Brakes – Operators – Spring
Reexamination Certificate
1997-04-14
2002-04-23
Rodriguez, Pam (Department: 3613)
Brakes
Operators
Spring
C188S068000, C192S01800B
Reexamination Certificate
active
06374963
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a mechanical braking apparatus for use in retarding moving bodies.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Generally brakes, whether powered mechanically, electromagnetically, or by electromagnetic hydraulic devices, all require rather complicated, energy-consumable power producers. For instance, presently, brakes that are normally closed demand an additional power producer to deliver an external force to relieve them. Citing another example, the electromagnetic clutched brake has a normally closed state that uses spring force for braking and retarding a body. But when the body has to run or rotate, an electromagnet must be energized to produce electromagnetic force against the spring force to relieve the normally closed brake.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,783,861 discloses a drive-released brake, wherein the connecting mechanism is out of the transmission chain. More particularly, when the drive shaft
11
rotates the driven shaft
12
against a resisting load, the driven member
17
and the floating brake member
22
are each brought into a neutral or aligned position by the arm
16
. Also, adjacent to the driven member
17
is a floating brake member
22
formed with a plurality of peripheral notches
23
. The driven member
17
and the floating brake member
22
are each formed with three equal-spaced opposed radially extending V-shaped depressions, arranged so that they will be directly aligned. The brake and the release, as well as the power/torque transmission, are directly realized. Braking or relief of the braking, associated with the driving member
14
against the driven member
17
, needs a driving power source. This structure evidently is rigidly connected, rather than elastically connected, wherein a ball retainer
29
and an antifriction ball bearing
28
, and the above-mentioned V-shaped inclined ramps
26
and
27
, only play a role in increasing power and do not take part in the power/torque transmission.
On Apr. 26, 1989, the Gazette of Patent for Chinese Invention disclosed a patent having application number 87102097, entitled “Braking apparatus employing the brake force transformed from the inertial force”. In this patent, the braking apparatus comprises an additional power producer, a servo mechanism, brake mechanism, and reinforcement mechanism. The main external braking force is converted from the inertial force of the moving body, resulting in retarding the body. This apparatus has the features of short braking time, fast release, and working reliability. However, an additional power producer is still required to provide a brake operating force in its normal kinematics state, and a certain amount of energy must be consumed in the operation of the additional power producer.
In view of the previous facts, the invention is the further development of, and a major improvement over, current technology, including the aforesaid patent. The invention proposed is an apparatus having a compact structure, that achieves braking or the release of braking without additional power in its normal operation, or static, state.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that can apply braking or the release of braking by using the relative movement between the driving member and the driven member that emerges after the time that the driving member and driven member start and end their transmission.
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that achieves braking or the release of braking by employing the concave-convex mating surface of the connecting mechanism between the driving member and the driven member.
CONTENT OF THE INVENTION
First, in order to illustrate the content of the invention concisely, and for convenience, the implications of certain terminology in the invention description, “driving member”, “driven member”, “a first direction movement”, “a second direction movement”, etc., are shown as follows.
“Driving member” and “driven member”: The driving member and driven member are not key structural elements of the brake invention, but they are the members used to connect the brake invention to the apparatus applying the brake invention. Regarding its relation to transmission, the driving member is located at the driving end, and the driven member is located at the driven end.
“A first direction movement”: This indicates the common movement carried out by the driving member when bringing the driven member into action, and also demonstrates the common movement made by the driving member and acting block. It also indicates the common movement carried out by the driven member and driving block. A first direction movement is called common movement for short.
“A second direction relative displacement”: This indicates the relative displacement made by the driving block or braking part relative to the friction surface on the fixed seat, or the relative displacement of the fitting or disengaging movement relative to the driven member or acting block, i.e., the relative movement or displacement when realizing braking or relieving braking. Therefore, a second direction relative displacement is also presented as the relative displacement of the fitting or disengaging movement.
The invention relates to a brake that comprises the connecting mechanism, enabling the driving member to bring the driven member into their common movement (i.e. movement taken along a first direction), a fixed seat having a friction surface, and a braking part which may engage or disengage the friction surface on the fixed seat, thereby achieving braking or the relief of braking for the driven member. According to the invention, the connecting mechanism is installed between the driving member and the driven member, and comprises a force switching mechanism. The force switching mechanism comprises an acting block, which may carry out a common movement (i.e. a first direction movement) with the driving member, and enables the braking part to produce relative displacement (i.e. a second direction relative displacement) by engaging or disengaging movement.
The acting block and driven block have a mating structure enabling relative movement when the driving member acquires active force or loses active force. The mating structure causes the driving block to have relative displacement (i.e. a second direction relative displacement) causing engaging or disengaging movement relative to the driven member, thereby realizing braking or relieving braking for the driven member.
The connecting mechanism also comprises a limiting mechanism in use for restricting the distance of relative motion between the acting block and driving block, when the braking or relief of braking is accomplished, the limiting mechanism ensuring that the driving member brings the driven member into their common movement (i.e. a first direction movement).
Also, in the brake, the movement taken along a first direction may be rotation.
Also, in the brake, the limiting mechanism can comprise a spring holding down the acting block, to ensure that after relative movement of the acting block and the driving block, they have adequate coactive force to carry out joint movement.
Also, in the brake, the limiting mechanism can comprise: A disc part connected to the driving member, wherein the disc part is installed with many pin shafts outside its center; and a disc part on the driven member, corresponding to the position of the pin shaft, wherein many long holes are installed along a circular arc direction on the disc part of the driven member, the pin shaft being movable relative to the long hole herein and finally suppressed to contact a certain end of the long hole.
Also, in the brake, the driving member and driven member may be installed up and down, the limiting mechanism comprising a disc part connected with the driving member, wherein many pin shafts are installed outside the center of the disc part, and a disc part connected with the driven member, corresponding to the position of the pin shaft, wherein many long holes are arranged in the circular arc direction on the disc part conne
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