Steering Column Trailer Brake Actuator Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional trailer brake control mechanisms require drivers to remove a hand from the steering wheel to operate, compromising safety and convenience during towing.
Innovation Solution
A trailer brake actuation mechanism integrated with the steering column assembly, allowing operation by moving a lever connected to the steering wheel, which transmits a braking signal to the trailer connector via a controller, enabling independent trailer brake control without hand removal from the wheel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the trailer brake control mechanism is mounted on the instrument panel or below it, then the driver can operate the trailer brakes independently from vehicle brakes, but the driver must take one hand off the steering wheel to operate it
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the trailer brake control mechanism with the steering column assembly, integrating the lever actuator into the existing steering structure. This merging allows the control mechanism to be positioned within easy reach of the driver while maintaining hand-on-wheel operation, resolving the contradiction between independent brake control capability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a lever actuator as an intermediary mechanism between the driver's hand and the trailer brake system. This lever can be operated with minimal hand movement from the steering wheel, serving as a mediator that enables independent trailer brake control without requiring the driver to remove their hand from the wheel, thus resolving the operational conflict.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the trailer brake control mechanism is mounted on the instrument panel, then independent trailer brake operation is enabled, but driver safety and convenience are compromised due to required hand removal from steering wheel
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the trailer brake control with the steering column assembly, the patent positions the control mechanism within the driver's natural reach zone while maintaining steering wheel contact. This integration ensures that independent trailer brake operation can be performed without compromising driver safety or attention to the road.
Solution Approach 2:
The lever actuator serves as a safety intermediary that allows trailer brake activation with minimal deviation from normal steering operation. The lever's design enables drivers to operate it with slight hand movements while maintaining grip on the steering wheel, thereby preserving driver safety and vehicle control during trailer brake activation.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle body assembly includes a steering column assembly, a steering wheel, an actuator mechanism and a controller. The steering wheel is rotatably supported to the steering column assembly for rotation about a first axis. The actuator mechanism is connected to the steering column assembly and includes a lever movable relative to the steering column assembly between a first position and a second position about a second axis that extends in a direction perpendicular to the first axis. The controller is operably connected to the actuator mechanism and to a trailer connector such that in response to the lever moving from the first position toward the second position, the controller transmits a braking signal to the trailer connector corresponding to activation of a trailer braking system of a trailer.