Brake System

Abstract

The invention relates to a brake system, in particular wedge drum brake for utility vehicles, comprising a transmission element and a piston element, wherein the transmission element is guided displaceably along a transmission axis, wherein the piston element is guided displaceably transversely with respect to the transmission axis, wherein the transmission element has a transmission surface which is oriented in an inclined manner with respect to the transmission axis, wherein the piston element is supported with a piston surface on the transmission surface, wherein a displacement of the transmission element along the transmission axis brings about a displacement of the piston element substantially transversely with respect to the transmission axis.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A brake system, comprising: a transmission element; and a piston element; wherein the transmission element is guided displaceably along a transmission axis; wherein the piston element is guided displaceably transversely with respect to the transmission axis; wherein the transmission element has a transmission surface which is oriented in an inclined manner with respect to the transmission axis; wherein the piston element is supported with a piston surface substantially directly on the transmission surface; wherein a displacement of the transmission element along the transmission axis causes a displacement of the piston element substantially transversely with respect to the transmission axis, wherein at least one of the transmission surface and the piston surface is curved; wherein, in a first state of the brake system, the transmission surface in a first transmission portion lies against a first piston portion of the piston surface; wherein, in a second state of the brake system, the transmission surface in a second transmission portion lies against a second piston portion of the piston surface; wherein the first transmission portion extends substantially pivoted about a first angle with respect to the transmission axis; wherein the second transmission portion extends substantially pivoted about a second angle with respect to the transmission axis; and wherein the second angle is preferably of a smaller value than the first angle.

17. The brake system as claimed in claim 16, wherein one of the transmission surface and the piston surface has a concave curvature, wherein the other of the transmission surface and the piston surface has a convex curvature, and wherein a radius of curvature of the convex curvature is preferably smaller than a radius of curvature of the concave curvature.

18. The brake system as claimed in claim 17, wherein one of the transmission surface and the piston surface has a first curvature with a first central radius of curvature, wherein the other of the transmission surface and the piston surface has a second curvature with a second central radius of curvature, and wherein a ratio of the first central radius of curvature to the second central radius of curvature is 0.4 to 1.

19. The brake system of claim 18, wherein the ratio of the first central radius of curvature to the second central radius of curvature is 0.5 to 0.95.

20. The brake system of claim 19, wherein the ratio of the first central radius of curvature to the second central radius of curvature is 0.7 to 0.85.

21. The brake system as claimed in claim 16, wherein a profile of the curvature of at least one of the transmission surface and of the piston surface is not linear.

22. The brake system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the radius of curvature of selected portions of at least one of the transmission surface and of the piston surface has different values and/or a portion which is not curved.

23. The brake system as claimed in claim 16, wherein, when the brake system is actuated, the transmission surface and the piston surface lie on one another in a sliding portion, and wherein the sliding portion takes up 0.05 to 0.3 times an area the transmission surface and/or the piston surface.

24. The brake systems as claimed in claim 23, wherein the sliding portion takes 0.05 to 0.2 times the area of the transmission surface and/or the piston surface.

25. The brake systems as claimed in claim 24, wherein the sliding portion takes 0.08 to 0.12 times the area of the transmission surface and/or the piston surface.

26. The brake system as claimed in claim 23, wherein a geometry of at least one of the transmission surface and of the piston surface is configured such that the sliding portion is smaller in a first state of the brake system than in a second state of the brake system.

27. The brake system as claimed in claim 16, wherein at least one of the transmission surface and the piston surface comprises a hardened material.

28. The brake system as claimed in claim 16, wherein at least one of the transmission surface comprises a transmission-side receiving region and the piston surface comprises a piston-side receiving region which is configured to provide and distribute a lubricant between the transmission surface and the piston surface.

29. The brake system as claimed in claim 16, wherein a lubricating film is located between the transmission surface and the piston surface.

30. The brake system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the transmission element has a second transmission surface which includes a plane-symmetrical configuration with respect to the first transmission surface based on a plane running through the transmission axis.

31. The brake system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the transmission element is acted upon with an actuating force by a brake cylinder in order to enter into engagement with the piston element and initiate a braking operation.

32. The brake system as claimed in claim 16, further comprising: having a housing, wherein the transmission element is arranged in the housing and is guided along the transmission axis in the housing, wherein the piston element is arranged in the housing and is guided displaceably in the housing transversely with respect to the transmission axis, and wherein the housing is integral.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Further advantages and features of the present invention emerge from the description below of further preferred embodiments with respect to the attached figures. It goes without saying that features of individual embodiments or figures can also be used in other embodiments unless this is explicitly ruled out or forbidden because of technical considerations. In the figures:

[0022] FIGS. 1a, 1b show two views of a preferred embodiment of the brake system according to the invention;

[0023] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1b;

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a view of a further preferred embodiment of the brake system according to the invention; and

[0025] FIGS. 4a, 4b show two views of two further preferred embodiments of the brake system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] FIGS. 1a and 1b illustrate in a simple schematic manner how the transmission element 2 and the piston element 4 interact in a preferred embodiment of the brake system according to the invention. FIG. 1a here shows the preferred first state of the brake system, that is to say, in other words, the state of the brake system in which a braking operation begins or is initiated. The transmission element 2 is arranged guided in a housing (not shown) of the brake system in a manner displaceable along the transmission axis U. The piston element 4 is likewise arranged guided in the housing (not shown) in a manner displaceable substantially transversely with respect to the transmission axis U. Particularly preferably, the piston element 4 is arranged here so as to be displaceable perpendicularly to the transmission axis U and is secured or supported against displacement along the transmission axis U by means of the housing. In the first state of the brake system, the transmission element 2 lies with its transmission surface 21 against the piston element 4 in a first transmission portion 211 of the transmission surface 21. The piston element 4 lies with a first piston portion 421 of its piston surface 42 against the first transmission portion 211. Particularly preferably, the force transmission surface formed between the first transmission portion 211 and the first piston portion 421 has an inclination with respect to the transmission axis, at which can be measured with an angle .sub.1 with respect to the transmission axis U. In the second state of the brake system, which is shown in FIG. 1b, the transmission element 2 has been displaced downward in the figure and the piston element 4 has been displaced to the right transversely with respect to the transmission axis U. In the second state, the transmission element 2 engages by means of a second transmission portion 212 of the transmission surface 21 on a second piston portion 422 of the piston surface 42. The force transmission surface, which is formed in the second transmission portion 212 or in the second piston portion 422, between the transmission element 2 and the piston element 4 extends here in a manner substantially pivoted about a second angle .sub.2 with respect to the transmission axis U. Particularly preferably, the second angle .sub.2 is smaller than the first angle .sub.1. Furthermore preferably, the non-linear configuration of the curvature of the transmission surface 21 is illustrated in FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b. A preferred braking characteristic of a brake system can thus be adjusted by the displacement characteristic line between a displacement of the transmission element 2 and a displacement of the piston element 4 being adjusted via, for example, different rises of the transmission surface 21 relative to the transmission axis U. In the example of FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b, a first curvature is provided, for example, in the lower portion of the transmission element 2, said curvature being adjoined by a rectilinear or linear or conical portion, wherein, in the region in which the transmission element 2 enters into engagement with the piston element in the second state of the brake system, a second curved portion is provided, wherein the radius of curvature of the second curved portion (in each case at the top of the transmission surface 21 in FIGS. 1a and b) has a greater radius of curvature than the first curved portion arranged in the lower region. Similarly, the piston surface 42 is preferably equipped on the piston element 4 with various radii of curvature, wherein, in the first state of the brake system, a portion of the piston surface 42 preferably enters into engagement with the transmission element 2, said portion having a smaller radius of curvature than the portion of the piston surface 42 which enters into engagement with the transmission element in the second state of the brake system.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows the geometry arranged within the circle in FIG. 1b in an enlarged view. The region between the second transmission portion 212 and the second piston portion 422 is illustrated particularly clearly here, wherein a sliding portion A which has a certain cross-sectional area via which the force is transmitted between the transmission element 2 and the piston element 4 is defined in this region. Furthermore, it is illustrated that a lubricating film 7 preferably adheres both to the transmission surface 21 and to the piston surface 42, said lubricating film also penetrating into the sliding portion A and being drawn into said sliding portion A because of the preferred curved configuration of the transmission surface 21 and the piston surface 42. It is thereby possible to significantly reduce the friction and therefore the wear and the expenditure of force at the brake system according to the invention since permanent lubrication of the respective sliding surface is established.

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the brake system according to the invention, wherein the housing 6 is shown in which the piston element 4 and the transmission element 2 are guided. The size ratio between piston element 4 and transmission element 2 is shown larger than in reality in order in particular to emphasize the curvature of the piston surface 42. It is shown in particular here that a readjustment device is preferably provided on the piston element 4 in order to compensate for wear of the brake shoes (not shown) which are displaced by the piston element 4, wherein the readjustment device can simultaneously also be provided in order to compensate for wear of the transmission surface 21 and the piston surface 42. In this preferred embodiment, both the transmission surface 21 and the piston surface 32 preferably have a uniform curvature, wherein a curvature having a first average radius of curvature R.sub.8 is provided on the transmission surface 21, and wherein a curvature having a second average radius of curvature R.sub.9 is provided on the piston surface 42. The first average radius of curvature is preferably smaller here than the second average radius of curvature. By means of the selection of this preferred first average radius of curvature R.sub.8 and of the second average radius of curvature R.sub.9, in particular a favorable geometry of the engagement surface between the transmission surface 21 and the piston surface 42 can be achieved.

[0029] FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b show two views of preferred embodiments of the brake system according to the invention along the transmission axis U. FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b preferably show embodiments of the object shown in FIG. 3, from a second perspective. The different configuration of the transmission surface 21, which is of rectangular design as viewed from this perspective in FIG. 4a and is curved in FIG. 4b, can clearly be seen. At the same time, the piston surface 42 is of curved design in all directions transversely with respect to the transmission axis U and is therefore preferably spherical. A transmission-side receiving region 25 which serves for storing and uniformly distributing lubricant is preferably provided on the transmission surface 21. A piston-side receiving region 45 which serves for storing and uniformly distributing lubricant is preferably provided on the piston surface 42.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0030] 2transmission element [0031] 4piston element [0032] 6housing [0033] 7lubricating film [0034] 21(first) transmission surface [0035] 22second transmission surface [0036] 25transmission-side receiving region [0037] 42piston surface [0038] 45piston-side receiving region [0039] 211first transmission portion [0040] 212second transmission portion [0041] 421first piston portion [0042] 422second piston portion [0043] .sub.1first angle [0044] .sub.2second angle [0045] Asliding portion [0046] R.sub.8first average radius of curvature [0047] R.sub.9second average radius of curvature [0048] Utransmission axis