Aircraft Disk Brake Puck Positioning for Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional aircraft disk brake systems experience significant heat buildup and 'hot bands' during high-speed landings and rejected takeoffs, leading to inefficient heat dissipation and brake fade due to actuators being positioned at a radius that is traditionally the arithmetic average of the pressure plate's inner and outer radii.
Innovation Solution
The disk brake system positions pucks relative to the pressure plate at a distance from the center that is greater than the average of the inner and outer radii, allowing for more even heat distribution and increased friction area, thereby reducing localized heat buildup and improving torque efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If actuators are positioned at the arithmetic average radius of the pressure plate, then the brake system structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but heat dissipation is inefficient and localized hot bands form
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning actuators at different radial locations rather than uniformly at the average radius. Specifically, actuators are arranged with at least one actor at a radius greater than the arithmetic average of inner and outer radii, creating non-uniform heat distribution patterns that improve overall heat dissipation efficiency while preventing localized hot bands.
2Power
If actuators are positioned at the arithmetic average radius, then the design is conventional and easy to implement, but torque efficiency is reduced due to suboptimal friction area utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the radial position parameter of actuators from the conventional arithmetic average radius to positions greater than the average radius. This parameter optimization increases the effective friction area and improves torque efficiency without requiring fundamental changes to the brake system architecture.
3Reliability
If actuators are positioned at the arithmetic average radius, then the heat distribution follows traditional patterns, but this leads to brake fade during high-speed landings and rejected takeoffs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning actuators at optimized radial locations before braking operations begin. This pre-configuration ensures that heat is distributed more evenly across the friction surfaces from the outset, preventing the formation of localized hot bands that would otherwise lead to brake fade during high-stress operations such as rejected takeoffs.
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 configuration results in faster heat dissipation and increased torque, making the brake system more efficient and less prone to heat-related failures by distributing heat energy more evenly across the pressure plate and friction disks.
Implementation Method 1
The friction disks withstand and dissipate the heat generated from contact between one another during braking
Data Source
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AI summary
A disk brake system (20) includes a pressure plate (30) having a center, an inner radius (212) and an outer radius (214). The disk brake system also includes a first piston. The disk brake system also includes a first puck (554, 654) coupled to the first piston (26) and configured to contact the pressure plate at a first distance from the center in response to the first piston being actuated. The first distance is different than an average of the inner radius and the outer radius. The first puck (554, 654) may have a first dimension in a radial direction with reference to the pressure plate (30) and a second dimension in a circumferential direction with reference to the pressure plate (30) that is different than the first dimension.