DEVICE FOR MONITORING THE LINING THICKNESS OF A BRAKE LINING OF A FRICTION BRAKE OF A VEHICLE

• US 20110012724A1
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme FüR Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Original Assignee: Knorr-Bremse Systeme FüR Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH (Estate of Heinz Hermann Thiele)
• Inventors: Elstorpff, Marc-Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 8,860,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/454
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 66/02 Apparatus for indicating wear
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 66/021 using electrical detection or indication means

Abstract

A device for monitoring the lining thickness of a brake lining of a friction brake of a vehicle is disclosed, wherein the brake lining interacts with a friction partner, such as a brake disk. The brake lining is equipped with at least one passive transponder of an RFID system, wherein the passive transponder is changed and/or destroyed once the brake lining has reached a defined wear threshold as a result of contact with the friction partner or with an element that is guided by the friction partner, such that the transponder transmits a signal that differs from an expected signal, or no signal, to a reading unit of the RFID system after being illuminated by the reading unit.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring the lining thickness of a brake lining in a friction brake on a vehicle,

wherein the brake lining interacts with a friction partner,

wherein the brake lining is provided with at least one passive transponder in an RFID system,

wherein said passive transponder is altered and/or destroyed through contact with the friction partner or with an element carried by the friction partner when a defined wear limit for the brake lining is reached such that, when illuminated by a reader in the RFID system, the passive transponder sends a signal which is altered in comparison with an expected signal or disincentives sending a signal to the reader.

2. The apparatus of in claim 1, wherein the passive transponder is integrated in the brake lining or fitted to the brake lining.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a rail vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the rail vehicle is a freight wagon without a dedicated power supply.

5. The apparatus of one of claim 1, wherein the reader interacts with an evaluation device which generates a wear information item indicating the wear state of the brake lining based on the signal fed back or not fed back from the transponder to the reader.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a readable memory is provided, for the purpose of storing and reading the wear information indicating the wear state of the brake lining.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein an indicator device interacting with the evaluation device is also provided for the purpose of indicating the wear information indicating the brake lining.

8. A method for using the apparatus of claim 1, involving:

a) activation of the reader in direct proximity to the brake lining whose amount of wear is to be examined, and

b) generation of the wear information item indicating the wear state of the brake lining based on the signal fed back or not fed back from the passive transponder to the reader by an evaluation device which interacts with the reader.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein there is a storage of the wear information indicating the wear state of the brake lining provided with the passive transponder in a readable memory of the reader.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein presentation of the wear information indicating the wear state of the brake lining is provided with the passive transponder by an indicator device.