Air Brake Actuator Piston Valve Pressure Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing air brake actuator systems for heavy vehicles face issues with the spring brake actuator, where high compression force springs lead to excessive pressure in the spring chamber, causing the brake to be inadequately or slowly released due to increased pressure in both the spring and air pressure chambers, resulting in unsatisfactory operation.
Innovation Solution
The proposed air-operated brake actuator design includes a piston with a fluid flow path between the spring and pressure chambers, a piston valve to regulate fluid flow, and an actuator rod valve to manage air pressure, preventing excessive compression and maintaining consistent air pressure, allowing for smooth locking and releasing of the brake while preventing buckling of the compression spring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a strong compression spring is used to apply pressure to the brake when air pressure is released, then the brake locking force is improved, but the pressure in the spring chamber increases excessively causing slow or incomplete brake release
Solution Approach 1:
A piston is introduced as an intermediary component between the spring chamber and the pressure chamber. The piston divides the internal space and allows independent pressure management in each chamber. The piston valve controls fluid flow between chambers, acting as a mediator to balance pressures and prevent excessive spring chamber pressure while maintaining adequate brake locking force.
Solution Approach 2:
The internal chamber is segmented into two distinct spaces: a spring chamber for housing the compression spring and a pressure chamber for receiving compressed air. This segmentation allows independent pressure control in each region, enabling the spring to provide locking force without its pressure directly affecting the brake release mechanism.
2Speed
If compressed air pressure is increased to improve brake operation, then the brake response speed is improved, but the pressure in the spring chamber increases further preventing proper brake release
Solution Approach 1:
The piston acts as a pressure barrier and intermediary, isolating the spring chamber from the pressure chamber. This allows high compressed air pressure to be applied to the pressure chamber for rapid brake response without transmitting that pressure to the spring chamber, thus preventing interference with brake release.
Solution Approach 2:
A fluid communication system with valves is introduced to control pressure distribution. The piston valve and actuator rod valve regulate fluid flow between chambers, enabling independent pneumatic control of each space. This allows optimized pressure management where the pressure chamber can be pressurized for fast response while the spring chamber maintains appropriate pressure for release.
3Force
If the spring is compressed to provide braking force, then the brake locking capability is improved, but the volume of the spring chamber decreases causing pressure increase
Solution Approach 1:
Dividing the chamber into segmented spaces allows the spring chamber volume to be optimized for spring compression while the pressure chamber provides additional volume for air storage. The piston creates a fixed boundary that prevents volume reduction in the spring chamber from directly increasing pressure, as the pressure chamber absorbs volume changes.
4Ease of operation
If the actuator rod extends through multiple chambers to operate the brake, then the brake operation is improved, but the fluid pressure balance is disrupted causing excessive spring chamber pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The piston valve serves as a pressure-balancing intermediary at the actuator rod location. It controls fluid communication between chambers to compensate for pressure imbalances caused by the actuator rod's presence, ensuring the spring chamber maintains appropriate pressure while allowing the actuator rod to extend for brake operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design ensures the brake is rapidly and smoothly shifted between locked and released states, maintaining consistent air pressure and reducing compression impact, thereby improving the operational efficiency of the brake system.
Implementation Method 1
a piston valve installed at the piston to adjust the flow of fluid between the spring chamber and the pressure chamber of the upper housing; an actuator rod valve installed at a bottom of the actuator rod to adjust the flow of fluid between the spring chamber and the pressure chamber of the lower housing
Implementation Method 2
The emergency brake actuator includes a strong compression spring for applying a pressure to the brake when the air pressure is released
Implementation Method 3
a spring installed in the spring chamber
Implementation Method 4
the compressed air expands the pressure chamber, moves the diaphragm, and moves the pressure plate toward the opposite end of the spring brake actuator housing
Implementation Method 5
a brake actuator and two air-operated diaphragm brake actuators are generally disposed in a tandem vehicle shape, which includes an air operated service brake actuator for operating a general brake of a vehicle, and a spring brake actuator for operating an emergency brake or a parking brake of the vehicle. The service brake actuator and the spring brake actuator include a housing which has an elastic diaphragm for dividing the inside of the housing into two distinguished fluid chambers
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to ensuring a brake to be smoothly locked and released by preventing an air pressure of a spring chamber or a pressure chamber of an air operated brake actuator from being excessively compressed, and also solving a buckling phenomenon of a compression spring.