Brake Spider Bracket Layout for Lower Camshaft Weld Stress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drum brake systems face challenges in reducing stress concentrations and managing vibrations, particularly due to the stress concentrations at the welds between the brake spider and the camshaft tube, which can lead to high mechanical stress and potential failure.
Innovation Solution
An integrated brake spider and mounting bracket arrangement is developed, where the mounting bracket is secured to the brake spider using a metal fabrication process, with a bearing positioned axially relative to the weld on the camshaft tube to displace contact areas and reduce stress concentrations, and the bracket can be configured with single or dual contact areas on either side of the spider to distribute forces effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the mounting bracket is welded to the camshaft tube at the spider mounting location, then the bracket is securely attached to the brake spider, but stress concentrations occur at the weld location leading to potential failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the weld location from the high-stress spider mounting area and relocates it to a different position on the camshaft tube. The mounting bracket maintains secure attachment through alternative mounting features (such as mounting holes or attachment surfaces) that are positioned away from the weld, thereby preserving attachment strength while eliminating stress concentrations at the weld location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent resolves the contradiction by transitioning from a single-point weld attachment to a distributed attachment system. The mounting bracket incorporates multiple mounting holes or attachment surfaces distributed across different locations, allowing the bracket to be secured to the brake spider through multiple points while the weld is positioned at a location optimized for stress distribution.
2Ease of manufacture
If the weld is positioned at the contact area between the bracket and brake spider, then the attachment is simplified, but stress concentrations increase at the weld location
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the weld from the contact area between the bracket and brake spider. Instead of welding at the interface, the weld is positioned on the camshaft tube at a location separate from where the bracket contacts the spider. The bracket is then attached to the spider through mounting holes or attachment surfaces that do not coincide with the weld location, thereby simplifying the attachment process while reducing stress concentrations.
3Volume of moving object
If the bearing is positioned close to the weld on the camshaft tube, then the actuator support structure is compact, but the weld experiences higher mechanical stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the contradiction by utilizing the axial dimension of the camshaft tube. The bearing is positioned at a specific axial location on the camshaft tube, while the weld is positioned at a different axial location. This axial separation allows the actuator support structure to remain compact in the radial direction while maintaining sufficient distance between the bearing and weld to reduce mechanical stress on the weld.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated brake spider and mounting bracket arrangement for a drum brake includes a brake spider with a spider mounting section, having openings through which fasteners may pass to secure the brake spider to an axle flange of a vehicle. The spider is also provided with a base section having an attachment surface for a bracket, and the bracket is secured by way of a metal fabrication process to the attachment surface of the base section and to actuator support structure adapted to support an actuator for the drum brake.