Brake systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10106139-B2
Application number	US-201715423282-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2017
Priority date	Feb 2, 2017
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

A hydraulic brake valve system may comprise a valve housing comprising a brake port, a pressure port, a return port, and a valve actuation end; a valve shaft coupled to the valve actuation end, wherein the valve shaft may be comprised at least partially within the valve housing; and an electric actuator coupled to the valve shaft, wherein the electric actuator may be configured to move the valve shaft between a shaft on position and a shaft off position. The hydraulic brake valve system may be configured to pass hydraulic pressure through at least one of the brake port, the pressure port, or the return port in response to a position of the valve shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hydraulic brake valve system, comprising:
a valve housing comprising a brake port, a pressure port, a return port, and a valve actuation end;
a valve shaft coupled to the valve actuation end, wherein the valve shaft is comprised at least partially within the valve housing; and
an electric actuator coupled to the valve shaft, wherein the electric actuator is configured to move the valve shaft between a shaft on position and a shaft off position,
wherein the hydraulic brake valve system is configured to pass hydraulic pressure through at least one of the brake port, the pressure port, or the return port in response to a position of the valve shaft.

2. The hydraulic brake valve system of claim 1 , further comprising a valve lever coupled to the valve housing at a fulcrum and coupled to the electric actuator, wherein the valve lever is rotated about the fulcrum by the electric actuator, wherein the valve shaft is coupled to the valve lever, and the valve shaft moves in response the valve lever rotating about the fulcrum.

3. The hydraulic brake valve system of claim 2 , further comprising a lever base coupled to the valve housing, wherein the valve lever is coupled to the lever base.

4. The hydraulic brake valve system of claim 1 , wherein the electric actuator comprises an actuator shaft coupled to a motor, wherein operation of the motor causes the actuator shaft to move.

5. The hydraulic brake valve system of claim 4 , further comprising a spring coupled to the valve shaft, the spring having a bias toward returning the valve shaft to the shaft off position.

6. The hydraulic brake valve system of claim 5 , wherein the electric actuator comprises an actuator release configured to release the valve shaft from the shaft on position to allow the spring to return the valve shaft to the shaft off position.

7. The hydraulic brake valve system of claim 4 , wherein the actuator shaft moves at least one of linearly or rotationally in response to operation of the motor.

8. The hydraulic brake valve system of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic brake valve system is configured to pass the hydraulic pressure through the brake port in response to the valve shaft being in the shaft on position.

9. The hydraulic brake valve system of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic brake valve system is configured to pass the hydraulic pressure through the return port in response to the valve shaft being in the shaft off position.

10. An emergency brake system comprising:
a brake assembly comprising at least two brake disks;
a hydraulically actuated piston to compress the at least two brake disks in response to an actuation of the emergency brake system; and
a hydraulic brake valve system fluidly coupled to the hydraulically actuated piston comprising:
a valve housing comprising a brake port, a pressure port, a return port, and a valve actuation end;
a valve shaft coupled to the valve actuation end, wherein the valve shaft is comprised at least partially within the valve housing; and
an electric actuator coupled to the valve shaft, wherein the electric actuator is configured to move the valve shaft between a shaft on position and a shaft off position,
wherein the hydraulic brake valve system is configured to pass hydraulic pressure through at least one of the brake port, the pressure port, or the return port in response to a position of the valve shaft.

11. The emergency brake system of claim 10 , wherein the hydraulic brake valve system further comprises a valve lever coupled to the valve housing at a fulcrum and coupled to the electric actuator, wherein the valve lever is rotated about the fulcrum by the electric actuator, wherein the valve shaft is coupled to the valve lever, and the valve shaft is configured to move in response the valve lever rotating about the fulcrum.

12. The emergency brake system of claim 11 , wherein the hydraulic brake valve system further comprises a lever base coupled to the valve housing, wherein the valve lever is coupled to the lever base.

13. The emergency brake system of claim 10 , wherein the electric actuator comprises an actuator shaft coupled to an actuator motor, wherein operation of the motor causes the actuator shaft to move.

14. The emergency brake system of claim 13 , wherein the hydraulic brake valve system further comprises a spring coupled to the valve shaft, the spring having a bias toward returning the valve shaft to a shaft off position.

15. The emergency brake system of claim 14 , wherein the electric actuator comprises an actuator release configured to release the valve shaft from the shaft on position to allow the spring to return the valve shaft to the shaft off position.

16. The emergency brake system of claim 13 , wherein the actuator shaft moves at least one of linearly or rotationally in response to operation of the motor.

17. The emergency brake system of claim 13 , wherein the hydraulic brake valve system further comprises an actuator handle in electronic communication with the electric actuator, wherein the motor operates in response to the actuator handle being moved.

18. The emergency brake system of claim 10 , wherein the hydraulic brake valve system is configured to pass the hydraulic pressure through the brake port in response to the valve shaft being in the shaft on position.

19. A method of operating an emergency brake system, comprising:
receiving a braking command to engage a brake assembly of the emergency brake system in response to an operator moving an actuator handle from a handle off position to a handle on position, wherein the actuator handle is in electronic communication with an electric actuator comprising an electric motor and an actuator shaft coupled to the electric motor;
rotating the electric motor in response to the moving of the actuator handle to the handle on position;
moving the actuator shaft in an actuation direction in response to rotating the electric motor, wherein the actuator shaft is coupled to a valve shaft of a hydraulic brake valve system;
moving the valve shaft from a shaft off position to a shaft on position, causing hydraulic pressure to flow from a brake port of the hydraulic brake valve system to compress at least two brake disks; and
engaging the brake assembly.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
receiving a second braking command to disengage the brake assembly in response to the actuator handle moving from the handle on position to the handle off position;
rotating the electric motor in response to the moving the actuator handle to the handle off position;
moving the actuator shaft in a direction opposite the actuation direction in response to rotating the electric motor;
moving the valve shaft from the shaft on position to the shaft off position; and
disengaging the brake assembly.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Georgin Marc
• Cahill Eric Daniel

Classifications

• F16D2121/04

  acting on a piston-type actuator, e.g. for liquid pressure · CPC title

• F16D65/12

  Discs; Drums for disc brakes · CPC title

• B64C25/44

  Actuating mechanisms · CPC title

• F16D65/186

  with full-face force-applying member, e.g. annular · CPC title

• B60T7/085

  by electrical means, e.g. travel, force sensors · CPC title