Emergency Brake Actuation Assembly for Hydrostatic Transaxles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Powered vehicles equipped with hydrostatic transaxles can experience uncontrolled free-wheeling down slopes if the drive belt breaks during operation, as the existing brake mechanisms are not designed for dynamic braking, posing a safety risk.
Innovation Solution
An automatic emergency brake system is introduced, which activates the brake mechanism in the event of a drive belt break, using a mechanism that includes a swing arm, idler pulley, clamp arm, and bias springs to ensure simultaneous braking of both transaxles, preventing free-wheeling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the parking brake is used during normal operation, then emergency braking is improved, but the operator control deteriorates due to unintended brake activation
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from belt position sensors and control system monitoring to determine when to activate the emergency brake. The feedback mechanism ensures the brake is only activated when actual belt failure is detected, not during normal operational variations, thus maintaining operator control precision while enabling emergency braking capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary between the parking brake mechanism and the drive belt system. It monitors belt integrity and mediates brake activation, ensuring the brake is only engaged when genuine failure occurs, thereby preventing unintended activation while maintaining the ability to provide emergency braking.
2Reliability
If an automatic emergency brake system is added, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves multi-functionality by making the existing parking brake mechanism serve dual purposes: its original parking function and emergency braking function. This universality eliminates the need for a completely separate emergency braking system, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining safety improvements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by using the vehicle's existing brake infrastructure and control systems to provide emergency braking functionality. Rather than requiring entirely new components, the system repurposes available resources (parking brake mechanism, control system, sensors) to achieve safety functionality, thereby minimizing added complexity.
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 effectively engages the brakes automatically when the drive belt breaks, ensuring safety by preventing the vehicle from free-wheeling down slopes, even when the operator is not actively applying the parking brake.
Implementation Method 1
bias springs
Implementation Method 2
brake mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
An emergency braking system for use in connection with a drive apparatus including a drive belt and pulley system for transferring power from a prime mover to a transmission or transaxle. The braking system includes a pulley engaged to the drive belt and a spring engaged to the pulley to provide a bias force thereto. When tension from the belt is removed from the pulley, the spring forces the pulley into engagement with an actuator to engage a brake mechanism.