Description:FORM 2
The Patent Act 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patent Rules, 2005

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10 and Rule 13)

TITLE OF THE INVENTION
“PARKING BRAKE ALERT SYSTEM”

VE Commercial Vehicle Ltd.
of VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd, 102, Industrial Area
No. 1 Pithampur-454775, Dist. Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, India

The following specification particularly describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.
Field of Invention
[001] The invention relates to parking brake system provided in commercial vehicles. It more particularly relates to alert systems provided in commercial vehicles that utilise only electrical components to perform the task of monitoring application of the parking brake.
Background of the Invention
[002] The occurrence of shortage of electronic components in the period after COVID pandemic had caused manufacturing delays in vehicles utilising electronic components. Given the identified vulnerability to lack of supplies, there were efforts to find work arounds for critical system that need to be provided in to ensure safety of the drivers and occupants of the commercial vehicles. Typical parking brake alert systems are expected to issue warning when driver has left the driver seat or left the vehicle in neutral gear or left the vehicle ignition off without activating the parking brake and engaging a gear. They must be provided to ensure vehicle safety no matter what the shortages are.
[003] While it is known that common electronic controllers can be transformed into their electrical equivalent, this process typically expands the overall size, weight and hence the complexity of the resulting system. It also affects the reliability of the resulting mixed vehicle systems. All of these factors ultimately end up adding manufacturing and maintenance complexity and costs if we want to retain all the added features already provided in the vehicle. The problem of reducing use of technologically intensive electronic components is met with the issue of increase in undesirable qualities of weight and size. All of which have to be dealt with if the vehicles are to retain their roadworthiness and customer attraction. Therefore, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a parking brake alarm system that does not utilise electronic components.
[004] It is another objective of the present invention to provide a parking brake alert system that is highly effective in warning the driver about non-application of the parking brake.
[005] It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a parking brake alert system that has an extremely simple light weight construction allowing it to be very easily manufactured, provided and maintained.
[006] It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a parking brake alert system that does not utilise any electronic controller thereby making it comparatively cheaper and easier to provide in commercial vehicles.
Summary of the Invention
[007] An embodiment of the invention achieving the stated objective, that is the parking brake alert system (100), comprises of, a power source (10), a gear neutral switch (20), a driver seat switch (30), an ignition switch (40), a parking brake switch (50), and a buzzer (60). In the parking brake alert system (100) in accordance with the disclosed invention, one terminal each of the gear neutral switch (20), the driver seat switch (30), and the ignition switch (40), are connected with one terminal of the power source (10). The other terminal of each of the gear neutral switch (20), the driver seat switch (30), and the ignition switch (40), are connected one terminal of the parking brake switch (50). The other terminal of the parking brake switch (50) is connected with one terminal of the buzzer (60). Finally, the other terminal of the buzzer (60) is connected with the other terminal of the power source (10).
Brief Description of Drawings
[008] The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings that contain references numerals for indicating its various parts. The description of the present invention would therefore be better understood with reference to accompanying diagrams, wherein
[009] Figure 1 discloses the block system diagram of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Invention
[0010] Referring to the figure 1, the parking brake alert system (100), comprises of a power source (10), a gear neutral switch (20), a driver seat switch (30), an ignition switch (40), a parking brake switch (50), and a buzzer (60).
[0011] In the parking brake alert system (100) (refer to Fig. 1) in accordance with the disclosed invention, one terminal each of the gear neutral switch (20), the driver seat switch (30), and the ignition switch (40), are connected with one terminal of the power source (10). This gives connection to a power source to all the essential sensing components of the disclosed invention.
[0012] The other terminal of each of the gear neutral switch (20), the driver seat switch (30), and the ignition switch (40), are connected one terminal of the parking brake switch (50) (refer to Fig. 1). The other terminal of the parking brake switch (50) is connected with one terminal of the buzzer (60). The other terminal of the buzzer (60) is connected with the other terminal of the power source (10).
[0013] The gear neutral switch (20) is of the normally open type which implies that, the switch remains open unless the driver puts the vehicle’s gear system in neutral. The driver seat switch (30) is of the normally open type and hence remains OFF when the driver is seated on the seat. The ignition switch (40) is of the normally closed type and hence remains ON when the driver has turned the vehicle OFF. The parking brake switch (50) is of the normally open type and hence remains OFF unless the driver activates the parking brakes.
[0014] When the driver or the vehicle operator wants to leave the vehicle, the parking brake alert system (100) works in accordance with the disclosed method. In this method, as a first step, when the driver puts the vehicle in neutral gear, the gear neutral switch (20) is activated and if during the performance of this step the parking brake switch (50) has not been activated, the buzzer (60) starts emitting a warning noise.
[0015] As a second step, when the driver puts the vehicle in neutral gear, the gear neutral switch (20) is activated and if during the performance of this step the parking brake switch (50) has been activated, the buzzer (60) does not emit a warning noise. As a third step, when the driver leaves the driver seat, the driver seat switch (30) is activated and if during the performance of this step the parking brake switch (50) has not been activated, the buzzer (60) starts emitting a warning noise.
[0016] As a fourth step, when the driver leaves the driver seat, the driver seat switch (30) is activated and if during the performance of this step the parking brake switch (50) has been activated, the buzzer (60) does not emit a warning noise. As a fifth step, when the driver turns the vehicle ‘OFF’, the ignition switch (40) is activated and if during the performance of this step the parking brake switch (50) is not activated, the buzzer (60) starts emitting a warning noise. As a sixth step, when the driver turns the vehicle ‘OFF’, the ignition switch (40) is activated and if during the performance of this step the parking brake switch (50) is activated, the buzzer (60) does not emit a warning noise.
[0017] The disclosed steps of the method of operation of the parking brake alert system, from steps one to six can be executed non-sequentially. When the step one has been executed subsequent execution of step two stops the emission of warning noise from the buzzer (60). To state clearly, when the step three has been executed subsequent execution of step four stops the emission of warning noise from the buzzer (60). When the step five has been executed subsequent execution of step six stops the emission of warning noise from the buzzer (60).
[0018] The parking brake alert system (100) having the disclosed construction and method of operation can protect the driver or the vehicle operator, and the passengers and the cargo against unintended damage due to vehicle rolling off due to non-application of parking brake. Given the simple construction with minimal parts this invention can be readily adapted for use with different known vehicle (braking and transmission) systems to perform its task of providing sound-based warning if parking brake has not been activated and the driver or the vehicle operator has left the vehicle in neutral gear or ignition switch off or the vehicle in neutral gear.
[0019] Technical advantages offered by the invention i.e., the parking brake alert system (100) are-
- It is highly effective in warning the driver about non-application of the parking brake.
- It has an extremely simple light weight construction allowing it to be very easily manufactured provided and maintained.
- It does not utilise any electronic controller thereby making it comparatively cheaper and easier to provide in commercial vehicles.
[0020] The disclosed invention i.e. the parking brake alert system (100) achieves all the set-out objectives.
[0021] It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the present invention has been herein described in terms of its preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will recognize that the preferred embodiment herein disclosed, can be practiced with modifications within the scope of the invention herein described.
, Claims:We Claim,
1. A parking brake alert system (100) comprising,
• a power source (10),
• a gear neutral switch (20),
• a driver seat switch (30),
• an ignition switch (40),
• a parking brake switch (50),
• a buzzer (60),
wherein,
- one terminal each of the gear neutral switch (20), the driver seat switch (30), and the ignition switch (40), are connected with one terminal of the power source (10);
- the other terminal of each of the gear neutral switch (20), the driver seat switch (30), and the ignition switch (40), are connected one terminal of the parking brake switch (50);
- the other terminal of the parking brake switch (50) is connected with one terminal of the buzzer (60); and
- the other terminal of the buzzer (60) is connected with the other terminal of the power source (10).
2. The parking brake alert system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the gear neutral switch (20) is of the normally open type.
3. The parking brake alert system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driver seat switch (30) is of the normally open type and hence remains OFF when the driver is seated on the seat.
4. The parking brake alert system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ignition switch (40) is of the normally closed type and hence remains ON when the driver has turned the vehicle OFF.
5. The parking brake alert system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the parking brake switch (50) is of the normally open type and hence remains OFF unless the driver activates the parking brakes.
6. The method of operation of the parking brake alert system (100) as claimed in the preceding claims, wherein,
- as a first step, when the driver puts the vehicle in neutral gear, the gear neutral switch (20) is activated and if during the performance of this step the parking brake switch (50) has not been activated, the buzzer (60) starts emitting a warning noise;
- as a second step, when the driver puts the vehicle in neutral gear, the gear neutral switch (20) is activated and if during the performance of this step the parking brake switch (50) has been activated, the buzzer (60) does not emit a warning noise;
- as a third step, when the driver leaves the driver seat, the driver seat switch (30) is activated and if during the performance of this step the parking brake switch (50) has not been activated, the buzzer (60) starts emitting a warning noise;
- as a fourth step, when the driver leaves the driver seat, the driver seat switch (30) is activated and if during the performance of this step the parking brake switch (50) has been activated, the buzzer (60) does not emit a warning noise;
- as a fifth step, when the driver turns the vehicle ‘OFF’, the ignition switch (40) is activated and if during the performance of this step the parking brake switch (50) is not activated, the buzzer (60) starts emitting a warning noise; and
- as a sixth step, when the driver turns the vehicle ‘OFF’, the ignition switch (40) is activated and if during the performance of this step the parking brake switch (50) is activated, the buzzer (60) does not emit a warning noise.
7. The method of operation of the parking brake alert system (100) as claimed in the claim 5, wherein, steps one to six can be executed non-sequentially.
8. The method of operation of the parking brake alert system (100) as claimed in the claim 5, wherein, when the step one has been executed subsequent execution of step two stops the emission of warning noise from the buzzer (60).
9. The method of operation of the parking brake alert system (100) as claimed in the claim 5, wherein, when the step three has been executed subsequent execution of step four stops the emission of warning noise from the buzzer (60).
10. The method of operation of the parking brake alert system (100) as claimed in the claim 5, wherein, when the step five has been executed subsequent execution of step six stops the emission of warning noise from the buzzer (60).

Dated 14th day of January 2025

VIDIT CHOUBEY
(IN P/A 5566)
AGENT FOR THE APPLICANT(S)

To,
The Controller of Patents,
The Patent Office, at Mumbai