Coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10378601-B2
Application number	US-201515531282-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2015
Priority date	Nov 27, 2014
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

A coupling comprising a brake plate ( 70 ); a first friction pad ( 64 ) operable to be selectively biased against the brake plate ( 70 ). In a first mode of operation the first friction pad ( 64 ) is biased against the brake plate ( 70 ) by a first force. In a second mode of operation the first friction pad ( 64 ) is biased against the brake plate ( 70 ) by a second force. The second force is substantially greater than the first force.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A coupling comprising:
a brake plate fixedly mounted to a drive shaft which is rotatable about a rotational axis;
a friction pad operable to be selectively biased against the brake plate by an actuator such that
in a first mode of operation the friction pad is biased against the brake plate by a first force, and
in a second mode of operation the friction pad is biased against the brake plate by a second force that is greater than the first force; and

a vehicle control lever coupled to a lever drive via a housing rotatable about the rotational axis.

2. The coupling of claim 1 , wherein the friction pad is operable to be selectively biased against the brake plate such that in a third mode of operation the friction pad is biased against the brake plate by a third force, wherein the third force is greater than the first force but lower than the second force.

3. The coupling of claim 1 , wherein the friction pad is a friction pad, and wherein the coupling further comprises a second friction pad biased into contact with the brake plate.

4. The coupling of claim 3 , wherein the second friction pad is biased into contact with the brake plate by a resilient member.

5. The coupling of claim 4 , wherein the actuator is located in a first cavity of the housing, and wherein the housing carries the resilient member, the resilient member being located in a second cavity of the housing.

6. A vehicle control system comprising the coupling of claim 1 .

7. The coupling of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is located in a cavity of the housing.

8. The coupling of claim 7 , wherein the friction pad is adjacent to the cavity of the housing.

9. The coupling of claim 1 , wherein the friction pad is a first friction pad, wherein the coupling further comprises a second friction pad biased into contact with the brake plate, the second friction pad being biasable against the brake plate by a resilient member, wherein the resilient member is biasable against the brake plate on a first side of the brake plate and the actuator is located adjacent to an second side of the brake plate that is opposite the first side such that the resilient member is operable to bias the second friction pad in an opposite direction to which the actuator is operable to bias the first friction pad.

10. A coupling comprising:
a brake plate fixedly mounted to a drive shaft which is rotatable about a rotational axis;
a first friction pad operable to be selectively biased against the brake plate by an actuator such that
in a first mode of operation the first friction pad is biased against the brake plate by a first force, and
in a second mode of operation the first friction pad is biased against the brake plate by a second force that is greater than the first force; and

a second friction pad biased into contact with the brake plate, wherein the second friction pad is biased into contact with the brake plate by a resilient member;
wherein the actuator is located adjacent a first side of the brake plate,
wherein the resilient member is located adjacent to a second side of the brake plate, the second side being opposite the first side, and
wherein the resilient member is operable to bias the second friction pad in an opposite direction to which the actuator is operable to bias the first friction pad.

11. The coupling of claim 10 , wherein the first friction pad is operable to be selectively biased against the brake plate such that in a third mode of operation the friction pad is biased against the brake plate by a third force, wherein the third force is greater than the first force but lower than the second force.

12. The coupling of claim 10 , wherein the actuator is located in a first cavity of the housing, and the resilient member is located in a second cavity of the housing.

13. The coupling of claim 10 , wherein the actuator is located in a cavity of the housing.

14. The coupling of claim 13 , wherein the first friction pad is adjacent to the cavity of the housing.

15. A coupling comprising:
a brake plate;
a first friction pad operable to be selectively biased against the brake plate by an actuator such that
in a first mode of operation the first friction pad is biased against the brake plate by a first force, and
in a second mode of operation the first friction pad is biased against the brake plate by a second force that is greater than the first force; and

a second friction pad biased into contact with the brake plate by a resilient member,
wherein the resilient member is adjacent to a first side of the brake plate,
wherein the actuator is adjacent to a second side of the brake plate, the second side being opposite the first side, and
wherein the resilient member is operable to bias the second friction pad in an opposite direction to which the actuator is operable to bias the first friction pad.

16. The coupling of claim 15 , wherein the first friction pad is operable to be selectively biased against the brake plate such that in a third mode of operation the friction pad is biased against the brake plate by a third force, wherein the third force is greater than the first force but lower than the second force.

17. The coupling of claim 15 , wherein the actuator is located in a first cavity of the housing, and the resilient member is located in a second cavity of the housing.

18. The coupling of claim 15 , wherein the actuator is located in a cavity of the housing.

19. The coupling of claim 18 , wherein the first friction pad is adjacent to the cavity of the housing.

20. A vehicle control system comprising the coupling of claim 15 .

Assignees

• Bae Systems Plc

Inventors

• Ingleton Martyn

Classifications

• F16D2121/28

  using electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements, e.g. piezoelectric elements · CPC title

• F16D55/228

  with a separate actuating member for each side · CPC title

• B64C13/22 Primary

  readily revertible to personal control · CPC title

• F16D2121/30

  for releasing a normally applied brake · CPC title

• F16D55/226

  in which the common actuating member is moved axially {, e.g. floating caliper disc brakes} · CPC title