Articulated shield for a vehicle friction brake

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11002328-B2
Application number	US-202016801920-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2020
Priority date	May 23, 2018
Publication date	May 11, 2021
Grant date	May 11, 2021

Abstract

A shield assembly is employed for a friction brake used to decelerate a road wheel of a vehicle. The vehicle has a body with a first body end configured to face an incident ambient airflow, a second body end opposite of the first body end, and an underbody section spanning a distance between the first and second ends. The shield assembly includes a first shield component arranged proximate the brake and rotationally fixed relative to the vehicle body. The shield assembly also includes a second shield component operatively connected to the first shield component for shifting relative thereto. The shield assembly additionally includes an actuator employing a shape memory alloy element to shift the second shield component relative to the first shield component in response to a temperature of the brake to thereby direct at least a portion of the airflow to the brake and control temperature thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An articulated shield assembly for a friction brake configured to decelerate a road wheel of a vehicle having a vehicle body with a first vehicle body end configured to face an incident ambient airflow, a second vehicle body end opposite of the first vehicle body end, and a vehicle underbody section configured to span a distance between the first and second vehicle body ends, the shield assembly comprising:
a first shield component arranged proximate the friction brake and rotationally fixed relative to the vehicle body;
a second shield component operatively connected to the first shield component and configured to shift relative to the first shield component; and
an actuator employing a shape memory alloy (SMA) element to shift the second shield component relative to the first shield component in response to a temperature of the friction brake to thereby direct at least a portion of the incident ambient airflow to the friction brake and control temperature thereof;
wherein:
the first shield component defines a first opening for the at least a portion of the incident ambient airflow; and
the second shield component is configured to rotate relative to the first shield component to thereby selectively block and unblock the first opening.

2. The shield assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a bias spring generating a bias force configured to counter a force generated by the SMA element and retract the second shield component below a preset temperature of the friction brake.

3. The shield assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the actuator additionally includes an actuator housing configured to retain the SMA element and the bias spring therein.

4. The shield assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the SMA element is configured as a wire, and wherein the bias spring is configured to counter one of expansion and contraction of the wire.

5. The shield assembly according to claim 4 , wherein:
the actuator includes a first pulley and a second pulley, each retained within the actuator housing; and
the wire extends around each of the first and second pulleys, such that each of the first and second pulleys is configured to change a directional path of the wire.

6. The shield assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the first shield component defines one of a pocket and an aperture configured to accept and accommodate outer dimensions of the actuator housing therein, such that the SMA element responds to the temperature of the friction brake.

7. The shield assembly according to claim 3 , wherein:
the SMA element is configured as a plurality of wire coils;
the plurality of wire coils is arranged in series with the bias spring; and
the plurality of wire coils and the bias spring are separated by a divider.

8. The shield assembly according to claim 7 , wherein each of the forces generated by the plurality of wire coils and the bias force is transmitted through the divider.

9. The shield assembly according to claim 1 , wherein:
the second shield component defines a second opening; and
the second opening is configured to admit the at least a portion of the incident ambient airflow to the friction brake when the second opening coincides with the first opening.

10. The shield assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second shield components are configured to selectively shield the friction brake from road borne contaminants and/or debris when the first opening is blocked and generate a path for the at least a portion of the incident ambient airflow to cool the friction brake when the first opening is unblocked.

11. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body including a first vehicle body end configured to face an incident ambient airflow, a second vehicle body end opposite of the first vehicle body end, and a vehicle underbody section configured to span a distance between the first and second vehicle body ends;
a road wheel operatively connected to the vehicle body;
a friction brake configured to retard rotation of the road wheel and thereby decelerate the vehicle; and
an articulated shield assembly comprising:
a first shield component arranged proximate the friction brake and rotationally fixed relative to the vehicle body;
a second shield component operatively connected to the first shield component and configured to shift relative to the first shield component; and
an actuator employing a shape memory alloy (SMA) element to shift the second shield component relative to the first shield component in response to a temperature of the friction brake to thereby direct at least a portion of the incident ambient airflow to the friction brake and control temperature thereof;
wherein:
the first shield component defines a first opening for the at least a portion of the incident ambient airflow; and
the second shield component is configured to rotate relative to the first shield component to thereby selectively block and unblock the first opening.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the actuator includes a bias spring generating a bias force configured to counter a force generated by the SMA element and retract the second shield component below a preset temperature of the friction brake.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the actuator additionally includes an actuator housing configured to retain the SMA element and the bias spring therein.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the SMA element is configured as a wire, and wherein the bias spring is configured to counter one of expansion and contraction of the wire.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein:
the actuator includes a first pulley and a second pulley, each retained within the actuator housing; and
the wire extends around each of the first and second pulleys, such that each of the first and second pulleys is configured to change a directional path of the wire.

16. The vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the first shield component defines one of a pocket and an aperture configured to accept and accommodate outer dimensions of the actuator housing therein, such that the SMA element responds to the temperature of the friction brake.

17. The vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein:
the SMA element is configured as a plurality of wire coils;
the plurality of wire coils is arranged in series with the bias spring; and
the plurality of wire coils and the bias spring are separated by a divider.

18. The vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein each of the forces generated by the plurality of wire coils and the bias force is transmitted through the divider.

19. The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein:
the second shield component defines a second opening; and
the second opening is configured to admit the at least a portion of the incident ambient airflow to the friction brake when the second opening coincides with the first opening.

20. The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the first and second shield components are configured to selectively shield the friction brake from road borne contaminants and/or debris when the first opening is blocked and generate a path for the at least a portion of the incident ambient airflow to cool the friction brake when the first opening is unblocked.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Skurkis Richard J
• Alexander Paul W
• Smith Anthony L
• Begleiter David
• Riefe Mark T
• Weber Steven J

Classifications

• F16D2065/783

  cooling control or adjustment · CPC title

• F16D65/827

  with open cooling system, e.g. cooled by air · CPC title

• B60T1/065

  employing disc (B60T1/062 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60Y2410/136

  Memory alloys · CPC title

• F16D55/226

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