JPH0549505B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Field of Industrial Application> The present invention relates to a foot-operated foot brake for operating and releasing the parking brake of a vehicle such as an automobile.

<Conventional technology> With the installation of automatic transmissions, modern cars have
The parking brake has been converted from a hand-operated handbrake to a foot-operated foot brake. Conventionally, this foot brake generally uses a spring force to release the parking brake.
The drawback is that the brake arm returns with a shock and hits the driver's leg hard.

<Problems to be solved by the invention> Therefore, the conventional foot brake is dangerous as it is, and requires a complicated buffer return mechanism to reduce the return force and return speed of the brake arm, resulting in a complicated structure. , and are also becoming larger.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a foot brake that has a simple structure and can reliably reduce the return speed of the brake arm.

<Means for Solving the Problems> In order to achieve the above object, the present invention uses a buffer means using a viscous substance to control the return operation of the brake arm.
a spindle on which the brake arm is rotatably supported;
A return spring that returns the brake arm by accumulating rotational torque when the brake arm rotates; a buffer means that is filled with a viscous substance between the fixed drum and the rotating drum; a gear system that transmits rotational force between the fixed drum and the rotating drum; a clutch spring that is inserted between the fixed drum and the rotating drum to lock and release the rotation of the rotating drum by expanding and contracting the coil diameter; and a coil of the clutch spring. It is characterized by being equipped with a release lever that enlarges the diameter.

<Function> Each element in the present invention functions as follows. As the brake arm rotates, rotational torque is accumulated in the return spring, and the return operation of the brake arm is performed by the rotational torque of the return spring. This return operation is locked by a clutch spring, but when the lock is released by operating a release lever, the brake arm returns. In this return operation, the rotating drum of the buffer means rotates and acts as a shearing force on the viscous material, and the rotational torque of the return spring is absorbed to some extent by the viscous resistance of the viscous material, and the brake arm returns at a slow speed. .

<Examples> Examples illustrating the present invention will be specifically described below.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view thereof. A support shaft 3, a gear type 4, a buffer system 5, a clutch spring 6, and a release lever 7 are arranged in this order between the two upper and lower boards 1 and 2.
A brake arm 8 is attached to the support shaft 3 for operating a parking brake (not shown). The tip of the brake arm 8 is connected to the substrates 1 and 2.
The proximal end has a burring hole 8a.
is formed, and the brake arm 8 is rotatably attached to the support shaft 3 by inserting the support shaft 3 into the burring hole 8a. The support shaft 3 is the base plate 1, 2
It is fixed so as not to rotate, and a return spring 9 made of a torsion spring is wound around its outer peripheral surface. A split groove 3a is formed in the upper part of the support shaft 3, and a hook portion 9a at one end of the return spring 9 is inserted into the split groove 3a. A hook portion 9b at the other end of the return spring 9 is hooked to a hook 10 attached to the brake arm 8, and when the brake arm 8 rotates, the return spring 9 is twisted and the brake arm is attached to the spring 9. The rotational torque for returning 8 is accumulated. The buffer means 5 includes the substrate 1,
It is attached to a core shaft 11 fixed to 2,
A fixed drum 51 fixed to the core shaft 11 and a core shaft 1
1 and a rotating drum 52 that rotates around center point 1. The fixed drum 51 and the rotating drum 52 are formed to have the same outer diameter, and a zigzag-shaped gap 53 is formed on their opposing surfaces.
3 is filled and sealed with a viscous substance such as viscous grease. Said gear system 4 is provided between such a damping means 5 and said brake arm 8. This gear system 4 is welded 12 to the base end of the brake arm 8.
a fan-shaped large gear 41 fixed to the rotary drum 52;
The small gear 42 meshes with the small gear 42. Therefore, when the brake arm 8 rotates, rotational force is transmitted by the gear system 4 and the rotary drum 52 rotates. The clutch spring 6
This rotating drum 52 and the fixed drum 51
has been extrapolated to The clutch spring 6 is formed by spirally winding a spring wire with a rectangular cross section, and a hook portion 6a at one end extends upward and is latched to the board 1, and a hook portion 6b at the other end is connected to the board 1, 2 in the horizontal direction and engages with the operating piece 7a of the release lever 7. Here, the clutch spring 6 includes a fixed drum 51 and a rotating drum 52.
The winding direction is clockwise in this embodiment. The release lever 7 is rotatably supported by a release shaft 13 attached between the boards 1 and 2.
This rotation acts to expand the diameter of the clutch spring 6 via the action piece 7a. Further, a connecting fitting 14 is pivotally attached to the large gear 41 of the gear system 4, and the connecting fitting 14 is connected to a parking brake via a remote control cable (not shown).

To assemble the foot brake as described above, attach the support shaft 3, buffer means 5, and release shaft 13 to the base plate 2, insert the clutch spring 6 into the buffer means 5, and attach the hook portion 6b at the other end to the release lever 7. It engages with the action piece 7a. Then, the brake arm 8 is attached to the support shaft 3, the large gear 41 is meshed with the small gear 42 integrally formed on the rotary drum 52, and the return spring 9 is inserted onto the support shaft 3. In this state, cover the substrate 1 from above, the support shaft 3, the core shaft 11,
The release shaft 13 and the hook portion 6a at one end of the clutch spring are fixed.

When the brake arm 8 is depressed in the direction of arrow A in this state, the return spring 9 moves in the direction of arrow B.
The large gear 41 rotates while being twisted in the torsion direction shown by , and as rotational torque is accumulated, the large gear 41 rotates in the direction of arrow C. The rotation of this large gear 41 is controlled by the small gear 42.
is transmitted to rotate the rotating drum 52 in the direction of arrow D. This direction of rotation is a direction in which the coil diameter of the clutch spring 6 is expanded, and the rotating drum 5
2 slips with the clutch spring 6 and rotates idly. On the other hand, due to the rotation of the large gear 41, the connecting fitting 1
The parking brake is activated via a remote control cable attached to 4. Next, when the force on the brake arm 8 is released, the brake arm 8
A restoring force is applied to the rotating drum 5 which is connected to the brake arm 8 by the gear system 4.
2 is in the opposite direction to the direction of arrow D, that is, the direction in which the clutch spring 6 is tightened, so the clutch spring 6 comes into pressure contact with the rotating drum 52 and a frictional force is generated. As a result, the rotating drum 52 does not rotate, the brake arm 8 does not return, and the operating state of the parking brake is maintained. The parking brake is released by rotating the release lever 7 in the direction of arrow E. With this rotation, the operating piece 7a of the release lever 7 presses the hook portion 6b at the other end of the clutch spring 6, expanding the coil diameter of the clutch spring 6, and the pressing force against the rotating drum 52 is released. Therefore, the rotational torque of the return spring 9 causes the rotating drum 52 to move as shown by the arrow D.
At the same time, the large gear 41 also rotates in the direction opposite to the direction of arrow C, and the parking brake is released. In addition, the brake arm 8 also returns, but at the time of this return, the rotating drum 52
This is done to overcome the shearing force of the viscous material filled between the fixed drum 51 and the fixed drum 51. In other words, the rotational force of the rotating drum is absorbed to some extent by the viscous substance, and the rotational speed is reduced, so that the brake arm 8 returns at a slow speed. Therefore, the brake arm 8 does not suddenly collide with the driver's foot.

Note that various modifications can be made to the present invention. Outside the torsion spring as a return spring,
Spiral springs, clockwork springs, etc. may also be used.
The large gear may be circular instead of fan-shaped.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, according to the present invention, the return of the brake arm and the release of the parking brake are locked by the clutch spring, and the speed is controlled by the buffer means when the brake arm is returned, so that driving becomes easier. There will be no strong collision with other people's feet. Further, since the buffer means has a simple structure, it can be made lightweight and compact, which is advantageous.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line -- in FIG. 3... Support shaft, 4... Gear system, 5... Buffer means,
6...Clutch spring, 7...Release lever,
8...brake arm, 9...return spring, 51...fixed drum, 52...rotating drum.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A viscous substance is filled between the support shaft on which the brake arm is rotatably supported, the return spring that accumulates rotational torque as the brake arm rotates and returns the brake arm, and the stationary drum and rotating drum. a gear system that transmits rotational force between the brake arm and the rotating drum; and a gear system that is extrapolated between the fixed drum and the rotating drum and controls the rotation of the rotating drum by expanding and contracting the coil diameter. A foot brake characterized by comprising a clutch spring that locks and releases the clutch spring, and a release lever that expands the coil diameter of the clutch spring.