BRAKE MODULE FOR A DRIVE SYSTEM, DRIVE SYSTEM AND PRODUCTION METHOD FOR A BRAKE MODULE

Abstract

A brake module for a drive system, in particular for doors, including at least one thrust washer and at least one brake disc, wherein the at least one thrust washer and the at least one brake disc each have at least one friction surface rubbing against each other during braking operation is provided. The embodiments also relate to a drive system, in particular for doors, including such a brake module. The embodiments further relate to a production method for a brake module of the abovementioned type. Known brake modules have a high variation in the braking force on the one hand in the course of their service life and on the other hand as a function of the temperature.

Claims

1. A brake module for a drive system for doors, comprising at least one thrust washer and at least one brake disc, a. wherein the at least one thrust washer and the at least one brake disc each includes at least one friction surface which rub against each other in braking operation, and b. wherein at least one of the friction surfaces of the brake disc is formed by a friction layer for protecting the brake disc and/or thrust washer from wear, c. wherein the brake disc includes a carrier and at least one friction layer connected to the carrier, and d. wherein the friction layer comprises a carbon fiber mesh.

2. The brake module according to claim 1, wherein the brake module respectively includes a thrust washer on two opposite sides of the brake disc, wherein the brake disc respectively includes a friction surface respectively with a friction layer facing each of the thrust washers.

3. The brake module according to claim 1, wherein the brake disc includes at least one of a. a carrier made of a plastic, and b. two friction layers connected to the carrier on opposite sides of the carrier.

4. The brake module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one friction layer is fastened to the carrier by a material bond, by means of a partially elastic adhesive layer.

5. The brake module according to claim 1, wherein at least one thrust washer consists of non-nitrided chromium-5 steel.

6. The brake module according to claim 1, wherein the brake disc is annular and includes a central aperture, wherein the central aperture has an approximately circular cross-section having at least two tooth sections separated by clearances.

7. The brake module according to claim 1, wherein the brake disc and/or the thrust washer has a number of depressions in a friction surface for receiving a lubricant.

8. The brake module according to claim 1, wherein the brake module includes a housing in which the brake disc and the at least one thrust washer are guided, coaxially about a central axis, wherein the brake module comprises a cover plate which is connected to the housing by a latching connection such that the brake disc and the at least one thrust washer are held in the housing.

9. A drive system for a door, comprising a brake module according to claim 1.

10. A production method for a brake module comprising at least one thrust washer and at least one brake disc, wherein the at least one thrust washer and the at least one brake disc each have at least one friction surface which rub against each other during braking operation, the method having the following steps: a. providing a carrier and b. coating the carrier on at least one side with a friction layer comprising a carbon fiber mesh for wear protection, in order to form the brake disc.

11. The production method according to claim 10, wherein the step of coating the carrier comprises applying a partially elastic adhesive layer on at least one side of the carrier, whereafter the friction layer is applied on the adhesive layer.

12. The production method according to claim 10, having the further following steps: a. providing at least one thrust washer blank, which consists of non-nitrided chromium-5-steel, and b. at least one of polishing and deburring the thrust washer blank in order to form the thrust washer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0045] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a brake module according to embodiments of the invention in an external view;

[0047] FIG. 2 shows the brake module of FIG. 1 in sectional view;

[0048] FIG. 3 shows the brake module of FIGS. 1 and 2 in an exploded view;

[0049] FIG. 4 shows a part of the brake module of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in a further exploded view;

[0050] FIG. 5 shows a brake disc according to embodiments of the invention and a spindle nut;

[0051] FIG. 6 shows a qualitative illustration of the dependency of the braking momentum of a brake module of the known art as a function of the number of braking cycles and the temperature;

[0052] FIG. 7 shows a qualitative illustration of the dependency of the braking momentum of a brake module according to embodiments of the invention as a function of the number of braking cycles and the temperature;

[0053] FIG. 8A shows a schematic flow diagram of providing a carrier in a production method according to embodiments of the invention;

[0054] FIG. 8B shows coating the carrier on two sides with an adhesive layer; and

[0055] FIG. 8C shows coating with a friction layer comprising fibers and/or carbon in order to form the brake disc.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] FIG. 1 shows a brake module 1 according to embodiments of the invention in an external view. The brake module 1 is here connected to a spindle 2 of a drive system. The brake module 1 comprises a cylindrical outer housing 3.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows the brake module 1 of FIG. 1 in a sectional view. The drive system comprises a spindle nut 4 connected to the spindle 2. The spindle nut 4 engages in braking operation in a brake disc 5 of the brake module 1 arranged radially to the longitudinal axis of the spindle outside the spindle nut 4. The brake disc 5 comprises at least two friction surfaces which rub against adjacent friction surfaces of two thrust washers 6 during braking operation as a result of relative rotation of the brake disc 5 about the longitudinal axis relative to the thrust washers 6. As a result, a braking momentum is exerted on the spindle 2 of the drive system. A spring 7 exerts a spring force on one of the thrust washers 6 along the longitudinal axis, whereby the brake disc 5 and the thrust washers 6 are pressed against each other to keep them in frictional contact. The strength of the spring force is a parameter via which the size of the braking force can be set. In this embodiment, the spring 7 is a zigzag spring.

[0058] FIG. 3 shows the brake module 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2 in an exploded view. The brake disc 5, the thrust washers 6 and the spring 7 are all arranged in a housing 8, the structure of which is explained in the following.

[0059] FIG. 4 shows a part of the brake module 1 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in a further exploded view. The brake module 1 comprises a cover plate 9 in addition to the housing 8. In the housing 8, the brake disc 5, the two thrust washers 6 and the spring 7 are guided coaxially about the longitudinal axis of the spindle (not shown here). The housing 8 is connected to the cover plate 9 by a latching connection, whereby the brake disc 5, the two thrust washers 6 and the spring 7 are held in the housing 8. The cover plate 9 has latching recesses 10, in which latching hooks 11 of the housing 8 can engage. The structure of the brake module along the longitudinal axis is thus: spring 7, thrust washer 6, brake disc 5, thrust washer 6, cover plate 9. These components are all at least partially surrounded by the housing 8 in the assembled state. This makes it easy to assemble the brake module 1 in the drive system without the risk of losing part of the brake module 1.

[0060] The housing 8 further comprises a number of, for example, five, housing slots 12 uniformly distributed around the longitudinal axis of the spindle 2 in the circumferential direction of the housing with a slot longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. Thrust washer projections 13 of the thrust washers 6 engage radially from the longitudinal axis outward in the housing slots 12. As a result, a relative rotation of the housing 8 and the thrust washers 6 against each other around the longitudinal axis is prevented when the brake disc 5 rotates with the spindle 2 and rubs against the thrust washers 6 during braking operation.

[0061] The brake disc 5 is annular and has a central aperture. The central aperture has an approximately circular cross-section having at least two, for example four, tooth sections 14 uniformly distributed in the circumferential direction of the brake disc 5 about the longitudinal axis, which sections are separated from each other by a recess 15. This is explained in more detail with reference to the following FIG. 5.

[0062] FIG. 5 shows a brake disc 5 according to embodiments of the invention and a spindle nut 4 in top view. The tooth sections 14 comprise teeth 16 projecting radially inwardly. Such a configuration enables a flexible connection of the brake disc 5 to the spindle nut 4 of the drive system. The spindle nut 4 comprises spindle nut wings 17, which engage in the clearances 15, and the torque is transmitted between the spindle nut 4 and the brake disc 5 via the contact between the spindle nut wings 17 and the teeth 16. A tilting of the brake disc 5 and the spindle nut 4 thereby becomes unlikely as in a form-fitting connection. This makes it easier to install the brake module 1 late in the production process of a drive system, to avoid vibration damage by a later assembly time and to replace the brake module 1 when the brake module 1 is defective because the brake module 1 can be placed on the spindle nut 2 more easily.

[0063] FIG. 6 shows a qualitative representation of the braking momentum BM of a brake module of the known art as a function of the number of braking cycles BZ and the temperature. The braking cycles are represented logarithmically, and the development of the braking force is plotted for three temperatures which cover all relevant operating temperatures. Such a brake module uses, for example, thrust washers made of nitrided chromium jet and a brake disc made of sintered steel. As can be seen in the first few hundred braking cycles, the braking force of the brake module decreases, and then gradually increase again. Furthermore, it can be seen that the braking force varies greatly with the temperature, which is illustrated by the double arrow indicating the tolerance range TB of the brake system.

[0064] FIG. 7 shows a qualitative representation of the braking momentum BM of a brake module 1 according to embodiments of the invention as a function of the number of braking cycles BZ and the temperature. The braking cycles are again represented logarithmically, and the development of the braking force is plotted for three temperatures which cover all relevant operating temperatures. As can be seen, the braking force varies only slightly as a function of the elapsed braking cycles. Furthermore, it can be seen that the braking force varies less with the temperature, which is illustrated by the double arrow indicating the tolerance range TB of the brake system. Thus, the braking force can be defined much better and does not have to be selected as in the known art so that it is significantly too large for a large part of the service life and the temperature range. As a result, the wear of the brake disc and the thrust washers is reduced on average, which explains in part the increased service life of the brake system. A drive system having such a brake module is also more comfortable to handle and more energy efficient and durable due to the lower braking force in most operating situations.

[0065] FIG. 8 shows a schematic flow diagram of a production method according to embodiments of the invention. The production method according to embodiments of the invention here comprises the following steps: [0066] FIG. 8A providing a, for example disc-shaped, carrier 18, for example made of plastic, optional: FIG. 8B coating the carrier 18 on at least one side (here on two sides) with an adhesive layer 19, [0067] FIG. 8C coating the carrier 18 (or optionally the adhesive layer 19) on at least one side (here on two sides) with a friction layer 20 comprising fibers and/or carbon in order to form the brake disc 5.

[0068] For example, the carrier 18 can be less elastic or more elastic than a brake disc 5 consisting entirely of the friction layer 20. Furthermore, the carrier 18 can consist of a low-cost plastic.

[0069] The step of coating the carrier 18 can comprise applying a partially elastic adhesive layer 19 on at least one side of the carrier 18, after which the friction layer 20 is applied to the adhesive layer 19.

[0070] Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of preferred embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0071] For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of a or an throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and comprising does not exclude other steps or elements. The mention of a unit or a module does not preclude the use of more than one unit or module.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0072] 1 brake module

[0073] 2 spindle

[0074] 3 outer housing

[0075] 4 spindle nut

[0076] 5 brake disc

[0077] 6 thrust washer

[0078] 7 spring

[0079] 8 housing

[0080] 9 cover plate

[0081] 10 latching recesses

[0082] 11 latching hooks

[0083] 12 housing slot

[0084] 13 thrust washer projection

[0085] 14 tooth section

[0086] 15 clearance

[0087] 16 tooth

[0088] 17 spindle nut wing

[0089] 18 carrier

[0090] 19 adhesive layer

[0091] 20 friction layer

[0092] BM braking momentum

[0093] BZ number of braking cycles

[0094] TB tolerance range on the other hand as a function of the temperature.