Brakes – Operators – Electric
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-09
2001-01-16
Graham, Matthew C. (Department: 3613)
Brakes
Operators
Electric
C188S071800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173820
ABSTRACT:
PRIOR ART
The invention relates to a apparatus for a vehicle.
One such brake apparatus is known from German Patent Disclosure DE 42 29 042 A1. It has an electric motor which via toothed gearing drives a spindle of a spindle drive to rotate; the spindle drive converts the rotating driving motion into a linear motion for pressing a brake lining against a brake disk, as the brake body. The known brake apparatus also has an emergency actuating device, with which the brake apparatus can be actuated if its electric motor fails. The known brake apparatus has the disadvantage of lacking any capability of readjusting an air clearance between the brake lining and the brake disk as the brake lining becomes increasingly worn. As a consequence, the actuation travel and thus also the time that elapses from when the braking operation is set into motion until the brake grips, become longer with increasing wear of the brake lining. Another disadvantage of the known brake apparatus is that because of the construction of its emergency actuating device, the brake apparatus cannot be released if its electric motor, or its power supply, should fail while the brake is actuated.
From European Patent Disclosure EP 0 246 770 A3, a brake actuating device for a railroad brake is known. It has a first electric motor that drives a first spindle drive, whose spindle is intended to press a brake shoe against a railroad carriage wheel. The first electric motor with the first spindle drive serve to overcome the air clearance. The known brake actuating device also has a second electric motor for driving a second spindle drive, whose spindle nut, with a long lever arm, engages a single-armed lever braced against the frame. With a short lever arm, the lever engages the first spindle drive, so that the entire first spindle drive can be displaced with great force via the lever. This displacement motion serves to bring to bear a braking force.
The known brake actuating device has the disadvantage of not being embodied for readjusting the air clearance. It has the further disadvantage that if its first electric motor fails, the air clearance can no longer be overcome, and thus no further braking action is attainable. Still another disadvantage of the known brake actuating device is that if its second electric motor fails, only minimal braking force can then be brought to bear with the first electric motor, and that it can be released with the first electric motor only if this first electric motor is substantially large in its dimensions.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
The brake apparatus of the invention having the characteristics of claim
1
has a readjuster with an electric readjusting motor, with which an intended air clearance between the brake lining and brake body can be set while the brake apparatus is released. In this way, a constant air clearance, which independent of brake lining wear, and thus a constant actuation travel of the brake apparatus are assured. Still another advantage of the brake apparatus at the invention is that in the event of failure of its actuating device, it can be released with the readjuster. The term “failure” means a failure of the actuating motor or of its power supply, or a mechanical defect of the actuating device that blocks it. In addition, the invention has the advantage that with the readjusting motor and the readjuster, in the event of failure of the actuating device, a brake force can be generated and the vehicle can be braked even if this brake force, depending on the design of the readjusting motor and of the readjuster, is less than a maximum braking force attainable with the actuating device.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4159754 (1979-07-01), Airheart et al.
patent: 4180146 (1979-12-01), Airheart
patent: 4476965 (1984-10-01), Brown, Jr. et al.
patent: 5769189 (1998-06-01), Heibel et al.
patent: 6012556 (2000-01-01), Blosch et al.
Blattert Dieter
Blosch Georg
Graham Matthew C.
Greigg Edwin E.
Greigg Ronald E.
Robert & Bosch GmbH
Talavera Melanie
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