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Planetary gearbox with integral service brake

  • US 8,662,277 B2
  • Filed: 12/22/2011
  • Issued: 03/04/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A brake mechanism in combination with a planetary gear set, comprising:

  • a fixed housing, said fixed housing includes a substantially cylindrical inner portion, and, said brake mechanism residing substantially within said substantially cylindrical inner portion of said fixed housing;

    a plate;

    said plate includes a flange portion and a cylindrical portion extending partially within said substantially cylindrical inner portion of said fixed housing;

    said flange portion of said plate substantially encloses said substantially cylindrical inner portion of said fixed housing;

    said brake mechanism includes a coupling;

    a motor shaft driven by a motor;

    said planetary gear set includes a rotating input drive and a rotating output drive;

    said motor shaft affixed to said coupling and said coupling affixed to said rotating input drive;

    said brake mechanism includes a service piston and a brake stack;

    said brake stack includes a plurality of stators and a plurality of rotors, said plurality of rotors are interleaved with said stators, and, each of said plurality of rotors resides interleaved between a pair of proximate stators;

    said rotors are affixed to said coupling and rotate therewith;

    each of said rotors includes friction material affixed thereto;

    said stators are affixed to said fixed housing;

    said rotating input drive imparting rotating input motion to said planetary gear set driving said rotating output drive of said planetary gear set, said output drive of said planetary gear set being rotatable with respect to said fixed housing;

    said service piston includes a brake stack engagement portion, a piston portion, a first shoulder, a second shoulder and a piston cavity;

    said piston cavity of said service piston formed by said piston portion of said service piston and said cylindrical portion of said plate;

    said service piston movable between an initial home position and another position;

    said service piston being in said initial home position wherein said service piston is not actuated, and, said plurality of rotors and said plurality of stators are not engaged with each other;

    said another position being determined according to the wear of said brake stack, said initial another position being determined with no wear of said brake stack and before any actuation of said service piston;

    said service piston being in said another position when said service piston is actuated and said engagement portion of said service piston engages said brake stack forcing said plurality of rotors and said plurality of stators into engagement with each other;

    said engagement portion of said service piston spaced apart from said brake stack by a distance, G, when said engagement portion of said service piston is in said initial home position;

    said distance, G, being the distance between said engagement portion of said service piston in said initial home position and said initial another position;

    a wear adjuster, said wear adjuster includes;

    a groove, a snap ring, said snap ring residing in said groove, a wall, a spring, said spring resides between said wall of said adjuster and said snap ring, and, said wear adjuster being generally cylindrically shaped;

    said generally cylindrically shaped wear adjuster being press fit on said cylindrical portion of said plate;

    said press-fit of said wear adjuster permitting said wear adjuster to move on said cylindrical portion of said plate in engagement with, and under the force of, said piston portion of said service piston;

    during actuation and movement of said service piston to said another position;

    said first shoulder of said piston portion of said service piston engages said wear adjuster repositioning said wear adjuster position to accommodate for loss of friction material;

    said second shoulder of said service piston engages said spring compressing said spring between said second shoulder of said service piston and said wall of said wear adjuster; and

    , said engagement portion of said service piston forcefully engages said brake stack wherein said plurality of stators and said plurality of rotors engage each other prohibiting rotation of said input drive with respect to said fixed housing;

    upon discontinuation of service piston actuation;

    said spring urges said second shoulder of said service piston in a direction opposite said wall of said wear adjuster and repositions said service piston to a second position due to a loss of friction material;

    said first shoulder of said service piston disengages said wear adjuster; and

    , said engagement portion of said service piston is returned to said second position and is spaced a distance, G, from said brake stack when it is next engaged.

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