Claims
- 1. A multi-disk brake and wheel assembly, comprising:
a cantilevered wheel axle; a wheel journalled for rotation about the axle; a plurality of brake disks radially surrounding the wheel axle, alternate ones of the brake disks radially fixed to the wheel for rotation wherewith; an end disk at one axial end of the brake disks; a pressure plate at the opposite axial end of the brake disks; an axially asymmetrical torque tube radially surrounding the axle and axially spanning the brake disks, intervening ones of the brake disks angularly fixed to the torque tube, the torque tube fixed at one end and having the end disk fixed thereto at the other end thereby axially sandwiching the brake disks between the end disk and pressure plate; and a brake actuating mechanism operable upon command to axially force the pressure plate toward the end plate compressing the brake disks therebetween.
- 2. The multi-disk brake and wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the torque tube includes an annular radially inwardly extending support flange axially intermediate the torque tube ends for supportingly engaging the axle, the support flange including a plurality of holes, certain ones of which are circular and others of which are non-circular thereby imparting asymmetry to the support flange and to the torque tube.
- 3. The multi-disk brake and wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the torque tube includes an annular radially inwardly extending support flange axially intermediate the torque tube ends for supportingly engaging the axle, the support flange including a plurality of holes, at least two of which have different areas thereby imparting asymmetry to the support flange and to the torque tube.
- 4. The multi-disk brake and wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the torque tube includes an annular radially inwardly extending support flange axially intermediate the torque tube ends for supportingly engaging the axle, the support flange including a plurality of non-uniformly angularly disposed holes for imparting asymmetry to the support flange and to the torque tube.
- 5. A torque tube for angularly fixing alternate disks in a multi-disk brake assembly and limiting axial movement of the alternate as well as the intervening disks, comprising a generally cylindrical annular member formed as a volume of revolution about an axis and symmetrically deviating from a volume of revolution by having a plurality of ribs for keying the alternate disks to limit rotation thereof, a plurality of flanges near one end for angularly and axially fixing an end one of the disks, and a plurality of fastener receiving apertures near an opposite end for fixing the torque tube to a braking structure, the torque tube further asymmetrically deviating from a solid of revolution to impart asymmetric dynamic stiffness to the torque tube.
- 6. The torque tube of claim 5, wherein the torque tube elastic center is located off the axis of revolution.
- 7. The torque tube of claim 5, further comprising a radially inwardly extending annular support flange located along the axis for augmenting the support of the tube on the braking structure, the torque tube asymmetrically deviating from a solid of revolution solely within the support flange.
- 8. The torque tube of claim 7, wherein the support flange includes a plurality of holes, certain ones of which are circular and others of which are non-circular thereby imparting asymmetry to the support flange and to the torque tube.
- 9. The torque tube of claim 7, wherein the support flange includes a plurality of holes, at least two of which have different areas thereby imparting asymmetry to the support flange and to the torque tube.
- 10. The torque tube of claim 7, wherein the support flange includes a plurality of non-uniformly angularly disposed holes for imparting asymmetry to the support flange and to the torque tube.
- 11. The torque tube of claim 5, further comprising a radially outwardly flared portion near said one end with the plurality of flanges located near the radially outermost edge of the radially outwardly flared portion to facilitate axially fixing said end one of the disks and axially confine the disk assembly.
- 12. A torque tube for angularly fixing alternate disks in a multi-disk brake assembly and limiting axial movement of the alternate disks as well as the intervening disks, comprising a hollow generally annular member having an axis, a radially outwardly flared portion near one end to facilitate axially fixing end one of the disks, a flange near the other end thereof adapted to fix the torque tube to a stationary member, and a radially inwardly extending annular support flange intermediate the one and other end for augmenting the support of the tube on the stationary member and for displacing the torque tube elastic center from the axis.
- 13. The torque tube of claim 12, wherein the annular support flange has a radially inner surface for engaging a wheel axle and a web portion radially outward of the surface including a plurality of holes certain ones of which are circular and others of which are non-circular thereby imparting asymmetry to the support flange and to the torque tube.
- 14. The torque tube of claim 12, wherein the annular support flange has a radially inner surface for engaging a wheel axle and a web portion radially outward of the surface including a plurality of holes, at least two of which have different areas thereby imparting asymmetry to the support flange and to the torque tube.
- 15. The torque tube of claim 12, wherein the annular support flange has a radially inner surface for engaging a wheel axle and a web portion radially outward of the surface including a plurality of non-uniformly angularly disposed holes for imparting dynamic asymmetry to the support flange and to the torque tube.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/317,012 filed on Sep. 4, 2001, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60317012 |
Sep 2001 |
US |