Internal Ventilated Diaphragm Piston Brake Actuator

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional diaphragm-piston spring brake actuators in heavy vehicles are prone to contamination and corrosion due to dust, dirt, moisture, and atmospheric exposure through breather tubes, leading to premature failure of sealing elements and emergency springs.

Innovation Solution

An internal ventilation system isolates the back part of the piston from the external environment, using a balanced valve system with an aluminum piston and plug, and a larger sectional sealing ring to maintain air pressure and prevent contamination, replacing traditional breather tubes and rubber connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If an external breather tube with rubber connections is used to ventilate the back part of the piston, then air can be transferred during piston motion, but dust, dirt, and moisture enter the actuator causing corrosion and damage to sealing elements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair transfer functionVSAvoidcontamination and corrosion
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful external breathing function is extracted and removed from the system. The patent eliminates the breather tube and rubber elbow connections that exposed the actuator to contaminants, replacing them with an internal ventilation system that uses only the existing air inlet and outlet ports to achieve ventilation using dry air from the vehicle's air system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a protected internal environment by using dry air from the vehicle's air system to ventilate the back part of the piston. This replaces the harmful external atmosphere with a controlled, contaminant-free air supply that prevents corrosion of the emergency spring and damage to sealing elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

2Ease of manufacture

If rubber elbows are used to connect the breather tube to the housing, then the breather tube can be attached, but the rubber connections deteriorate over time due to atmospheric conditions and vibration causing loosening or damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection assemblyVSAvoidconnection stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The removable rubber elbow connections are extracted and eliminated from the system. The patent integrates the breather tube function directly into the housing with fixed mounting, removing the vulnerable rubber connection components that deteriorated due to atmospheric exposure and vibration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The breather tube connection function is merged with the housing structure itself. The breather tube is fixedly mounted to the housing, eliminating separate connection components and creating a more reliable, vibration-resistant assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If the back part of the piston is exposed to the atmosphere through the breather tube, then air can be absorbed during piston motion, but water and mud enter causing corrosion of the sliding ring and sealing member leading to seal failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepiston ventilationVSAvoidsealing performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent protects the back part of the piston by ventilating it with dry air from the vehicle's air system instead of exposing it to the external atmosphere. This creates a controlled environment that prevents water and mud from entering through the air passages, thereby protecting the sliding ring and sealing member from corrosion and maintaining sealing performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

4Ease of operation

If the emergency spring is exposed to atmospheric moisture through the breather tube, then the spring can function, but moisture causes corrosion of the emergency spring requiring urgent repair or replacement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespring functionVSAvoidspring service life
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent protects the emergency spring by using dry air from the vehicle's air system to ventilate the back part of the piston, creating a moisture-free environment. This prevents corrosion of the emergency spring, extending its service life and eliminating the need for urgent repairs or replacements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

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 internal ventilation system effectively prevents contamination and corrosion, enhancing the reliability and safety of the actuator by maintaining a dry environment and ensuring consistent sealing, thus reducing the need for frequent repairs or replacements.

Implementation Method 1

By insufflating the air into the park chamber (3), the said park chamber (3) is filled with the pressurized air received from the air tanks of the vehicle. In this case, steel ball (9) of the piston valve (6) compresses the spring (7) by the effect of the pressure and fits on the O-Ring (8).

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

the piston (1) moves in (b) direction by the force created by the emergency spring (25)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring energy storage: Spring

Data Source

PatentEP2242673B1Internal ventilating diaphragm piston brake actuator
Publication Date: 2012.03.14 ARFESAN ARKAN FREN ELEMANLARI SANAYI VE TICARET
  • EP2242673B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2242673B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2242673B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This invention is related to the decrease of the breakdowns that occur in the actuators by means of the application of internal ventilation system to the diaphragm piston spring brake actuators which are used in vehicles such as truck, van, bus and trailer. The internally ventilated diaphragm - piston spring brake actuator that is developed by this invention is comprised by an aluminum piston (1), an aluminum pipe (2), a park chamber (3), a service chamber (5), a piston valve (6), a piston valve spring (7), inlet air openings (11), air transition space (12), plug (13), air inlet holes (14), pneumatic sealing (15), outlet channel (16) and characterized in that it has a valve (26) having sealing lips (27), sealing surface of piston valve (28) and square or rectangular sectioned sealing member (29).