Electromagnetic operable mechanical brake for an electric motor

• US 6,483,217 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2000
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sew-Eurodrive GmbH & Company KG (BV Beteiligung GmbH & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Sew-Eurodrive GmbH & Company KG (BV Beteiligung GmbH & Company KG)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Josef, Roth-Stielow, Jörg
• Primary Examiner(s): Waks, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US09/486,457
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 310/93, 310/94, 310/77, 310/75.R, 310/71, 310/68.R, 188/171, 188/161, 188/72.1, 188/72.3, 335/256, 187/286, 439/426
• US Class Current: 310/93
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0058 Fully lined, i.e. braking surface extending over the entire disc circumference
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2121/22 for releasing a normally applied brake
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 55/28 Brakes with only one rotating disc
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 59/02 spring-loaded and adapted to be released by mechanical, fluid, or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1025 using axial electromagnets with generally annular air gap

Abstract

An electromagnetically actuated mechanical brake 12 for an electric motor, for a geared motor, with an excitation coil 5 for the electromagnetic actuation of the brake 12, in particular for releasing the brake 12, and with a circuit arrangement 9 to supply an excitation current to the excitation coil 5, in which the excitation coil 5 and the circuit arrangement 9 are together integrated into a structural unit 13.

Claims

1. An electromagnetically actuated mechanical brake for an electric motor comprising:

an excitation coil for electromagnetic actuation of the brake where the electromagnetic actuation is at least used to release the brake;

a circuit arrangement configured to supply an excitation current to the excitation coil, the circuit arrangement comprising at least one of a rectifier and a control circuit; and

a structural unit comprising a one-piece carrier configured to integrally house and carry the excitation coil and the circuit arrangement.

2. A brake according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is comprised of a housing comprised of a metal that is comprised of at least one of gray cast iron and diecast aluminum.

3. A brake according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is made of plastic.

4. A brake according to claim 1, wherein the brake is configured such that a first heat-conduction resistance between the circuit arrangement and the excitation coil is considerably larger than a second heat-conduction resistance between the circuit arrangement and the carrier and also considerably larger than a third heat-conduction resistance between the excitation coil and the carrier.

5. A brake according to claim 1, wherein the excitation coil and the circuit arrangement are at least one of potted in a block of plastic and coated in plastic by spraying.

6. An electromagnetically actuated mechanical brake for an electric motor comprising:

an excitation coil for electromagnetic actuation of the brake where the electromagnetic actuation is at least used to release the brake;

a circuit arrangement configured to supply an excitation current to the excitation coil, the circuit arrangement comprising at least one of a rectifier and a control circuit, wherein the excitation coil and the circuit arrangement are integrated together into a structural unit; and

an electrical connector to connect the circuit arrangement to a current source, in particular an a.c. mains supply, wherein the connector is so constructed as to produce a low heat-conduction resistance between the circuit arrangement and a mains lead.

7. A brake according to claim 6, wherein the connector comprises a thermal contact surface to produce the low heat-conduction resistance, which is larger than a cross-sectional area of the circuit arrangement, the circuit arrangement being disposed along and only slightly separated from the thermal contact surface.

8. An electromagnetically actuated mechanical brake for an electric motor comprising:

an excitation coil for electromagnetic actuation of the brake where the electromagnetic actuation is at least used to release the brake;

a circuit arrangement configured to supply an excitation current to the excitation coil, the circuit arrangement comprising at least one of a rectifier and a control circuit;

wherein the excitation coil and the circuit arrangement are integrated together into a structural unit; and

wherein the brake is configured such that a first heat-conduction resistance between the circuit arrangement and the excitation coil is considerably greater than a second heat-conduction resistance between the excitation coil and the surroundings of the structural unit.

9. An electromagnetically actuated mechanical brake for an electric motor comprising:

an excitation coil for electromagnetic actuation of the brake where the electromagnetic actuation is at least used to release the brake;

a circuit arrangement configured to supply an excitation current to the excitation coil, the circuit arrangement comprising at least one of a rectifier and a control circuit;

wherein the excitation coil and the circuit arrangement are integrated together into a structural unit; and

wherein the circuit arrangement is connected to a cooling plate to conduct heat away.

10. A brake according to claim 9, wherein the cooling plate is comprised of aluminum.

11. An electromagnetically actuated mechanical brake for an electric motor comprising:

an excitation coil for electromagnetic actuation of the brake where the electromagnetic actuation is at least used to release the brake;

a circuit arrangement configured to supply an excitation current to the excitation coil, the circuit arrangement comprising at least one of a rectifier and a control circuit;

wherein the excitation coil and the circuit arrangement are integrated together into a structural unit; and

a thermal barrier disposed between the excitation coil and the circuit arrangement.

12. A brake according to claim 11, wherein the thermal barrier is made of a material with low thermal conductance.

13. A brake according to claim 12, wherein the material is comprised of a ceramic material.

14. A brake according to claim 11, wherein a material connection between the excitation coil and the circuit arrangement is so constructed that the material connection serves as a thermal barrier due to the dimensions of the material connection.

15. A brake according to claim 14, wherein the material connection is bridge-like.