Brake system for track and mover system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12005939-B2
Application number	US-202117476936-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2021
Priority date	Sep 16, 2021
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a brake system for a track section of a linear motor system. The brake system includes a housing receiving a brake flag of a mover and a first brake pad disposed within the housing and having a first tapered surface. The brake system also includes a second brake pad disposed within the housing and having a second tapered surface and a wedge disposed within the housing and comprising a third tapered surface. The brake system also includes an actuator that moves the wedge, wherein movement of the activation wedge causes the first brake pad to move and causes the second brake pad to move.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A brake system for a track section of a linear motor system, the brake system comprising:
a housing configured to receive a brake flag of a mover of the linear motor system;
a first brake pad disposed within the housing and comprising a first tapered surface, wherein the first brake pad is configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein the first brake pad is configured to engage the brake flag of the mover of the linear motor system in the second position;
a second brake pad disposed within the housing and comprising a second tapered surface, wherein the second brake pad is configured to move between a third position and a fourth position, wherein the second brake pad is configured to engage the brake flag of the mover of the linear motor system in the fourth position;
a wedge disposed within the housing and comprising a third tapered surface configured to interface with the first tapered surface of the first brake pad and a fourth tapered surface configured to interface with the second tapered surface of the second brake pad; and
an actuator configured to, in response to receiving a signal indicative of a loss of power to the linear motor system and receiving a signal indicative of a position of the brake flag, move the wedge between a fifth position and a sixth position, wherein movement of the wedge from the fifth position to the sixth position causes the first brake pad to move from the first position to the second position, and causes the second brake pad to move from the third position to the fourth position.

2. The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a metal material.

3. The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the first brake pad and the second brake pad comprise a rubber material, a cork material, or a combination thereof.

4. The brake system of claim 1 , wherein each of the first brake pad and the second brake pad comprises a surface configured to engage the brake flag, wherein the surface includes a coating.

5. The brake system of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of bearings disposed between the wedge, wherein each bearing of the plurality of bearings is configured to engage the first brake pad or the second brake pad.

6. The brake system of claim 5 , wherein each bearing of the plurality of bearings comprises a needle bearing.

7. The brake system of claim 5 , wherein a first bearing of the plurality of bearings is disposed between the first tapered surface of the first brake pad and the third tapered surface of the wedge, and wherein a second bearing is disposed between the second tapered surface of the second brake pad and the fourth tapered surface of the wedge.

8. The brake system of claim 1 , comprising a sensor, wherein the sensor is configured to detect the position of the brake flag, wherein the sensor is configured to generate the signal indicative of the position of the brake flag.

9. The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is one of a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, a solenoid, a linear actuator, or any combination thereof.

10. The brake system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a spring configured to bias the first brake pad towards the second position and configured to bias the second brake pad towards the fourth position.

11. A track section of a linear motor system, comprising:
a plurality of coils energizable to create a controlled magnetic field;
a housing configured to receive a brake flag of a mover of the linear motor system;
a sensor configured to detect a position of the brake flag of the mover;
power and control circuitry configured to detect a power status of the linear motor system;
a first brake pad disposed within the housing and comprising a first tapered surface, wherein the first brake pad is configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein the first brake pad is configured to engage the brake flag of the mover of the linear motor system in the second position;
a second brake pad disposed within the housing and comprising a second tapered surface, wherein the second brake pad is configured to move between a third position and a fourth position, wherein the second brake pad is configured to engage the brake flag of the mover of the linear motor system in the fourth position;
a wedge disposed within the housing and comprising a third tapered surface configured to interface with the first tapered surface of the first brake pad and a fourth tapered surface configured to interface with the second tapered surface of the second brake pad; and
an actuator configured to, in response to receiving a signal from the power and control circuitry indicative of a loss of power to the linear motor system, and receiving a signal from a sensor indicative of a position of the brake flag move the wedge between a fifth position and a sixth position in response to, and, wherein movement of the wedge from the fifth position to the sixth position causes the first brake pad to move from the first position to the second position, and causes the second brake pad to move from the third position to the fourth position.

12. The track section of claim 11 , wherein the housing comprises a metal material.

13. The track section of claim 11 , wherein the first brake pad and the second brake pad comprise a rubber material, a cork material, or a combination thereof.

14. The track section of claim 11 , wherein each of the first brake pad and the second brake pad comprises a surface configured to engage the brake flag, wherein the surface includes a coating.

15. The track section of claim 11 , wherein the actuator is one of a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, a solenoid, a linear actuator, or any combination thereof.

16. The track section of claim 11 , wherein the actuator comprises a spring configured to bias the first brake pad towards the second position and configured to bias the second brake pad towards the fourth position.

17. A method, comprising:
detecting a loss of power via power and control circuitry;
detecting a position of a brake flag of a mover via a sensor;
in response to detecting the loss of power and based on the position of the brake flag of the mover, operating an actuator to move a portion of the actuator between a first position and a second position;
moving a wedge between a third position and a fourth position, wherein movement of the portion of the actuator from the first position to the second position causes the wedge to move from the third position to the fourth position; and
moving a first brake pad between a fifth position and a sixth position and a second brake pad between a seventh position and an eighth position, wherein movement of the wedge from the third position to the fourth position causes the first brake pad to move from the fifth position to the sixth position and causes the second brake pad to move from the seventh position to the eighth position, wherein the first brake pad engages the brake flag of the mover in the sixth position, and wherein the second brake pad engages the brake flag in the eighth position.

18. The method of claim 17 , comprising:
biasing the first brake pad towards the fifth position; and
biasing the second brake pad towards the seventh position.

19. The method of claim 17 , comprising biasing the portion of the actuator towards the first position.

20. The method of claim 17 , comprising generating a signal indicative of the position of the brake flag.

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Sommerhalter Jr Fred A

Classifications

• F16D2200/0056

  Elastomers · CPC title

• F16D2200/0034

  non-metallic · CPC title

• F16D2200/0004

  metallic · CPC title

• F16D2125/66

  Wedges · CPC title

• F16D65/092

  for axially-engaging brakes, e.g. disc brakes · CPC title