Spring Brake Actuator Replaceable Push Rod Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pneumatically-operated spring brake actuators for heavy trucks and trailers face challenges in servicing and replacing bent or broken push rods, especially when vehicles are stacked, leading to costly and time-consuming replacement of entire units.
Innovation Solution
A spring brake actuator design with a removable and replaceable push rod assembly, where the joint between the fixed and detachable end portions is located outside the housing and within a mounting bracket, allowing for easy access and replacement without disassembling the entire unit, and enabling the use of various push rod lengths and characteristics with a single base plate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If a one-piece push rod is used in conventional spring brake actuators, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the ease of repair deteriorates when the push rod is bent or broken
Solution Approach 1:
The push rod is divided into multiple segments: a fixed first end portion attached to the base plate, a removable intermediate portion, and a fixed second end portion. This segmentation allows the intermediate portion to be replaced independently when bent or broken, eliminating the need to replace the entire push rod assembly and reducing repair time and costs.
2Ease of operation
If the push rod joint is located inside the housing, then the structural stability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates for replacement and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The joint between push rod segments is extracted from the housing interior and repositioned to an external location on the actuator body. This allows technicians to access and replace the intermediate push rod portion without disassembling the housing or internal components, significantly simplifying maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
A removable intermediate push rod portion serves as an intermediary element that can be easily detached and replaced. This intermediate section acts as a sacrificial component that protects the more complex internal mechanisms from damage during routine maintenance, while enabling quick replacement of bent or damaged push rod sections.
3Reliability
If conventional brake actuators are used with fixed push rods, then the reliability is maintained, but the loss of time increases during replacement operations
Solution Approach 1:
The push rod assembly transitions from a static, fixed configuration to a dynamic, modular configuration where the intermediate portion can be quickly detached and replaced. This dynamic design maintains operational reliability through proper engineering of the connection interfaces while dramatically reducing the time required to replace damaged components.
4Reliability
If the entire brake actuator unit is replaced when the push rod is damaged, then the reliability is restored, but the loss of substance increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding the entire brake actuator unit when the push rod is damaged, the design enables selective discarding of only the damaged intermediate push rod portion. The valuable base plate, housing, and other intact components are recovered and retained for continued use, significantly reducing material waste and replacement costs.
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
Facilitates cost-effective and time-efficient replacement of damaged push rods, reducing inventory needs for aftermarket providers and allowing for customizable brake actuator configurations, while protecting the actuator from damage during stacking.
Implementation Method 1
Releasing the pressurized air from the air chamber allows a spring within the air chamber to retract the push rod back to its original position
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~1D
Figure 2
AI summary
A spring brake actuator is for braking a wheel of a vehicle and has a push rod assembly having a base located in a service brake chamber and a push rod extending from a service brake chamber. Pneumatic activation of the spring brake actuator causes the push rod to further extend out of the service brake chamber to thereby engage a wheel brake with a wheel of the vehicle. Pneumatic deactivation of the spring brake actuator causes the push rod to retract back into the service brake chamber to thereby disengage the wheel brake from the wheel of the vehicle. The push rod extends between a first end portion that is fixed to the base and an opposite, second end portion that is removably coupled to the first end portion so that the second end portion is manually attachable and detachable from the push rod assembly.