Brake with field responsive material
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A controllable brake comprising:
- (a) a housing comprising a first chamber and a second chamber;
(b) a shaft comprising a first shaft end, the shaft extending through the first and second housing chambers;
(c) a rotor made integral with the shaft substantially at the first shaft end, the rotor having an outer periphery, said rotor being located in the first housing chamber;
(d) field generating means located in the first housing chamber proximate the outer periphery of the rotor;
(e) field responsive material located in said first chamber, the rheology of said material being affected by said field generating means; and
(f) means for controlling and/or monitoring the operation of the brake, said means located in said second chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A controllable brake includes a rotor supported on one shaft end. The rotor is housed within a chamber containing a field controllable material which is acted upon by a magnetic field generator to change the rheology of the material and thereby impede movement of the rotor. The shaft is supported by two bearings which, in combination with the housing define a second housing chamber adapted to enclose means for monitoring and/or controlling the brake and in this way, an integrated, compact controllable brake is provided.
81 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A controllable brake comprising:
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(a) a housing comprising a first chamber and a second chamber;
(b) a shaft comprising a first shaft end, the shaft extending through the first and second housing chambers;
(c) a rotor made integral with the shaft substantially at the first shaft end, the rotor having an outer periphery, said rotor being located in the first housing chamber;
(d) field generating means located in the first housing chamber proximate the outer periphery of the rotor;
(e) field responsive material located in said first chamber, the rheology of said material being affected by said field generating means; and
(f) means for controlling and/or monitoring the operation of the brake, said means located in said second chamber.
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2. A controllable brake, comprising:
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(a) a rotor comprising first and second rotor surfaces, an outer periphery and at least one working portion proximate to or at the outer periphery;
(b) a shaft comprising a first shaft end, the rotor being made integral with the shaft at the first shaft end in a manner to restrain relative rotation therebetween;
(c) a housing having a first chamber and a second chamber said first chamber adapted to house the rotor therein, (d) a field controllable material contained within said first chamber in contact with the at least one working portion of the rotor;
(e) a magnetic field generator located in said first chamber spaced from the rotor, said field generator being adapted to generate a magnetic flux in a direction through a controllable material toward the at least one working portion of the rotor;
(f) electronics, for operation with the brake, housed in said second chamber. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. A controllable brake, comprising:
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(a) a rotor having first and second rotor surfaces, an outer periphery, and a working portion on the at least one of first and second rotor surfaces at a position proximate the outer periphery;
(b) a shaft having said rotor connected thereto in a manner to restrain relative rotation therebetween;
(c) a housing having a first chamber rotatably housing the rotor therein, and including a magnetic field generator spaced from the rotor, and configured and positioned for generating magnetic flux through a controllable material in a direction parallel to the shaft and perpendicular to the working portion on at least one surface proximate the outer periphery; and
(e) a controllable material contained with said first chamber in contact with at least the working portion of the rotor. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A controllable brake, comprising:
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(a) a rotor having first and second rotor surfaces, an outer periphery, and a working portion on the first and second rotor surfaces at a position proximate the outer periphery;
(b) a shaft having said rotor connected thereto at one end of the shaft;
(c) a housing including a first chamber rotatably housing the rotor therein, and a magnetic field generator spaced from the rotor, and configured and positioned for generating magnetic flux through a controllable material in a direction parallel to the shaft and perpendicular to the working portion proximate the outer periphery, and a second chamber containing electronics therein; and
(d) a controllable material contained within said first chamber in contact with at least the working portion of the rotor. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A controllable brake, comprising:
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(a) a rotor having first and second rotor surfaces, an outer periphery, and a working portion on the outer periphery and on the first and second rotor surfaces at a portion proximate the outer periphery;
(b) a shaft having said rotor connected thereto in a manner to restrain relative rotation therebetween;
(c) a housing having a first chamber rotatably housing the rotor therein, and including a magnetic field generator spaced from the rotor, and for generating a magnetic flux in directions both, (1) through a controllable material parallel to the shaft and perpendicular to the working portion proximate the outer periphery, and (2) through a controllable material perpendicular to the shaft and to the outer periphery of the rotor; and
(d) a controllable material contained within said first chamber in contact with at least the working portion of the rotor and the periphery thereof. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A controllable brake, comprising:
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(a) a rotor having first and second rotor surfaces, an outer periphery, and a working portion on the outer periphery and on the first and second rotor surfaces at a portion proximate the outer periphery;
(b) a shaft having said rotor connected thereto in a manner to restrain relative rotation therebetween;
(c) a housing having a first chamber rotatably housing the rotor therein, and including a magnetic field generator spaced from the rotor, and for generating magnetic flux in a direction both, (1) through a controllable material parallel to the shaft and perpendicular to the working portion proximate to the outer periphery, and (2) through a controllable material perpendicular to the shaft and to the outer periphery of the rotor, and a second chamber containing electronics therein; and
(d) a controllable material contained within said first chamber in contact with at least the working portion of the rotor and the periphery thereof. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A controllable brake, comprising:
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(a) a rotor shaped to have working portion on its periphery which extends parallel to a shaft on which said rotor is mounted;
(b) a shaft having said rotor connected thereto in a manner to restrain relative rotation therebetween;
(c) a housing having a first chamber rotatably housing the rotor therein, and including a magnetic field generator spaced from the rotor, and configured and positioned for generating magnetic flux through a controllable material in a direction perpendicular to the shaft and to the working portion of the rotor; and
(d) a material contained within said first chamber in contact with at least the working portion of the rotor. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A controllable brake, comprising:
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(a) a rotor manufactured from magnetically permeable material and shaped to have working portion on its periphery which extends parallel to a shaft on which said rotor is mounted;
(b) a shaft having said rotor connected thereto at one end of the shaft in a manner to restrain relative rotation therebetween;
(c) a housing having a first chamber rotatably housing the rotor therein, and including a magnetic field generator spaced from the rotor, and configured and positioned for generating a magnetic flux through a controllable material in a direction perpendicular to the shaft and to the working portion of the rotor, and a second chamber containing electronics therein; and
(d) a controllable material contained within said first chamber in contact with at least the working portion of the rotor. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification