Segmented Brake Rotor Heat Shield Assembly for Thermal Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat shields for vehicle wheels, particularly aircraft wheels, are prone to deformation and damage due to differential thermal expansion between inner and outer layers, leading to potential contact with the wheel and abrasion, especially under high temperature and vibrational conditions.
Innovation Solution
A heat shield assembly comprising C-shaped heat shield components with flanges that secure to rotor lugs, allowing for overlap and rotation with the brake stack, providing continuous coverage and protection against thermal expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If heat shields are made of thin metal sheets with inner and outer layers to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but differential thermal expansion causes deformation and buckling
Solution Approach 1:
The heat shield is divided into multiple independent panels that are not rigidly connected to each other. Each panel can expand and contract independently, preventing differential thermal expansion from causing buckling or deformation of the entire heat shield structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat shield uses thin metal sheet panels that are flexible enough to accommodate thermal expansion without rigid constraints. The panels are attached to the wheel rim but not rigidly connected to each other, allowing them to move independently during thermal cycles.
2Reliability
If heat shields are made robust to withstand high temperature and stress, then resistance to thermal expansion improves, but weight and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat shield is segmented into multiple independent panels that can withstand thermal stress individually without requiring the entire structure to be heavily reinforced. This segmentation allows each panel to be thin and lightweight while still maintaining robustness through independent thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat shield uses composite construction with multiple thin metal layers or panels that provide thermal protection through their collective structure rather than requiring a single thick robust material. This composite approach maintains reliability while minimizing weight.
3Strength
If connectors secure inner and outer layers together at seams, then structural integrity improves, but thermal expansion differential causes panel deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The heat shield panels are segmented such that the inner and outer layers are not rigidly connected at the seams. Instead of using connectors that bind the layers together, the panels are designed to move independently, eliminating the constraint that causes deformation during thermal expansion.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat shield design transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic system where panels can move and expand independently. The lack of rigid connectors allows the structure to adapt to thermal changes, preventing deformation while maintaining structural integrity through controlled flexibility.
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
Reduces the risk of heat shield contact with the wheel, minimizing abrasion and damage, while maintaining effective thermal protection and lightweight design.
Implementation Method 1
a heat shield between the brake assembly and the wheel rim or tube well to reduce the effects of the heat generated by braking on the wheel parts
Implementation Method 2
The heat shield can also catch hot brake material that is ejected from the brake discs during braking, before it strikes the wheel
Implementation Method 3
the inner layer will tend to become hotter than the radially outer layer(s) and will, therefore, undergo a different thermal expansion
Data Source
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AI summary
A heat shield assembly comprising a plurality of heat shield components (300) each comprising a substantially C-shaped structure of heat shield material defining a substantially rectangular body having a top (310) and two opposing elongate side walls (320, 330) extending from respective opposite sides of the top to a bottom edge (340), the top and the side walls defining a substantially rectangular inner cavity to receive, in use, a rotor lug (110') on the periphery of a rotor disk (100') of a brake stack, each heat shield component further comprising flanges (360a, 360b, 360c, 360d) extending outwards from the bottom of the side walls at both sides and both ends of the heat shield component, and wherein the flanges are configured to allow overlap with a flange of an adjacent heat shield component, in use.