Tracked Vehicle Brake Pack With Thick End Plate for Even Pressure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brake arrangements for tracked vehicles lack efficiency in distributing pressure across friction elements, leading to uneven braking and potential operational issues during service and parking brake functions.
Innovation Solution
A brake arrangement featuring a set of friction elements around a drive axle with a thicker outermost element to ensure even pressure distribution, combined with a hollow brake axle and a bearing configuration for compactness and easy assembly, and separate piston devices for service and parking brake functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If friction elements are pressed together for braking function, then braking force is generated, but pressure distribution becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The first end friction element is designed with a greater axial thickness than the remaining friction elements, creating a local structural difference. This local quality variation allows the thicker end element to better withstand and distribute the axial pressing force, ensuring more uniform pressure distribution across the entire set of friction elements during braking operation.
2Volume of moving object
If brake arrangement is made compact, then space is saved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The brake arrangement employs a nested structure where the brake housing is journaled in bearings on the drive axle, the friction elements are arranged around the drive axle within the brake housing, and the piston device is positioned within the brake housing to act on the friction elements. This nesting allows multiple components to occupy overlapping spatial volumes, achieving a compact overall arrangement while maintaining clear assembly sequences through the hierarchical structure.
3Device complexity
If service brake and parking brake share same friction elements, then device complexity is reduced, but operational reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The brake system is segmented into two functionally independent subsystems: a service brake piston device and a parking brake piston device, both acting on the same set of friction elements. This segmentation allows each brake function to be controlled independently through separate actuation mechanisms, improving reliability by isolating potential failure modes while avoiding the complexity of duplicate friction element sets.
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 efficient and even braking, allowing for independent operation of service and parking brake functions while maintaining a compact and easily assembled design, enhancing the safety and operational reliability of tracked vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
a set of friction elements configured to be pressed together in the axial direction for providing a braking function in connection to said drive axle
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a brake arrangement for a tracked vehicle. The brake arrangement comprises a brake housing. Said brake arrangement is journaled in bearings in connection to a drive unit driven drive axle configured to rotate a drive wheel member. Said brake arrangement comprises a set of ring shaped friction elements arranged about said drive axle and configured to be pressed together in the axial direction for providing a braking function. Said set of friction elements comprises a first end friction element being the outermost friction element against which pressure is configured to be provided for said braking function. Said first end friction element has a thickness in the axial direction which is thicker than the remaining set of friction elements so as to facilitate distributing an even pressure on said set of friction elements when said set of friction elements are pressed together for efficient friction braking function.