A wheel end support assembly and method of assembly. The assembly may include a spindle, a brake torque plate, and a locator bushing. The locator bushing is received in a first locator hole of the spindle and a second locator hole of the brake torque plate and aligns the brake torque plate to the spindle.

A wheel end support assembly and method of assembly. The assembly may include a spindle, a brake torque plate, and a locator bushing. The locator bushing is received in a first locator hole of the spindle and a second locator hole of the brake torque plate and aligns the brake torque plate to the spindle.

The present disclosure relates to vehicle drum brakes. In one aspect, there is provided a brake shoe comprising a guide at or near its free end, which prevents brake shoe misalignment. According to a further aspect, there is provided a guide for attachment to a brake shoe at or near its free end, which prevents brake shoe misalignment. According to a further aspect, there is provided a drum brake assembly comprising a brake shoe comprising the guide.

Provided is a spring lock mechanism including: a lock drum (11) provided on either one of a first member (20) and a second member (20); a coil spring (12) secured to the other member, abutting on the lock drum (11), and locking turning of the second member (30) in one direction relative to the first member (20) due to a frictional force; and a switching mechanism causing the second member (30) to turn relative to the first member (20) to switch a state in which the locking has been established and a state in which the locking has been released and held, in which the coil spring (12) abuts on an inner circumferential surface of the lock drum (11), the diameter of the coil spring (12) increases through compression of a spring wire material of the coil spring (12) in a longitudinal direction caused by the turning of the second member (20), the coil spring thus further presses the inner circumferential surface of the lock drum (11) and locks the turning due to the frictional force, and the switching mechanism accompanies an operation of extending or shortening a length of the coil spring (12) in the state in which the locking has been released relative to the length of the coil spring (12) in the state in which the locking has been established.

Provided is a spring lock mechanism including: a lock drum (11) provided on either one of a first member (20) and a second member (20); a coil spring (12) secured to the other member, abutting on the lock drum (11), and locking turning of the second member (30) in one direction relative to the first member (20) due to a frictional force; and a switching mechanism causing the second member (30) to turn relative to the first member (20) to switch a state in which the locking has been established and a state in which the locking has been released and held, in which the coil spring (12) abuts on an inner circumferential surface of the lock drum (11), the diameter of the coil spring (12) increases through compression of a spring wire material of the coil spring (12) in a longitudinal direction caused by the turning of the second member (20), the coil spring thus further presses the inner circumferential surface of the lock drum (11) and locks the turning due to the frictional force, and the switching mechanism accompanies an operation of extending or shortening a length of the coil spring (12) in the state in which the locking has been released relative to the length of the coil spring (12) in the state in which the locking has been established.

An omni-wheel may include a shaft, a plurality of rollers, and a braking device. The plurality of rollers may be circumferentially arranged about the shaft and arranged radially outward from the shaft. The braking device may include an at least one flexible clutch member, an at least one brake pad, and an actuator. The at least one flexible clutch member may have an outer diameter arranged about the shaft. The at least one brake pad may be arranged on the outer diameter of the at least one flexible clutch member. The actuator may be arranged to axially displace the at least one flexible clutch member. The at least one flexible clutch member may expand radially outward when axially displaced by the actuator, which may displace the at least one brake pad arranged on the outer diameter of the at least one flexible clutch member radially outward to contact at least one of the plurality of rollers, preventing rotation of the roller.

An omni-wheel may include a shaft, a plurality of rollers, and a braking device. The plurality of rollers may be circumferentially arranged about the shaft and arranged radially outward from the shaft. The braking device may include an at least one flexible clutch member, an at least one brake pad, and an actuator. The at least one flexible clutch member may have an outer diameter arranged about the shaft. The at least one brake pad may be arranged on the outer diameter of the at least one flexible clutch member. The actuator may be arranged to axially displace the at least one flexible clutch member. The at least one flexible clutch member may expand radially outward when axially displaced by the actuator, which may displace the at least one brake pad arranged on the outer diameter of the at least one flexible clutch member radially outward to contact at least one of the plurality of rollers, preventing rotation of the roller.

An omni-track system for mounting onto a wheel may include a plurality of track segments. Each of the plurality of track segments may include a male connector, a female connector, a roller mount, and at least one roller. The female connector may be arranged opposite the male connector. The roller mount may be fixedly secured to the track segment. The at least one roller may be rotatably secured to the roller mount. The plurality of track segments may be linked together to fully encompass an outer circumference of the wheel.

An adaptive self-centering device (ASCD) which uses one or more ratchet-pawl mechanisms. The hysteretic slip force of the ASCD preferably comes from a friction mechanism. The self-centering originates from the ratcheting of the pawl over the ratchet wheel and a self-centering device, in response to a force from an apparatus such as a spring. The nonlinear hardening of the apparatus, which conforms to the favorable adaptive behavior sought in modern day passive devices, stems from the mechanism of the lever within the apparatus that transforms the linear motion into rotatory motion.

A brake assembly having a non-braking configuration and a braking configuration includes a brake shoe having a brake lining coupled thereto. An actuator is coupled to the brake shoe, the actuator movable along an actuation path between a neutral actuator position and a braking actuator position. An actuator distance between the neutral actuator position and the braking actuator position increases over time in response to a reduction in thickness of a brake lining installed on the brake shoe. Moving the actuator from the neutral actuator position to the braking actuator position past a predetermined actuation distance causes a ratchet mechanism to advance to a next sequential ratchet position, which in turn moves the neutral actuator position of the actuator a predetermined distance away from the minimum actuator position. A sensor is coupled to the ratchet mechanism for detecting the sequential ratchet position of the ratchet mechanism.