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US 8,602,176 B2Granted
Ball bearing braking apparatus
AssigneeCarttronics, LLC
InventorThomas K Khuu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel braking apparatus includes components that inhibit the rotation of a wheel when a ball bearing is placed in a braking position between a bearing wall of a non-rotating component and a bearing barrier of a hub interface component that is at least resistively connected to a hub of the wheel. In response to a wireless signal, the ball bearing is moved from a non-braking position and allowed to travel to a braking position between a bearing barrier of one side of a bearing groove and the bearing wall of the non-rotating component.
Claims21
A braking apparatus comprising:
- a hub interface component having outer surface configured to engage an inner surface of a wheel hub and comprising a bearing groove within an inner portion of the hub interface component, the bearing groove configured to allow a ball bearing to move within the bearing groove between a first barrier at a first end of the bearing groove and a second barrier at a second end of the bearing groove;
- a non-rotating component comprising a bearing wall, the hub interface component configured to rotate relative to the non-rotating component unless the braking apparatus is in a braking configuration and the ball bearing is in a braking position where the ball bearing is positioned between the bearing wall and either one of the first barrier or the second barrier;
- a bearing release mechanism configured to release the ball bearing from a non-braking position and allow the ball bearing to travel to the bearing groove;
- and
- electronics configured to actuate the release mechanism to release the ball bearing in response to detection of a wireless signal.
2 more elements
A braking apparatus comprising:
- a rotating component having a rotating component feature;
- a non-rotating component having a non-rotating component feature;
- a moveable interposer configured to inhibit rotation of the rotating component relative to the non-rotating component when the moveable interposer is in a braking position where the moveable interposer is positioned between the rotating component feature and the non-rotating component feature;
- an interposer controller configured to move the moveable interposer to the braking position with movement at least partially caused by gravity and by rotation of the rotating component.
1 more element
A braking apparatus comprising:
- a rotating component having a rotating component feature;
- a non-rotating component having a non-rotating component feature;
- a moveable interposer configured to inhibit rotation of the rotating component relative to the non-rotating component when the moveable interposer is in a braking position where the moveable interposer is positioned between the rotating component feature and the non-rotating component feature and configured to not inhibit rotation of the rotating component relative to the non-rotating component when the moveable interposer is in a non-braking position where the moveable interposer is not positioned between the rotating component feature and the non-rotating component feature;
- and
- an interposer controller configured to move the moveable interposer from the braking position and to the non-braking position where the movement is at least partially due to magnetic force.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.