FR3074464B1 - VEHICLE BRAKE DUST SUCTION SYSTEM AND VEHICLE USING THE SAME - Google Patents

Abstract

This vehicle brake dust particle suction system comprises a particle collecting device comprising a paddle wheel (1) which, during its rotation, sucks the particles, and a first threaded shaft (13) into taken with the impeller (1) of the collection device, the system comprising at least one mechanical means for recovering and restoring energy which, during a phase of restitution of energy, drives the impeller (1 ) in rotation, via the first threaded shaft (13), thereby sucking said particles. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising this system.

Description

The invention relates to a vehicle brake dust particle suction system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION More particularly, but not exclusively, this system comprises a particle collection device and two energy recovery and recovery means for recovering energy and then restoring it when this energy is particularly desired for the operation of the collection device. of vehicle brake dust particles, namely during the braking phases of the vehicle.

Conventionally, the braking of a vehicle, in particular of a motor vehicle, is provided by a system called "disc brake" which uses a disc fixed on the hub of the wheel and brake pads rubbing with each side of the disc. The brake pads are held in a bracket attached to the vehicle. With each braking action, the friction of the brake pads is accompanied not only by the release of heat and the wear of the braking surfaces, but also by the emission of fine particles of dust into the atmosphere, which can have harmful effects on health.

It should be noted that the only wear of the brake pads represents approximately 20% of all the particles emitted by the road traffic.

It is important, therefore, to collect these fine particles of dust and store them in a dedicated space, so as to avoid harmful effects on health.

Thus, it is known from patent CN 205833803 which discloses a spiral / helical separator solution having an oil dripper for agglomerating vehicle brake dust particles.

Such a system makes it possible to provide a partial recovery of the vehicle brake dusts but proves to be particularly complex in that it requires oil, water and a vibrating device. At present, there is no simple, economical and efficient vehicle vacuum dust particle system on the market.

The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art by providing a simple and economical system for optimum suction of the particles from the brakes of a vehicle, especially when it is particularly necessary, that is to say say during the braking phases.

For this purpose, the present invention provides a vehicle brake dust particle suction system, the system comprising: - at least one disc brake, - a particle collection device from the vehicle disc brake, said collecting device comprising a paddle wheel allowing, during its rotation, to suck the particles, - a first threaded shaft engaged with the impeller of the collection device, the system further comprising at least one mechanical means of recovery and energy restitution which, during a phase of energy restoration, drives the rotating impeller, via the first threaded shaft, thereby sucking said particles.

The term "means of recovery and energy recovery" refers to the system according to the invention means suitable, during a first phase of recovery and storage, to accumulate or store energy and, during a second restitution phase, to restore or to deliver the energy accumulated / stored during the first phase to the particle collection device for the suction of the latter.

Thanks to the invention, there is a simple vehicle brake dust particle suction system, not requiring the use of water or oil, and requiring no power supply for its operation.

According to a particularly advantageous aspect of the invention, the energy recovery and recovery means consists of an assembly of mechanical elements so that the suction system does not use any electrical or electronic components. In other words, the expression "mechanical means for recovering and restoring energy" specifies that the elements making up said means are not electrical or electronic components or even components connected to or in connection with electrical or electronic circuits. The invention makes it possible, with a set of limited parts, to obtain a high energy recovery potential so that the latter can serve the proper functioning of the system according to the invention when the aspiration of the particles of brake dust is desired.

Finally, thanks to the system according to the invention, it is possible to use a cyclonic separator of basic design, which has, in addition to a simple mounting structure, a gain in material cost and substantial savings in assembly.

Advantageously, according to one embodiment of the invention, the recovery means comprises a first energy recovery and recovery assembly comprising a wheel of inertia, fixed to the first threaded shaft, and a first spring capable of storing energy during the rotation of the inertia wheel in an active direction of rotation and to restore the energy thus stored, during the energy recovery phase, for its transmission to the first threaded shaft for the rotation of the wheel paddle.

According to one aspect of the first energy recovery and recovery assembly, the latter comprises a finger prohibiting the rotation of the inertia wheel in an inactive direction of rotation, opposite the direction of active rotation, during energy storage.

According to an alternative embodiment, the first energy recovery and recovery assembly comprises at least one ball, or needle, said ball prohibiting the rotation of the inertia wheel in an inactive direction of rotation, opposite the direction of active rotation. , during energy storage.

In the following, this embodiment is illustrated with a plurality of balls or needles engaged with a toothed profile of an inner ring, possibly meshing an outer ring, to allow or not the rotation of the flywheel in the active direction of rotation and prohibit it in the opposite direction (inactive direction).

Thus, in its wide acceptance, combining the two aforesaid variants, the first energy recovery and recovery assembly comprises at least one finger or at least one ball, in connection with inner and outer rings, prohibiting rotation. the inertia wheel in an inactive direction of rotation, opposite to the active direction of rotation, during the storage of energy.

Advantageously, according to another embodiment of the invention, the means for recovering and restoring energy comprises a second energy recovery and recovery assembly comprising a threaded rod and a cylinder housing at least a second spring. , the threaded rod being engaged with the first threaded shaft slidable in the cylinder so as to compress the second spring to store energy.

According to one aspect of the second energy recovery and recovery assembly, the latter comprises a pawl holding the second spring in a rest position when said second spring is not compressed.

According to another aspect related in particular to the second energy recovery and recovery assembly, the cylinder housing the second spring is fixed to a housing housing the energy recovery and recovery means, the first threaded shaft and at least the wheel impeller of the particle collecting device.

Advantageously, the particle collection device comprises a cyclonic separator associated with a reservoir.

Advantageously, the particle collection device comprises a particulate filter.

According to a preferred possibility, the particulate filter consists of a fibrous media filter.

According to an advantageous possibility offered by the invention, the particle collection device is attached to a third return spring. This third spring makes it possible to provide a restoring force intended to counteract the rebound of the wheels or the shaking of the train on which the system according to the invention is fixed by forming a drummer assembly.

Thus, the vehicle brake dust particle suction system according to the invention makes it possible, on the one hand, to convey the fine particles emitted by the friction of the brake pads towards the cyclonic separator and, on the other hand, to direct the finest particles to a filter, preferably a fibrous media filter.

For the same purpose, the invention also proposes a motor vehicle comprising at least one vacuum cleaning system for brake dust particles as briefly described above.

The advantages of the vehicle according to the invention being similar to those of the vehicle brake dust particle suction system listed above, they are not repeated here. Other aspects and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of a particular embodiment given by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of the brake dust particle suction system according to the invention; - Figure 2 is a sectional view of the system according to the invention, in particular at the impeller and the flywheel when they are decoupled; - Figure 3 is a sectional view of the system according to the invention, in particular at the impeller and the flywheel when they are coupled; - Figure 4 is a schematic representation of the system according to the invention shown in Figure 2, when the impeller and the wheel of inertia when they are decoupled; - Figure 5 is a schematic representation of the system according to the invention shown in Figure 3, when the impeller and the flywheel when they are coupled; - Figure 6 is a schematic sectional view of a lower part of the particle collection device, visible in Figure 1, which is arranged according to an alternative embodiment of the system according to the invention; FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the system according to the invention in which the first energy recovery and recovery assembly is in accordance with another embodiment; and FIG. 8 is a sectional view, along section AA visible in FIG. 7, showing in more detail the elements allowing rotation of the inertia wheel in a single direction during the storage / recovery phase of FIG. 'energy.

As is apparent from FIG. 1, the vehicle brake dust particle suction system according to the invention comprises a first energy recovery and recovery assembly and a second energy recovery and recovery assembly. . These two assemblies store energy to restore it to a impeller 1, housed in a collection tank 2, forming one of the main elements of a device for collecting dust particles brake since, during the rotation of this impeller 1, the brake dust particles are sucked.

The brake dust collection device is connected, via a suction pipe 3, to a disk brake 4 which, when active (during the braking phases), produces dust which must be recovered or collected by the collection device. Thus, the suction duct 3 is ideally located in the immediate vicinity of the area where these brake dusts are likely to be generated or produced. On the other side of the suction duct 3, a duct 5 opening into the collecting tank 2 leads to a particle filter 6 for the treatment of a portion of the dust particles, namely those having the smallest diameter. .

A first energy recovery and recovery assembly is constituted by an inertia wheel 10, a finger 11 capable of allowing the rotation of the inertia wheel 10 in a single direction (direction of rotation designated "active"), a first spring 12 located in connection under the inertia wheel 10. This first energy recovery and recovery unit is mounted on a first vertically sliding threaded shaft 13 and can be brought into the coupling or decoupling position, via said first threaded shaft 13, with the impeller 1 itself mounted on a second threaded shaft 7.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, when the flywheel 10 is decoupled from the impeller 1, the first energy recovery and recovery assembly stores energy, the inertia wheel 10 rotating in its single direction of rotation (meaning "active") authorized by the finger 11 so as to constrain the first spring 12 which stores, or recovers, then the mechanical energy that will release when the inertia wheel 10 and the impeller 1 will be coupled.

As is also visible in Figures 3 and 5, when the flywheel 10 is coupled to the impeller 1, the finger 11 is raised so that it no longer prohibits the inertia wheel 10 of turn in the other direction of rotation (direction of rotation designated "inactive"), corresponding to the direction of rotation releasing the energy stored in the first spring 12 and thus transmitted to the impeller 1 for rotation.

It should be noted here that obviously the paddle wheel can only rotate in a single direction of rotation, corresponding to the release of energy in particular by the first set of recovery and energy restoration or in other words when coupling the first threaded shaft 13 carrying the inertia wheel 10 with the second threaded shaft 7 carrying the impeller 1.

The energy accumulation phase, corresponding to the decoupling of the first set of recovery and return of energy to the impeller 1 and more generally to the collection device, occurs by the effect of acceleration experienced by the vehicle. The flywheel 10 then rotates in its only permitted direction of rotation (by the finger 11), as shown above, and strips the first spring 12 which accumulates energy, the impeller 1 being then not trained.

The energy recovery phase, corresponding to the coupling of the first recovery and energy recovery unit to the impeller 1 and more generally to the collection device, occurs under the effect of a braking of the vehicle (derived from a driver's will or possibly controlled by the vehicle's embedded system, particularly for security reasons). A device, not shown in the appended figures, then raises the finger 11, allowing the reverse rotation (at the energy accumulation phase) of the flywheel 10, and which leads on the one hand to the descent of the first threaded shaft 13, carrying said first recovery and energy recovery assembly, for its coupling to the second threaded shaft 7 carrying the impeller 1 and secondly, following, the rotation of the impeller 1, via the threaded shafts 7, 13, thanks to the energy accumulated in the first spring 12 during the energy accumulation phase. When the impeller 1 begins to rotate, it creates a suction phenomenon in the suction duct 3 so as to attract the brake particles released during braking.

It will be noted here that the system according to the invention starts or in operation the device for collecting dust particles brake precisely when brake dust will be released by the disc brake 4, namely when the vehicle is subject to a set braking. This solution for collecting brake dust particles according to the invention does not require any power supply, in other words it is completely autonomous in that it uses vehicle movements, in this case accelerations, to recover from energy it restores during the phases of creation or release of the particles of brake dust.

Additionally, the brake dust particle suction system comprises a second energy recovery and recovery assembly also for transmitting power to the impeller 1 of the collection device.

This second energy recovery and recovery assembly comprises a threaded rod, not visible in the appended figures, engaged with the first threaded shaft 13 carrying the inertia wheel 10, and a second spring 20 housed in a cylinder 21 wherein the first threaded shaft 13 is slidable. During the sliding of the first threaded shaft 13 in the cylinder 21, under the effect of the vertical movements of the vehicle (for example due to a chaotic road or having bosses), the second spring 20 of the second set of recovery and energy restitution will store or store energy. This stored energy is restored, via the first threaded shaft 13, to the inertia wheel 10 then rotated so that the first spring 12 stores or stores in turn the energy stored by the aforesaid second set.

The cylinder 21 comprises a pawl 22 holding the second spring 20 in a rest position in which the second spring 20 does not undergo any stress and therefore does not store any energy.

This second set of energy recovery and restitution does not require any dedicated power supply and uses the vehicle's movements again, this time the vertical, ascending (energy storage phase) and descending (restitution phase) movements. energy), the vehicle to store energy. These movements of the vehicle are used again to recover energy that will first be transmitted to the first set of recovery and energy restoration and then be used during the braking phase of the vehicle and therefore restitution of energy to the impeller 1 for the generation of suction of the particles of brake dust.

This second set of recovery and energy restoration is here described in connection with the first set of recovery and energy restoration but it is quite possible to consider said first set independently when its threaded rod, sliding then in the cylinder 21, is connected directly to the impeller 1. In this embodiment, the two sets of recovery and energy restoration operate independently.

The brake dust collection device has a collection reservoir 2, located under the impeller 1. This reservoir 2 advantageously comprises a cyclonic separator 8 and is connected to a reservoir 9, shown in FIG. 1 attached, intended to receive particles having a diameter greater than 10 microns, the particle filter 6 being responsible for treating the particles having a smaller diameter.

FIG. 6 shows in detail the lower part of the particle collection device according to the invention which is, according to this embodiment, the only part which is here modified by the addition of a single piece, namely a third return spring 30. This alternative embodiment is intended to counter the possible disadvantage of the addition of the unsprung mass that represents the particulate suction system according to the invention in its embodiment shown in particular in FIG. 1. Indeed, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, there is a risk of increased bouncing of the wheel or increased shunting of the drive train due to the movement of the dust collecting device , housed in a housing 32, and two recovery and energy recovery assemblies connected to it / fixed.

A solution that is recommended here consists of a mechanical means. This mechanical means preferably consists of a third spring 30 fixed to the chamber 31 advantageously housing the dust collection device and the two sets of recovery and energy restoration. Thus, this third spring 30 is fixed on the one hand, at its upper end, to the lower surface of the reservoir 9 or a housing 32 housing the dust collection device and on the other hand, at its lower end, to the inner surface of the enclosure 31. This third spring 30 is a means of amplifying the vertical oscillations of the dust particle suction system due in particular to the chaotic (non-planar) surface of the road taken by the vehicle. Indeed, the stiffness of the third spring 30 is advantageously such that the resonant frequency of the mass of the assembly constituted by the collection device and the mechanical means of energy recovery and restitution, essentially the mass of the cyclonic separator. , is close to the bounce mode of the wheel.

Thus, thanks to the spring fixing 30 of the dust collection device, there is obtained a set forming a wheelbeater to limit the phenomenon of wheel rebound. As a result, the system according to the invention makes it possible at the same time to improve the suspension of the wheel while benefiting, by virtue of its vertical oscillations never exceeding a certain threshold or an intensity limit, from the energy required for spin the impeller and thus create a suction of dust particles emitted by the brakes. Furthermore, the vertical movements of the cyclone separator cause an inertial mass necessary to maintain the suction.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate another embodiment of the first energy recovery and recovery assembly, the other elements of the particle suction system being common to those listed in connection with FIG. 1 with the notable exception of FIG. third spring 30 presented above. This assembly always comprises an inertia wheel 10 fixed on a first threaded shaft 13, only the mechanism preventing rotation in the inactive direction during the energy recovery phase - and, similarly, rotation in the direction inactive during the energy recovery phase - here is different from that presented above in connection with the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5. Here the finger 11 is replaced by at least one ball, or needle, 35 in taken with a threaded inner ring 34. Preferably, a plurality of balls is used, in this case eight balls 35 work together in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8. The ball or balls 35 allow the rotation of the first shaft threaded 13 only in a direction of rotation, namely the active direction, because of the particular profile of the inner ring 34 during the energy recovery / storage phase.

Thus, in the direction of active rotation (during the energy recovery phase), the ball / needle 35 is not stressed and rotates freely by allowing rotation of the flywheel 10 relative to the ring. internal threaded 34 in a direction of rotation.

During the energy recovery phase, in the other direction of rotation, called "inactive" during the energy recovery phase, the slope of the gear teeth 36 of the inner ring 34 comes to press the ball This pressure mechanically links the two rings 33 and 34 making it possible to transmit the rotational energy to the flywheel 10, the latter 10 driving the impeller 1 in the manner of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 5.

Thus, to describe more generally the movements of the flywheel 10, it is noted that for upward vertical movements of said wheel 10 and a fortiori when one is at frequencies close to the wheel beat, the wheel of inertia 10, geared around the first threaded shaft 13, rises (active direction of rotation) and accumulates energy, whereas when the inertia wheel 10 goes down (inactive direction of rotation), it restores the energy accumulated / recovered to the impeller 1.

Claims (10)

A vehicle brake dust particle suction system, the system comprising: - at least one disk brake, - a particle collection device from the vehicle disk brake (4), said collection device comprising a paddle wheel (1) which, during its rotation, sucks the particles, - a first threaded shaft (13) engaged with the impeller (1) of the collection device, characterized in that it comprises in addition, at least one mechanical means for recovering and restoring energy which, during a phase of restitution of energy, drives the impeller (1) in rotation, via the first threaded shaft (13), thereby sucking said particles. 2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the recovery means comprises a first energy recovery and recovery assembly comprising an inertia wheel (10), fixed to the first threaded shaft (13), and a first spring (12) able to store energy during the rotation of the inertia wheel (10) in an active direction of rotation and to restore the energy thus stored, during the energy recovery phase, for its transmission to the first threaded shaft (13) for the rotation of the impeller (1). 3. System according to claim 2, characterized in that the first energy recovery and recovery assembly comprises at least one finger (11) or at least one ball (35), in connection with inner rings (34) and external (33), prohibiting the rotation of the inertia wheel (10) in an inactive direction of rotation, opposite to the direction of active rotation, during energy storage. 4. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the energy recovery and recovery means comprises a second recovery and energy recovery assembly comprising a threaded rod and a cylinder (21) housing at least one second spring (20), the threaded rod being engaged with the first threaded shaft (13) slidable in the cylinder (21) so as to compress the second spring (20) to store energy. 5. System according to claim 4, characterized in that the second energy recovery and recovery assembly comprises a pawl (22) holding the second spring (20) in a rest position when said second spring (20) is not compressed. 6. System according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the cylinder (21) housing the second spring (20) is fixed to a housing housing the energy recovery and recovery means, the first threaded shaft (13). and at least the impeller (1) of the particle collection device. 7. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the particle collection device comprises a cyclonic separator (8) associated with a reservoir (9). 8. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the particle collecting device comprises a particle filter (6). 9. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the particle collecting device is attached to a third return spring (30). 10. A motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises at least one vehicle particle dust particles suction system according to any one of the preceding claims.