Servo Brake Assembly with Plunger Locking for Quick Power-Off Stops
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional servo motors lack a compact and efficient braking mechanism that allows for quick stoppage without power, as existing brakes are complex, bulky, and limited by maximum rotational speed, with friction pads leading to reduced lifespan due to wear.
Innovation Solution
A brake assembly for servos comprising a brake disk, control circuit board, and linear motion actuator with a plunger and elastic member, enabling the motor to stop rotation without friction pads, allowing for high rotational speeds and reduced wear, utilizing a proximity sensor for enhanced reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional brakes with friction pads are used, then the motor can be stopped quickly, but the structure becomes complex and bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the friction pads from the brake system, replacing them with a magnetic braking mechanism. The brake assembly includes a brake disc, plunger, and elastic member without traditional friction contact elements, thereby simplifying the structure while maintaining effective stopping capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical friction-based braking system with a magnetic field-based braking mechanism. The motor's magnetic field is utilized to generate braking force through the brake disc, substituting mechanical friction contact with electromagnetic interaction, which reduces structural complexity and eliminates wear
2Speed
If conventional brakes with friction pads are used, then the motor can be stopped quickly, but the brake becomes bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the brake assembly with the motor structure, where the brake disc is integrated with the motor's output shaft or rotor assembly. The brake components (plunger, elastic member, brake disc) are compactly arranged within the existing motor housing space, reducing the overall volume of the brake assembly while maintaining quick stopping capability
3Speed
If friction pads are used in the brake, then the motor can be stopped, but the life of the brake is reduced due to wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical friction contact system with a magnetic field-based braking system. The brake disc interacts with the motor's magnetic field without physical friction pads, eliminating wear and extending the operational lifespan of the brake assembly while maintaining effective stopping capability
Solution Approach 2:
The brake system utilizes the motor's own magnetic field to generate braking force, making the motor itself contribute to the braking function. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate friction pads and reduces wear on dedicated brake components, thereby extending brake lifespan
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 solution provides a compact, efficient braking mechanism that enables quick stoppage without power loss, extends motor lifespan by eliminating wear, and supports high rotational speeds without structural complexity, enhancing system reliability.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member arranged around the plunger and located away from the brake disk, and used to apply an elastic force to cause the plunger to slide from the second position to the first position
Implementation Method 2
The linear motion actuator is electrically coupled to the control circuit board, and executes commands from the control board
Data Source
AI summary
A brake assembly for a servo including a motor includes: a brake disk fixed to and rotatable together with the output shaft of the motor of the servo, the brake disk having a lateral wall defining at least one opening; and a linear motion actuator including a plunger and an elastic member. The plunger sides from a first position where a first end of the plunger is received in the at least one opening to a second position where the first end of the plunger is disengaged from the brake disk when the linear motion actuator is energized. The elastic member applies an elastic force to cause the plunger to slide from the second position to the first position when the linear motion actuator is deenergized so as to stop rotation of the output shaft of the motor.