Automatic Slack Adjuster Clutch Relocation for Lower Worm Wheel Stress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automatic slack adjusters for vehicle brakes face design, manufacturing, and strength challenges due to the small size of components, particularly the one-way clutch, which leads to complexity and undue stress on the control worm wheel.
Innovation Solution
The automatic slack adjuster locates the one-way clutch along the axis of the driving worm screw, allowing for larger component sizes that simplify design, manufacturing, and repair while reducing stress on the control worm wheel, and incorporates a wear adjustment mechanism with a spring-biased driving worm screw and a pinion gear system to maintain clearance between friction linings and the friction surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the one-way clutch is located along the axis of the control worm screw, then the clutch components can be larger and stronger, but the design becomes more complex and places undue stress on the control worm wheel
Solution Approach 1:
The one-way clutch is repositioned from the control worm screw axis to the driving worm screw axis, representing a dimensional relocation in the mechanical system. This spatial reconfiguration allows the clutch components to be larger and stronger while simplifying the overall design and reducing stress on the control worm wheel.
2Strength
If the one-way clutch is located along the rotational axis of the driving worm screw, then component strength improves, but the design becomes overly complex and stresses the control worm wheel
Solution Approach 1:
The one-way clutch mechanism is extracted from the control worm screw assembly and relocated to the driving worm screw axis. This separation removes the complexity and stress issues associated with the control worm wheel while maintaining the strength benefits of larger clutch components.
3Device complexity
If smaller clutch components are used, then the design is simpler, but the components have relatively little strength and are difficult to manufacture and repair
Solution Approach 1:
By relocating the one-way clutch to the driving worm screw axis, the patent enables larger component dimensions without increasing design complexity. This spatial repositioning allows for stronger, more manufacturable, and more repairable clutch components while maintaining design simplicity.
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 design enhances the robustness and consistency of the slack adjuster, simplifies assembly, and reduces stress on the control worm wheel, resulting in improved performance and reliability by allowing for larger, stronger clutch components and continuous adjustment of brake clearance.
Implementation Method 1
a spring configured to apply a biasing force to the first shaft portion of the driving worm screw to bias the driving worm screw in a first direction
Implementation Method 2
a wrap spring engaging surfaces of the control worm wheel and the clutch ring
Data Source
AI summary
A clearance sensing vehicle brake slack adjuster includes a housing coupled to a brake actuator and supporting a driving worm wheel engaging the brake cam shaft and a driving worm screw having a threaded portion meshed with the driving worm wheel and transferring a brake actuating force, imparted by the brake actuator to the housing, to the driving worm wheel and cam shaft. A wear adjustment mechanism for the adjuster includes a control worm wheel and a clutch ring disposed about the driving worm screw and a wrap spring engaging surfaces of the control worm wheel and the clutch ring. The control worm wheel is in mesh with a control worm screw. The clutch ring is disposed on a side of the control worm wheel opposite the threaded portion of the driving worm screw and includes teeth engaging corresponding teeth on the driving worm screw.