Compact Automatic Slack Adjuster With Single-Side Housing Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automatic slack adjusters for light duty vehicles are over-designed, bulky, and inefficient, requiring complex assembly processes and lacking in sealing improvements, which affects their endurance life and power-weight ratio.
Innovation Solution
A compact, tailor-made automatic slack adjuster design with a simplified assembly process, eliminating one side port opening to reduce sealing requirements and incorporating a thrust bush to transfer worm shaft thrust, resulting in a lighter and more efficient component with improved sealing and reduced assembly complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional automatic slack adjuster design is used for light duty vehicles, then the brake cam shaft torque requirement is met, but the device becomes bulky and over-designed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by tailoring the worm gear spline dimensions specifically for light duty vehicle torque requirements rather than using a universal oversized design. The worm gear spline is precisely sized to match the brake cam shaft torque requirement of light duty vehicles, eliminating the need for bulky conventional designs while maintaining adequate force transmission capability.
2Reliability
If conventional automatic slack adjuster design is used, then sealing requirements are higher, but endurance life is reduced due to more sealing points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts or eliminates unnecessary sealing requirements by redesigning the housing structure. The invention reduces the number of sealing points needed compared to conventional designs, thereby improving reliability and endurance life by removing potential failure points related to sealing while maintaining the necessary sealing functionality where required.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional automatic slack adjuster design is used, then assembly process is complex, but manufacturing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges or consolidates assembly operations to simplify the manufacturing process. By integrating components and streamlining the assembly sequence, the invention reduces the number of discrete assembly steps required compared to conventional designs, thereby improving ease of manufacture and reducing total assembly time.
4Power
If conventional automatic slack adjuster design is used, then power-weight ratio is lower, but device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the weight and dimensional parameters of the automatic slack adjuster components. Through precise sizing of the worm gear, housing, and other elements for light duty vehicle applications, the invention achieves a lighter overall device weight while maintaining adequate power transmission capability, thereby improving the power-weight ratio.
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
The solution provides a lighter, more efficient automatic slack adjuster that maintains effective brake clearance, enhances endurance life, and improves the power-weight ratio by simplifying assembly and eliminating potential leak paths, while maintaining functional requirements.
Implementation Method 1
Heavy coil spring placed in position
Implementation Method 2
Worm Gear, along with 2 Sealing Rings on either side, is placed... Worm Shaft along with Clutch Worm Gear and Sealing Ring are assembled together
Implementation Method 3
a thrust bush to transfer worm shaft thrust
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is for automatic slack adjuster for an automobile with a housing having an aperture for receiving a brake cam shaft comprising of a worm gear coaxially mounted within the said housing aperture and configured to coaxially engage the brake cam shaft, such that the said worm gear and said cam shaft rotating together about a first axis. The arrangement has a bore with a single open end for receiving a worm clutch shaft. The said worm clutch shaft is mounted in the said housing to rotate about a second axis, which is perpendicular to first axis. The invention has only one side opening. The thrust load from the worm shaft is transferred through the thrust bush through the main housing of the assembly.