Abstract:
A fluid cooled drum brake system (10) comprises a drum (12) having an inner circumferential surface (14) to which is attached a layer of friction material. Two sets of brake shoes (18a, 18b) are rotationally fixed within the drum (12). Each shoe (18a, 18b) has an outer surface which forms a braking surface (20) facing the friction material, a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a number of fluid flow paths in fluid communication between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, and extending beneath the braking surface (20). A pair of double acting hydraulic piston (28) applies force to the brake shoes (18a, 18b) to urge their respective braking surfaces (20) against the friction material. A cooling fluid circulates through the fluid flow paths to extract heat from the shoes (18a, 18b) and the braking system (10).
Abstract:
The brake housing (12) comprises a first portion (14), a second portion (16), and a demountably coupled cylinder block (18). The first and second portions (14, 16) comprise respective openings (40, 68) through which a rotating component passes. The portions (14) and (16) are coupled together to define an internal space about a portion of the rotating body. One or more cylinder blocks (18) are formed separately of the first and second portions (14, 16) and directly demountably coupled to the first or second portions. Each cylinder block (18) is provided with a first surface (28) that faces the portion (14, 16) to which the cylinder block is coupled. Each block (18) is also provided with one or more cavities (20) that open onto an opposite surface (22) of the cylinder blocks (18) for receiving respective pistons (24). The blocks (18) can be fixed at any location inside the housing (12) to meet the requirements of the associated brake assembly at hand.
Abstract:
Fluid cooled wet brake system (10) comprises a sealed housing (12) containing a volume of lubricating oil, a disc (14) disposed in the housing (12) and adapted for fixing to a rotating body such as a wheel hub (16), and one or more stators (24). The stators (24) are rotationally fixed but slidably mounted within the housing (12) and can be pushed into contact with respective braking surfaces (26) of the discs by conventional brake pistons (34). The stators are provided with a fluid inlet (28), a fluid outlet (30) and one or more fluid flow paths (32) extending between the inlet (28) and the outlet (30) through which a cooling fluid flows.
Abstract:
A housing (10) for a braking system (56) comprises a casing (12) defining a cavity (14) for housing one or more friction pads (15). The casing (12) is composed of a plurality of separate walls including a circumferential wall (16), back wall (18), and a front wall (20). The circumferential wall (16) is provided with an internal fluid flow path (36) and a fluid inlet (38) and fluid outlet (40) which communicate with the fluid flow path (36). When a supply (45) of fluid is connected with the fluid inlet (38) and outlet (40) via a fluid circuit (43), fluid is circulated through the fluid flow path (36) to cool the housing (10).
Abstract:
A hydraulic brake system (10) for operating service brakes (12, 14) and (16) is provided with first and second master cylinders (20, 22) which feed into input ports (26) and (28) of a valve (24). Dupli cate hydraulic circuits (30) and (34) are coupled with respective output ports (32) and (36) of the valve (24). Each of the hydraulic circuits (30) and (34) also includes a common circuit po rtion comprising a selective valve (44) and common line (42) leading to brake (16). The system (10) also includes hand brake (18) which is electrically deployed and manually released. A controller (52) controls operation of the system (10) to switch between master cylinders (20) and (22), and hydraulic circuits (30) and (34), depending on sensed fluid pressure. In the event of switching both master cylinders (20) and (22) to one of the hydraulic circuits (30) or (34), and a controller continuing to sense low fluid pressure, the common circuit is isolated. In the event of a sensed complete hydraulic failure, the controller (52) automatically deploys the park brake (18).
Abstract:
A drum brake system (10) with an integrated park brake comprises a brake drum (12), brake shoes (14) and hydraulic pistons (16) for moving the brake shoes (14) into contact with an inner circumferential surface (20) of the drum (12). A park brake (36) is incorporated in the system (10) and comprises electrically operated pins (38) having tapered heads that are selectively engaged with and disengaged from the brake shoes (14). When the hydraulic pistons (16) are operated to push the brake shoes (14) into contact with the drum (12) to provide a service brake effect, the park brake (36) can be deployed whereby the pins (38) engage the brake shoes (14) to hold them against the drum (12) after release of the pistons (16), to provide a park brake. The pins (38) are selectively engaged with and disengaged from the shoes by action of corresponding solenoids (40).
Abstract:
An energy converting brake system (10) comprises a brake (12) comprising a cooling circuit (18) through which a brake cooling fluid flows. The cooling fluid is passed through heat exchanger (22) which also includes a thermoelectric conversion device (26). Heat from the cooling fluid is dissipated in the heat exchanger (22) through the thermoelectric conversion device (26), which in turn generates an electric current. The electric current can be stored in a storage device (28).
Abstract:
A brake actuator includes an annular housing (10b) having first and second opposite radial faces (A and B). Cavities are formed in the housing (10b), some opening onto face (A) and some onto radial face (B). Two pistons (16) are disposed in each of the cavities and are movable under the influence of fluid pressure exerted from within the respective cavities to a braking position where the pistons (16) extend axially away from the cavity. The piston (16) bear against a backing plate of respective brake pads (68) forcing the brake pads (68) against brake discs (54 and 56). By providing cavities on both faces (A and B) of the housing (10b), an actuator can simultaneously apply brake pads to two spaced apart rotating discs (54 and 56). A plurality of actuators can be coupled together to act on a plurality of axially spaced apart brake discs to form a multi-pad multi-brake system.
Abstract:
A park brake (14) is incorporated into a housing (10) of a disc brake system (12). The housing (10) is in the form of an annular ring having a plurality of cavities (16) for housing service brake pistons which act on brake pads (18) to selectively force the brake pads (18) onto a brake disc to produce a surface brake effect. The park brake (14) includes an actuator (23) supported by the housing (10) which is switchable between an applied state where it forces the brake pad (18) into contact with the brake disc of the system (10) independent of the action of the service brake pistons to produce a park brake effect, and a released state where the actuator (23) allows the brake pad (18) to become disengaged from the brake disc. The actuator (23) includes a hydraulically operated park brake piston (27) having a rod (24) extending therefrom. The rod (24) is slidably retained within a hole (26) formed in the housing (10) and is arranged to abut or otherwise apply force to the brake pad (18). When fluid pressure is applied to the pad brake piston (27) it retracts the rod (27) into the housing (10) releasing the park brake (14). In the absences of the application of fluid pressure, a spring (34) of the actuator (23) operates to switch the actuator (23) to an applied state where the rod (24) pushes on the pad (18) forcing it into contact with the brake disc thereby providing the park brake effect.
Abstract:
A heat shield (10) for a brake piston (12) comprises a ring (14) made of a thermal insulating material. The ring (14) includes a radially inner circumferential wall (20), a radially outer circumferential wall (22), and at one axial end (24), a planar annular shield surface (26) that extends between the inner wall (20) and outer wall (22). A bead (28) extends radially inward from an inside surface of wall (20). The bead (28) sits within a groove (30) formed about the outer circumferential wall (16) of the piston (12) to effectively couple the ring (14) to the piston (12). When so coupled, the planar annular shield surface (26) is co-planar with an annular piston surface (52) formed at an open end (18) of the piston (12).