Disc Brake Friction Assembly Torque Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing disc brake apparatus for railroad vehicles faces challenges in maintaining a stable friction area due to waviness in the disc rotor, leading to unstable braking characteristics and increased processing costs and complexity with universal joints, which restricts productivity and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A friction member assembly with a guide plate featuring hole portions for lining members, a torque transmitting ring, and a spring member, allowing the lining members to be pivotable and pressed onto the disc rotor with reduced reliance on high-accuracy spherical contact portions, thereby distributing braking torque and press force effectively without concentrating loads on universal joints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If universal joints with spherical contact portions are used to connect lining members to link plates, then the lining members can pivot independently to follow disc rotor waviness, but the processing accuracy and manufacturing cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the spherical contact portion from the universal joint connection between the lining member and link plate, eliminating the need for high-precision spherical contacts while maintaining the pivotable connection function through alternative means
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a pivotable connection mechanism as an intermediary between the lining member and link plate, which provides the necessary rotational freedom without requiring high-precision spherical contact portions, thus mediating between the conflicting requirements of reliability and manufacturing precision
2Strength
If multiple universal joints with high-accuracy spherical contact portions are used, then braking torque is effectively transmitted, but the number of parts increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the complex universal joint components from the system while preserving the essential function of torque transmission through a simplified pivotable connection mechanism, thereby reducing part count and improving productivity
3Reliability
If solidly processed universal joints with high-accuracy spherical contact portions are used, then excessive load concentration is prevented, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces expensive, high-precision universal joints with a simpler, more cost-effective pivotable connection mechanism that achieves adequate load distribution without requiring expensive solid processing and high-accuracy spherical contact portions
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 solution reduces the need for high-accuracy processing of contact portions, lowers production costs, and enhances productivity by allowing for stable and efficient transmission of braking torque and press force, maintaining effective braking performance while simplifying the assembly process.
Implementation Method 1
a spring member arranged on a side of other face... the lining member is pressed onto a face of the disc rotor
Implementation Method 2
An outer shape portion of the torque transmitting ring is constituted by a spherical shape... the lining member is pressed onto the face of the disc rotor by way of the torque transmitting ring
Implementation Method 3
The lining member is integrated to the guide plate by a rivet or a fastening rod, while the lining member is maintained to be pivotable
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A solid box-shape structure is constituted by fitting a torque transmitting ring 23 to a guide hole 17 on a guide plate 11 to pivotably hold a lining member 13 and fixing the guide plate 11 to a torque receive plate 3. A braking torque is directly transmitted to the guide plate 11 by the torque transmitting ring 23 by pressing the lining member 13 to a disc rotor by a first link plate 7 and a second link plate 5 arranged on an inner side of the box-shape structure. A solid structure and alleviation of processing accuracy are made to be compatible with each other by constituting transmission of a press force and transmission of a torque by independent members in this way.