Brake Lock Detection for Towed Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Auxiliary braking systems for towed vehicles often lead to incorrect installation, causing unintended brake engagement or failure to engage, resulting in wear and damage to the vehicle's brakes and drivetrain, especially when frequently used for recreational purposes.
Innovation Solution
A brake activation system with a main housing that engages near the towed vehicle's brake pedal, featuring an actuation arm and a negative pressure sensor to detect and prevent incorrect engagement, ensuring proper operation and alerting the operator of installation faults or operational errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the portable brake activation system is frequently installed and removed from the towed vehicle, then the system can be used for multiple destinations and towing scenarios, but the risk of incorrect installation increases, causing unintended brake engagement or failure to engage
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a negative pressure sensor that provides feedback about the brake pedal's position and the actuation arm's engagement status. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect incorrect installation conditions and alert the operator, thereby maintaining reliability despite frequent installation and removal cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of installation correctness before actual brake activation. The negative pressure sensor monitors conditions in advance to ensure proper installation, preventing incorrect engagement before it occurs and allowing the system to be safely reused multiple times.
2Productivity
If the actuation arm is designed to engage the brake pedal, then the brake can be activated to reduce stopping distance, but the brake may become locked and not release, causing wear and damage to the vehicle's brakes and drivetrain
Solution Approach 1:
The negative pressure sensor provides continuous feedback on the brake system's operational state. When the sensor detects abnormal negative pressure indicating brake lock conditions, it alerts the operator, allowing timely intervention to prevent excessive wear and damage while maintaining effective braking when properly operated.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements preliminary anti-action by detecting brake lock conditions before significant wear or damage occurs. The negative pressure sensor identifies abnormal engagement states early, enabling the operator to correct the issue before harmful effects accumulate.
Data Source
AI summary
Brake lock detection is described for a brake activation system. In one example, a main housing is configured to engage an interior surface of a towed vehicle near a brake pedal of the towed vehicle. An actuation arm extends away from the main housing configured to connect to the brake pedal to actuate a brake of the towed vehicle through the brake pedal. An arm drive system of the main housing applies a positive pressure to the actuation arm when activated to drive the brake pedal to actuate the brake. A negative pressure sensor generates a negative pressure signal when the brake pedal applies a negative pressure opposite the positive pressure to the actuation arm and the actuation arm is not activated.