MXPA99010906A - Security brake mechanism for motor vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

The disclosed mechanism comprises a fixing device (5) consisting of a fixing body (36) which is in mesh with a toothing (34) of the support (1) and a helical fixing spring (37);a self-regulating device (3) comprised of a pulling body (11) to which is fixed the extremity of the steel cable (28) connected to the brake shoes of the mechanism, a spiral pulling spring (12) and a helical locking spring (13) which are coaxial to each other and adapted in such a way that, when the brake lever (2) is the rest position, the spiral spring (12) exerts a pulling force to the cable (28) in order to adjust permanently the length of its sheathed portion;and a self-adjusting device (4) of the initial length of the cable (28) which comprises a removable peg (32).

Description

"SECURITY BRAKE MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES AUTOMOTIVE" Technical sector of the invention. The object of the invention is a safety brake mechanism, for motor vehicles, of the type of safety brake also known as emergency brake, usually used to ensure the immobilization of the vehicle once parked. The safety brake mechanism according to the invention comprises a brake lever in which are incorporated a self-adjusting device, a self-regulating device and a device for fixing the position reached by the brake lever during its operation by the user. The object of the self-adjusting device is the initial adjustment of the length of the sheathed steel cable portion of the control cable that connects the brake mechanism according to the invention to the mechanism that drives the braking means of the wheels linked to the brake mechanism. of security, having as an object such adjustment to absorb the tolerances that in origin and in terms of disposition of said mechanisms presents each vehicle in particular; and the self-regulating device has for its object a permanent and automatic adjustment of said sheathed portion of steel cable, and this in order to compensate for the wear of the braking elements, thus maintaining the expected service conditions of the safety brake.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Among the known embodiments of safety brake mechanisms that integrate in their structure a lever disposed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle operable by the user, either manually or by pedal, a self-adjusting device, a self-regulating device and a device that fixes the position of rest or braking of the lever when being operated by the user, it is possible to highlight the one described in the Spanish patent application No. P9501758, equivalent to the European patent application No. 96923987.0 (0 792 781 Al) The safety brake mechanism described in the Spanish patent application No. P9501758 essentially comprises the elements that are detailed below. A support fixed to the structure of the vehicle provided with a retention toothing; a brake lever coupled by means of a rotation shaft to the support, which brake lever has the ability to rotate between two positions, resting and braking respectively; a ratchet comprising a • lever fixed to the brake lever, the ratchet lever having one of its arms linked to a control device operable by the user and its other arm a holding extension with engagement capability with the retaining toothing of the support to fix the position of the brake lever; a self-regulating device comprising a traction body coupled to the axis of rotation of the brake lever and to which the corresponding end of the steel cable of the control cable is fixed, said shaft having a thrust body connected to the ratchet with capacity coupling with the traction body during actuation of the brake lever, so that the rotation of the brake lever causes the rotation of the traction body, and a tension spring coaxially arranged with respect to the axis of rotation of the lever brake that permanently prints to the traction body a turning action in the direction of traction of the steel cable; and, an autoadjusting device comprising a pin passing through the support and the traction body fixing the position of one with respect to the other.

The operation of the safety brake mechanism according to Spanish patent application No. P9501758 is described below. The self-regulating device is supplied originally with the tension spring fully compressed; in these conditions, and once the mechanism is mounted on the vehicle, the initial adjustment of the length of the sheathed cable portion consists of removing the pin that fixes the position of the traction body, so that it rotates by pulling the cable of steel to the extent that each specific vehicle needs. From said initial adjustment, the self-regulating device proceeds automatically and permanently to the length adjustment of said sheathed portion; for this, finding the brake lever in the rest position, the traction spring permanently undergoes tension to the steel cable adjusting, by rotation of the traction body, the length of its sheathed portion, so that, when I rest to the of braking, the coupling of the push and pull bodies occurs in that position of the traction body for which the sheathed steel cable portion is operative under the predetermined conditions of origin. The braking position of the brake lever is fixed by engaging the detent extension of the ratchet lever with the support retention toothing, while the transition from the braking position to the rest position is carried out by acting on the ratchet control device.

Patent document JP-A-09024808 (Patent Abstracts of Japan vol.097 No. 005) describes a safety brake mechanism for motor vehicles that includes a support, a brake lever attached to the support, a self-regulating device and a device self-adjusting the length of the sheathed portion of the steel cable, and a device for fixing the position of the brake lever.

In general, the known embodiments of safety brake mechanisms of the type described above have as their main disadvantage that of comprising a large number of components that greatly increase the manufacturing costs of the brake mechanism.

Explanation of the invention In order to provide a new embodiment of the safety brake mechanism, for which there is no loss of operational reliability at a lower economic production cost, a safety brake mechanism is disclosed for motor vehicles of new structure and functionality .

The safety brake mechanism for motor vehicles according to the invention comprises: a support provided with means for fixing it to the structure of the vehicle, a brake lever linked to the support by means of a turning axis, the lever having the ability to turn in both directions between two resting and braking positions, respectively, a self-adjusting device and an auto-adjusting device for the length of the sheathed steel cable portion of the control cable that links the safety brake mechanism with the safety mechanism. actuation of the braking means of the vehicle wheels linked to the safety brake mechanism; and a device for fixing the position occupied by the brake lever.

The self-regulating device of the safety brake mechanism of the invention comprises a traction body, a spiral traction spring and a helical locking spring, in which: the traction body has a general cylindrical shape and the ability to turn in both directions , a traction end facing the support and a locking end, distinguishing and guiding the corresponding end of the steel cable of the control cable; the spiral spring of tension works permanently to torsion and has one of its ends fixed to the support; and, the helical locking spring works permanently to torsion so that by elastic reaction exerts a clamping action on the locking end of the traction body, one of its ends being fixed to the brake lever.

The safety brake mechanism of the invention is characterized in that: the traction body, the spiral tension spring and the helical locking spring of the self-regulating mechanism are arranged coaxially with respect to the axis of rotation on which the brake lever rotates; the tractive end of the traction body has a cavity designed to receive the spiral spring of traction, while the helical locking spring is arranged coaxially with respect to the locking end of said traction body; one end of the spiral tension spring is fixed to the traction body so that it permanently imparts a rotational action to the traction body which strains the steel cable; and in that one end of the coil spring is connected to an opening stop provided on the support. all this being adapted so that: the brake lever being in the rest position, the opening stop pushes the corresponding end of the helical locking spring which is subjected to a torque in the opposite direction to that of its elastic clamping reaction on the locking end of the traction body, so that it can rotate driven by the traction spring exerting on the end of the steel cable a traction action that permanently and automatically adjusts the length of the steel cable portion When the control cable is clamped, and the brake lever is in a position other than the rest position, the opening stop stops acting on it. end of the helical locking spring, so that this by elastic reaction exerts said clamping action on the locking end of the traction body that is attached to the brake lever in its movements from the position of rest to braking and vi - Cevers The self-adjusting device comprises, in the brake lever, in the support and in the traction body, a respective through-hole arranged so that, in origin, the brake lever is in the rest position and with the tension spring subjected to torsion, said holes are crossed by a fixing pin immobilizing the lever so that, once mounted the safety brake mechanism in the vehicle with the corresponding end of the steel cable of the control cable attached to the fixing means of the traction body and with the other end of the steel cable attached to the mechanism for actuating the braking means, the extraction of the fixing pin causes the rotation of the traction body by elastic reaction of the spiral tension spring, subjecting the cable to tension steel and the length of the sheathed portion of the steel cable is initially adjusted.

The device for fixing the position of the brake lever comprises: in the support, a fixing toothing arranged in an arc of circumference concentric to the axis of rotation of the brake lever, - in the brake lever, a pivot axis to which is coaxially coupled a tubular fastening body capable of turning in both directions, the fastening body having a toothed crown in correspondence with the toothing of the support and with which it is permanently engaged, so that the rotation of the lever braking from the resting position to the braking position and vice versa, by means of rotation of the fixing body around itself and the support, a helical fixing spring coaxially arranged with respect to the fixing body that works permanently to torsion and so that by reaction, the structure of the fixing body is subjected to a tightening action, which helical locking spring has one of its ends fixed to the lever of brake, while its other end is linked to a control device, all of which is adapted so that: the brake lever being in the rest position, the tightening action of the helical fixing spring prevents rotation of the body of the brake. fixing by fixing the position of the brake lever, and the passage of the brake lever from the rest position to the braking position and vice versa, requires, through the control device, to apply a thrust action on the corresponding end of the spring helical fastening which is subjected to a torque in the opposite direction to that of its elastic clamping reaction on the fastening body, so that it can rotate in the direction given by the rotation of the brake lever.

The control device is arranged inside the brake lever and comprises a drive rod at one end of which there is a control button protruding from the brake lever and which is operable by the user, while its other end is linked to the end of the helical fixing spring.

Brief description of the drawings. In the sheets of drawings of the present memory the safety brake mechanism is shown, for motor vehicles object of the invention. In said drawings: Figure 1 is a top view partly in section of the mechanism according to the invention, Figure 2 is a sectional side view of the mechanism according to the invention of the way it is supplied of origin, Figure 3 is a sectional side view of the mechanism according to the invention once the length of the sheathed portion of the control cable has been initially adjusted, Figure 4 is a sectional side view of the mechanism according to the invention with the brake lever in the braked position, and Figure 5 is a sectional side view of the mech- anism according to the invention with the brake lever in the rest position.

Detailed description of the embodiment. The following description of the embodiment of the safety brake mechanism according to the invention refers to Figures 1 and 2, since the remaining Figures 3 to 5 refer to the operation mode of the mechanism, so in the Figures 3 to 5 only those numerical references referring to said operation are indicated.

The brake mechanism comprises a support 1, a brake lever 2, a self-regulating device 3, a self-adjusting device, and a fixing device 5. The support 1 comprises a plate 6 provided with two extensions 7 for fixing to the structure 8 of the vehicle. The brake lever 2 and the plate 6 are joined by a pivot shaft 9 so that the brake lever 2 can be rotated in both directions indicated as A and B in Figure 2.

The self-regulating device 3 comprises an intermediate body 10, a traction body 11, a spiral tension spring 12 and a helical locking spring 13, all of them coaxially arranged with respect to the axis of rotation 9. Figure 1 shows how the intermediate body 10 comprises a first portion 14 of hexagonal cross section coupled with fit in a corresponding hole 15 of hexagonal cross section disposed in the plate 6 of the support 1, and a second cylindrical portion 16, all adapted so that the intermediate body 10 acts as a sleeve of the rotation axis 9, said coupling preventing the rotation of the intermediate body 10 around the axis of rotation 9 of the brake lever 2. The traction body 11 has a general cylindrical shape in which a traction end 17 facing the plate 6 of the support 2 and a locking end 18, the traction body having the capacity of rotation in both directions indicated as A and B in the Figure 2: in the traction end 17 there is a cavity 55 adapted to receive the spiral spring of tension 12 one of whose ends, the interior 19, is fixed to the hexagonal portion 14 of the intermediate body 10, while its other end, the outer 20, is fixed to the traction body 11, the spiral spring 12 working torsionally and so that it permanently tends to produce the rotation of the traction body 11, in the direction indicated as A in Figure 2; at the locking end 18 there is coaxially arranged the locking helical spring 13. which works a. torsion and that by elastic reaction exerts a clamping action on the locking end 18 and consequently on the traction body 11, the locking spring 13 having one of its ends, the reference 21, fixed to the brake lever 2 by means of a pin 22, while its other end, the reference 23, extends radially; and, the traction end 17 has at its periphery a grooved radial extension 24 in one of whose ends, the interior 25, is coupled a terminal 26 fixed to an end 27 of the steel cable 28 that links the safety brake mechanism according to the invention with the mechanism that drives the brake shoes or calipers of the vehicle wheels linked to the safety brake mechanism.

Figure 1 shows how the self-adjusting device 4 comprises in the brake lever 2, in the plate 6 of the support 1 and in the radial grooved extension 24 of the traction body 11, a respective through-hole 29, 30 and 31, and a pin of fixing 32 provided with a handle 33, all adapted so that, with the brake lever 2 being in the rest position shown in Figure 1, the pin 32 passes through said holes 29, 30 and 31 leaving the.

The fixing device 5 comprises: a fixing toothing 34; an axis 35, a fixing body 36 and a helical fixing spring 37 coaxial with each other; and a control device 38. The fixing toothing 34 is arranged on the periphery of the plate 6 of the support 1 describing an arc of circumference. The shaft 35 is fixed to the brake lever 2 and arranged parallel to its axis of rotation 9. The fastening body 36 has a general cylindrical shape in which a toothed crown 39 is disposed coplanarly with respect to the plate 6 of the support 1 and a retaining end 40, the fixing body 36 having rotational capacity in both directions A and B indicated in Figure 2: the ring gear 39 is coupled to the fixing toothing 34 of the plate 6, so that during turning of the brake lever 2 in the directions A or B the fixing body 36 rotates around itself and around the axis of rotation 9 of the brake lever 2; and, at the holding end 40 there is coaxially disposed the - helical fixing spring 37 which works by twisting and which, by elastic reaction, exerts a clamping action on the retaining end 40 and consequently on the fixing body 36, the fixing spring 37 having one of its ends, the reference 41 , fixed to the brake lever 2 by means of a pin 42, while its other end, the reference 43, is extended tangentially. The control device 38 comprises a driving rod 44 which, at one of its ends, the interior 45, rests on the tangential end 43 of the fixing spring 37, while at its other end, the exterior 46, there is a control button 47. operable by the user, the rod coaxially disposed a recuperating spring 48 that permanently works in compression supporting one of its ends, the interior 49 against a partition 50 and its other end, the exterior 51, against a projection 52 of the rod 44; in addition, the rod 44 has a stop 53 and a guide support 54, all adapted so that the driving rod 44 can be displaced in the directions indicated as C and D in Figure 2.

The safety brake mechanism according to the invention which has been described as an example of embodiment is supplied as shown in Figure 2, under these conditions: the lever arm 2 is in the rest position; the clamping spring 37 exerts its clamping action on the retaining end 40 of the fastening body 36 preventing it from turning about the axis 35, whereby the brake lever 2 is immobilized; the radial inner end 23 of the locking spring 13 rests on a stop 54 fixed to the plate 6 of the support 1, so that the locking spring 13 is subjected to a torque opposite to its tightening action on the end of the spring. blocking 18 of the traction body 11, thereby enabling the rotation of the traction body 11 around the rotation axis 9 of the brake lever 2; the spiral spring of traction 12 is fully compressed; and, the fixing pin 32 is disposed through the through holes 29, 30 and 31 of the brake lever 2, respectively, immobilizing them together.

Once the safety brake mechanism is mounted on the motor vehicle, that is once the mechanism is fixed through its support 1 to the structure of the vehicle and the non-represented end of the steel cable 28 is fixed to the drive mechanism of the shoes. or brake calipers of the wheels linked to the safety brake, the operation of the safety brake mechanism according to the invention is described below.

•• The initial adjustment of the length of the sheathed portion of the steel cable 28, not shown, is carried out first; for this, it is simply necessary to remove the fixing pin 32 from the holes 29, 30 and 31, under these conditions, and as shown in Figure 3: the brake lever 2 remains immobilized by the tightening action of the fixing spring 37 which prevents rotation of the fixing body 36 around the axis 35; the action of the stop 54 on the locking spring 13 allows the rotation of the body of • traction 11 around the axis of rotation 9 so that, driven by the spiral spring 12, rotates in the direction indicated as A by pulling the steel cable 28, continuing such a turn to the extent that the action of The tension of the spiral spring 12 is equalized with the reaction of said sheathed portion of steel cable 28 not shown, said sheathed portion being adjusted in length and the safety brake mechanism remaining under the expected conditions of service.

The passage of the brake lever 2 from the rest position to the braking position simply requires the push of the control button 47 in the direction indicated as C, while being pushed by turning the brake lever 2. in the direction indicated as A, under these conditions: the actuator rod 44 and by means of its inner end 45 prints the fixing spring 37 a pair opposite to its clamping action on the retaining end 40, whereby the fixing body 36 it can rotate about the axis 35 and around the axis of rotation 9 of the brake lever 2 engaging with the fixing toothing 34 of the plate 6 of the support 1; when starting the brake lever 2 its rotation in the direction indicated as A, the stop 54 stops acting on the radial inner end 23 of the locking spring 13, so that this by elastic reaction happens to tighten a tightening on the blocking end 18, and consequently on the traction body 11, which in this way becomes integral with the brake lever 2 and rotates with it around the axis of rotation 9 by subjecting the steel cable 28 to tension; and, when the brake lever reaches the braking position shown in Figure 4, when the thrust on the control button 47 ceases, the elastic reaction of the recovery spring 48 displaces the driving rod in the direction indicated as D and the action ceases of its inner end 45 on the end 43 of the fixing spring 37 which, by elastic reaction, exerts its tightening action on the retaining end 40, and consequently on the fixing body 36, which remains immobilized preventing the rotation of the lever of, pulling the steel cable 28.

The passage of the brake lever 2 from the braking position shown in Figure 4 to the rest position shown in Figure 5 requires the pushing of the control button 47 in the direction indicated as C, while pushing the lever brake 2 in the direction indicated B, under these conditions: the actuator rod 44 and its inner end 45 act on the fixing spring 37 in the manner described above, whereby the fixing body 36 can rotate about the axis 35 and around of the rotation axis 9 of the brake lever 2 engaging with the locking toothing 34; during the rotation of the brake lever 2 from the braking position to the rest position, the locking spring 13 maintains its clamping action on the traction body 11 which, rotating around the axis of rotation 9 of the brake lever 2, is it is integral with the latter, so that the steel cable 28 is required by said mechanism for actuating the brake shoes or calipers; and, when the brake lever 2 reaches the rest position indicated in • Figure 5 and stop the action on the control button 47, the safety brake mechanism recovers the initial working conditions described, ie: when the action of the inner end 45 of the actuator rod 44 on the end 43 of the fixing spring 37, this exerts its tightening action on the retaining end 40 of the fixing body 36 which remains immobilized; and, the stop 54 exerts its action on the end 23 of the locking spring 13 releasing the traction body 11 which, driven by the traction spiral spring 12, rotates in the direction indicated as A by pulling the steel cable 28 and, consequently, automatically regulating the length of the sheathed portion of the steel cable 28 and thereby compensating for the wear of said brake shoes and calipers.

Claims (4)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. - Safety brake mechanism, for motor vehicles, comprising: a support (1) provided with means (7) for its attachment to the structure (8) of the vehicle, a brake lever (2) linked to the support (1) ) by means of a turning shaft (9), the lever (2) having the ability to rotate in both directions between two positions, of rest and braking, a self-regulating device (3) and a self-adjusting device (4) of the length of the sheathed steel cable portion (28) of the control cable which links the safety brake mechanism with the drive mechanism of the braking means of the vehicle wheels linked to the safety brake mechanism; and a fixing device (5) for the position occupied by the brake lever (2); the self-regulating device (3) comprises a traction body (11), a spiral tension spring (12) and a helical locking spring (13), and in which: the traction body (11) has a general cylindrical shape and ability to turn in both directions, distinguishing a traction end (17) facing the support (1) and a blocking end (18), arranging the fixing and guiding of the corresponding end (27) of the steel cable (28) of the control cable; the spiral spring (12) permanently works with torsion and has one of its ends (19) fixed to the support (1); and, the helical locking spring (13) permanently works in torsion mode 10 that by elastic reaction exerts a clamping action on the locking end (18) of the traction body (11), one of its ends (21) being fixed to the brake lever (2) and characterized in that: traction body (11), the spiral tension spring (12) and the helical locking spring (13) of the self-regulating mechanism are arranged coaxially with respect to the axis of rotation (9) on which 20 turn the brake lever (2); the traction end (17) of the traction body (11) has a cavity (55) designed to receive the spiral traction spring (12), while the spring Helical locking mechanism (13) is arranged coaxially with respect to locking end (18) of said traction body (11); one end (20) of the spiral spring of The traction (12) is fixed to the traction body (11) so that it permanently prints to the traction body (11) a rotating action that strains the steel cable (28); and in that one end (23) of the coil spring (13) is connected to an opening stop (54) disposed in the support (1); all this being adapted so that: the brake lever (2) being in the rest position, the opening stop (54) pushes the corresponding end (23) of the helical locking spring (13) which is subjected to a torque of torsion in the opposite direction to that of its elastic clamping reaction on the locking end (18) of the traction body (11), so that it can rotate driven by the tension spring (12) exerting on the end (27) of the steel cable (28) a tensile action that permanently and automatically adjusts the length of the sheathed steel cable portion of the control cable, And finding the brake lever (2) in a position other than that of rest, the opening stop (54) ceases to exert its action on the end (23) of the helical locking spring (13), so that this by The elastic reaction exerts said clamping action on the blocking end (18) of the traction body (11), which is joined to the brake lever (2) in its displacements from the rest to the braking position and vice versa.

2. - Safety brake mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the self-adjusting device (4) comprises, in the brake lever (2), in the support (1) and in the traction body (11), a respective through hole (29, 30, 31) arranged so that, in origin, the brake lever (2) is in the rest position, "and with the tension spring (12) subjected to torsion, said holes (29, 30, 31) they are crossed by a fixing pin (32) immobilizing the brake lever (2) and the traction body (12), all adapted so that, once the safety brake mechanism is mounted on the vehicle with the corresponding end (27) of the steel cable (28) of the control cable connected to the fixing means of the traction body (11) and to the other end of the steel cable (28) connected to the mechanism for actuating the braking means, the removal of the fixing pin (32) causes the rotation of the traction body (11) by elastic reaction of the spiral tension spring (12) by pulling the steel cable (28) and initially adjusting the length of the sheathed portion of the steel cable.

3. - Safety brake mechanism according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the fixing device (5) of the position of the brake lever (2) comprises: in the support (1), a fixing toothing (34) ) arranged by describing an arc of circumference concentric to the axis of rotation (9) of the brake lever (2), in the brake lever (2), a pivot shaft (35) to which a fixing body is coaxially coupled ( 36) with a rotating capacity in both directions, the fixing body (36) having a toothed ring (39) in correspondence with the toothing (34) of the support (1) and with which it is permanently engaged, so that the rotation of the brake lever (2) from the rest position to the braking position and vice versa, is performed by rotating the fixing body (36) around itself and the support (1), a helical fixing spring (37). ) coaxially disposed with respect to the fixing body (36) which works permanently in torsion and so that by elastic reaction subject the fastening body (36) to a tightening action, which helical locking spring (37) has one of its ends (41) attached to the brake lever (2), while its other end (43) is connected to a control device (38), all of which is adapted so that: the brake lever (2) being in the rest position, the tightening action of the helical fixing spring (37) ) prevents rotation of the fixing body (36) by fixing the position of the brake lever (2), and the passage of the brake lever (2) from the rest position to the braking position and vice versa, requires, through of the control device (38), apply a pushing action on the corresponding end (43) of the helical fixing spring (37) which is subjected to a torque in the opposite direction to that of its elastic clamping reaction on the body of fixation (36), so that it can rotate in the direction given by the rotation of the brake lever (2).

4. - Safety brake mechanism according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the control device (38) is arranged inside the brake lever (2) and comprises "a driving rod (44) in one of whose ends (46) there is a control button (47) which protrudes from the brake lever (2) and which can be operated by the user, while its other end (45) is linked to the end (43) of the helical fixing spring (37) SUMMARY This mechanism comprises a fixing device (5) made up of a fixing body (36) which meshes with a toothing (34) of the support (1) and a helical fixing spring (37); a self-regulating device (3) composed of a traction body (11) to which the end of the steel cable is fixed (28) that connects to the brake calipers or shoes connected to the mechanism, a spiral tension spring (12) and a helical locking spring (13) coaxial to each other, adapted so that, being the brake lever (2) in the rest position, the spiral spring (12) puts the cable (28) under tension by permanently adjusting the length of its sheathed portion; and, an auto-adjusting device (4) of the initial length of the cable (28) comprising a removable pin (32)