Patent ID: 6729628
Filing Date: 2004-05-04
Classification: A63C

Abstract:
A brake assembly for applying a braking force to one or more wheels of a wheel supported device supporting a wheel frame which, in turn, supports a plurality of wheels on a plurality of axles held by said wheel frame each of said plurality of wheels having two sides, said brake assembly comprising:a rotating brake member held by at least one of said plurality of wheels on at least one side thereof, said rotating brake member having an outwardly facing braking surface which rotates with said wheel; a fixed brake member held so that it does not turn with said at least one of said plurality of wheels, said fixed brake member having an inwardly facing friction surface positioned adjacent at least a portion of said outwardly facing braking surface of said rotating brake member; means for controllably bending said fixed brake member toward said rotating brake member so that the outwardly facing braking surface of the rotating brake member contacts the inwardly facing friction surface of said fixed brake member thereby applying a braking force on said at least one of said plurality of wheels; wherein said fixed brake member has an outer peripheral edge and a central axis and said means for controllably bending said fixed brake member comprises exerting an axially inward directed force on said fixed brake member at a position nearer said outer peripheral edge than said central axis of said fixed brake member; and wherein said fixed brake member has a generally outwardly directed cam surface on its outer peripheral edge and a movable brake activating member has a mating generally inwardly directed cam surface thereon and wherein said means for controllably bending said fixed brake member comprises contacting said generally outwardly directed cam surface with said mating generally inwardly directed cam surface and moving said mating generally inwardly directed cam surface toward an inner area of said fixed brake member so that said generally inwardly directed cam surface moves said generally outwardly directed cam surface and a portion of said fixed brake member into contact with said rotating brake member.