"The man with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds."
Samuel Clemens
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8146715 | Disk brake provided with an improved device for measuring the normal applied force A disk brake, in particular for a motor vehicle, is provided. The disk includes a rotatable brake disk, a brake caliper covering the brake disk, an actuator for applying an actuation force and a friction lining applicable to the brake disk by means of the actuation ... | 04/03/2012 |
| 7624849 | Brake system Structure disposed within a brake housing for measuring the displacement of a reference within said brake housing so as to indicate the brake stroke condition on a vehicle braking system. ... | 12/01/2009 |
| 7565953 | Brake force transducer for electric brakes An electric brake actuator for the brake system of an aircraft is presented. A brake actuator includes a piston driven by a cylindrical nut and screw arrangement, driven by an appropriate motor of the actuator. Application of brake force results in a reactionary for... | 07/28/2009 |
| 7228944 | Method for determining the temperature of a wheel-braking device of a brake system In a method for determining the temperature of a wheel-braking device of a brake system, the current disc temperature of the brake disc is determined based on the last-determined disc temperature, the energy supplied to the brake disc since the last temperature dete... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7093694 | Release hold mechanism with gravity weighted indicator flag The present invention discloses a hand brake mechanism having a gravity based release hold mechanism with a visual indicator to prevent unwanted application of the railcar brakes and indicate such release hold condition. The release hold mechanism comprises a gravit... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7011187 | Device for controlled bearing support of a component on a vibration damper with visual indication of position adjustment A vibration damper including a damping element in a housing supports a component via a mounting bracket clamped between upper and lower plates after making horizontal adjustments. A hollow adjusting screw, a fixing screw and a counternut achieve a vertical adjustmen... | 03/14/2006 |
| 6776265 | Device for indicating the total load in the case of brake disks made of carbon-fiber-reinforced ceramic material A device can indicate the total load of a brake disk made of carbon-fiber-reinforced ceramic material. In order to create such a device, which can be used for brake disks and other friction elements made of carbon-fiber-reinforced ceramic material, an indicator elem... | 08/17/2004 |
| 6615954 | Monitoring system and method for brake disks A monitoring system for brake disks, particularly of rail vehicles, having at least two sensors which are arranged in the brake disk or in the proximity of the brake disk and whose sensor signals relate to the temperature of the brake disk. The monitoring... | 09/09/2003 |
| 6581728 | Brake shoe proximity sensor A brake system with an integral proximity sensor for providing an indication of a condition of the brake system. The brake system includes a brake drum, a brake shoe, a brake pad, and a position sensor. The brake pad is connected to a pad mounting surface... | 06/24/2003 |
| 6481542 | Brake adjuster A brake adjuster is provided for a vehicle brake such as for heavy duty vehicle. The brake adjuster includes a brake module that produces an electrical signal for adjusting the vehicle brake. The heavy duty vehicle brake typically includes a pair of pisto... | 11/19/2002 |
| 6474450 | Mechanical sensor for a quick release hand brake A mechanical sensor for a hand brake quick release mechanism having a housing, flexible clamp, and release shaft having a member with first and second elements. A housing member has open and closed ends. The open end is engageable with a housing outside w... | 11/05/2002 |
| 6474451 | Side tension brake condition sensor A sensor for determining the on/off condition of a railroad car handbrake that utilizes a manual wheel which applies tension to a chain extending under the car to the brake setting system and the sensor utilizes a bias member which pushes against the side... | 11/05/2002 |
| 6460659 | Brake wear indicator A machine operator or service person is alerted to the excessive wear condition of friction discs in friction couplings or brakes of construction machinery by being provided with a visual indication of wear of the friction discs in one embodiment, a wear ... | 10/08/2002 |
| 6408989 | Vehicle brake system having a sensor to measure movement A vehicle brake assembly includes a sensor that detects the amount of movement of certain components within the brake assembly. In the preferred embodiment, a rotary sensor is coupled directly with the generally S-shaped cam member and provides signals th... | 06/25/2002 |
| 6397978 | Hand brake for a rail car A hand brake for a rail car which is adapted to be connected to the actuator which forms a part of the brake system of the car. A chain wheel about which the actuator chain is wrapped is rotated through a hydraulic cylinder causing the chain to actuate th... | 06/04/2002 |
| 6394233 | Apparatus for operating a vertical wheel hand brake An apparatus for operation a railway car vertical wheel hand brake. A hand brake wheel has a hub fixed on an operating shaft. The operating shaft is rotatably mounted on the hand brake. The hand brake wheel further has a reaction member. A brake release m... | 05/28/2002 |
| 6384721 | Brake wear sensor A brake wear sensor in which a body of electrical insulating material mounts a pair of electrically conductive plates such that edges of the plates are spaced from each other at a surface of the body. The body has an external thread adapted to be received... | 05/07/2002 |
| 6366201 | Parallel resistor array for progressively detecting brake lining wear A parallel resistor array for progressively detecting brake lining wear. A plurality of conductors are embedded within a brake lining or otherwise disposed between the brake surface and an actuator. Each of the conductors is connected to a resistor that i... | 04/02/2002 |
| 6364069 | Electronic sensor for a quick release hand brake An electronic sensor for a quick release mechanism in a railcar vertical hand brake having a housing equipped with a flexible clamp mounted on an inside wall, and a release shaft having a member disposed perpendicular to and about the circumference thereo... | 04/02/2002 |
| 6322159 | Latching electric-control vehicle air brake system An electric control valve for a heavy duty vehicle air parking brake system. The system uses latching electrically controlled solenoid air valves to control the parking brake systems of the tractor and trailer. The system allows electric control devices t... | 11/27/2001 |
| 6310545 | Brake monitoring system and method A brake monitoring system (10) having at least one brake temperature detection unit (10) externally attached to one of the brake assemblies (12) of a vehicle is provided. The brake temperature detection unit (10) includes at least one sensor (30) for dete... | 10/30/2001 |
| 6273218 | Vehicle brake system having a sensor to measure movement A vehicle break assembly includes a sensor that detects the amount of movement of certain components within the brake assembly. In the preferred embodiment, a rotary sensor is coupled directly with the generally S-shaped cam member and provides signals th... | 08/14/2001 |
| 6254203 | Method for determining the deceleration of a motor vehicle The deceleration o motor vehicle resulting from a vehicle brake is defined as the difference between a total deceleration of the motor vehicle and decelerations caused by the engine, wind, friction and grade, and a product of contact-pressure forces of th... | 07/03/2001 |
| 6237722 | Railroad handbrake "off" sensor A railroad brake sensing apparatus particularly suitable for handbrake sensing has a sheave wheel/bellcrank bracket which is slotted to allow the wheel/crank axle to move from a first position when the chain is under tension and the brake is applied; to a... | 05/29/2001 |
| 6236310 | Brake shoe assembly having a brake lining wear and temperature sensor A brake shoe assembly includes a brake lining and a housing. The brake lining has a predetermined thickness which gradually wears away and increases in temperature during a vehicle braking application. The housing is positioned to wear away and increase i... | 05/22/2001 |
| 6215394 | Air brake stroke adjustment monitoring apparatus and method The invention provides an electrical switch for monitoring stroke adjustment of an air brake as used on heavy wheeled vehicles. The switch has a switch body securable to fixed structure of the air brake, and fixed and moveable electrical switch contacts i... | 04/10/2001 |
| 6170619 | Manual hand brake sensor for a railroad car On a railroad car handbrake system the main handbrake shaft, used to turn the chain, is utilized during its rotation to drive a target object to a magnetic sensor. The target object may be driven by cam plates, gears, screw mechanisms or the like and may ... | 01/09/2001 |
| 6139117 | Electrically operated parking brake apparatus having braking force changing device operable while drive power source switch is off Electrically operated parking brake apparatus for a vehicle, including a parking brake device provided for each of at least one vehicle wheel, an electrically operated driving unit for activating the parking brake device, an operating force holding mechan... | 10/31/2000 |
| 6135242 | Braking system for a vehicle having a stroke indicator In a braking system for a vehicle including a pressure chamber, a pushrod extending longitudinally outwards from the pressure chamber and movable when correctly adjusted between first and second positions, a brake assembly for braking the vehicle and a pi... | 10/24/2000 |
| 6112860 | Vehicle brake status indicating apparatus In a vehicle braking system having a slack adjuster with an actuator and an electrically operable car control unit, an electrical switch is responsive the position of the actuator and is coupled to the car control unit to provide an indication of the cond... | 09/05/2000 |
| 6098760 | Brake apparatus for vehicles A brake apparatus for vehicles having a wheel brake on each vehicle wheel, each wheel brake has a brake body non-rotatably connected to the vehicle wheel, a brake actuator that engages the brake body for braking purposes, and a brake anchor plate that con... | 08/08/2000 |
| 6095289 | Apparatus and method of thermally detecting elevator machine brake An apparatus and method are provided for detecting brake drag of an elevator machine brake (30). Temperature sensors (44) are disposed in close proximity to a pair of brake pads (35,36) and compared to ambient temperature to determine whether the brake pa... | 08/01/2000 |
| 6082502 | Cable operated piston travel indicator A cable operated piston travel indicator for readily viewing an amount of piston travel of a fluid actuated cylinder assembly positioned in a remote location is provided. The cable operated piston travel indicator of the invention is particularly applicab... | 07/04/2000 |
| 6076639 | Mechanically adjustable wear indicator The invention relates to a wear indicator (11) for a vehicle brake, for example. The indicator has an adjustable measuring rod (12) which can be inserted into a cavity (14) in a brake housing (2), so that one end abuts against the brake piston (4) and the... | 06/20/2000 |
| 6073729 | Method of operating a hydraulic brake system The present invention relates to a method of operating a hydraulic brake system for automotive vehicles, which includes an anti-lock system (ABS), a brake force booster which is electrically actuatable independently of the driver's wish, and a pressure or... | 06/13/2000 |
| 6059074 | Gauge for slack adjuster A gauge for visually indicating travel of a brake operating rod having one end pivotally connected to a slack adjuster including a plate bearing indicia, which is mounted for movement with the one end of the brake operating rod, and a pointer pivotally su... | 05/09/2000 |
| 6036179 | Air spring containing an active device and a suspension assembly and method using An air spring has a pair of spaced end members and a fluid pressure chamber therebetween formed by an elastomeric flexible sleeve. The air spring is adapted to be mounted on a vehicle suspension system in close vicinity to one of the vehicle tires. The ai... | 03/14/2000 |
| 6019197 | Air brake stroke gage and seal An improved air brake stroke gage including, an elastomeric-grommet around the push rod to seal the air brake housing during the "inactive" mode of the brake system, and a pivotally mounted reference marker to be shifted to selected positions to provide a... | 02/01/2000 |
| 6003961 | Method and apparatus for controlling a braking system of a vehicle A method and an apparatus for controlling a braking system of a vehicle. The braking action is established or regulated at at least one wheel brake, by electrical structure, as a function of a driver's braking input. A capability for conventional action b... | 12/21/1999 |
| 5986546 | Oil contamination detection assembly An oil contamination detection assembly includes a resistor having a known resistance which is exposed to the air of a vehicle brake system to accumulate a layer of oil contaminating the air. A heater boils non-carbon elements off the resistor, leaving a ... | 11/16/1999 |