Actuator and slack adjuster
AssigneeHaldex Brake Corporation
InventorDavid Rhoads
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid operated brake actuator is provided composed of a common housing, a shaft rotatable within the housing, the shaft being rotatable to engage and disengage a brake, a vane connected to the shaft, the vane being responsive to fluid pressure to rotate the shaft, a torsion power spring for producing torque to bias the shaft in a first rotational direction; and an inlet port through the housing, the inlet port for introducing fluid pressure into the housing in order to exert a force on the vane in order to rotate the shaft against the bias of the spring.
Claims12
A fluid operated brake actuator, comprising:
- a housing having an interior;
- a shaft rotatable within the interior of the housing, the shaft being rotatable to engage and disengage a brake;
- a vane engaging the interior of the housing and connected to the shaft, the vane being responsive to a fluid pressure to rotate the shaft;
- a torsion power spring for producing torque to bias the shaft in a first rotational direction, the torsion power spring having a central longitudinal channel in which the shaft is rotatably disposed;
- and
- an inlet port through the housing, the inlet port for introducing fluid pressure into the housing in order to exert a force on the vane in order to rotate the shaft against the bias of the spring.
The A method of operating a fluid-operated brake actuator comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a housing, a shaft within the housing, a vane connected to the shaft, and a torsion power spring having a central longitudinal channel in which the shaft is rotatably disposed;
- b) producing torque to bias the shaft in a first rotational direction;
- c) introducing a fluid pressure into the housing in order to exert a force on the vane, the vane being responsive to the fluid pressure;
- d) rotating the shaft in a second rotational direction;
- and
- e) engaging and disengaging a brake.
A method of manually adjusting the slack of a fluid operated brake actuator comprising the steps of:
- providing a housing;
- providing a torsion spring having a longitudinal length and a first end enclosed by the housing, the first end connected to the housing;
- providing a camshaft that is actuated by the torsion spring, the camshaft having an axis centered on the longitudinal length;
- determining the amount of slack in the camshaft;
- and
- advancing the camshaft along the axis relative to the housing and by ratcheting the slack adjustment means until the slack is reduced.
A fluid operated brake actuator, comprising:
- a housing with an interior;
- a shaft rotatable within the housing, the shaft being rotatable to engage and disengage a brake;
- a vane engaging the interior of the housing and the vane dividing the interior of the housing into a first portion and a second portion, the vane connected to the shaft and the vane being responsive to a fluid pressure to rotate the shaft;
- a torsion power spring for producing torque to bias the shaft in a first rotational direction, the torsion power spring having a central longitudinal channel in which the shaft is rotatably disposed;
- a first inlet port through the housing, the first inlet port for introducing fluid pressure into the first portion of the housing in order to exert a first force on the vane;
- a second inlet port through the housing, the second inlet port for introducing fluid pressure into the second portion of the housing in order to exert a second force on the vane;
- wherein the shaft is rotated to disengage the brake when the first force is greater than the second force and the bias of the spring;
- and
- wherein the shaft is rotated to engage the brake when the first force is less than the second force and the bias of the spring.
A fluid operated brake actuator, comprising:
- a housing;
- a shaft rotatable within the housing, the shaft being rotatable to engage and disengage a brake;
- a vane connected to the shaft, the vane being responsive to a fluid pressure to rotate the shaft;
- a torsion power spring for producing torque to bias the shaft in a first rotational direction, the torsion power spring having a central longitudinal channel in which the shaft is rotatably disposed and the torsion power spring being enclosed by the housing;
- and
- an inlet port through the housing, the inlet port for introducing fluid pressure into the housing in order to exert a force on the vane in order to rotate the shaft against the bias of the spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.