Automatic slack adjuster
AssigneeGunite Corporation
InventorsJeffrey Root, Marcello N. Tedesco, David G. Pawczuk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A slack adjuster for rotating an input shaft of a braking system includes a housing having an aperture defining a first axis. The slack adjuster also includes an output member positioned within the aperture. The output member is engageable with the input shaft for rotation therewith about a second axis parallel with and offset from the first axis. The slack adjuster also includes an incremental adjustment mechanism operable to impart cycloidal motion to the output member relative to the housing.
Claims20
A slack adjuster for rotating an input shaft of a vehicle braking system, the slack adjuster comprising:
- a housing including an aperture defining a first axis;
- an output member positioned within the aperture and engaged with the input shaft of the vehicle braking system for rotation therewith about a second axis parallel to and offset from the first axis;
- and
- an incremental adjustment mechanism for imparting cycloidal motion to the output member relative to the housing,
- wherein the incremental adjustment mechanism includes a clutch gear, a drive gear coaxial and co-rotatable with the clutch gear, and a spring configured to bias the clutch gear into engagement with the drive gear.
A slack adjuster for rotating an input shaft of a vehicle braking system, the slack adjuster comprising:
- a housing including an aperture defining a first axis;
- an output member positioned within the aperture and engaged with the input shaft of the vehicle braking system for rotation with the input shaft about a second axis parallel to the first axis;
- and
- an incremental adjustment mechanism coupling the housing and the output member for angularly reorienting the output member relative to the housing;
- wherein the incremental adjustment mechanism includes a plurality of rotatable components, and wherein each of the rotatable components is rotatable about an axis that is parallel with the first and second axes, and
- wherein the incremental adjustment mechanism includes a clutch gear, a drive gear coaxial and co-rotatable with the clutch gear, and a spring configured to bias the clutch gear into engagement with the drive gear.
A method of reducing slack in a vehicle braking system including an input shaft, the method comprising:
- providing a housing including an aperture defining a first axis;
- positioning an output member within the aperture and engaging the output member with the input shaft for rotation therewith;
- rotating the housing and the input shaft about a second axis parallel to and offset from the first axis;
- and
- imparting cycloidal motion to the output member relative to the housing with an incremental adjustment mechanism including a drive gear and a clutch gear coaxial with the drive gear,
- wherein imparting cycloidal motion to the output member includes engaging and rotating the drive gear with the clutch gear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.