Description:TITLE OF THE INVENTION: A SPRING BRAKE ACTUATOR WITH AN IMPROVED STEEKING MECHANISM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present disclosure is generally related to a spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle. Particularly, the present disclosure is related to a spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle with an improved steeking mechanism.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Spring brake actuators are very well known in the prior art and are commonly used in braking systems of commercial vehicles.
Conventionally, as illustrated in Figure 9 and Figure 10, a bowering member comprises a first plurality of holes (28) and a connecting member comprises a second plurality of holes (29), respectively. Said bowering member and said connecting member are steeked together with the help of a bolt (26) and a nut (27) after aligning each hole among the first plurality of holes (28) with each hole among the second plurality of holes (29).
Due to the presence of said first plurality of holes (28) and said second plurality of holes (29), the outer diameter of the the bowering member and the first connecting member increases, thereby causes the spring brake actuator to foul with adjacent components (such as, brackets, air suspension, etc.,) in the commercial vehicle, thereby making it difficult to install.
Further, due to the size of the spring brake actuator (for example, higher diameter), said spring brake actuator will be in close contact with the nearby components, thereby increasing the possibility of wear. Wear to the spring brake actuator is caused due to the vibration of the commercial vehicle, since it is disposed in an axle of said commercial vehicle.
The more the wear, the greater the chance that the spring brake actuator would leak, leading to a malfunction.
There is, therefore, a need in the art, for: a spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle with an improved steeking mechanism, which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks and shortcomings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle with an improved steeking mechanism, is disclosed. Said spring brake actuator broadly comprises: a vehicle slowing member and a vehicle halting member.
The vehicle slowing member broadly comprises: a blockading member, which generates force for vehicle braking; a second displacing member, which also generates force along with the blockading member, for said vehicle braking; a supporting member; a first yoyoing member; and a second connecting member.
The vehicle halting member broadly comprises: a bowering member; a second yoyoing member; a displacing member; a first connecting member; an alcove; a guiding and sealing member; and an internal breather member.
Said bowering member and said first connecting member are steeked together using an improved steeking mechanism. While steeking, a sealing element is disposed on a grotto provided on the first connecting member to maintain pressure tightness in the vehicle halting member; this averts the entry of performance-degrading members inside the vehicle halting member.
The bowering member broadly comprises: an at least a first steeking profile that is disposed throughout an inner periphery of its top end; an opening that facilitates holding of the bowering member while steeking with the first connecting member ; and a first orifice. Said at least one first steeking profile may be configured as either projecting inward or projection outward.
In an embodiment, said at least one first steeking profile comprises a pair of steeking members, wherein each steeking member among the pair of steeking members are dispositioned opposite to each other.
In an embodiment, said at least one first steeking profile comprises only a single steeking member.
In an embodiment, said at least one first steeking member comprises a plurality of steeking members.
In an embodiment, beginning edges and/or ending edges of said at least one first steeking profile are of a flat configuration.
In an embodiment, the beginning edges and/or the ending edges of said at least one first steeking profile is in a curved or circular configuration.
In an embodiment, the beginning edges and/or the ending edges of said at least one first steeking profile is in a curved or circular and merged configuration, and being merged with a wall of said bowering member.
The first connecting member broadly comprises: an at least a second steeking profile that is disposed throughout an outer periphery of its bottom end; and a second orifice. Said at least one second steeking profile may be configured as either projecting inward or projection outward.
In an embodiment, the at least one second steeking profile may be either in single-start configuration or in multi-start configuration.
Said first orifice and said second orifice facilitate locking of the bowering member and the first connecting member together with a fastening member, thereby preventing the anti-rotation of the bowering member and the first connecting member to avoid dismantling due to vibration.
In an embodiment, the number of steeking members in the first connecting member is at least about 1.2 times higher than that of the number of steeking members in the bowering member.
Said at least one first steeking profile, and said at least one second steeking profile may be in any of the following configuration: ACME thread, metric thread, UNF thread, square thread, buttress thread, V shape thread, BSPP threads, BSTP threads, and/or the like.
The disclosed mechanism offers at least the following advantages: is simple in construction; is cost-effective; steeking and removing of said bowering member and the first connecting member become very simple; and/or reduces the outer diameter of the spring brake actuator, thereby eliminates fouling with adjacent components, and makes it being used with the vehicles that use air suspension system; is robust in configuration.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 illustrate a spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle;
Figure 2 illustrates a bowering member of a spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 3 illustrates a first connecting member of a spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 4a, Figure 4b, Figure 4c, Figure 4d, and Figure 4e illustrates a different configuration of a bowering member of a spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 5 illustrate a first connecting member along with a grotto of a spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 6 illustrates a bowering member along with an opening of a spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 7a and Figure 7b illustrates a method of steeking of a bowering member and a first connecting member, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 8 illustrates a fastening member of a spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 9 and Figure 10 illustrates a bowering member and a first connecting member of a conventional spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle; and
Figure 11 illustrates a steeking of a bowering member and a first connecting member in a conventional spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Throughout this specification, the use of the words “comprise” and “include”, and variations, such as “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes”, and “including”, may imply the inclusion of an element (or elements) not specifically recited. Further, the disclosed embodiments may be embodied, in various other forms, as well.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “mechanism” is to be construed as: “a set of technical components (also referred to as “members”) that are communicatively and/or operably associated with each other, and function together, as part of a mechanism, to achieve a desired technical result”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the words “communication”, “couple”, and their variations (such as communicatively), is to be construed as being inclusive of: one-way communication (or coupling); and two-way communication (or coupling), as the case may be, irrespective of the directions of arrows, in the drawings.
Throughout this specification, where applicable, the use of the phrase “at least” is to be construed in association with the suffix “one” i.e. it is to be read along with the suffix “one”, as “at least one”, which is used in the meaning of “one or more”. A person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the phrase “at least one” is a standard term that is used, in Patent Specifications, to denote any component of a disclosure, which may be present (or disposed) in a single quantity, or more than a single quantity.
Throughout this specification, where applicable, the use of the phrase “at least one” is to be construed in association with a succeeding component name.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “plurality” is to be construed as being inclusive of: “at least one”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “steek”, “steeking”, and its variations, is to be construed as: “locking; securing; fastening; coupling; and/or the like”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “averting”, and its variations, is to be construed as: “preventing; stopping; hindering; and/or the like”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the phrase “performance-degrading members”, and its variations, is to be construed as: “external performance affecting agents, including, but not limited to: dust; mud; dirt; soil; water; pressure; and/or the like”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the phrase “commercial vehicles”, and its variations, is to be construed as: trucks; buses; and/or the like.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “grotto”, and its variations, is to be construed as: “groove; and/or the like”.
Throughout this specification, the use of the word “orifice”, and its variations, is to be construed as: “aperture; slit; hole; vent; slot; and/or the like”.
Throughout this specification, the words “the” and “said” are used interchangeably.
Throughout this specification, the phrases “at least a”, “at least an”, and “at least one” are used interchangeably.
Also, it is to be noted that embodiments may be described as a method. Although the operations, in a method, are described as a sequential process, many of the operations may be performed in parallel, concurrently, or simultaneously. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A method may be terminated, when its operations are completed, but may also have additional steps.
A spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle, in an embodiment, as illustrated in Figure 1, broadly comprises: a vehicle slowing member (1; for example, a service brake); and a vehicle halting member (2; for example, a parking brake).
Said vehicle slowing member (1) broadly comprises: a blockading member (3; for example, a diaphragm), which generates, force for vehicle braking; a second displacing member (4; for example, a push rod), which also generates, force along with the blockading member (3), for said vehicle braking; a supporting member (5; for example, a non-pressure plate); a first yoyoing member (6; for example, a spring); and a second connecting member (13; for example, a clevis).
Said vehicle halting member (2), on the other hand, broadly comprises: a bowering member or a housing (7; for example, a shell); a second yoyoing member (8; for example, a spring); a displacing member (9; for example, a ram); a first connecting member (10; for example, a flange); an alcove (11); a guiding and sealing member (12); and an internal breather member (14; for example, an internal breather valve).
Said blockading member (3) is disposed between the at least one vehicle slowing member (1) and the at least one vehicle halting member (2). The blockading member (3) is traversed (for example, in a latitudinal direction), by the second displacing member (4).
The first yoyoing member (6) is disposed on (or is disposed at, or is associated with) the second displacing member (4), at an outer surface (or at an outer periphery) of the second displacing member (4). The second connecting member (13) is disposed on (or is disposed at, or is associated with) the second displacing member (4), at one end of the second displacing member (4).
The second yoyoing member (8) is compressed, between the bowering member (7) and the displacing member (9). The guiding and sealing member (12) is disposed on (or is disposed at, or is associated with) the displacing member (9), at one end of the displacing member (9).
The displacing member (9) is configured to slide over the bowering member (7) and the first connecting member (10).
Said bowering member (7) and said first connecting member (10) are steeked together using an improved steeking mechanism. While steeking, a sealing element (16) is disposed on (or is disposed at) a grotto (19; as in Figure 5) provided on the first connecting member (10) to maintain pressure tightness in the vehicle halting member (2), thereby averting the entry of performance-degrading members inside the vehicle halting member (2).
In another embodiment, as illustrated in Figure 2, said bowering member (7) broadly comprises an at least a first steeking profile (17; for example, a thread profile) that is disposed throughout an inner periphery of its top end. Said at least one first steeking profile (17) may be configured as either projecting inward or projection outward.
The different configurations of the at least one first steeking profile (17) are illustrated in Figure 4a, Figure 4b, Figure 4c, Figure 4d, and Figure 4e.
In yet another embodiment, said at least one first steeking profile (17) comprises a pair of steeking members. As illustrated in Figure 4a, each steeking member (for example, a thread) among the pair of steeking members are dispositioned opposite to each other.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, said at least one first steeking profile (17) comprises only a single steeking member, as illustrated in Figure 4b.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, said at least one first steeking member (17) comprises a plurality of steeking members, as illustrated in Figure 2.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated in Figure 4c, beginning edges and/or ending edges of said at least one first steeking profile (17) is in a flat configuration (20).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated in Figure 4d, the beginning edges and/or the ending edges of said at least one first steeking profile (17) is in a curved (or circular) configuration (21).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated in Figure 4e, the beginning edges and/or the ending edges of said at least one first steeking profile (17) is in a curved (or circular) and merged configuration (22), and being merged with a wall of said bowering member (7).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated in Figure 3, said first connecting member (10) broadly comprises an at least a second steeking profile (18; for example, a thread profile) that is disposed throughout an outer periphery of its bottom end. Said at least one second steeking profile (18) may be configured as either projecting inward or projection outward.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one second steeking profile (18) may be either in single-start configuration or in multi-start configuration. Said at least one second steeking profile (18) also comprises a plurality of steeking members.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of steeking members in the first connecting member (10) is at least about 1.2 times higher than that of the number of steeking members in the bowering member (7).
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, a person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that said at least one first steeking profile (17), and said at least one second steeking profile (18) may be in any of the following configuration: ACME thread, metric thread, UNF thread, square thread, buttress thread, V shape thread, BSPP threads, BSTP threads, and/or the like.
In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the bowering member (7) further comprises a first orifice (24) and an opening (23), and the first connecting member (10) further comprises a second orifice (25). Said opening (23) facilitates holding of the bowering member (7) while steeking with the first connecting member (10).
Once the bowering member (7) and the first connecting member (10) are steeked together, said first orifice (24) and said second orifice (25) are aligned in the same line, and facilitates locking of the bowering member (7) and the first connecting member (10) together with a fastening member (15), as illustrated in Figure 8.
Said fastening member (15) facilitates preventing the anti-rotation of the bowering member (7) and the first connecting member (10) to avoid dismantling due to the vibration of the commercial vehicle.
The method of steeking of the bowering member (7) and the first connecting member (10) shall now be explained.
Consider said at least one first steeking profile (17) in the bowering member (7) is configured as projecting inward, and said at least one second steeking profile (18) in the first connecting member (10) is configured as projecting outward. The first connecting member (10) is inserted inside the bowering member (7) until the at least one second steeking profile (18) touches the at least one first steeking profile (17), and the first connecting member (10) is rotated in the clockwise direction, as illustrated in Figure 7a, until the first orifice (24) and the second orifice (25) are aligned in the same line. Once the first orifice (24) and the second orifice (25) are aligned in the same line, said bowering member (7) and the first connecting member (10) are locked together with the fastening member (15).
A person skilled in the art will appreciate the fact that the mechanism, and its various components, may be made of any suitable materials known in the art. Likewise, a person skilled in the art will also appreciate the fact that the configuration of the mechanism, and its various components, may be varied, based on requirements.
The disclosed mechanism offers at least the following advantages: is simple in construction; is cost-effective; steeking and removing of said bowering member (7) and the first connecting member (10) become very simple; and/or reduces the outer diameter of the spring brake actuator, thereby eliminates fouling with adjacent components, and makes it being used with the vehicles that use air suspension system; is robust in configuration.
It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the above description is for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting. Various modifications, additions, alterations, and improvements, without deviating from the spirit and the scope of the disclosure, may be made, by a person skilled in the art. Such modifications, additions, alterations, and improvements should be construed as being within the scope of this disclosure.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
1 – Vehicle Slowing Member
2 – Vehicle Halting Member
3 – Blockading Member
4 – Second Displacing Member
5 – Supporting Member
6 – First Yoyoing Member
7 – Bowering Member or Housing
8 – Second Yoyoing Member
9 – Displacing Member
10 – First Connecting Member
11 – Alcove
12 – Guiding and Sealing Member
13 – Second Connecting Member
14 – Internal Breather Member
15 – Fastening Member
16 – Sealing Element
17 – At Least One First Steeking Profile
18 – At Least One Second Steeking Profile
19 – Grotto
20 – Flat Configuration
21 – Curved Configuration
22 – Curved and Merged Configuration
23 – Opening
24 – First Orifice
25 – Second Orifice
26 – Bolt
27 – Nut
28 – First Plurality of Holes
29 – Second Plurality of Holes , Claims:1. A spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle with an improved steeking mechanism, said spring brake actuator comprising:
a vehicle slowing member (1) that comprises:
a blockading member (3) that generates force for vehicle braking; a second displacing member (4) that also generates force along with the blockading member (3), for said vehicle braking; a supporting member (5); a first yoyoing member (6); and a second connecting member (13); and
a vehicle halting member (2) that comprises:
a bowering member (7); a second yoyoing member (8); a displacing member (9); a first connecting member (10); an alcove (11); a guiding and sealing member (12); and an internal breather member (14),
charecterized in that, said spring brake actuator with an improved steeking mechanism comprises:
the bowering member (7) that comprises:
an at least a first steeking profile (17) that is disposed throughout an inner periphery said bowering member’s top end, with: said at least one first steeking profile (17) being configured as either projecting inwards or projection outwards and comprising a plurality of steeking members;
an opening (23) that holds the bowering member (7) while steeking the bowering member (7) with the first connecting member (10); and a first orifice (24);
the first connecting member (10) that comprises: an at least a second steeking profile (18) that is disposed throughout an outer periphery of said first connecting member’s bottom end, with: said at least one second steeking profile (18) being configured as either projecting inwards or projection outwards and comprising a plurality of steeking members; and a second orifice (25); and
a sealing element (16) that is disposed on a grotto (19) provided on the first connecting member (10) to maintain pressure tightness in the vehicle halting member (2) and avert the entry of performance-degrading members inside the vehicle halting member (2),
with:
said first orifice (24) and said second orifice (25) facilitating locking of the bowering member (7) and the first connecting member (10) together with a fastening member (15), to prevent the anti-rotation of the bowering member (7) and the first connecting member (10) and avoid dismantling due to vibration; and
the number of steeking members in the second steeking profile (18) being at least 1.2 times higher than that of the number of steeking members in the at least one first steeking profile (17).
2. The spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle with an improved steeking mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said at least one first steeking profile (17) comprises a pair of steeking members, with: one steeking member among the pair of steeking members being disposed opposite to another steeking member among the pair of steeking members.
3. The spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle with an improved steeking mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said at least one first steeking profile (17) comprises only a single steeking member.
4. The spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle with an improved steeking mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: beginning edges or ending edges of said at least one first steeking profile (17) are of a flat configuration (20).
5. The spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle with an improved steeking mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: beginning edges or ending edges of said at least one first steeking profile (17) are of a curved or circular configuration (21).
6. The spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle with an improved steeking mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
beginning edges or ending edges of said at least one first steeking profile (17) are of a curved or circular and merged configuration (22), and are merged with a wall of said bowering member (7).
7. The spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle with an improved steeking mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the at least one second steeking profile (18) is either of a single-start configuration or of a multi-start configuration.
8. The spring brake actuator used in a commercial vehicle with an improved steeking mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
said at least one first steeking profile (17) and said at least one second steeking profile (18) are of: ACME thread configuration, metric thread configuration, UNF thread configuration, square thread configuration, buttress thread configuration, V shape thread configuration, BSPP threads configuration, or BSTP threads configuration.