A compact brake caliper unit housing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a compact brake caliper unit housing, belonging to the field of rail transit technology. The housing has a brake cylinder piston assembly mounting hole and a push rod assembly cavity connected to one end of the mounting hole; the outer end of the push rod assembly cavity is a side cover mounting surface inclined to the axis of the mounting hole, and the end of the mounting hole away from the push rod assembly cavity is an end cover mounting surface; one end of the side cover mounting surface has a push rod assembly hinge structure. After adopting the present invention, the positioning and movement accuracy of the push rod assembly can be fully guaranteed, and the adverse effects of vibration or looseness of the fastening connection between the housing and the brake cylinder side cover on the positioning and movement accuracy of the push rod assembly are eliminated; it effectively ensures the accurate and stable transmission of the clearance adjustment required for caliper braking, thereby ensuring the reliability of braking and the safety of operation. In addition, the brake cylinder side cover can be easily disassembled to check the movement of each component in the housing, which brings great convenience to inspection and maintenance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a brake caliper unit housing, in particular to a compact brake caliper unit housing, belonging to the technical field of rail transportation. Background Art

[0002] A compact brake caliper unit (or caliper unit) is typically installed beneath a rail vehicle bogie. Its typical structure can be found in Chinese patent applications Nos. 201120029779.1, 201220106387.5, and 201210075036.7. When a rail vehicle brakes to slow or stop, if the gap between the brake disc and pad exceeds a predetermined clearance range, the caliper unit uses the movement of a push rod assembly between the caliper housing and the lash adjuster to adjust the required lash. The detailed working principle of lash adjustment can be found in Chinese patent publications Nos. CN104260748A and CN207795925U.

[0003] As a key component of the compact brake caliper unit, the housing is not only the assembly carrier of the various components of the caliper unit, but its shape and structure also directly affect the braking reliability and maintenance convenience of the caliper unit.

[0004] The clamp unit and housing closest to this application are shown in Figures 1 to 3 The caliper unit primarily comprises a brake cylinder piston assembly 2, a push rod assembly 3, a transmission mechanism 4, a left lever assembly 5, and a right lever assembly 5', all mounted on a housing 1'. The left and right lever assemblies 5 and 5' are each equipped with a brake pad holder 6 at one end, and their other ends are connected to the ends of a lash adjuster 7. The housing 1' has a mounting hole 1.1 for the brake cylinder piston assembly 2 and a push rod assembly cavity 1.6 connected to one end of the mounting hole. A side cover mounting surface 1.7, at the outer end of push rod assembly cavity 1.6 and angled relative to the axis of mounting hole 1.1, is used to mount a box-shaped brake cylinder side cover 8'. An end cover mounting surface 1.8, at the end of mounting hole 1.1 away from push rod assembly cavity 1.6 and perpendicular to the axis of mounting hole 1.1, is used to mount a disc-shaped brake cylinder end cover 9'.

[0005] Because conventional compact caliper units all have the push rod assembly 3's hinge point located on the brake cylinder side cover 8', which is then bolted to the housing 1', manufacturing and assembly errors in the brake cylinder side cover directly affect the positional accuracy of the push rod assembly 3's hinge point relative to the housing, which in turn affects the push rod's movement accuracy. This results in an inability to accurately and reliably transmit the clearance adjustment required during actual rail vehicle braking, negatively impacting the braking reliability of the brake caliper unit and the safety of rail vehicle operation, while also making routine inspection and maintenance inconvenient.

[0006] In addition, the existing compact brake caliper unit weighs approximately 100 kg, which increases the unsprung mass burden and wheel-rail interaction force of the rail vehicle. The vibration, impact and wear between the rail vehicle and the rail system cannot be more effectively improved, seriously restricting the smoothness and comfort of the rail vehicle's travel and the reduction of operating costs.

[0007] Therefore, how to ensure accurate, stable and reliable clearance adjustment of the brake caliper unit and lightweight the unsprung structure of the rail vehicle by improving the caliper unit housing is of great significance for ensuring the safe operation of the rail vehicle, reducing wheel-rail wear and operating costs. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a compact brake caliper unit housing through structural improvement, which can lay the foundation for more stable and reliable transmission of clearance adjustment, thereby providing a fundamental guarantee for ensuring the reliable braking of the brake caliper unit and the safe operation of rail vehicles.

[0009] A further object of the present invention is to propose a lighter brake caliper unit housing by optimizing the structural design while maintaining the original function and ensuring strength and rigidity, so as to effectively reduce the unsprung mass of the rail vehicle, reduce wheel-rail wear and operating costs.

[0010] In order to achieve the above primary purpose, the basic technical solution of the compact brake caliper unit housing of the present invention is as follows: having a brake cylinder piston assembly mounting hole and a push rod assembly cavity communicating with one end of the mounting hole;

[0011] The outer end of the push rod assembly cavity is a side cover mounting surface inclined to the axis of the mounting hole, and the end of the mounting hole away from the push rod assembly cavity is an end cover mounting surface;

[0012] The improvement lies in that one end of the side cover mounting surface is provided with a push rod assembly hinge structure.

[0013] Specifically, a boss with a vertical hinge hole extends outward from one end of the side cover mounting surface, forming a hinge structure for the push rod assembly. The boss is preferably located in the middle of the lower edge of the housing adjacent to the brake cylinder side cover. This allows the various components of the transmission mechanism to remain unchanged.

[0014] With the present invention, the push rod assembly, previously hinged on the brake cylinder side cover, is now hinged directly on the housing. This eliminates the impact of cumulative errors in the manufacturing and installation of the housing mounting surface and the brake cylinder side cover on the assembly accuracy of the push rod assembly. This fully ensures the positioning and movement accuracy of the push rod assembly, and eliminates the adverse effects of vibration or loosening of the fastening connection between the housing and the brake cylinder side cover on the positioning and movement accuracy of the push rod assembly. This effectively ensures the accurate and stable transmission of the clearance adjustment required during caliper braking, thereby ensuring braking reliability and operational safety. Furthermore, the brake cylinder side cover can be easily disassembled without affecting the function of the caliper to inspect the operation of the various components within the housing, greatly facilitating inspection and maintenance.

[0015] In order to achieve a further purpose, the end cover mounting surface and the vertical projection of the side cover mounting surface are inclined in opposite directions.

[0016] In this way, compared with the prior art, the present invention significantly reduces the weight of the shell due to the oblique cutting off of a piece, and the original function is not adversely affected. On the contrary, because the length of the mounting connector of the brake cylinder end cover is shortened as its mounting structure changes, the connection is more stable and reliable, which is conducive to the effective transmission of braking.

[0017] In addition, because the overall structure of the shell is a compact "V"-shaped structure with sharp corners cut off, the overall center of mass of the shell after carrying various internal and external parts is closer to the axis of the suspension, which is conducive to the adaptive resetting of the clamp unit from an off-center position, thereby improving the eccentric wear of the brake pads and improving the braking effect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments given in the accompanying drawings.

[0019] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a compact brake caliper unit of a housing in the prior art.

[0020] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional three-dimensional structure of the shell part.

[0021] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional decomposition structure of the assembly structure of the middle shell part.

[0022] Figure 4 It is a structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure.

[0024] Figure 6 It is adopted Figure 4Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a compact brake caliper unit according to an embodiment.

[0025] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional three-dimensional structure of the middle shell part.

[0026] Figure 8 yes Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional exploded structure of the assembly structure of the middle shell.

[0027] Figure 9 is with Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the brake cylinder side cover of the embodiment.

[0028] Figure 10 is with Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the brake cylinder end cover supporting the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Example 1

[0030] The compact brake caliper unit housing 1 of this embodiment is as shown in FIG. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, there is a mounting hole 1.1 for the brake cylinder piston assembly 2, a push rod assembly cavity 1.6 connected to one end of the mounting hole 1.1, a transmission mechanism assembly hole 1.5, a lever swivel pin assembly hole 1.2, and a horizontal hanging assembly hole 1.4. The axis of the mounting hole 1.1 is coaxial with the piston of the brake cylinder piston assembly 2, and the mounting hole 1.1 provides sufficient space for the brake cylinder piston assembly 2 to move laterally in the shell, and the movement of the piston is smoother. The axis of the mounting hole 1.1 is roughly arranged in the horizontal direction. The axes of the transmission mechanism assembly hole 1.5 and the lever swivel pin assembly hole 1.2 are respectively arranged in the vertical direction, and the axis of the horizontal hanging assembly hole 1.4 is roughly arranged in the longitudinal direction. The overall structure of the shell 1 is simple and compact, which makes the manufacturing and processing of the shell and the assembly of related parts inside and outside the shell more convenient, and the assembly process is good.

[0031] Specifically, one end of the shell 1 adjacent to the side cover mounting surface 1.7 has a transmission mechanism assembly hole 1.5 that vertically passes through the push rod assembly cavity 1.6. The upper and lower sections of the hole are large cylindrical sections that fix the two ends of the transmission mechanism. The transmission mechanism hinges the upper and lower levers of the left lever assembly 5 through the small cylindrical section outside the large cylindrical section. One end of the shell 1 adjacent to the end cover mounting surface 1.8 has a lever turn pin assembly hole 1.2 that passes through the mounting hole 1.1 of the brake cylinder piston assembly 2. The lower half of the lever turn pin is interference pressed into the lever turn pin assembly hole 1.2, and the protruding half is hinged to the upper and lower levers of the right lever assembly. Housing 1 has a raised portion located above the center. This raised portion is formed with a horizontal hanging assembly hole 1.4 with a spring leaf positioning surface 1.3. This hole, perpendicular to the axis of mounting hole 1.1 of brake cylinder piston assembly 2, is used to receive a hanging pin. When mated with a hanger, it is connected to the bogie. Nylon insulating bushings are press-fitted at both ends for insulation and wear resistance. Below horizontal hanging assembly hole 1.4, the raised portion has a transversely arranged lightening hole 1.9 that extends horizontally through the raised portion. The spring leaf positioning surface 1.3 is used to stack multiple spring leaves, which are fastened together via bolts.

[0032] The outer end of push rod assembly cavity 1.6 is formed by a side cover mounting surface 1.7, which is inclined at an angle of 40°-60°, preferably 50°, to the axis of mounting hole 1.1. The end of mounting hole 1.1, facing away from push rod assembly cavity 1.6, is formed by an end cover mounting surface 1.8, which is truncated at one corner relative to conventional methods. This end cover mounting surface 1.8 is inclined at an angle of 50°-75°, preferably 60°, to the axis of mounting hole 1.1. The vertical projections of end cover mounting surface 1.8 and side cover mounting surface 1.7 are in the opposite direction of inclination. Extending outward from the middle of the lower edge of side cover mounting surface 1.7 is a boss 1.1, which hinges the push rod assembly. Boss 1.1 is an outer arc-shaped cylindrical body with a vertical center hole. This allows push rod assembly 3, previously hinged to brake cylinder side cover 8, to be directly hinged to housing 1. This extended boss 1-1 is preferably cast integrally with the housing, but it can also be manufactured separately and then welded securely.

[0033] The compact brake caliper unit assembled with the housing of this embodiment is as follows Figure 6 As shown (see Figure 7 and Figure 8), a brake cylinder piston assembly 2 is installed in the housing 1, and a left lever assembly 5 and a right lever assembly 5' that can be opened and closed are hinged on both sides. The brake cylinder piston assembly 2 contains a cylinder sleeve 2-2 with a piston installed inside, as well as an O-ring 2-1 and a C-shaped retaining ring 2-3. It is connected to the left lever assembly 5 through a transmission mechanism 4. One end of the left lever assembly 5 and the right lever assembly 5' are respectively equipped with a brake pad holder 6 for placing the brake pad, and the other end is connected to the two ends of the clearance adjuster 7. The piston assembly 2 is connected to the clearance adjuster 7 through the push rod assembly 3. The two ends of the housing 1 containing the brake cylinder piston assembly 2 are respectively equipped with a brake cylinder side cover 8 and a brake cylinder end cover 9 fixed to the end of the cylinder sleeve 2-2 by means of a cylinder head bolt 9-1.

[0034] On the one hand, this ensures that the original transmission mechanism components remain unchanged during assembly. Since the brake cylinder piston assembly 2, transmission mechanism 4, and push rod assembly 3 are all located within the housing 1, their relative positions are precisely and stably maintained. This effectively overcomes the existing problem of dimensional links between the housing and the brake cylinder side cover, and between the brake cylinder side cover and the push rod assembly, in the dimensional chain for transmitting motion from the brake cylinder piston assembly 2 to the push rod assembly 3. This ensures the positioning and motion accuracy of the push rod assembly, eliminates the adverse effects of vibration or loosening of the fastening connection between the housing and the brake cylinder side cover on the push rod assembly, and achieves accurate and stable transmission of clearance adjustment, ensuring train operation safety and braking reliability. Furthermore, the housing 1 presents a compact, corner-cut "V"-shaped structure. Without compromising the service brake function, the shortened depth of the mounting hole 1.1 facilitates installation of the cylinder sleeve 2-2 and C-shaped retaining ring 2-3. The significantly shortened length of the cylinder head bolts 9-1 also enhances security and prevents vibration and loosening of components within the housing. This facilitates the stable and effective transmission of braking force and brake clearance.

[0035] In addition, because the overall structure of the shell is a compact "V"-shaped structure with sharp corners cut off, the overall center of mass of the shell after carrying various internal and external parts is closer to the central axis of the clamp suspension, which helps the clamp unit to achieve adaptive reset from an off-center position and is beneficial to improving the eccentric wear of the brake pad.

[0036] The side cover mounting surface 1.7 and the end cover mounting surface 1.8 of the housing 1 are used to mount the box-shaped brake cylinder side cover 8 and brake cylinder end cover 9, respectively. In this embodiment, the brake cylinder side cover 8 and brake cylinder end cover 9 are changed to thin-walled stamping parts. The brake cylinder side cover 8 is stamped from aluminum alloy or thin steel plate. Since one end of the housing 1 is provided with a boss, its structure is changed accordingly. Figure 9 As shown, the middle part of the lower edge of its mounting surface has a recess 8-1 that matches the shape of the boss 1-1. This not only adapts to the structural changes of the housing, but also allows the brake cylinder side cover 8 to be easily disassembled when necessary to check the operation of the various components in the housing 1. Compared with the prior art where the push rod assembly 3 must be disassembled to remove the brake cylinder side cover 8, this greatly facilitates inspection and maintenance.

[0037] The brake cylinder end cover 9 matched with the housing 1 of this embodiment is also made of aluminum alloy or thin steel plate stamping. The specific structure is as follows Figure 10 As shown, it has a concave structure and includes a flange edge 9-2 with a corresponding intersection angle with the housing brake cylinder end cover mounting surface, and the opposite ends of the flange edge 9-2 extend through arc transitions to form a horizontal support surface 9-3 and a vertical mounting surface 9-4 parallel and perpendicular to the axis of the brake cylinder piston assembly 2, respectively. The vertical mounting surface 9-4 is provided with a through hole 9-5 for the end cover bolt 9-1, and the horizontal support surface 9-3 and the vertical mounting surface 9-4 transition to each other in an arc shape, and the edges of the horizontal support surface 9-3 and the vertical mounting surface 9-4 smoothly transition to the flange edge 9-2 through a curved surface.

[0038] The result shows that the change in the shape of the housing and the improvement of the brake cylinder side cover and brake cylinder end cover significantly reduced the weight of the compact brake caliper unit, effectively reduced the unsprung mass burden of the vehicle, reduced the wheel-rail force, and was more conducive to the control stability, safety and comfort of rail vehicle driving.

[0039] Tests have shown that the housing of this embodiment and the compact brake caliper unit including the housing have the following outstanding advantages compared to the prior art:

[0040] 1) By using a boss extending outward from one end of the housing to hinge the push rod assembly, the positioning and movement accuracy of the push rod assembly are greatly improved, effectively ensuring the stable transmission of the brake clearance adjustment amount, thereby significantly improving the braking reliability of the compact brake caliper unit and ensuring the operational safety of rail vehicles;

[0041] 2) Since the brake cylinder side cover no longer supports the push rod assembly, it is very easy to disassemble without removing the push rod assembly and other related parts. This helps to observe the movement and coordination of various components inside the caliper housing on site, greatly facilitating the inspection and maintenance of the compact brake caliper unit.

[0042] 3) The "V-shaped" compact structure shell with sharp corners removed not only significantly reduces weight while ensuring the original performance, but also helps to reduce the impact, vibration and wear of rail vehicles on the wheel-rail system, which is beneficial to the vehicle's driving control safety, comfort and acceleration performance; it also helps the clamp unit to achieve adaptive reset from an off-center position, which is beneficial to improving the phenomenon of eccentric wear of the brake pad.

[0043] 4) The change in shape of both ends of the housing makes the cylinder head fastening structure more compact, which is conducive to more reliable fastening of the brake caliper unit and prevents loosening due to vibration, thereby improving the reliability and safety of the brake caliper unit.

[0044] 5) The housing of the present application is applicable not only to axle-mounted brake caliper units but also to wheel-mounted brake caliper units, and has wide applicability.

[0045] In addition to the above-described embodiments, the present invention may also have other implementations. For example, a diaphragm cylinder (essentially a brake cylinder piston assembly with an additional diaphragm) may be installed in the housing mounting hole of this embodiment to replace the brake cylinder piston assembly. Any technical solution resulting from equivalent replacement or equivalent transformation falls within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A compact brake caliper unit housing having a brake cylinder piston assembly (2) mounting hole (1.1) and a push rod assembly cavity (1.6) communicating with one end of the mounting hole (1.1); The outer end of the push rod assembly cavity (1.6) is a side cover mounting surface (1.7) inclined to the axis of the mounting hole (1.1), and the end of the mounting hole (1.1) away from the push rod assembly cavity (1.6) is an end cover mounting surface; Its characteristics are: One end of the side cover mounting surface (1.7) of the housing has a push rod assembly hinge structure; A boss with a vertical hinge hole extends outward from one end of the side cover mounting surface to form a hinge structure of the push rod assembly; The boss is located at the middle of the lower edge of one end of the housing adjacent to the brake cylinder side cover; The end cover mounting surface and the vertical projection of the side cover mounting surface are inclined in opposite directions.

2. The compact brake caliper unit housing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side cover mounting surface is inclined at 40°-60° to the axis of the mounting hole, and the end cover mounting surface is inclined at 50°-75° to the axis of the mounting hole.

3. The compact brake caliper unit housing according to claim 2, characterized in that: The axis of the mounting hole is coaxial with the piston of the brake cylinder piston assembly.

4. The compact brake caliper unit housing according to claim 1, characterized in that: A raised portion is provided above the middle portion of the shell, and a horizontal hanging assembly hole is formed on the raised portion for passing a hanging pin shaft and being connected to the bogie after being matched with a hanger.

5. The compact brake caliper unit housing according to claim 4, characterized in that: The outer portion of the horizontal hanging assembly hole is provided with a spring sheet positioning plane for stacking and fastening the spring sheets.

6. The compact brake caliper unit housing according to claim 5, characterized in that: The horizontal hanging assembly hole is perpendicular to the axial direction of the brake cylinder piston assembly mounting hole.

7. The compact brake caliper unit housing according to claim 4, characterized in that: The raised portion has a weight-reducing hole arranged transversely below the horizontal hanging assembly hole.

Images