BRAKE SYSTEM FOR LINEARLY MOVABLE BODIES

Abstract: A brake system for linearly movable bodies, comprising a brake member with a bore for receiving a rod in a clearance fit, wherein the brake member is tilted to generate a moment, whereby a brake is applied to a relatively moving rod. The brake member is tiltable on a fulcrum positioned away from the axis of the rod, and recesses which is narrower than the diameter of the bore are formed in the symmetrical portions of the interior of the bore which are in a plane including the fulcrum and the axis of the rod. In this brake system, a torque (moment) is applied to the brake member to cause resistance to occur in the rod-engaging surface of the bore, and a frictional force based on this resistance is used as a braking force, a frictional force based on the resistance of the rod-engaging surface being used as a reaction against the torque. Accordingly, a reaction parallel to the moment does not substantially occur but a large reaction perpendicular to the moment occurs. Since the reaction perpendicular to the moment increases with the thrust, a large resistance is generated by a small moment, and a large braking force occurs with respect to the rod, whereby the brake system and rod are locked.

Description: The present invention relates to brake devices for braking a linearly moving body such as where a piston rod of an air cylinder is stopped by applying the brake by frictional force, and more particularly to a brake device for a linearly moving body where a force in the direction of the linear motion is utilized in generating the brake force so that the device can be manufactured in small size and at low cost and can be utilized for falling prevention of the linear moving body and emergency stopping. In the prior art, as a brake device for a linear moving body, US. Pat 4,791,855 discloses a device for stopping a piston rod of an air cylinder by applying the brake by friction force. The invention in the prior art adopts a mechanism wherein a brake member is rotated in an orthogonal direction to the linear motion thereby the brake force is increased, and force in the direction of the linear motion can not be utilized for the brake force. Therefore a strong spring force and a complicated force increasing mechanism are required, and the manufacturing cost becomes high and the device becomes large in size. Further US. Pat. 4,981,069 also discloses a device for stopping a piston rod of an air cylinder by applying frictional braking force. The invention in the prior art adopts a mechanism wherein a brake member is elastically deformed in an orthogonal direction to the linear motion and the reaction force is made the brake force. Similarly in this invention, force in the direction of the linear motion can not be utilized for the brake force. Therefore a strong elastic deforming force is required and further a strong brake releasing force is required. Also since the elastic deforming force is utilized, problems of variation of the brake force and dispersion of the brake force are produced, and quite high machining precision is required. This causes the device to become large in size and the manufacturing cost becomes high. Also in the prior art closest to the present invention, an air cylinder is manufactured where a brake member of ring shape is fitted to a piston rod of an air cylinder in clearance fit, and the brake member is moved slantwise in the axial direction of the rod by the spring force, and further the slantwise motion is increased by the thrust of the air cylinder and the piston rod is locked. Arrangements of this type are disclosed in US 4, 214, 795 (Kakuminato) and in FR 2, 074 249 (Dudeins Industriegerate-Handelsgesellschaft). This brake device is similar to the present invention in that the force in the direction of the linear motion is utilized for the brake force. However, this brake device is significantly different from the present invention in the shape of a fitting surface between a piston rod and a through hole of a brake member. That is, in this brake device, when rotational moment is supplied to a brake member by a spring and thrust of an air cylinder and the brake member is moved slantwise and the brake is applied, most of the reaction force of the rotational moment is the reaction force produced in parallel to the rotational moment, and most of the brake force applied to the piston rod becomes a value of the reaction force in parallel to the rotational moment multiplied by the friction coefficient. Therefore since the usual friction coefficient is about 0.2, in order to produce effective brake force in this brake device, a problem exists in that much reaction force is required. Also in such a brake device, in order to produce a large reaction force, a method of increasing the spring force and increasing distance between fulcrums of the rotational moment produced by the thrust of the air cylinder, or a method of decreasing dimension in the direction of the linear motion of the brake member or the like may be considered. However, the former causes large size of the brake device and is not suitable for the practical use, and the latter has a problem that the contact surface pressure of the piston rod is increased and the outer circumference of the piston rod is liable to be flawed and the brake member is liable to be broken. An object of the present invention is to provide a brake device for applying a brake to a linearly moving body and stopping it, where the brake device is small in size and can be manufactured at low cost and is suitable for use in falling prevention or emergency stopping. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is a brake device for braking a linearly movable body, comprising: a casing through the inside of which a rod passes, the rod being linearly movable relative to the casing; and a brake member arranged to be movable slantwise within said casing using a position remote from the axial centre of said rod as a fulcrum, and having a through hole for insertion of said rod, characterised by said through hole having therewithin notched portions formed at symmetric positions in a plane including said fulcrum and the axial centre of said rod, the notched portions having width smaller than the diameter of the hole. In such a brake device, rotational force (rotational moment) is supplied to the brake member and drag is produced at the fitting surface within the hole and frictional force due to the drag is made the brake force and the frictional force due to the drag of the fitting surface is made the reaction force. Thereby large drag can be produced by small rotational force, and thickness of the brake member in the direction of the linear motion also can be made large. That is, in the brake device of the present invention, the reaction force from the rod is produced when the rotational force (rotational moment) M is supplied to the brake member, and assuming that the reaction force is decomposed into component of force (sum total of absolute value) R in parallel to the rotational force M and component of force (sum total of absolute value) r orthogonal to the rotational force M, and radius of gyration of the component of force is L and coefficient of friction is k, following equation applies. M = RL + krL Next, assuming that thrust of the linear moving body is F, next equation applies. In this case, the rotational force produced by F is added to M as above described. F = kR + kr Further, in order to clarify function of the brake device of the present invention, it will be put strongly as follows. Assume that only the component of force in parallel to the rotational force is produced, that is, if r = 0, from equations (1), (2), it follows that F = Mk/L On the contrary, assuming that only the component of force orthogonal to the rotational force is produced, that is, if R = 0, from equations (1), (2), it follows also that F = M/L Here, assume that the rotational force due to the thrust F is excluded. Then value of the thrust F is due to the rotational force of a spring only and becomes a value comprising the stability (initial slip is eliminated and locking is performed securely). Comparing the equation (3) with the equation (4), the brake force in the case of only the component of force orthogonal to the rotational force becomes 1/k of that in the case of only the component of force in parallel to the rotational force. For example, if k = 0.2, it follows that the stability becomes five times. Also comparing the rotational force M when the thrust F is constant in the equations (3), (4), it is seen that the spring force to be used may be 1/5 and further the brake releasing force may be also 1/5. This is factor to enable small size and low price. Further, when the thrust F and the rotational force M are constant in the equations (3), (4), the durability, that is, the brake surface pressure can be compared by the value of the gyration radius L. Here, if k = 0.2, when only the component of force orthogonal to the rotational force is produced, the durability becomes five times of that when only the component of force in parallel to the rotational force is produced. This enables the state that the outer circumference is not flawed and the brake member can be prevented from being broken. The above description is the extreme view, but can clarify the point that the present invention has not only the quantitative difference but also the qualitative difference in comparison with the prior art. As values of an actual brake device, the above-mentioned value 1/5 of the spring force will become about 1/2.5 and the stability or the durability will become about 2.5 times. Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- FIG. 1 is a sectional view in axial direction of a brake device of an air cylinder showing an embodiment of the invention in brake release state; FIG. 2 is a lateral sectional view of the brake device; FIG. 3 is a sectional view in axial direction of the brake device in brake state; FIG. 4 is a sectional view in axial direction of a brake device in another embodiment; FIG. 5 is a lateral sectional view of the brake device; FIG. 6 is a sectional view in axial direction of the brake device in brake state; FIG. 7 is a front view of a brake member in another embodiment; FIG. 8 is a sectional view of Fig. 7; FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of a brake member and a rod in another embodiment; FIG. 10 is a sectional view in axial direction of a falling preventing device of a piston rod to which the invention is applied; and FIG. 11 is a lateral sectional view of Fig. 10. Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings as follows. FIGS. 1 to 3 show a brake device for an air cylinder. In the brake device, a casing 1 is fixed and installed at a top end portion of an air cylinder 20, and a piston rod 21 penetrates within the casing 1. Within the casing 1, as shown in the figures, a brake member 2 and a brake member 3 both in plate shape are arranged with a gap. The brake member 2 is installed such as to be movable slantwise using the lower end portion as a fulcrum and the brake member 3 is installed such as to be movable slantwise using the upper portion as a fulcrum. The brake member 2 is used for braking of the piston rod during pushing out and the brake member 3 is used for braking of it during drawing back. Through holes 4, 5 for insertion of the piston rod 21 are formed nearly at the centre of the brake members 2, 3, and the through holes 4, 5 are provided with notched portions 4a, 5a recesses extended at their upper side and lower side within a circular hole to enable fitting of the piston rod 21 with a clearance fit. The width of each of the notched portions 4a, 5a (recesses) is smaller than the diameter of the circular hole of the through holes 4, 5 and is about 90% of the diameter. The diameter of the circular hole of the through holes 4, 5 is formed slightly larger than the outer diameter of the piston rod 21 and the clearance fit is conducted, and the width of the rectangular notched portions 4a, 5a is formed smaller than the diameter of the piston rod 21. For example, when the outer diameter of the piston rod 21 is 20 mm, the diameter of the circular hole of the through holes 4, 5 is formed to be 20.1 to 20.2 mm and the width of the rectangular notched portions 4a, 5a is formed to be 18 mm. The piston rod 21 is inserted to the through holes 4, 5 of such two brake members 2, 3 and the brake members 2, 3 are fitted externally to the outer circumferential part of the piston rod 21 within the casing 1 loosely. Coiled springs 6, 7 are interposed between the two brake members 2, 3 at the upper side and lower side thereof, and the spring force of the coiled springs 6, 7 energizes both brake members 2, 3 in the direction of separating both brake members 2, 3 from each other. Also the coiled springs 6, 7 are attached to both brake members 2, 3 in the state that both ends of the spring are inserted in respective holes provided on one surface of both brake members 2, 3. One brake member 2 is formed a little longer longitudinally than the other brake member 3, and the lower end portion of the brake member 2 is loosely inserted to a rectangular aperture 8 formed at the bottom of the casing 1. Upper end portions of both brake members 2, 3 are projected upward together from a rectangular aperture 9 formed in the top of the casing 1. The front side of the aperture 9 is formed in large amount so as to have a margin (space), and the brake member 2 can be slanted forward, i.e., to the pushing-out side in a range of some degrees. The coiled spring 6 of the upper side acts at braking state so as to push the brake member 3 to an abutting end surface 11 at the rear side of the aperture 9, i.e., at the drawing-back side, and the coiled spring 7 of the lower side acts so as to push the brake member 2 to an abutting end surface 12 at the front side of the aperture 8, i.e., at the pushing-out side. An abutting end surface 13 is formed at the rear side of the aperture 8, i.e., at the drawing-back side. The position of the end surface 13 of the aperture 8 at the lower side and of the end surface 11 of the aperture 9 at the upper side is determined as shown in Fig. 3 so that when the brake members 2, 3 are pushed in the drawing-back direction by a brake releasing piston 15 as described later, the lower side of the brake member 2 abuts on the end surface 13 and the upper side of the brake member 3 abuts on the end surface 11, then the brake members 2, 3 are positioned orthogonal to the axial direction of the piston rod 21 and thereby the brake is released. A cylinder chamber 10 is formed at the front within the casing 1, and a brake releasing piston 15 is fitted slidably to the cylinder chamber 10. Since the piston rod 21 is inserted at the centre of the cylinder chamber 10, the piston 15 is arranged to be externally fitted slidable to the outer circumferential part of the piston rod 21. Also a swelling portion is provided at the centre of the top end of the piston 15, and the brake member 2 pushed in the drawing-back direction by the swelling portion. An air inlet port 16 for air inlet into the cylinder chamber 10 is provided at the upper side of the casing 1. A seal member is applied to the outer circumferential part and the inner circumferential part of the brake releasing piston 15, and a seal member is applied also to a support part of the piston rod 21 at the front of the casing 1. Next, operation of the brake device in the above-mentioned configuration will be described. When air is supplied from the air inlet port 16 provided at the casing 1, the piston 15 is moved in the direction to the right in the figure, and the brake members 2, 3 are pushed by the piston 15. The coiled springs 6, 7 are compressed as shown in Fig. 1, and a lower portion of the brake member 2 abuts on the end surface 13 and an upper portion of the brake member 3 abuts on the end surface 11, and the brake members 2, 3 assume their orthogonal state to the piston rod 21. Thereby the fitting surface of the brake members 2, 3 to the rod 21 within the through holes 4,5 becomes parallel to the outer circumferential surface of the rod 21, and the non-brake state is produced and the piston rod 21 can be moved. On the other hand, when air is exhausted from the port 16 provided on the casing 1, the piston 15 becomes in the free state and the brake members 2, 3 are moved slantwise by the spring force of the coiled springs 6,7 as shown in Fig. 3. Then the brake members 2, 3 are supplied with initial rotational force (rotational moment) using the end surface 12 and the end surface 11 as fulcrums respectively by the coiled springs 6, 7, and the reaction force of the rotational force is produced at the fitting surface of the brake members 2, 3 to the piston rod 21 within the through hole and frictional force in response to the reaction force produced on the fitting surface is generated between the brake members 2, 3 and the rod 21 in the initial state. In this state, if the thrust in the direction to the left in the figure is applied to the rod 21, the rotational force due to the thrust using the end surface 12 as fulcrum is further applied to the brake member 2. Also if the thrust in the direction to the right is applied to the piston rod 21, the rotational force due to the thrust using the end surface 11 as fulcrum is applied to the brake member 3. The rotational force (rotational moment) due to the thrust increases the frictional force becomes the brake members 2, 3 and the piston rod 21 and a strong brake force is produced in the piston rod 21. Thereby the piston rod 21 is fixed to the casing 1 through the brake members 2, 3. Thus the shape of the inner surfaces of the through holes 4,5 of the brake members 2, 3, i.e., the fitting surface between the piston rod 21 and the brake members 2, 3 is such that the hole to be fitted to the piston rod 21 in clearance fit is notched at an upper portion and a lower portion. That is, notched portions 4a, 5a are formed on symmetric positions within the through holes along the plane including the fulcrum of the brake members 2, 3 and the axial centre of the rod, and the width of the notched portions 4a, 5a is smaller than the diameter of the through holes 4, 5. Therefore when the brake members 2, 3 are moved slantwise and the rotational force using the end surface 12 or 11 as fulcrum is applied, since the reaction force subjected to the rod 21 from the fitting surface of the brake member is not produced from the notched portions 4a, 5a, the component of force in parallel to the rotational moment is scarcely produced but the component of force orthogonal to the rotational moment is large. Therefore a large frictional force is produced at the fitting surface and the strong brake force can be generated. Next, the result of a trial of a brake device will be described concretely. The brake device in the above-mentioned configuration is manufactured such that the outer diameter of the piston rod is 20 mm, the thickness of the brake member in the axial direction is 15 mm, the width of the notched portion of the through hole of the brake member is 18 mm, the outer diameter of the piston 15 is 63 mm, the material of the piston rod is carbon steel (carbon 0.5%) and the material of the brake member is ductile cast iron. As a result of a performance test of the brake device, even if the thrust 900 kgf is applied to the piston rod, slip is not produced, and the brake device withstands the durability test of 3,000,000 times that the thrust 300 kgf is applied to the piston rod. In addition, in the above-mentioned brake device, when the brake is applied in the gravity direction, a spring is not used and the brake can be applied by the gravity of the brake member itself. Also the piston brake may be released by an electromagnetic solenoid or manual operation. Further in the above-mentioned embodiment, although the brake device is represented where the brake is applied to both sides in the linear motion direction, in the brake device where the brake is applied to one side only, one brake member and one spring may be used. Figs. 4 to 6 show another embodiment where the invention is applied to a brake device of a moving part of a rodless cylinder. This brake device is used to provide braking for a guide rod 22 of a moving table of a rodless cylinder (not shown). In addition, in Figs. 4 to 6, parts having the same structure as those in the above-mentioned embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof shall be omitted. In this brake device, a casing 1 is fixed to a moving table of a rodless cylinder, and a guide rod 22 guiding a moving table or a linear moving body connected to the moving table in place of the piston rod is inserted into the piston rod. Structure of the casing 1, brake members 2, 3 arranged within it, a cylinder chamber 10, a brake releasing piston 15 and the like is similar to that of the above-mentioned embodiment. When air is supplied from an air inlet port 16 provided on the casing 1, the piston 15 is moved in the direction to the right in the figure and the brake members 2, 3 are pushed by the piston 15. As shown in Fig. 4, coiled springs 6, 7 are compressed. A lower part of the brake member 2 abuts an end surface 13, and an upper part of the brake member 3 abuts an end surface 11 thereby the brake members 2, 3 become orthogonal to the piston rod 22. Therefore the fitting surface of the brake members 2, 3 to the rod 22 within the through holes 4, 5 becomes parallel to the outer circumferential surface of the rod 22 and the non-braking state is produced and the piston rod 22 can be moved. On the other hand, when air is exhausted from the air inlet port 16 provided on the casing 1, the piston 15 becomes in the free state, and the brake members 2, 3 are moved slantwise by the spring force of the coiled springs 6, 7 as shown in Fig. 6. Then the brake members 2, 3 are supplied with the initial rotational force (rotational moment) using the end surface 12 and the end surface 11 as fulcrums respectively by the coiled springs 6, 7, and the reaction force of the rotational force is produced at the fitting surface between the brake members 2, 3 and the piston rod 22 within the through hole, and the frictional force in response to the reaction force produced at the fitting surface is generated between the brake members 2, 3 and the rod 22 at the initial state. In this state, if the thrust in the direction to the left in the figure is applied to the rod 22, the rotational force due to the thrust using the end surface 12 as a fulcrum is further applied to the brake member 2. Also if the thrust in the direction to the right is applied to the piston rod 21, the rotational force due to the thrust using the end surface 11 as a fulcrum is applied to the brake member 3. The rotational force (rotational moment) due to the thrust increases the frictional force between the brake members 2, 3 and the piston rod 22 and a strong brake force is applied to the piston rod 22 and the casing 1 is fixed to the rod 22 through the brake members 2, 3. Thus when the brake members 2, 3 are moved slantwise and the rotational force using the end surface 12 or 11 as fulcrum is applied, since the reaction force subjected to the rod 21 from the fitting surface of the brake member is not produced from the notched portions 4a, 5a, the component of force in parallel to the rotational moment is scarcely generated but the component of force generated orthogonal to the rotational moment is large. Therefore the large frictional force is produced at the fitting surface and strong brake force can be generated. In addition, the shape of notched portions of the circular hole of the brake member, besides being a rectangular shape as above described, may be a notched portion comprising a part of an outer circumferential part of a cylinder as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. That is, in a brake member 33 shown in Figs. 7 and 8, a through hole 35 is formed in that for example, a notched portion 35a to constitute a part of an outer circumferential part of a cylinder is extended at upper and lower sides of a circular hole of diameter 12 mm. This notched portion 35a can be formed in that for example, a drill of outer diameter 11 mm is advanced slanting to the axis of the circular through hole 35 by 5 degrees for example. Further as shown in Fig. 9, a circular through hole 37 is formed on a brake member 36 and an upper surface and a lower surface of a piston rod 38 are cut horizontally thereby a flat portion 38a (notched portion) may be provided at the upper side and at the lower side of the outer circumferential part of the rod. Thus in the above-mentioned brake device, the brake members 2, 3 having relatively simple shape and not requiring severe dimensional precision are arranged within the casing 1 and the actuator for brake releasing is installed thereby the brake device can be constituted very simply. Consequently the brake device can be manufactured in small size and at low cost, and can be used effectively for emergency stopping of the piston rod of the fluid pressure cylinder or for intermediate stopping and further as a brake device for falling prevention where falling of a piston rod or a suspended substance at the stop state is prevented. Figs. 10 and 11 show another embodiment, where the brake device is applied for falling prevention of a piston rod of an air cylinder. In Fig. 10, a piston 41 is fitted slidably within a cylinder of a cylinder body 49. A piston rod 42 is installed to the front side of the piston 41, and a brake rod 43 is installed at the rear side of the piston rod 41. The brake rod 43 may be formed integrally with the piston rod 42. A brake member 44 inserted at the end within the cylinder body is formed in piston shape having a cylindrical outer surface smaller than a cylindrical inner surface of the cylinder body 49, and a projecting part 50 is installed to the lower side of the brake member 44 and a seal member 53 is fitted to the outer circumferential part of the brake member 44. The projecting part 50 of the brake member 44 is engaged with the cylinder side, and the brake member 44 is fitted within the cylinder body 49 so that it can be moved slantwise using the projecting part 50 as a fulcrum within the plane including the axial centre of the rod 43. A hole to be fitted partially to the brake rod 43 is provided at the centre of the brake member 44, and a hole for mounting a spring 45 is provided at the upper side of the brake member 44. The brake member 44 is assembled within the cylinder body 49 by a snap ring 47, and is mounted using the abutting position of the projecting part 50 as a fulcrum in movable state slantwise slightly (about 5 degrees). The spring 45 is installed between a spring shoe 46 and the brake member 45 supplies the initial rotational force (rotational moment) to the brake member 44. Next, operation of the brake device will be described. If air is supplied from an air inlet port 51, the brake member 44 overcomes the force of the spring 45 and is pushed to the snap ring 47 and becomes orthogonal to the brake rod 43. Thereby the brake release state is produced and the piston 41 is moved normally. Next, if air is supplied from the air inlet port 52 and is exhausted from the air inlet port 51, the brake member 44 is slanted by the spring 45, but since the spring force is quite weak, the brake rod 43 is fitted to the hole of the brake member 44. Next, if air is exhausted from the air inlet port 52, the rotational force using the projecting part 50 as fulcrum is applied to the brake member 44 by the spring 45 and the brake member 44 is moved slantwise. The reaction force of the rotational force produces the frictional force between the brake rod 43 and the brake member 44. In this state, if the load due to the weight of the movable part or the like is applied to the piston rod 42 in the direction of pushing out the piston rod 42, the rotational force using the projecting part 50 as fulcrum is applied further to the brake member 44 and the large frictional force is applied between the brake member 44 and the brake rod 43. The brake is applied to the piston due to the frictional force and falling of the piston rod (movable part) can be prevented.

Claims: A brake device for braking a linearly movable body, comprising: a casing (1,49) through the inside of which a rod (21,42,43) passes, the rod being linearly movable relative to the casing; and a brake member (2,3,44) arranged to be movable slantwise within said casing using a position (8,12,50) remote from the axial centre of said rod as a fulcrum, and having a through hole (4,5) for insertion of said rod, characterised by said through hole having therewithin notched portions (4a,5a) formed at symmetric positions in a plane including said fulcrum and the axial centre of said rod, the notched portions (4a, 5a) having width smaller than the diameter of the hole. A brake device for braking a linearly movable body as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spring (6,7,45) supplying an initial rotational moment to said brake member is installed. A brake device for braking a linearly moving body as claimed in claim 2, wherein an actuator returning said brake member from its slanted position to the original state to release the brake is installed. A brake device for braking a linearly movable body as claimed in claim 3, wherein said actuator is constructed with a piston (15,41) arranged within said casing. A brake device for braking a linearly movable body as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the casing is formed as a cylinder body (49) of an air cylinder through the inside of which passes the rod which is formed as a piston (41,42), the brake member (44) being fitted within an end portion of the cylinder body using a position remote from the axial centre of the piston (41, 42) as the fulcrum, a brake rod (43) projecting from the rear of the piston (41, 42) and being receivable by the brake member through hole, and a spring (45) being provided for supplying an initial rotational moment to the brake member, such that in use the brake rod (43) is inserted in the brake member (44) and the brake member (44) is moved slantwise to apply the brake to the advancing motion of the piston and the brake member is directly pushed by the pneumatic pressure within the cylinder body to reverse the slantwise motion and release the brake.

Inventors: HIGUCHI YASUO, HIGUCHI, YASUO
Applicants: PUBOT GIKEN CO LTD, PUBOT GIKEN CO., LTD.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: F15B15
IPC codes: F15B15, F16D63, F16D59