Offset-Shaft Electro-Mechanical Brake for Compact Wheel Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electro-mechanical brake (EMB) apparatuses face challenges in miniaturization while maintaining reliable braking performance, due to their larger axial size and volume.
Innovation Solution
The proposed electro-mechanical brake apparatus incorporates a planetary gear set and a rotor of a brake motor, where the axis of the transmission shaft is offset relative to the rotor's axis, forming a structure similar to a planet carrier. This configuration reduces the axial size and overall volume of the apparatus while ensuring reliable braking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the brake motor and reducer are integrated with a coaxial transmission shaft, then the structure is simpler and easier to manufacture, but the axial size and volume of the apparatus increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an offset transmission shaft design where the transmission shaft axis is deliberately offset from the rotor axis by a predetermined distance. This asymmetric configuration allows the planetary gear set to be compactly arranged within the motor housing, significantly reducing the axial size of the integrated brake motor and reducer assembly while maintaining functional simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent nests the planetary gear set within the motor housing structure, with the sun gear, planet gears, and ring gear arranged in a compact configuration around the offset transmission shaft. The brake caliper and friction plate are further nested within the housing, creating a highly integrated assembly that minimizes overall volume without requiring complex external mounting structures
2Volume of moving object
If the transmission shaft axis is offset from the rotor axis, then the axial size is reduced for miniaturization, but the manufacturing precision and alignment requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the brake motor and reducer into a single integrated housing structure. The motor housing simultaneously serves as the housing for both the rotor-stator assembly and the planetary gear set, with the offset transmission shaft acting as the common interface between the two subsystems. This merging eliminates the need for separate mounting structures and reduces the number of precision alignment interfaces required
Solution Approach 2:
The offset transmission shaft design enables the planetary gear set to self-align within the motor housing. The predetermined offset distance creates a natural geometric relationship between the rotor rotation and planet gear engagement, allowing the system to maintain proper alignment through its inherent structural geometry rather than requiring additional adjustment mechanisms or high-precision machining
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 integration of the brake motor and reducer with an offset transmission shaft achieves miniaturization of the EMB apparatus without compromising braking reliability, allowing it to adapt to smaller wheel spaces.
Implementation Method 1
a brake motor, where the brake motor includes a rotor and a stator; the stator is configured to drive the rotor to rotate
Implementation Method 2
the transmission shaft is configured to drive, through a planet gear of the planetary gear set, a sun gear of the planetary gear set to rotate
Implementation Method 3
drive a friction plate to brake a wheel
Data Source
AI summary
An electro-mechanical brake apparatus, a system, and a vehicle. The electro-mechanical brake apparatus includes a brake motor and the reducer. The brake motor includes a rotor and a stator. The reducer includes the transmission shaft and a planetary gear set. An axis of the transmission shaft is offset to an axis of the rotor along a radial direction of the brake motor, the rotor is configured to drive the transmission shaft to rotate around the axis of the rotor, the transmission shaft is configured to drive, through a planet gear of the planetary gear set, a sun gear of the planetary gear set to rotate, and the sun gear is configured to drive the friction plate through a feed mechanism. The electro-mechanical brake apparatus implements integral integration of the brake motor and the reducer which reduces an axial size of the electro-mechanical brake apparatus.