High gain asymmetry brake

An asymmetry brake apparatus comprising:

• a housing having a first plurality of friction plates therein;
• a shaft rotatable relative to the housing about an axis of rotation;
• an electrical pilot brake adapted to engage a dynamic portion of the brake with a stator portion of the brake to generate a triggering torque when the electrical pilot brake is selectively electrically deactivated;
• a primary brake movably connected with the shaft and configured to selectively engage a second plurality of friction plates with the first plurality of friction plates to generate a braking torque on the shaft;
• and
• a ball ramp assembly operatively connected to and disposed between the pilot brake and the primary brake, wherein the ball ramp assembly has a first ball ramp connected to the pilot brake and a second ball ramp movably connected to the primary brake and balls disposed between the first and second ramps, wherein the balls separate the first and second ball ramps in response to the triggering torque from the pilot brake and the second ball ramp actuates engagement of the second plurality of friction plates with the first plurality of friction plates to generate the braking torque on the shaft.

An asymmetry brake apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• a shaft rotatable relative to the housing about an axis of rotation;
• a solenoid connected to the housing and adapted to be selectively electrically activated and deactivated;
• bias springs received within the solenoid;
• a clapper plate capable of generally axial motion with respect to the shaft to selectively engage the stator solenoid when the solenoid is electrically activated;
• a friction plate connected to a ball ramp assembly;
• and
• a primary brake movably connected with the shaft and configured to engage the housing to generate a braking torque on the shaft;
• wherein the ball ramp assembly is operatively connected between the asymmetry brake and the primary brake to receive a triggering torque from the asymmetry brake and transfer the triggering torque to the primary brake, wherein the ball ramp assembly has a first ball ramp connected to the friction plate and a second ball ramp movably connected to the primary brake and balls disposed between the first and second ramps, wherein the balls separate the first and second ball ramps in response to the triggering torque and the second ball ramp actuates engagement of the primary brake with the housing to generate the braking torque on the shaft, and wherein when the solenoid is electrically deactivated the bias spring forces the clapper plate to move out of engagement with the solenoid and into engagement with the friction plate thereby generating the triggering torque.