Spring based brake wear sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10823244-B2
Application number	US-201816209569-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2018
Priority date	Nov 30, 2018
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A brake wear sensor is disclosed. In various embodiments, the brake wear sensor includes a bias member configured for connection between a stationary portion of a brake mechanism and a heat sink; and a load cell configured to measure a load in the bias member representative of a length of the heat sink.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A brake wear sensor, comprising:
a bias member configured for connection between a load cell coupled to a stationary portion of a brake mechanism and a heat sink,
wherein the load cell is configured to measure a compressive load in the bias member representative of a length of the heat sink and the bias member comprises a distal end connected to a pressure plate of the heat sink and a proximal end connected to a strain gauge within the load cell.

2. The brake wear sensor of claim 1 , wherein the bias member is a coil spring.

3. The brake wear sensor of claim 1 , wherein the load cell is a membrane strain gauge.

4. The brake wear sensor of claim 2 , wherein the stationary portion of the brake mechanism is a piston housing.

5. The brake wear sensor of claim 2 , wherein the stationary portion of the brake mechanism is a torque tube.

6. A brake mechanism, comprising:
a heat sink;
a stationary portion; and
a bias member configured for connection between a sensor coupled to the stationary portion of the brake mechanism and the heat sink,
wherein the sensor is configured to measure a compressive load in the bias member representative of a length of the heat sink and the bias member comprises a distal end connected to a pressure plate of the heat sink and a proximal end connected to a strain gauge within the sensor.

7. The brake mechanism of claim 6 , wherein the heat sink comprises the pressure plate, a plurality of rotor disks, a plurality of stator disks and an end plate.

8. The brake mechanism of claim 7 , wherein the bias member is a coil spring.

9. The brake mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the stationary portion of the brake mechanism is a piston housing.

10. The brake mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the stationary portion of the brake mechanism is a torque tube.

11. The brake mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is a membrane strain gauge configured to measure the compressive load within the bias member.

12. A method of monitoring a length of a heat sink within a brake mechanism, comprising:
measuring a compressive load within a bias member connected to the heat sink, the bias member comprising a distal end connected to a pressure plate of the heat sink and a proximal end connected to a strain gauge within a sensor coupled to a stationary portion of the brake mechanism; and
translating the compressive load to the length of the heat sink.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the bias member is a coil spring.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the stationary portion is one of a piston housing and a torque tube.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Stein Eric
• Fahrenbruch Alex

Classifications

• F16D66/025 Primary

  sensing the position of parts of the brake system other than the braking members, e.g. limit switches mounted on primary cylinders · CPC title

• F16D66/021

  using electrical detection or indication means · CPC title

• F16D2066/001

  Temperature · CPC title

• B64C25/42

  Arrangement or adaptation of brakes · CPC title

• F16D2066/003

  Position, angle or speed · CPC title