WO2001085509A1

WO2001085509A1 - Emergency brake automatic controlled device for motor vehicles or the like

Info

Publication number: WO2001085509A1
Application number: PCT/IT2001/000111
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nicola Betti; Matteo Spanu
Original assignee: Nicola Betti; Matteo Spanu
Priority date: 2000-05-11
Filing date: 2001-03-07
Publication date: 2001-11-15
Also published as: ITCA20000012A0; ITCA20000012A1; AU4453101A

Abstract

An emergency brake automatically controlled device for motor vehicles or the like, characterised in that it comprises: driver's presence sensing means (C1, C2, C3); emergency brake controlling means (3); and a data processing unit (CE) circuitally connected to said driver's presence sensing means (C1, C2, C3) and to said emergency brake controlling means (3); the arrangement being such that said unit is apt to receive data from said sensing means (C1, C2, C3) and to process said data for transmitting a control signal to said emergency brake controlling means (3).

Description

EMERGENCY BRAKE AUTOMATIC CONTROLLED DEVICE FOR MOTOR

VEHICLES OR THE LIKE DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to an emergency brake automatically controlled device of a motor vehicle, and, more precisely, to an emergency brake automatically controlled device for a motor vehicle apt to be automatically set on when the driver leaves the latter, in order to prevent possible accidental movements thereof .

The art is aware of devices for automatically applying brakes in haulage motor vehicles, apt to ensure the stopping of the vehicle when the latter are stationed. Thus, possible accidental vehicle movements which might endanger the safety of the nearby personnel are prevented.

However, such devices have the drawback of generally being applied only to large-sized haulage vehicles, as requiring likewise large power supplies, such as those from a pneumatic or an electromagnetic source for braking systems .

Hence, it is an object of the present invention to overcome such drawback of the devices of the state of the art providing an emergency brake automatically controlled device for motor vehicle which be suitable for any type of motor vehicle for civil, agricultural and industrial use, also for small-sized vehicles, and providing a normal power source .

Another object of the present invention is to provide an emergency brake automatically controlled device for motor vehicles which be extremely effective, of simple implementation and low cost.

Hence, the present invention provides an emergency brake automatically controlled device for motor vehicles or the like, characterised in that it comprises: means for sensing a driver's presence; means for controlling the emergency brake; and a data processing unit circuitally connected to said driver's presence sensing means and to said emergency brake controlling means; the arrangement being such that said unit is apt to receive data from said sensing means and to process said data in order to transmit a control signal to said emergency brake controlling means.

A detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, given by way of example and without limitative purposes, will hereinafter be provided making reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:

Figs. 1A and IB are schematic views illustrating the arrangement of the device of the present invention in a generic motor vehicle; Fig. 2 is a wiring diagram illustrating the arrangement and the connections of the various components of the device of the present invention according to a first embodiment thereof;

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram illustrating the arrangement and the connections of the various components of the device of the present invention according to a second embodiment thereof;

Fig. 4 is a connecting diagram showing the wiring between the components and a control unit incorporated in the device of the present invention; and

Fig. 5 is a flow chart of the operation and control logic of the device of the present invention.

Making now reference to Figs. 1A and IB, the device provides an electronic control unit CE connected to the power source 1 of the vehicle in the known manner. To the control unit CE a plurality of sensors 2 apt to sense a driver's presence in the motor vehicle are circuitally connected (better illustrated hereinafter) .

Moreover, to the control unit CE an actuator 3, apt to co-operate with an emergency brake 4 of the vehicle and following a control signal outputted from the control unit CE is circuitally connected (better illustrated hereinafter) .

Furthermore, an beeper 5 and a signal light 6 apt to visually signal a condition of the device of the present invention, as well as a cutout switch 7 and related signal light 8 for the cutting out of the device of the present invention are provided (better illustrated hereinafter) .

With reference now to Fig. 2, the wiring diagram of the various components of the device of the present invention according to a first embodiment thereof is shown. More precisely, a backup fuse FI and a switch PI for the total cutting out of the device in case of intervention or the like are provided. Moreover, contacts Cl, C2 and C3 corresponding to the plurality of sensors 2 and usually opened, and a further backup contact C4 connected to the emergency brake and it also usually opened when the brake is on, are provided.

Then, a first timer TE, apt to intervene after a predetermined period of time on a first switch T that, when set, circuitally connects the beeper 5 and the signal light 6 to indicate the condition of the device, is provided. Moreover, a second timer TE1 apt to intervene on a second switch Tl which allows to circuitally connect the actuator 3 that, according to this embodiment, is an electric motor and has a stop control FC, is provided.

With reference now to Fig. 3, a wiring diagram of the various components of the device of the present invention according to a second embodiment thereof wherein the actuator 3 is a pneumatic actuator is illustrated. For the sake of simplicity, likewise components have the same reference numbers and a further detailed description thereof is omitted. More precisely, also according to this second embodiment a backup fuse FI and a switch PI for the total cutting out of the device in case of intervention or the like are provided. Moreover, contacts Cl, C2 and C3 corresponding to the plurality of sensors 2 and normally opened, and a further backup contact C4 , connected to the emergency brake and it also cut out when the brake is on, are provided.

Then, a first timer TE apt to intervene after a predetermined period of time on a first switch T which, when made, circuitally connects the beeper 5 and the signal light 6 to indicate the condition of the device is provided. Moreover, a second timer TEl apt to intervene on a second switch Tl which allows to circuitally connect the pneumatic actuator is provided. Furthermore, a switch PR for the gating of the actuator 3 and, therefore, of the emergency brake associated thereto, is provided. With reference now to Fig. 4, the connecting diagram between the components and the electronic control unit CE of the device of the present invention is illustrated. More precisely, a power source provided with a fuse FI and a switch PI apt to allow to disconnect the device when it becomes necessary, as, e.g., in case of a maintenance intervention, is provided.

On the other hand, the contacts Cl, C2 , C3 and also the contact C4 are connected in the already known manner. Likewise, the actuator 3 as well as the stop control FC of the actuator 3 are circuitally connected to the control unit CE.

With reference to figure 5, the operation logic of the device of the present invention will hereinafter be illustrated. Two conditions may occur:

1) The driver rises from the seat without having set the emergency brake on.

In this condition, the three contacts Cl, C2 and C3 are switched and the timer TE related to the switch T is operated, causing, after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 2-5 seconds) the switch T to operate the beeper 5 and/or the signal light 6 for a predetermined period of time, e.g., 2-5 seconds. Then, after this period of time has elapsed, the timer TEl is connected which commutates the switch Tl, and the actuator 3 is controlled. The actuator 3 during its motion drags the emergency brake lever until the locking thereof.

2) The driver rises from the seat with the emergency brake set on.

In this condition, the locking contact C4 is open, signalling to the control unit CE that the emergency brake is on thus preventing the control of the actuator 3.

Here, it has to be specified that, according to the second embodiment of the device wherein the actuator 3 is a pneumatic actuator, once it has been decided by the control unit CE to control the latter, a solenoid valve provided for the purpose is commutated which allows the inflow/outflow of the pressurised fluid to/from the actuator 3 in order to control the latter. For the gating of the pneumatic actuator 3 , the control of the switch PR, which commutates the solenoid valve for allowing the fluid flow and thereby the motion of the actuator 3, thus also unlocking the emergency brake lever, is provided.

Claims

1. An emergency brake automatically controlled device for motor vehicles or the like characterised in that it comprises: means (C1,C2,C3) for sensing a driver's presence; means (3) for controlling the emergency brake; and a data processing unit (CE) circuitally connected to said driver's presence sensing means (C1,C2,C3) and to said emergency brake controlling means (3) ; the arrangement being such that said unit is apt to receive data from said sensing means (C1,C2,C3) and to process said data for transmitting a control signal to said emergency brake controlling means (3) .

2. The automatically controlled device according to claim 2, wherein said presence sensing means is a plurality of sensors (C1,C2,C3) arranged inside of the vehicle compartment and at the driver's area for sensing the presence of the latter.

3. The automatically controlled device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein said controlling means is an actuator (3) connected to the emergency brake lever, the actuator being apt to move from a first position wherein the emergency brake is off, to a second position wherein the emergency brake is on .

4. The automatically controlled device according to claim 1 or 2 or 3 , further comprising means (C4) for sensing the position of the emergency brake and connected to said data processing unit (CE) .

5. The automatically controlled device according to the preceding claim, wherein said emergency brake position sensing means is a switch (C4) apt to co-operate with the emergency brake lever and to provide a signal related to the position of said brake lever to said data processing unit (CE) .

6. The automatically controlled device according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising means (5) for acoustically signalling of a condition of the device.

7. The automatically controlled device according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising means (6) for the light signalling of a condition of the device.