Intermediate piece and method for mounting a brake disc cooperating with an eddy current brake on a shaft

Abstract

The present invention relates to an intermediate piece (20) for a brake disc (22) interacting with an eddy current brake, wherein the intermediate piece (20) can be arranged or is arranged between the brake disc (22) and a shaft (24) on which the brake disc (22) is or can be mounted, in such a way that a braking force exerted on the brake disc (22) by means of the eddy current brake can be transferred to the shaft (24) via a mechanical contact of the brake disc (22) with the intermediate piece (20) and via a mechanical contact of the intermediate piece (20) with the shaft (24) and / or with a shaft flange formed on or fastened to the shaft (24), while a heat energy transfer from the brake disc (22) to the shaft (24) is reduced by means of the intermediate piece (20).The invention also relates to a brake disc (22) for an eddy current brake, a shaft (24) to which a brake disc (22) interacting with an eddy current brake can be mounted, and an eddy current brake system. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for mounting a brake disc (22) interacting with an eddy current brake on a shaft (24).

Description

The present invention relates to an intermediate piece for a brake disc cooperating with an eddy current brake. The invention also relates to a brake disc for an eddy current brake, to a shaft to which a brake disc cooperating with an eddy current brake can be mounted, and to an eddy current brake system. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for mounting a brake disk cooperating with an eddy current brake on a shaft.Prior ArtFIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an eddy current brake, a brake disc interacting therewith and a shaft fitted with the brake disc for explaining a conventional procedure for mounting the brake disc on the shaft, which is known to the applicant as the internal prior art.According to the conventional procedure, the brake disk 12 interacting with the schematically depicted eddy current brake 10 is fastened with a disk thickness d 0 on a shaft 16 held by means of at least one bearing 14 in such a way that a braking force exerted by means of the eddy current brake 10 on the brake disk 12 is transmitted to the shaft 16 via a mechanical contact of the brake disk 12 with the shaft 16. As is schematically shown by means of a block 18 in FIG. 1, in addition to a traction machine, at least one wheel is also mechanically linked to the shaft 16 via a transmission in such a way that the at least one mechanically linked wheel is braked by means of the braking force transmitted to the shaft 16.Disclosure of the InventionThe present invention provides an intermediate piece for a brake disc interacting with an eddy current brake having the features of claim 1, a brake disc for an eddy current brake having the features of claim 9, a shaft on which a brake disc interacting with an eddy current brake can be mounted, having the features of claim 10, an eddy current brake system having the features of claim 11 and a method for mounting a brake disc interacting with an eddy current brake on a shaft having the features of claim 12.Advantages of the InventionThe present invention provides advantageous possibilities for limiting the heat flow between a brake disk interacting with an eddy current brake and the associated shaft on which the respective brake disk is mounted. The present invention thus enables a thermal decoupling of the shaft from the brake disc mounted thereon and frequently heated up strongly during operation of the eddy current brake. Since eddy current brakes are generally used as central brakes on the vehicle / motor vehicle equipped therewith, heat-sensitive parts of the vehicle / motor vehicle are often at a relatively small distance from the shaft on which the brake disk interacting with the respective eddy current brake is mounted. By means of the thermal decoupling of the shaft from the brake disc mounted thereon, therefore, undesired damage to the respective heat-sensitive parts can be prevented. In particular, at least one bearing, by means of which the respective shaft is held, can be well protected by means of the thermal decoupling realized by the present invention. The present invention thus contributes to the fact that cost-effective components can furthermore be used relatively close to the shaft on which the brake disc interacting with the eddy current brake is mounted. In addition, when using the present invention, repair costs that otherwise arise are dispensed with in order to repair or replace heat-sensitive parts of the vehicle / motor vehicle that are damaged by the heat energy transmitted from the brake disk to the shaft in the conventional manner.The present invention also contributes to the possibility that an eddy current brake may be used more frequently in a vehicle / motor vehicle, where it may replace two or more conventional brakes. Furthermore, the present invention contributes to the fact that the compact design of the eddy current brake can be used without the undesirable damage to heat-sensitive parts of the vehicle / motor vehicle equipped with the eddy current brake being acceptable for this purpose.The terms "brake disk" and "shaft" used below can be understood in particular as meaning an "eddy current brake brake disk" and an "eddy current brake shaft". Preferably, the brake disc is exclusively designed for cooperation with an eddy current brake, while the brake disc does not have any suitability for joint operation with another conventional type of brake.In an advantageous embodiment, the intermediate piece is formed completely from at least one intermediate piece material, the respective thermal conductivity of which is less than or equal to 20 W / (m*K). The at least one "poorly thermally conductive" intermediate piece material thus brings about an effective heat flow limitation from the brake disk to the shaft.For example, the respective thermal conductivity of the at least one intermediate piece material from which the intermediate piece is completely formed can be less than or equal to 10 W / (m*K). In particular, the respective thermal conductivity of the at least one intermediate piece material from which the intermediate piece is completely formed can be less than or equal to 5 W / (m*K). In all the cases listed here, by means of the intermediate piece, good thermal decoupling of the shaft, on which the brake disc interacting with the eddy current brake is mounted, from the brake disc, which is frequently greatly heated during operation of the eddy current brake, is realized.The intermediate piece is preferably formed completely from a stainless steel alloy, a titanium alloy, a glass and / or a ceramic. All materials listed here are well suited for limiting the heat flow.In a cost-effective embodiment, the intermediate piece has a shaft fastening opening with an internal thread. The shaft can thus be screwed to the intermediate piece in a simple manner.Alternatively or additionally, the intermediate piece can also have an external thread. A fastening of the intermediate piece to the brake disc interacting with the eddy current brake is thus possible by means of a simple screwing of the intermediate piece to the brake disc.In a further advantageous embodiment, the intermediate piece has at least one continuous screw opening in such a way that the brake disc can be screwed firmly to the shaft flange formed or fastened on the shaft by means of at least one screw extending through the associated screw opening. This also facilitates mounting of the brake disk interacting with the eddy current brake on the shaft such that the intermediate piece is arranged between the brake disk and the shaft.The advantages described above are also realized in a brake disc for an eddy current brake, which can be mounted on a shaft and is formed with such an intermediate piece.Likewise, a shaft on which a brake disk interacting with an eddy current brake can be mounted and which is equipped with a corresponding intermediate piece ensures the advantages explained above.In addition, the advantages are ensured in an eddy current brake system having an eddy current brake, a brake disc interacting with the eddy current brake, a shaft on which the brake disc is mounted, and such an intermediate piece.Furthermore, carrying out a corresponding method for mounting a brake disk interacting with an eddy current brake on a shaft also creates the advantages explained above. It is expressly pointed out that the method can be further developed according to the embodiments of the intermediate piece explained above.Brief Description of the DrawingsFurther features and advantages of the present invention are explained below with reference to the figures. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an eddy current brake, a brake disc interacting therewith and a shaft fitted with the brake disc for explaining a conventional procedure for mounting the brake disc on the shaft; FIGS. 2 aand 2 b are schematic representations of a first embodiment of the intermediate piece; and FIGS. 3 aand 3 b are schematic representations of a second embodiment of the intermediate piece.Embodiments of the InventionFIGS. 2 aand 2 b show schematic representations of a first embodiment of the intermediate piece.The intermediate piece 20 schematically represented in FIGS. 2 aand 2 bis suitable for use together with a brake disc 22 and a shaft 24 on which the brake disc 22 is mounted. However, it is pointed out here that the mounting of the brake disk 22 on the shaft 24 is not to be understood as meaning a "direct connection" of the brake disk 22 to the shaft 24. Instead, by means of the mounting of the brake disc 22 on the shaft 24 carried out using the intermediate piece 20, a mechanical contact of the brake disc 12 with the shaft 16 is prevented / prevented.It is also pointed out that the brake disk 22 is understood to mean a brake disk 22 interacting with an Electronically Controlled Brake (ECB) (not shown). Specifically, the eddy current brake may be a high-speed eddy current brake that operates directly on the shaft 24 of an electric machine of a vehicle / motor vehicle equipped therewith. However, it is pointed out that a usability of the intermediate piece 20 described below together with the eddy current brake (not shown) is not limited to a specific attachment position of the eddy current brake to the vehicle / motor vehicle. For example, it is also possible to position the eddy current brake in or on a transmission of the vehicle / motor vehicle or on a traction machine of the vehicle / motor vehicle. In addition, the usability of the intermediate piece 20 is also not limited to a specific vehicle type / motor vehicle type of the vehicle / motor vehicle.As can be seen in FIG. 2 a, the intermediate piece 20 can be / is arranged between the brake disc 22 and the shaft 24, on which the brake disc 22 is mounted. The arrangement of the intermediate piece 20 between the brake disc 22 and the shaft 24 can be / is realized in such a way that a braking force exerted by means of the eddy current brake on the brake disc 22 can be / is transferred to the shaft 24 via a mechanical contact of the brake disc 22 with the intermediate piece 20 and via a mechanical contact of the intermediate piece 20 with the shaft 24 and / or with a shaft flange (not shown) formed or fastened on the shaft 24. As is reproduced pictorially by means of a block 26 in FIG. 2 a, in addition to a traction machine, at least one wheel can also be mechanically connected to the shaft 24 via a transmission. If necessary, the at least one mechanically linked wheel can be braked by means of the braking force exerted by the eddy current brake on the brake disk 22 and transferred to the shaft 24 via the mechanical contact of the brake disk 22 with the intermediate piece 20 and the mechanical contact of the intermediate piece 20 with the shaft 24 and / or with the shaft flange. Correspondingly, a rotational force exerted on the shaft 24 can also be transmitted from the shaft 24 to the brake disc 22 via the mechanical contact of the intermediate piece 20 with the shaft 24 and / or with the shaft flange and via the mechanical contact of the brake disc 22 with the intermediate piece 20.In contrast, a heat transfer from the brake disc 22 to the shaft 24 is reduced by means of the intermediate piece 20. Since, in contrast to the prior art explained above, the mounting of the brake disk 22 on the shaft 24 is not to be understood as meaning a "direct connection" of the brake disk 22 to the shaft 24, even if the brake disk 22 is strongly heated due to the operation of the eddy current brake, a heat flow from the brake disk 22 to the shaft 24 can be limited / reduced by means of the intermediate piece 20. In its application position, the intermediate piece 20 is thus introduced between the brake disc 22 and the shaft 24 in such a way that a heat transfer from the brake disc 22 to the shaft 24 by means of the workpiece 20 is blocked / attenuated.The intermediate piece 20 thus increases a thermal resistance between the brake disc 22 and the shaft 24. Therefore, even in the event of significant heating of the brake disc 22 due to the operation of the eddy current brake, undesired co-heating of the shaft 24 can be significantly attenuated / reduced by means of the intermediate piece 20. In this way, the intermediate piece 20 prevents a strong thermal stress from heat-sensitive components with a relatively small distance from the shaft 24, as a result of which the heat-sensitive components could be damaged. In the example of FIGS. 2 aand 2 b, for example, a bearing 28, which is arranged on the shaft 24, is better protected from undesired damage by heat by means of the intermediate piece 20.However, despite the thermal decoupling of the shaft 24 from the brake disc 22 effected by means of the intermediate piece 20, good retention of the brake disc 22 on the shaft 24 is still ensured. The intermediate piece 20 can also be referred to in particular as an adapter, by means of which the desired force transmissions between the brake disc 22 and the shaft 24 can take place, while the conventional heat conduction from the brake disc 22 to the shaft 24 by means of the intermediate piece 20 is at least impaired / reduced. At the same time, the intermediate piece 20, the brake disc 22 and the shaft 24 form a compact brake unit, by means of the compact construction of which both installation space and costs can be saved.As will become clear from the description below, the undesired heat conduction from the brake disc 22 to the shaft 24 can be limited / reduced both by means of a shape of the intermediate piece 20, such as specifically by means of a surface design of the intermediate piece 20, and by means of at least one intermediate piece material from which the intermediate piece 20 is completely formed. Preferably, a thermal conductivity of the at least one intermediate piece material from which the intermediate piece 20 is completely formed is less than or equal to 20 W / (m*K) (watts divided by (meters times Kelvin)), in particular less than or equal to 10 W / (m*K), particularly less than or equal to 5 W / (m*K). For this purpose, for example, a stainless steel alloy (having a thermal conductivity of, for example, 16 W / (m*K)), a titanium alloy (having a thermal conductivity of, for example, 7 W / (m*K)), a glass (having a thermal conductivity of, in particular, 0.8 W / (m*K)) and / or a ceramic (having a thermal conductivity of, in particular, 0.8 W / (m*K)) can be used as the at least one intermediate piece material from which the intermediate piece 20 is completely formed. The examples listed here for the at least one intermediate piece material are, however, not to be interpreted as exhaustive.The intermediate piece 20 can have a (substantially) disk-shaped form, wherein the intermediate piece 20 can have two surfaces 20 aand 20 baligned parallel to one another. An outer circumferential surface 20 cof the intermediate piece 20 connecting the two surfaces 20 aand 20 bmay be (approximately) shaped in the form of a cylinder shell. As is also schematically shown in FIG. 2 b, if the at least one intermediate piece material has a sufficiently high strength, the intermediate piece 20 can be formed with a plurality of depressions 20 don its outer circumferential surface 20 c. In particular, using a stainless steel alloy as the at least one intermediate piece material ensures the high strength of the intermediate piece 20 sufficient to form the plurality of depressions 20 don the outer circumferential surface 20 c.In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 aand 2 b, the intermediate piece 20 has an external thread 20 eon its first side to be aligned / aligned with the brake disc 22, which can be screwed firmly to a mating thread formed on the brake disc 22. In addition, the intermediate piece 20 also has, on its second side to be aligned / aligned with the shaft 24, a shaft fastening opening 20 fhaving an internal thread, to which a mating thread of the shaft 24, not shown in FIG. 2 a, can be screwed firmly. The mounting of the brake disk 22 on the shaft 24 carried out using the intermediate piece 20 is therefore not / hardly laborious.A further advantage of the intermediate piece 20 lies in its relief of the brake disc 22 from its conventional function as a "heat store". Since, when the intermediate piece 20 is used, a heat capacity of the brake disk 22 can be significantly lower compared to the prior art explained above, a disk thickness d of the brake disk 22, i.e. a distance between the two surfaces 20 aand 20 bof the brake disk 22 oriented parallel to one another, can also be smaller than in the prior art described above. Accordingly, when using the intermediate piece 20, the brake slide 22 can also be formed more easily than in the prior art explained above. Since, when using the intermediate piece 20 itself, strong heating of the brake disk 22 is relatively unproblematic, in this case only a heat radiation of the brake disk 22 to its surroundings can be used for heat dissipation. Complex cooling of the brake disk 22 can thus be dispensed with when using the intermediate piece 20.FIGS. 3 aand 3 b show schematic representations of a second embodiment of the intermediate piece.In contrast to the previously described embodiment, the intermediate piece 20 of FIGS. 3 aand 3 bhas at least one continuous screw opening 20 g, which extends in each case between its two surfaces 20 aand 20 baligned parallel to one another in such a way that the brake disc 20 can be screwed firmly to a shaft flange 30 formed or fastened on the shaft 24 by means of at least one screw (not shown) extending through the associated screw opening 20 g. The intermediate piece 20 of FIGS. 3 aand 3 bmay also be circumscribed as a U-shaped disk. Preferably, the intermediate piece 20 formed with the at least one continuous screw opening 20 gis made of ceramic. In this case, a heat transfer from the brake disc 22 to the shaft 24 takes place almost exclusively via the at least one screw.With regard to further features of the intermediate piece 20 of FIGS. 3 aand 3 band its advantages, reference is made to the description of the embodiment of FIGS. 2 aand 2 b.In a further advantageous embodiment, the intermediate piece 20 and the brake disc 22 form a compact unit which cannot / hardly be separated without damage. Such a unit may be referred to as an eddy current brake brake disc 22 mountable to a shaft 24. Alternatively, the intermediate piece 20 and the shaft 24 can also form a compact unit which cannot / hardly be separated without damage. In this case, the unit can be described as a shaft 24 on which a brake disc 22 cooperating with an eddy current brake can be mounted.In all the embodiments explained above, the brake disc 22 has a (substantially) disc-shaped form. However, it is pointed out here that a usability of the intermediate piece 20 together with the brake disc 22, or a configuration of the brake disc 22 and the intermediate piece 20 as a compact unit, is not limited to the (substantially) disc-shaped form of the brake disc 22. For example, the brake disc 22 can also have a "pot-like" or "drum-like" shape without this impairing an interaction of the brake disc 22 with the intermediate piece 20. Likewise, an alignment / positioning of at least one coil of the eddy current brake interacting / equipped with the brake disk 22 can also be selected with a great freedom of design.The structures of FIGS. 2 and 3 each realize an eddy current brake system with an eddy current brake, a brake disc 22 interacting with the eddy current brake, a shaft 24 on which the brake disc 22 is, and an advantageous intermediate piece 20.The structures illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 may be manufactured by performing the method of mounting an eddy current brake cooperating brake disc 22 to a shaft 24. For this purpose, the respective intermediate piece 20 is arranged between the brake disc 22 and the shaft 24 in such a way that a braking force exerted by means of the eddy current brake on the brake disc 22 is transferred / transmitted to the shaft 24 via a mechanical contact of the brake disc 22 with the intermediate piece 20 and via a mechanical contact of the intermediate piece 20 with the shaft 24 and / or with a shaft flange 30 formed or fastened on the shaft 24, while a transmission of thermal energy from the brake disc 22 to the shaft 24 is reduced by means of the intermediate piece 20. However, it should be noted that feasibility of the method described herein is not limited to the structures of FIGS. 2 and 3.

Claims

Intermediate piece (20) for a brake disc (22) interacting with an eddy current brake, characterized in that the intermediate piece (20) can be arranged or is arranged between the brake disc (22) and a shaft (24) on which the brake disc (22) is mountable or mounted in such a way that a braking force exerted by means of the eddy current brake on the brake disc (22) can be transferred to the shaft (24) via a mechanical contact of the brake disc (22) with the intermediate piece (20) and via a mechanical contact of the intermediate piece (20) with the shaft (24) and / or with a shaft flange (30) formed or fastened on the shaft (24), while a heat energy transfer from the brake disc (22) to the shaft (24) is reduced by means of the intermediate piece (20).The spacer (20) according to claim 1, wherein the spacer (20) is formed entirely from at least one spacer material having a respective thermal conductivity less than or equal to 20 W / (m * K).The intermediate piece (20) according to claim 2, wherein the respective thermal conductivity of the at least one intermediate piece material from which the intermediate piece (20) is completely formed is less than or equal to 10 W / (m * K).The intermediate piece (20) according to claim 3, wherein the respective thermal conductivity of the at least one intermediate piece material from which the intermediate piece (20) is completely formed is less than or equal to 5 W / (m * K).Intermediate piece (20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the intermediate piece (20) is formed completely from a stainless steel alloy, a titanium alloy, a glass and / or a ceramic.The intermediate piece (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the intermediate piece (20) has a shaft fastening opening (20f) with an internal thread.Intermediate piece (20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the intermediate piece (20) has an external thread (20e).Intermediate piece (20) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the intermediate piece (20) has at least one continuous screw opening (20g) in such a way that the brake disc (22) can be screwed firmly to the shaft flange (30) which is formed or fastened on the shaft (24) by means of at least one screw which extends through the associated screw opening (20g).Brake disc (22) for an eddy current brake, which can be mounted on a shaft (24), having: an intermediate piece (20) according to one of the preceding claims.Shaft (24), on which a brake disc (22) interacting with an eddy current brake can be mounted, having: an intermediate piece (20) according to one of Claims 1 to 8.An eddy current brake system comprising: an eddy current brake; a brake disc (22) cooperating with the eddy current brake; a shaft (24) to which the brake disc (22) is mounted; and an intermediate piece (20) according to any preceding claim.Method for mounting a brake disc (22) interacting with an eddy current brake on a shaft (24), characterized bythe step of: arranging an intermediate piece (20) between the brake disc (22) and the shaft (24) in such a way that a braking force exerted by means of the eddy current brake on the brake disc (22) is transferred to the shaft (24) via a mechanical contact of the brake disc (22) with the intermediate piece (20) and via a mechanical contact of the intermediate piece (20) with the shaft (24) and / or with a shaft flange (30) formed or fastened on the shaft (24), while a heat energy transfer from the brake disc (22) to the shaft (24) is reduced by means of the intermediate piece (20).

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