Electric motor with electromagnetic brake

• US 6,731,034 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kraemer, Gerhard, Odendahl, Alfred, Habele, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullins, Burton S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Comas, Yahveh
• Application Number:
  US09/869,341
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 310/77, 310/91, 310/93, 318/93, 318/362, 318/366
• US Class Current: 310/77
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2121/22 for releasing a normally applied brake
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 49/00 Brakes with a braking member co-operating with the periphery of a drum, wheel-rim, or the like similar clutches F16D13/10
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 59/02 spring-loaded and adapted to be released by mechanical, fluid, or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/125 magnetically influenced

Abstract

An electric motor with an electromagnetic brake is disclosed, particularly for use in an angle grinder, which has a stator having at least one pole pair, in which at least one pole has a pole shoe which points to the inside towards the rotor periphery and is surrounded by a stator winding. The pole accommodates the brake means for braking of the rotor of the electric motor. The brake element can be adjusted against the braking force by the magnetic field of the stator winding when the motor is activated. The brake element is constructed of magnetically conductive material as a rocker which is exposed to the braking force off-center of the swivel axis of the brake element. As a result of the off-center application of force the brake element having a disengagement arm can be arranged in the magnetic flux of the stator winding such that a high disengagement moment can be achieved and rapid braking can occur at shutoff.

Claims

1. An electric motor comprising a rotor, an electromagnetic brake means for braking the rotor, and a stator wherein said stator comprises at least one pole pair, in which at least one pole of said pole pair comprises a pole shoe which faces inward towards the rotor and is surrounded by a stator winding, and wherein said at least one role of the stator supports the electromagnetic brake means and wherein the electromagnetic brake means comprises a brake element composed of an electromagnetically conductive material which is urged against a braking force by an attraction force generated by the magnetic flux induced during operation of the motor, wherein said brake element is constructed in the shape of a rocker element and is pivotally supported to pivot about an axis in a radially continuous free space within the stator such that the brake element applies a braking force to the rotor at a position offset from said axis.

2. An electric motor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the radially continuous free space is in the shape of a window and wherein said free space is axially bounded by wall segments.

3. An electric motor as set forth in claim 2, wherein the electromagnetic brake means includes a pin disposed in a corresponding recess in each of the wall segments to support the brake element and to form the axis about which the brake element pivots.

4. An electric motor as set forth in claim 3, wherein the axis, about which the brake element pivots, is parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotor.

5. An electric motor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the brake element is made of a magnetically conductive material end comprises a plurality of faces, one of which forms a part of a pole face facing towards the rotor and other of said faces forming separating surfaces which face the stator.

6. An electric motor as set forth in claim 5, wherein the brake element is formed as a multi-arm lever with one brake arm and one disengagement arm, wherein the brake arm is exposed to the braking force and the disengagement arm exerts a disengagement force on the brake element which is opposite to the braking force when current is flowing through the stator winding.

7. An electric motor as set forth in claim 6, wherein the brake arm is provided with a brake lining on the portion of the brake arm facing the rotor.

8. An electric motor as set forth in claim 6, wherein a face of the disengagement arm on the brake element adjoins the pole face of the stator and is positioned a greater distance from the axis about which the brake arm pivots than a separating surface on the brake arm.

9. An electric motor as set forth in claim 6, wherein the disengagement arm of the brake element includes a portion of the pole face to form an annular gap with the rotor to define a motor air gap.

10. An electric motor as set forth in any one of claims 6, wherein the brake arm is located in front of the axis about which the brake arm pivots when viewed in the direction of rotation of the rotor and the disengagement arm is located behind said axis in the direction of rotation of the rotor.

11. An electric motor as set forth in claim 7, wherein the brake arm comprises a brake lining which has little or no magnetic conductivity.

12. An electric motor as set forth in claim 6, wherein the brake arm has a plurality of blind holes each of which supports one end of a compression spring providing the braking force.

13. An electric motor as set forth in claim 12, wherein the other end of the compression spring is supported on a steady which is attached to the stator.

14. An electric motor as set forth in claim 6, wherein the disengagement arm includes a separating face having a short-circuited turn formed in said face.

15. An electric motor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the electric motor has a pole pair comprising two poles in which each pole contains arm electromagnetic brake means.