the direction toward its original position, so the operation pedal is returned to its original position by, for example, the tension of the brake cable or a return spring, and the operating state of the parking brake is automatically changed. It will be lifted.

Therefore, the parking brake operating device equipped with such an automatic release device eliminates the need for troublesome operations to release the operating state of the parking brake, and appropriately sets a certain operating state in which the actuator is operated. This makes it easier to drive a car, for example when starting on a hill, the parking brake can be automatically released and the car can be started simply by pressing the accelerator pedal. It can be done.

Note that such an automatic release device is provided in addition to a conventional foot-operated parking brake operating device equipped with a release operation member, and the parking brake is activated by the controller when the parking brake automatic release switch provided on the driver's seat is turned on. If automatic cancellation is performed, the automatic cancellation by the controller can be arbitrarily selected depending on the driver's preference or the driving conditions of the car. The same applies when a switch or the like for operating the actuator of the mesh release means according to the driver's will regardless of the driving state of the automobile is provided in the driver's seat instead of the release operation member.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a foot-operated parking brake operating device 10 equipped with an automatic release device, which is an embodiment of the present invention. It is installed under the driver's seat of a car. A shaft 14 is fixedly attached to the bracket l2 as one axis, and an operation pedal 18 equipped with a pedal pad 16 on the lower end of the shaft 14 is attached to the shaft 14.
It is arranged so that it can rotate around the axis of 4. The operating pedal 18 is biased in the direction of rotation counterclockwise in FIG. 1 by a return spring (not shown), and is always positioned at the original position shown by the two-dot chain line in the figure by a stopper (not shown). It has become so.

The operation pedal l8 is connected to a parking brake provided on the wheel of the automobile via a cable 20, and is operated by foot in a clockwise direction from the original position, as shown by a solid line in FIG. As a result, the cable 20 is tightened to operate the parking brake. Further, a ratchet 22 is formed at the upper end of the operating pedal 18 along an arc centered on the shaft l4, and a pawl 24 is engaged with the ratchet 22. The pawl 24 is rotatably arranged around the axis of a pin 26 fixed to the bracket 12 parallel to the shaft 14, and is always rotated in the direction in which it engages with the ratchet 22 by a spring (not shown), that is, as shown in FIG. is biased clockwise at . Due to the engagement between these ratchets 22 and the pawl 24,
The operation pedal 18 is prevented from rotating counterclockwise toward the original position from the depressed position shown by the solid line, and the operating state of the parking brake is maintained. Note that clockwise rotation of the operating pedal l8 is permitted when the pawl 24 overcomes the ratchet 22 against the biasing force of the spring.

A release lever 30 is provided near the pawl 24 and has a retaining portion 28 that can be secured to the pawl 24. The release lever 30 is rotatably provided around the axis of a pin 32 fixed to the bracket 12 in parallel with the pin 26, and is always rotated clockwise around the bin 32 by a spring (not shown). is biased in the direction. The release lever 30 is also connected via a cable 36 to a release knob 34 provided at the driver's seat, and when the release knob 34 is pulled, it is rotated counterclockwise around the bin 32, and the engagement portion 28 is adapted to be engaged with a lever portion 37 of pawl 24. Due to the engagement between these engagement parts 28 and the lever part 37, the pawl 24 is rotated counterclockwise around the bin 26, and the engagement with the ratchet 22 is released, and the operating pedal l8 is returned to its original position. The operating pedal 18 is returned to its original position by the tension of the return spring and cable 20, and the parking brake is released from the applied state. The release knob 34 corresponds to a release operation member for mechanically releasing the engagement between the pawl 24 and the ratchet 22.

A worm wheel 38 is also disposed on the bin 32 so as to be rotatable about its axis and relative to the release lever 30. This worm wheel 38
As is clear from FIG. 2, the worm 40 is engaged with a worm 40, and as the worm 40 is rotationally driven by an electric motor 42, the worm 40 is rotationally driven around the axis of the bin 32. As is clear from FIG. 2, the worm wheel 38 is provided with a release cam 4 having one engagement protrusion.
4 are integrally attached and can be rotated together. The release cam 44 is normally held at a reference position with the engaging protrusion facing upward as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. By being forced to
As shown by the solid line in the figure, the lever portion 37 of the pawl 24 is engaged, and the pawl 24 is attached to the bin 26.
Rotate counterclockwise to release the engagement with the ratchet 22. As a result, the operating state of the parking brake is released in the same way as when the engagement between the pawl 24 and the ratchet 22 is released by pulling the release knob 34. The above worm wheel 38, worm 4
0, an electric motor 42, and a release cam 44 constitute a mesh release means 46, and the electric motor 42 corresponds to an actuator of the mesh release means 46. The electric motor 42 is fixedly disposed on the bracket 12, and the tip of the worm 40 is attached to the bracket 1.
It is rotatably supported around an axis by a support 48 fixed to 2.

The electric motor 42 is operated according to a drive signal DD supplied from a controller 50 to a motor drive control device 52. The controller 50 includes a microcomputer 54, and the microcomputer 54 has an ignition switch 56 and a parking brake automatic release switch 58 installed in the driver's seat.
In response to the N operation, signals 331 and SS2 are supplied, respectively, and a sensor 60 detects that the operation pedal 18 has been depressed by a predetermined amount or more, a sensor 62 detects the shift lever position, and an accelerator. Signals SS3 to SS3 are output from a sensor 64 that detects that the pedal has been depressed by a predetermined amount or more, and a sensor 66 that detects the rotation angle of the release cam 44.
SS6 is now available.

The sensor 60 is for detecting whether or not the parking brake is in operation, and the predetermined amount is, for example, the amount of pedal operation that causes the cable 20 to generate the tension necessary to operate the parking brake. The pedal operation amount is set to be less than the amount of pedal operation. In addition, the sensor 64
is for detecting whether or not the torque necessary to start the car is being transmitted to the wheels, and the predetermined constant amount is used to release the parking brake when starting the car on a slope, for example. The amount of pedal operation is set to such an extent that torque is transmitted to the wheels to the extent that the vehicle does not move backward even if the vehicle is moved backwards.

Note that as these sensors 60, 62, 64, and 66, various detectors such as a proximity switch, a limit switch, and a low-resolution encoder are employed depending on the object to be detected.

Further, it is also possible to use a sensor that detects the tension of the cable 20 instead of the sensor 60, and a sensor that detects the engine rotation speed, wheel transmission torque, etc. instead of the sensor 64.

The microcomputer 54 includes a CPU, RAM, and ROM.
The drive signal DD is configured to perform signal processing as shown in FIG. 3, for example, according to a program stored in advance in the ROM while utilizing the temporary storage function of the RAM, and output the drive signal DD. . In addition, signals SS2 and SS are sent from the parking brake automatic release switch 58 and the sensor 60.
3 is supplied, the display signals DHI and DH2 are outputted, and the automatic release indicator 68 and the parking brake operation indicator 70 provided in the driver's seat are turned on, respectively.

In FIG. 3, first, step St is executed to determine whether or not the ignition switch 56 is turned on, that is, whether or not the signal SSI is supplied, and when the signal SSI is supplied, step St is executed. 32
The following will be executed:

In steps 32 to S5, it is determined whether the automatic parking brake release switch 58 has been turned on, whether the operating pedal 18 has been depressed by a certain amount or more, and whether the shift lever is in a position other than barking "Pj and neutral rN", that is, forward movement. or drive “D” which is in the reverse position,
The signals 332 and S indicate whether the accelerator pedal is in low "L", second "2", reverse "R", etc., and whether the accelerator pedal has been depressed for more than a certain amount of time.
Judgments are made sequentially based on S3, 334, and SS5, and if all of these conditions are satisfied, the next step S6 is executed, but if any one of them is not satisfied, these steps are executed. is repeated.

In step S6, the drive signal DD is output to the motor drive control device 52, and the electric motor 42 is operated, thereby rotationally driving the release cam 44 from the reference position. Then, in the next step S7, it is determined based on the signal SS6 supplied from the sensor 66 whether the release cam 44 has made one rotation and returned to the reference position, and the release cam 44 is rotated one rotation. Subsequently, step S8 is executed, and the output of the drive signal DD is stopped. In the process in which the release cam 44 is rotated once through these steps 36 to S8, the release cam 44 turns approximately half a turn downward as shown by the solid line in FIG. , the engagement between the pawl 24 and the ratchet 22 is released, and the operation pedal l8 is released.
is returned to its original position by a return spring or the like, and the operating state of the parking brake is automatically released.

Note that all of the judgments in steps S1 to S5 above are Y.
The state of ES corresponds to a certain operating state that is predetermined for automatically releasing the operating state of the parking brake by the mesh release means 46. Further, the controller 50 and the mesh release means 46 constitute the automatic release device of this embodiment.

In such a foot-operated parking brake operating device, when the foot is operated by placing the foot on the pedal pad l6 of the operation pedal l8 held at the original position, the cable 2
0 is tightened and the parking brake is activated. The operation pedal 18 is held in the depressed position by the engagement between the pawl 24 and the ratchet 22, thereby maintaining the operating state of the parking brake. At this time, from the sensor 60 to the microcomputer 5
By supplying the signal SS3 to the display signal DH2
is output, and the parking brake operation indicator 7 on the driver's seat
0 is lit.

On the other hand, in order to release the operating state of the parking brake, it is sufficient to release the engagement between the pawl 24 and the ratchet 22, but in this embodiment, two methods are selected for releasing this engagement. can do. That is, on one hand, as in the conventional case, by pulling the release knob 34 and rotating the release lever 30, the pawl 24 is released.
The engagement between the pawl 24 and the ratchet 22 is manually and mechanically released, and the engagement between the pawl 24 and the ratchet 22 is manually and mechanically released in relation to the driving state of the vehicle by turning on the parking brake automatic release switch 58. is set so that it is automatically released. The release lever 30 includes a worm wheel 38 and a release cam 44.
Even if the automatic parking brake release switch 58 is turned on, the release knob 34 can be used to manually release the pawl 24.
It is possible to release the mesh between the ratchet 22 and the ratchet 22. Note that when the parking brake automatic release switch 58 is turned on, the display signal DHl is output, and the automatic release indicator 68 on the driver's seat is lit.

Here, the parking brake automatic release switch 58
To automatically release the parking brake by turning ON, the driver must move the shift lever to "DJ.'IJ.'2J
．． 'In addition to operating the RJ etc. to the forward or backward position,
When the accelerator pedal is depressed to start the automobile, the electric motor 42 of the engagement release means 46 is activated, and the engagement between the pawl 24 and the ratchet 22 is released and the parking brake is automatically released. There is no fear that the parking brake will be released against the driver's will. In addition, the parking brake is released on the condition that the torque necessary to start the car is transmitted to the wheels by pressing the accelerator pedal, so even when starting on a slope, etc., the parking brake is automatically released and the car moves backwards. There is nothing to do, and the vehicle can be launched safely.

As described above, according to the parking brake operating device of this embodiment, the parking brake is activated when the vehicle is operated by turning on the parking brake automatic release switch 58 according to the driver's preference or driving conditions such as starting on a slope. Since the parking brake is automatically released depending on the state, there is no need for troublesome operations to release the parking brake from its operating state, making driving the car even easier.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above in detail based on the drawings, the present invention can also be implemented in other embodiments.

For example, in the embodiment described above, a release cam 44 is used which releases the engagement between the pawl 24 and the ratchet 22 in one rotation, but as shown in FIG. If the release cams 72 and 74 having two or three locking protrusions are used as shown in FIG. It becomes possible to release the mesh.

Further, the mesh release means 46 of the above embodiment is operated by the electric motor 4.
2, the release cam 44 is rotated in one direction via the worm 40 and the worm wheel 38, but the release cam 44 may be rotated reciprocatingly,
Various types of mesh release means can be employed, such as using gears instead of the worm 40 and worm wheel 38, or using a fluid actuator such as a hydraulic cylinder instead of the electric motor 42.

When using an actuator whose output member is capable of reciprocating in a straight line, such as a cylinder or solenoid, the actuator may be made to contact the pawl 24 directly and rotate it without using the release cam 44, or to rotate it through a link mechanism, etc. Alternatively, the pole 24 may be rotated.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the condition for automatic cancellation is that all the determinations in step Sl-35 are YES, but it is also possible to partially change or add other conditions.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the microcomputer 54 determines whether or not the automatic release condition is satisfied, but the controller 50 is configured with a hard logic circuit equipped with an AND circuit or the like that performs a similar function. It is also possible to do so.

Further, in the above embodiment, the release knob 34 allows the pole 2 to
4 and the ratchet 22 can be manually released, but such a manual release mechanism is not necessarily necessary, and an automatic release device alone may be sufficient. In that case, the parking brake automatic release switch 58 is not necessary, and the pawl 24 and the engagement release means 46 can be arranged on the operation pedal 18 side, and the ratchet 22 can be provided on the bracket 12 side.

Further, instead of the manual release mechanism, a foot-operated release mechanism may be provided, or a switch or the like may be provided in the driver's seat to operate the electric motor 42 of the mesh release means 46 regardless of the driving state of the vehicle. .

Although no other examples are given, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of a foot-operated parking brake operating device equipped with an automatic release device, which is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an automatic release device provided in the device shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the automatic release device of FIG. 2. FIGS. 4 and 5 are views showing other embodiments of the release cam shown in FIG. 2, respectively. 10: Foot-operated parking brake operating device 14: Shaft (single axis) l8: Operating pedal 22: Ratchet
24: Pole 34: Release knob (release operation member) 42: Electric motor (actuator)

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) The operating pedal, which is rotatable around one axis, is operated by foot from its original position to activate the parking brake, and the engagement of the pawl and ratchet causes the operating pedal to move toward its original position. In a parking brake operating device of the type that maintains the operating state of the parking brake by preventing rotation of the parking brake, a device that releases the engagement between the pawl and the ratchet in order to automatically release the operating state of the parking brake. a mesh release means that releases the mesh between the pawl and the ratchet when the actuator is operated; and a mesh release means that automatically releases the mesh of the pawl and the ratchet upon detecting that the vehicle is in a predetermined constant driving state. 1. An automatic release device for a foot-operated parking brake, comprising a controller that operates the parking brake automatically. (2) The pawl is mechanically disengaged from the ratchet by operating a release operation member provided on the driver's seat, regardless of the operation of the actuator, and the controller is 2. The automatic foot-operated parking brake release device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is actuated on the condition that an automatic parking brake release switch provided at least on the driver's seat is turned on. (3) The predetermined driving state is at least when the ignition switch is turned on, the shift lever is placed in a forward or reverse position, and the accelerator pedal is depressed by a predetermined amount or more. The automatic release device for a foot-operated parking brake according to (1) or (2).