Brakes – Wheel – Axially movable brake element or housing therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-07
2001-02-06
Butler, Douglas C. (Department: 3613)
Brakes
Wheel
Axially movable brake element or housing therefor
C188S26400E, C188S26400E, C188S072700, C188S01800A
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182800
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brake device in a buggy vehicle used mainly for traveling on an unleveled ground, and particularly, to a brake device for braking rear wheels in a buggy vehicle including a power unit, a propelling shaft connected to an output shaft of the power unit and extending longitudinally of the vehicle, a rear axle extending laterally of the vehicle, a reduction device which connects the propelling shaft and the rear axle to each other to reduce and transmit a power from the former to the latter, and a pair of left and right rear wheels each of which has a lower-pressure tire and which are mounted at opposite ends of the rear axle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In such buggy vehicle, it is especially required that the level of the brake device above the ground be set at as large a value as possible. so that a protrusion on the ground surface does not interfere with the brake device for the rear wheels during traveling of the vehicle on the unleveled ground. To meet such a requirement, a disk brake device has conventionally been proposed which includes a disk rotor secured to a propelling shaft for driving a rear axle at a reduced speed, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.60-163752. Such a brake device has an advantage that the torque transmitted to the propelling shaft is smaller than the torque applied to the axle and hence, the brake torque may be also relatively small and thus, it is possible to reduce the diameter of the disk rotor and to set the level of the brake device above the ground at a large value.
However, even though, the disk rotor mounted on the propelling shaft can be reduced in diameter, the whole brake torque must be produced by the single disk rotor and hence, there is a certain limit to the reduction in diameter. A disk brake having the disk rotor mounted on the propelling shaft is located at a position behind the power unit where it is hardly exposed to the wind produced by traveling of the vehicle. Therefore, a cooling property provided by the travel wind is far from an ideal level. Especially, if the disk brake is housed in a brake housing to prevent entering of the earth and sand, muddy water or the like, the reduction in cooling property of the brake device is inevitable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a brake device in a buggy vehicle of the above-described type, wherein even if the diameter of the brake device is reduced to further raise the level of the brake device above the ground, a sufficient braking force can be exhibited to reliably brake the rear wheels. It is a second object of the present invention to provide a brake device in a buggy vehicle of the above-described type, wherein the cooling property is improved, while achieving the above first object.
To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect and feature of the present invention, there is provided a brake device for a buggy vehicle including a power unit, a propelling shaft connected to an output shaft of the power unit and extending longitudinally of the vehicle, a rear axle extending laterally of the vehicle, a reduction device which connects the propelling shaft and the rear axle to each other to reduce and transmit a power from the propelling shaft to the rear axle, and a pair of left and right rear wheels which each have a lower-pressure tire and which are mounted at opposite ends of the rear axle, the brake device comprising a plurality of rotatable friction brake plates which are axially slidably and relatively non-rotatably coupled to the propelling shaft or a transmitting shaft rotated with the propelling shaft, a plurality of stationary friction brake plates alternately superposed with the rotatable friction brake plates, a non-rotatable brake housing which houses said pluralities of the rotatable and stationary friction brake plates therein and which supports the stationary friction brake plates for axial sliding movement and against rotation, a pressure-receiving portion provided in the brake housing to carry one of opposite sides of said pluralities of the rotatable and stationary friction brake plates, and an operating means capable of urging the other side of said pluralities of the rotatable and stationary friction brake plates against the pressure receiving portion.
With the first feature, the rear wheels can be braked through the propelling shaft, the reduction device, and the rear axle by operating the operating means to urge the rotatable and stationary friction brake plates against the pressure receiving portion. In this case, the brake torque applied to the propelling shaft is smaller than that applied to the axle as described above, and hence, the load of the brake device is relatively small and moreover, the brake torque is born substantially equally by the pluralities of rotatable and stationary friction brake plates. Therefore, the load of each of the friction brake plates is further alleviated and as a result, a reduction in diameter of the rotatable and stationary friction brake plates and in its turn, a reduction in diameter of the entire brake device is achieved, whereby the level of the brake device above the ground can be considerably raised. Therefore, it is possible for the buggy vehicle to easily travel on an unleveled ground without interference of the brake device with a large protrusion on the ground surface.
To achieve the second object, according to a second aspect and feature of the present invention, in addition to the first feature, the brake housing is connected to a reduction case in which the reduction device is housed, the reduction case and the brake housing being placed into communication with each other, so that lubricating oil stored in the reduction case is circulated between the reduction case and the brake housing by operation of the reduction device.
With the second feature, the inside of the brake device is lubricated and cooled by circulation of the lubricating oil between the reduction case and the brake housing, whereby the durability and cooling property of the brake device can be enhanced.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4667760 (1987-05-01), Takimoto
patent: 4719819 (1988-01-01), Tsutsumikishi et al.
patent: 4719984 (1988-01-01), Watanabe
patent: 5016742 (1991-05-01), Peier
patent: 5485904 (1996-01-01), Organek et al.
patent: 5775457 (1998-07-01), Handa et al.
patent: 5819883 (1998-10-01), Organek et al.
patent: 5896776 (1999-04-01), Handa et al.
patent: 60-163752 (1985-08-01), None
patent: 1-28251 (1989-06-01), None
patent: 411029013 (1999-02-01), None
Abe Tsuyoshi
Mochizuki Kikuo
Ohno Akikazu
Satou Shinji
Arent Fox Kinter Plotkin & Kahn PLLC
Butler Douglas C.
Shin Nippon Wheel Industries Co., Ltd.
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