192 clutches and power-stop control – Transmission and brake – Motor vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-22
2001-12-25
Lorence, Richard M. (Department: 3681)
192 clutches and power-stop control
Transmission and brake
Motor vehicle
C074S411500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332523
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a parking brake for an axle assembly and more particularly to a parking brake mechanism to brake an input shaft in an axle assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Parking brakes are well known in the art and many different arrangements have been proposed. In vehicles having rear drum brakes, an auxiliary actuator is employed to move the brake shoes in contact with the brake drum to provide parking brake force. It is also known to provide redundant braking arrangement which brake each of a drive axle adjacent the wheel end of the vehicle. Such is often the case for vehicles employing rear disc brakes. Other alternatives require complex systems to auxiliary implement the hydraulically actuated disc brake device. However, there are advantages to eliminating the need to provide a parking brake in the wheel ends.
It is also known to provide a brake torque band circumscribing a drive shaft to provide a braking force/differential lock in a power shift transmission. However, these systems do not disclose a brake arrangement to brake an input shaft in an axle assembly. Furthermore, the prior art devices require more complicated remote actuating mechanisms and a larger displacement of the actuator to obtain sufficient braking forced. Moreover, the prior art devices do not provide an adequate positive braking arrangement for an input shaft in an axle assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a parking brake for an axle assembly that is superior to the related art. The present invention is directed to a brake mechanism for braking an axle shaft rotatably supported within an axle housing. A pair of arcuate brake pads are pivotally pinned within the axle housing such that each of the arcuate brake pads can pivot from a brake position engaging the axle shaft and a free position allowing the axle shaft to rotate freely. The arcuate brake pads are spring biased to the free position allowing axle rotation. A simply pulley system is arranged within the axle housing to allow remote actuation of the arcuate brake pads forcing the brake pads into the brake position to frictionally engage the axle shaft thereby providing a braking force. The axle shaft may be splined to engage a corresponding reverse spline profile formed on the inner surface of the arcuate brake pads to provide a positive braking force to lock the shaft preventing rotation. The brake arrangement is preferably employed to brake an input shaft in a differential assembly or in any drive shaft of a transfer case.
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Elwood Paul D.
Swardson Eric W.
Liniak, Berenato, Longarce & White
Lorence Richard M.
Spicer Technologies, Inc.
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