Brake device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10557516-B2
Application number	US-201815908971-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2018
Priority date	Mar 9, 2017
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

A module for a braking system includes a movable housing configured to transfer a braking force from an input shaft to an output shaft, a first movable member slidably received within the housing and connected to the output shaft, a second movable member slidably received within the housing, a first resilient member biased between the first movable member and the second movable member, such that a force applied to the second movable member is applied to the first movable member via the first resilient member, and a second resilient member biased between the second movable member and the housing, such that a force applied to the housing is applied to the second movable member via the second resilient member. The first resilient member yields or compresses upon application of a first braking force to the input shaft, and the second resilient member yields or compresses after the first resilient member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A helicopter rotor brake device, the braking device comprising:
a module, the module including:
a movable housing configured to transfer a braking force from an input shaft to an output shaft;
a first movable member slidably received within the housing and connected to the output shaft;
a second movable member slidably received within the housing;
a first resilient member biased between the first movable member and the second movable member, such that a force applied to the second movable member is applied to the first movable member via the first resilient member; and
a second resilient member biased between the second movable member and the housing, such that a force applied to the housing is applied to the second movable member via the second resilient member;
wherein the first resilient member is configured to yield or compress upon application of a first, relatively low braking force to the input shaft, and the second resilient member is configured to yield or compress after the first resilient member and upon application of a second, relatively high braking force to the input shaft, wherein the relatively low braking force is less than the relatively high braking force.

2. A brake device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, upon yielding of the first resilient member, the first movable member is configured to slide within the housing and contact the second movable member, such that a force applied to the second movable member is applied directly to the first movable member.

3. A brake device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, upon yielding of the second resilient member, the second movable member is configured to slide within the housing and contact a portion of the housing, such that a force applied to the housing is applied directly to the second movable member.

4. A brake device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first resilient member has a lower preload than the second resilient member, such that the first resilient member yields prior to the second resilient member as aforesaid.

5. A brake device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first resilient member is a first spring, and the second resilient member is a second spring.

6. A brake device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the module further includes one or more sensors configured to detect the position of the first movable member and/or the second movable member within the housing.

7. A brake device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
a first of the one or more sensors is configured to detect movement of the first movable member and/or first resilient member, and output a first signal to a control system or other computer when the first movable member and/or first resilient member moves from its initial or rest position upon yielding of the first resilient member; and
a second of the one or more sensors is configured to detect movement of the second movable member and/or second resilient member, and output a second, different signal to the control system or other computer when the second movable member and/or second resilient member moves from its initial or rest position upon yielding of the second resilient member.

8. A brake device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein one of said one or more sensors is configured to detect whether said second resilient member yields at substantially the same time as said first resilient member, and communicate a safety warning if such movement is detected.

9. A brake device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the module is a second module, and the brake device further comprise a first module, the first module comprising:
a damping apparatus configured to dampen the movement of the first movable member or the second movable member upon release of a braking force applied to the input shaft.

10. A brake device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the damping apparatus is configured such that substantially no damping force is applied to the first movable member and/or the second movable member by the damping apparatus upon application of a braking force to the input shaft.

11. A brake device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said damping apparatus comprises a torque or load limiter, or fuse device configured to bypass the damping provided by the damping apparatus.

12. A brake device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the damping apparatus comprises a piston connected to the input shaft and movable within a chamber containing a damping fluid, wherein one or more passages are provided within the piston to allow the damping fluid to flow from one side of the piston to the other;
wherein the one or more passages comprises a first passage comprising a flow restrictor, and the flow restrictor is configured to permit the flow of fluid across the piston via a restriction, such that the flow rate of fluid through the first passage is limited.

13. A brake device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the one or more passages comprises a second passage comprising a check valve, and the check valve is configured to restrict the flow of fluid through the first passage in a first direction, but allow the flow of fluid through the first passage in a second, opposite direction.

14. A brake device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein:
the damping apparatus comprises a mechanical friction device configured to apply a frictional resistance to a component associated with the input shaft, thereby slowing the retraction of the input shaft as it travels towards its rest position upon release of a braking force applied to the input shaft; and
the brake device further comprises a ratchet wheel or other device configured to substantially disconnect the mechanical resistance device from the applying a frictional resistance during the application of a braking force to the input shaft.

15. A method of controlling a brake device as claimed in claim 1 , the method comprising:
applying a first braking force to the input shaft, wherein the first braking force is sufficient to cause the first resilient member to yield or compress, but insufficient to cause the second resilient member to yield or compress; and
applying a second braking force to the input shaft, wherein the second braking force is higher than the first braking force and is sufficient to cause both the first resilient member and the second resilient member to yield or compress.

16. A brake device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the module provides a two-stage braking system.

17. A brake device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first braking force corresponds to a dynamical braking stage, and the second braking force corresponds to a static braking stage.

Assignees

• Ratier Figeac Sas

Inventors

• Prouzet Bertrand

Classifications

• F16F7/09

  in dampers of the cylinder-and-piston type · CPC title

• B64C27/12 Primary

  Rotor drives · CPC title

• F16F7/087

  Elastomeric surface effect dampers · CPC title

• F16D63/008

  Brakes acting on a linearly moving member · CPC title

• F16F9/20

  with the piston-rod extending through both ends of the cylinder {, e.g. constant-volume dampers} · CPC title