Caliper Brake Wedge Mechanism and Offset Bearings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing caliper brakes with spring-actuated mechanisms experience a reduction in braking force when the spring relaxes upon closing, requiring a stronger actuator to overcome the initial spring force, which is inefficient and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
The caliper brake design incorporates offset bearing locations with rolling elements and stepped wedge surfaces, reducing friction and allowing steeper wedge angles without self-locking, enabling higher braking forces with a more compact and lightweight construction, and incorporating an actuator with a linear guide for compensating movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a spring-actuated brake mechanism is used, then the brake can be opened easily with a small actuator, but the spring force is greater in the open state than in the closed state, requiring a larger actuator to overcome the initial spring force
Solution Approach 1:
The brake shoes are pre-positioned using offset bearing locations and rolling elements so that when the closing movement begins, the wedge surfaces immediately engage with the steps on the bearing part. This preliminary positioning ensures that the air gap is overcome abruptly from the start, preventing spring relaxation and maintaining constant spring force throughout the braking operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Rolling elements (rollers or balls) are introduced as intermediaries between the wedge surfaces of the brake shoes and the bearing part. These rolling elements reduce friction significantly compared to sliding contact, allowing the wedge surfaces to be made steeper without self-locking. This enables more efficient force transmission from the spring to the brake shoes.
2Device complexity
If flat bearing surfaces are used between the wedge surfaces and bearing part, then the construction is simple, but high friction occurs which prevents steep wedge surfaces and causes self-locking
Solution Approach 1:
Rolling elements (spherical balls or cylindrical rollers) are used instead of flat bearing surfaces. These curved surfaces enable rolling motion rather than sliding, dramatically reducing friction between the wedge surfaces and the bearing part. This allows the wedge surfaces to be designed with steeper angles for higher force multiplication without encountering self-locking due to excessive friction.
3Ease of operation
If the air gap between brake shoes and component is large, then the brake can be opened fully, but the spring must overcome this gap initially causing force reduction during closing
Solution Approach 1:
The offset bearing locations and steps on the bearing part are designed to pre-position the brake shoes such that the wedge surfaces engage immediately at the start of the closing movement. This preliminary action ensures the air gap is overcome abruptly without spring relaxation, maintaining constant spring force while still allowing full opening capability.
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 achieves higher braking forces with reduced actuator requirements, improved force multiplication, and enhanced reliability against external influences, while maintaining a compact and lightweight structure.
Implementation Method 1
the bearing part for each of the brake shoes has two bearing locations, which are arranged offset by an amount corresponding to the wedge angle of the wedge surfaces and against which the wedge surfaces bear, and the wedge surfaces each have, in the region of the bearing locations, a step which is overcome during a closing movement of the brake shoes before the brake shoes come to bear against the component to be braked. Instead of two corresponding wedge surfaces, the invention thus uses two offset bearing locations as abutments. These can preferably be formed by rolling elements, in particular rollers or balls, mounted in the bearing part.
Implementation Method 2
a bearing part, which can be moved within the housing via an actuator, wherein the brake shoes each have on their side facing away from the component to be braked a wedge surface, by which they are supported on the bearing part on both sides of the component to be braked and by which a braking force acting on the bearing part is transmitted to the brake shoes with deflection and force multiplication.
Implementation Method 3
In a preferred embodiment, the caliper brake is designed as a self-closing brake with a brake spring. In this case, the bearing part is driven by the brake spring applying the braking force into a closed position, in which the brake shoes bear against the component to be braked, and, to open the brake shoes, the actuator moves the bearing part, overcoming the spring force of the brake spring, into an open position
Data Source
AI summary
A caliper brake for braking a moving component, including a housing and two brake shoes, which are movable within the housing toward the component to be braked, and a bearing part, which is movable within the housing by an actuator. The brake shoes each have a wedge surface on a side facing away from the component to be braked, by which a braking force acting on the bearing part is transmitted to the brake shoes with deflection and force multiplication. For higher braking forces using a spring-actuated brake, and to reduce the effects of spring travel on the braking force, the bearing part has offset bearing locations against which the wedge surfaces of each brake shoe bear. The wedge surfaces each have, in the region of the bearing locations, a step which is overcome during a closing movement of the brake shoes before they engage the component to be braked.