Commercial Vehicle Disc Brake Airflow for Dust Containment and Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disc brake designs for commercial vehicles fail to effectively prevent brake dust from being released into the environment and often suffer from inadequate cooling, especially in enclosed systems where higher temperatures lead to inefficient cooling methods.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic disc brake system that uses compressed air from a commercial vehicle's pneumatic system to cool the brake disc and pads, directing the air flow to filter elements or collecting chambers to trap brake dust, thereby preventing its release into the environment and enhancing cooling efficiency through active air supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If the brake disc is enclosed on all sides to prevent brake dust release, then brake dust containment is improved, but cooling efficiency deteriorates due to higher temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a pneumatic system to supply compressed air through nozzles into the brake disc interior space. The compressed air expands upon contact with the brake disc, providing active cooling to counteract the heat buildup caused by the enclosed structure. This resolves the contradiction by introducing a pneumatic cooling mechanism that maintains low temperatures despite the dust-containing enclosure.
Solution Approach 2:
The brake caliper assembly acts as an enclosed shell structure that contains the brake disc. This enclosure prevents brake dust from escaping into the environment while the pneumatic cooling system penetrates this shell to provide cooling. The caliper assembly serves as both a containment barrier and a delivery system for cooling air.
2Device complexity
If a brake dust collection device covers only a limited area of the brake disc, then device complexity is reduced, but brake dust containment deteriorates due to exposed areas
Solution Approach 1:
The brake caliper assembly is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it applies brake pads to the brake disc for braking, it encloses the brake disc to contain brake dust, and it provides a structure through which compressed air can be supplied for cooling. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dust collection devices, reducing overall system complexity while achieving complete dust containment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of the brake caliper assembly with the dust containment and cooling delivery functions. Instead of having separate components for braking, dust collection, and cooling, these functions are integrated into a single unified structure, simplifying the overall device while maintaining effective dust containment across the entire brake disc surface.
3Temperature
If compressed air is supplied to cool the brake disc, then cooling efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the vehicle's existing pneumatic system to supply compressed air for brake disc cooling. The compressed air is already available in the vehicle for other pneumatic functions, so utilizing it for cooling purposes does not require additional energy input or a separate air compression system. The brake disc cooling function serves itself by utilizing readily available pneumatic resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The pneumatic system serves multiple functions: it provides compressed air for braking operations and simultaneously provides compressed air for brake disc cooling. By making the pneumatic system multi-functional, the system avoids the need for separate energy-consuming cooling systems while achieving effective temperature control of the brake disc.
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 system efficiently prevents brake dust from entering the environment while providing effective cooling for the brake disc and pads, reducing the need for additional dust extraction devices and improving cooling efficiency compared to traditional designs.
Implementation Method 1
The supplied air flow can be advantageously directed in such a way that it simultaneously directs the brake dust particles in a controlled manner to filter elements that retain the brake dust particles, or optionally to brake dust collection chambers.
Implementation Method 2
The supplied air flow can be advantageously directed in such a way that it simultaneously directs the brake dust particles in a controlled manner to filter elements that retain the brake dust particles
Implementation Method 3
filter elements that retain the brake dust particles
Data Source
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AI summary
Disc brake (10, 60), in particular pneumatic disc brake (10, 60), for a commercial vehicle (100), comprising at least one brake disc (18), and a brake caliper assembly (24) with a brake caliper (26), wherein the brake caliper assembly (24) provides an interior space (28) in which the brake disc (18) is arranged, and wherein the brake caliper assembly (24) has an air inlet opening (44) and an air outlet opening (46) which are connected by an air channel through the interior space (28) in order to efficiently prevent the release of brake dust into the environment and at the same time to ensure particularly efficient cooling of the brake disc and the brake pads, the air inlet opening (44) is designed to supply compressed air from a pneumatic system (108) of the commercial vehicle (100) to the interior space (28).