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Brake monitoring system

  • US 5,339,069 A
  • Filed: 07/01/1992
  • Issued: 08/16/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for monitoring a brake for wear, said brake comprising a cam rotatable about an axis, actuator means coupled to said cam for turning said cam about said axis, a brake pad operatively associated with said cam and adjacent to an inner surface of a brake drum, said brake pad movable, by turning said cam about said axis through a cam angle, between a disengaged position wherein said brake pad is spaced apart from said inner surface of said brake drum and an engaged position wherein said brake pad is in forceable engagement with said inner surface of said brake drum, said method comprising the steps of:

  • (a) providing;

    i) a transducer coupled to said cam, said transducer adapted to provide a signal representative of said cam angle relative to a reference cam angle;

    ii) means for transmitting said signal from said transducer to an electronic computing means, said computing means for measuring said signal, comparing said measured signal to stored values, and generating an alarm signal when said measured signal has an unacceptable value; and

    ,iv) warning means operatively associated with said computing means and responsive to said alarm signal for alerting an operator of said brake when said alarm signal is present;

    (b) making a first measurement of said signal when said brake pad is new, said cam angle is a first angle and said brake pad is in a first position relative to said brake drum;

    (c) storing a first value representative of said first measurement in said computing means;

    (d) while said brake is being operated and said brake pad is in said engaged position, operating said computing means to;

    i) make a second measurement of said signal;

    ii) store a second value representative of said second measurement;

    iii) calculate a third value from a difference of said first and second values, said third value representative of a difference between said first angle and said cam angle when said second measurement was made;

    iv) compare said third value with a stored acceptable value to test whether said third value is acceptable or unacceptable; and

    v) trigger said alarm signal to activate said warning means if said third value is unacceptable.

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