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- Nachgewiesen in: USPTO Patent Applications
- Sprachen: English
- Document Number: 20100188203
- Publication Date: July 29, 2010
- Appl. No: 12/691659
- Application Filed: January 21, 2010
- Assignees: MGM BRAKES (Charlotte, NC, US)
- Claim: 1. A brake monitoring system for a vehicle having multiple axles and a plurality of brake actuators and an engine control module, each brake actuator being associated with one of the axles, comprising: a plurality of sensors, each sensor being mounted in each actuator for sensing in real-time a parameter of the respective actuator and for generating a respective first signal; a plurality of brake lining wear sensors, each brake lining wear sensors being contained within each brake lining and for detecting a brake wear parameter of the respective actuator and generating a respective second signal; a chassis communications module coupled to the sensors and the brake lining wear sensors via a wire harness and for receiving the first and second signals and for storing the first and second signals, the chassis communications module for detecting a fault condition of one of the brakes as a function of the first and/or second signals and for recording the fault condition, the fault condition being one of a brake monitor warning and a brake lining warning, the chassis communications module having a plurality of warning lights, each warning light corresponding to one of fault conditions, the chassis communications module for actuating a respective one of the warning lights in response to detecting the respective warning condition; and, a diagnostic device coupled to the chassis communications control module via a datalink for receiving the first and second signals and the fault conditions stored in the chassis communications control module and storing the first and second signals and the fault conditions on the diagnostic device, wherein the fault condition is indicative of a dragging brake condition, and the chassis control module for sending a signal to the engine control module to throttle back the vehicle, or limit the speed of the vehicle and/or the RPM of the engine in response to detecting the dragging brake condition.
- Claim: 2. A brake monitoring system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the brake actuators are drum brakes and an estroke sensor sense brake application pressure.
- Claim: 3. A brake monitoring system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the brake actuators are disc brakes and the e-stroke sensors sense position of a lever arm or caliper of the disc brake.
- Claim: 4. A brake monitoring system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the brake lining sensor includes a wire embedded in a piece of wearable material positioned relative to the brake actuator, wherein the chassis communications module detects an short circuit condition of the wire indicative of a predetermined amount of brake wear, and wherein the chassis communications module detects a subsequent open circuit condition of the wire indicative of the brake lining depleted condition.
- Claim: 5. A brake monitoring system, as set forth in claim 1, the chassis communications module detects broken sensor wire/malfunctioning sensor at each wheel of the motor vehicle, detects non-functioning actuator, detects brake pushrod extension fault using an algorithm based on brake pressure, pushrod extension and time, provides overstroke fault detection, logs real-time brake pressure readings, provide fault detection based on brake pressure sensor readings; and logs brake lining wear data.
- Claim: 6. A brake monitoring system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the datalink between the chassis communications module and the diagnostic device is a wireless datalink.
- Claim: 7. A brake monitoring system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the datalink between the chassis communications module and the diagnostic device is a wired datalink.
- Claim: 8. A braking monitoring system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the diagnostic device is a handheld device.
- Claim: 9. A braking monitoring system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the diagnostic device is a computer or laptop computer.
- Claim: 10. A braking monitoring system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the chassis communications module includes a button for initiating a blink code sequence through a set of system warning lights located thereon.
- Claim: 11. A braking monitoring system, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the blink code sequence includes a first digit and a second digit, wherein the first digit may be indicative of a brake fault or a system fault and the second digit may be indicative of the location of a fault.
- Claim: 12. A braking monitoring system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the chassis communication module displays text message related to status and any faults.
- Claim: 13. A brake monitoring system for a vehicle having multiple axles and a plurality of brake actuators and an engine control module, each brake actuator being associated with one of the axles, comprising: a plurality of sensors, each sensor being mounted in a pressure sensor for sensing brake application pressure in real-time of the respective actuator and for generating a respective first signal; a plurality of brake lining wear sensors, each brake lining wear sensors being contained within a respective brake lining and for detecting a brake wear parameter of the respective actuator and generating a respective second signal, each brake lining sensor including a wire embedded in a piece of wearable material positioned relative the brake actuator, wherein the chassis communications module detects an short circuit condition of the wire indicative of a predetermined amount of brake wear, and wherein the chassis communications module detects a subsequent open circuit condition of the wire indicative of the brake lining depleted condition; a chassis communications module coupled to the sensors and the brake lining wear sensors via a wire harness and for receiving the first and second signals and for storing the first and second signals, the chassis communications module for detecting a fault condition of one of the brakes as a function of the first and/or second signals and for recording the fault condition, the fault condition being one of a brake monitor warning and a brake lining warning, the chassis communications module having a plurality of warning lights, each warning light corresponding to one of fault conditions, the chassis communications module for actuating a respective one of the warning lights in response to detecting the respective warning condition, wherein the chassis communications module detects broken sensor wire/malfunctioning sensor at each wheel of the motor vehicle, detects non-functioning actuator, detects brake pushrod extension fault using an algorithm based on brake pressure, pushrod extension and time, provides overstroke fault detection, logs real-time brake pressure readings, and provides fault detection based on brake pressure sensor readings; and logs brake lining wear data; and, a diagnostic device coupled to the chassis communications control module via a datalink for receiving the first and second signals and the fault conditions stored in the chassis communications control module and storing the first and second signals and the fault conditions on the diagnostic device, wherein the fault condition is indicative of a dragging brake condition, and the chassis control module for sending a signal to the engine control module to throttle back the vehicle, or limit the speed of the vehicle and/or the RPM of the engine in response to detecting the dragging brake condition.
- Claim: 14. A method for monitoring the brakes of a vehicle having multiple axles, a plurality of brake actuators, and an engine control module, each brake actuator being associated with one of the axles, comprising: sensing, in real-time, a parameter of each actuator, using a sensor, and for generating a respective first signal; detecting a brake wear parameter of each actuator using a brake lining wear sensor, and generating a respective second signal, each brake lining wear sensors being contained within the brake lining; receiving the first and second signals at a chassis communications module via a wire harness and storing the first and second signals thereon; detecting a fault condition of one of the brakes as a function of the first and/or second signals and for recording the fault condition, the fault condition being one of a brake monitor warning and a brake lining warning; providing, on the chassis communications module a plurality of warning lights, each warning light corresponding to one of fault conditions; actuating a respective one of the warning lights in response to detecting the respective warning condition; receiving the first and second signals and the fault conditions at a diagnostic device coupled to the chassis communications control module via a datalink and storing the first and second signals and the fault conditions thereon, wherein the fault condition is indicative of a dragging brake condition; and sending a signal to the engine control module to throttle back the vehicle, or limit the speed of the vehicle and/or the RPM of the engine in response to detecting the dragging brake condition.
- Claim: 15. A method, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the brake actuators are drum brakes and the e-stroke sensors sense brake actuator pressure.
- Claim: 16. A method, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the brake actuators are disc brakes and the e-stroke sensors sense position of a lever arm or caliper of the disc brake.
- Claim: 17. A method, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the brake lining sensor includes a wire embedded in a piece of wearable material positioned relative to the brake lining, the method including the steps of: detecting a short circuit condition of the wire indicative of a predetermined amount of brake wear; and, detecting a subsequent open circuit condition of the wire indicative of the brake lining depleted condition.
- Claim: 18. A method, as set forth in claim 14, including the steps of: detecting broken sensor wire/malfunctioning sensor at each wheel of the vehicle; detecting a non-functioning actuator; and, detecting brake pushrod extension fault using an algorithm based on brake pressure, pushrod extension and time, provides overstroke fault detection, logs real-time brake pressure readings, provide fault detection based on brake pressure sensor readings; and logs brake lining wear data.
- Claim: 19. A method, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the datalink between the chassis communications module and the diagnostic device is one of wireless and wired.
- Claim: 20. A method, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the diagnostic device is one of a handheld device, a computer or laptop computer.
- Claim: 21. A method, as set forth in claim 14, wherein the chassis communications module includes a button for initiating a blink code sequence through a set of system warning lights located thereon.
- Claim: 22. A system, as set forth in claim 22, wherein the blink code sequence includes a first digit and a second digit, wherein the first digit may be indicative of a brake fault or a system fault and the second digit may be indicative of the location of a fault.
- Current U.S. Class: 340/454
- Current International Class: 60
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