Abstract:
In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a vehicular brake ( 10 ) comprising: a closed-circuit tunnel ( 14, 62 ) containing hydraulic liquid ( 72 ); a mechanism ( 22 ) for moving the hydraulic liquid ( 72 ) within the closed-circuit tunnel ( 14, 62 ) together with the wheel ( 30 ) of the vehicle; and at least one faucet ( 24 ) within the closed-circuit tunnel ( 14, 62 ), for reducing the cross-section area (from A 1  to A 2 ) of the closed-circuit tunnel ( 14, 62 ) at least at one location, upon braking activity, thereby braking the vehicle wheel ( 30 ) without friction wear.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of vehicles. More particularly, the invention relates to a vehicular brake. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The prior art vehicular brakes include a brake rotor which spins together with the vehicle wheel, and a brake caliper which squeezes the rotor. Braking is friction-based. 
     Thus, the brakes require periodic maintenance due to friction wear. 
     The method described above has not provided a satisfactory solution to the problem of friction wear to the brakes, requiring periodic maintenance. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicular brake that operates without friction wear. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a solution to the above-mentioned and other problems of the prior art. 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a vehicular brake ( 10 ) comprising:
         a closed-circuit tunnel ( 14 ,  62 ) containing hydraulic liquid ( 72 );   a mechanism ( 22 ) for moving the hydraulic liquid ( 72 ) within the closed-circuit tunnel ( 14 ,  62 ) together with the vehicle wheel ( 30 ); and   at least one faucet ( 24 ) within the closed-circuit tunnel ( 14 ,  62 ), for reducing the cross-section area (from A 1  to A 2 ) of the closed-circuit tunnel ( 14 ,  62 ) at least at one location, upon braking activity,
 
thereby braking the vehicle wheel ( 30 ) without friction wear.
       

     The mechanism ( 22 ) for moving the hydraulic liquid ( 72 ) together with the wheel ( 30 ) of the vehicle may comprise vanes ( 22 ) within the contained hydraulic liquid ( 72 ), for circulating the hydraulic liquid ( 72 ) and for being rotated by the hydraulic liquid ( 72 ); vanes ( 22 ) may be connected to the vehicle wheel ( 30 ) so as to rotate together. 
     The closed-circuit tunnel ( 14 ,  62 ) may comprise:
         an initial tunnel ( 14 ), in which motion of the vanes ( 22 ) performs the circulation of the hydraulic liquid ( 72 ); and   a bypass ( 62 ) between the ends ( 68 ) of the initial tunnel ( 14 ), in which the faucet ( 24 ) performs the reduction of the circulation,
 
thereby the faucet ( 24 ) does not disturb the rotation of vanes ( 22 ) within closed-circuit tunnel ( 14 ,  62 ).
       

     The initial tunnel ( 14 ) may comprise a tunnel between:
         an external envelope ( 56 ) of a disk ( 12 ) rotating with the vanes ( 22 ); and   an annular internal envelope ( 58 ) of the stationary package ( 54 ) of the vehicular brake ( 10 ),
 
wherein the center of the disk ( 12 ) is shifted from the center of the annular internal envelope ( 58 ).
       

     The vanes ( 22 ) may be adapted to substantially touch the annular internal envelope ( 58 ) of the stationary package ( 54 ), 
     thereby improving circulation of the hydraulic liquid ( 72 ) within the closed-circuit tunnel ( 14 ,  62 ) upon rotation of the vehicle wheel ( 30 ). 
     The adaptation of the vanes ( 22 ) to substantially touch the annular internal envelope ( 58 ) of the stationary package ( 54 ), may comprise:
         a piston ( 22 ) slideable within a cylinder ( 60 ) comprising each of the vanes ( 22 ); and   a stationary leading track ( 18 ), for leading the piston ( 12 ) to substantially touch the annular internal envelope ( 58 ) of the stationary package ( 54 ).       

     The reduction of the cross-section area (from A 1  to A 2 ) of the closed-circuit tunnel ( 14 ,  62 ) by the faucet ( 24 ) may be adjustable, thereby the level of braking may be adjustable. 
     In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method for braking a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
         rotating vanes ( 22 ) together with the vehicle wheel ( 30 ), for circulating hydraulic liquid ( 72 ) within a closed-circuit tunnel ( 14 ,  62 ); and   closing at least one faucet ( 24 ), for reducing the hydraulic liquid circulation, to brake the vanes ( 22 ) together with the vehicle wheel ( 30 ),
 
thereby braking the vehicle wheel ( 30 ) without friction wear.
       

     The closing of the faucet ( 24 ) may be adjustable, thereby reduction of hydraulic liquid circulation may be adjustable. 
     The reference numbers have been used to point on elements in the embodiments described and illustrated herein, in order to facilitate understanding of the invention. They are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting. Also, the foregoing embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated in conjunction with systems and methods thereof, which are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments and features of the present invention are described herein in conjunction with the following drawings: 
         FIG. 1  depicts the wheel to be braked by the prior art vehicular brake and by the vehicular brake of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side sectional view of a braking system according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the hydraulic pump of the braking system of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will be understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which are meant to be descriptive and not limiting. For the sake of brevity, some well-known features, methods, systems, procedures, components, circuits, and so on, are not described in detail. 
       FIG. 1  depicts the wheel to be braked by the prior art vehicular brake and by the vehicular brake of the present invention. 
     A wheel  30  of a vehicle is screwed by screws to studs  40  of a wheel carrier  52  (hidden) thereof. 
       FIG. 2  is a side sectional view of a braking system according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     Wheel  30 , held by studs  40  to wheel carrier  52 , spins together with axle  36 . 
     A vehicular brake  10  of the present invention brakes wheel carrier  52  by reducing or even totally blocking the flow of hydraulic liquid  72  therewithin. This hydraulic braking is intended to replace the prior art brake caliper twisting a disk. 
     Wheel carrier  52  spins together with a disk  12 , through wheel bearings  48 , about the stationary package  54  of vehicular brake  10 . Seals  46  confine lubricant  72  of wheel bearings  48 . 
     Braking the rotation of wheel carrier  52  is performed by rotating a sheave  44  to close a faucet  24 , for blocking the flow of hydraulic liquid  72  within vehicular brake  10 . 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of the hydraulic pump of the braking system of  FIG. 2 . 
     A significant part of the external envelope  56  of disk  12  is annular. Stationary package  54  includes an annular round internal envelope  58 . 
     The center of disk  12  is shifted from the center of annular internal envelope  58  of package  54 , providing eccentric rotation of disk  12  about annular internal envelope  58  of stationary package  54 . This eccentric disposition forms an initial tunnel  14  containing hydraulic liquid  72  between external envelope  56  of rotating disk  12  and internal envelope  58  of stationary package  54 . 
     The terms “top” and “bottom” refer herein to the locations as drawn in the sheets of  FIGS. 2 and 3  only. 
     However, initial tunnel  14  is present at the “top” and “sides” of  FIGS. 2 and 3  and is absent at the “bottom” of  FIGS. 2 and 3 , due to this eccentric disposition. 
     Disk  12  includes and is connected to vanes  22 , thus disk  12  and vanes  22  move together. Motion of vanes  22  within initial tunnel  14  moves hydraulic liquid  72  therethrough. 
     Vanes  22  are formed as slideable pistons  22  within cylinders  60 . The external sides  64  of pistons  22  are adapted to always touch internal envelope  58  of package  54 , blocking pistons  22  when hydraulic liquid  72  does not flow, i.e., when braking is activated. 
     Pistons  12  rotating together with vehicle wheel  30  and disk  12  together press hydraulic liquid  72  to flow within initial tunnel  14 . However, the hydraulic liquid  72  cannot flow at the portion where initial tunnel  14  is absent, which is at the bottom of  FIG. 3  between external envelope  56  of disk  12  and internal envelope  58  of package  54 . 
     Instead, the hydraulic liquid  72  flows from initial tunnel  14  and returns thereto through a bypass  62 . 
     The term “closed-circuit tunnel” refers herein to initial tunnel  14  together with bypass  62 . 
     Thus, rotation of vehicle wheel  30  circulates hydraulic liquid  72  within a closed-circuit tunnel including initial tunnel  14  and bypass  62 , within wheel brake  10 . 
     Appropriate hydraulic liquid  72  is to be selected for reducing friction of the hydraulic liquid flow. 
     In order to bring external sides  64  of pistons  22  towards internal envelope  58  of package  54 , and in order that external sides  64  of pistons  22  will not enter inlet  68  of bypass  62 , a stationary track  18  delimits and leads pistons  22  between internal wall  66  and an external wall  70  thereof. 
     Stationary track  18  and initial tunnel  14  are inherent elements of stationary package  54 . External wall  70  of track  18  delimits external bearings  20 A of piston  22 , and internal wall  66  of track  18  delimits internal bearings  20 B of piston  22 . 
     Faucet  24  may reduce the cross-section area of bypass  62  from area A 1  to area A 2  or other. The level of the braking may be adjusted by the level of closing faucet  24 . 
     Hydraulic liquid  72  may be added through an inlet  28 . 
     In the figures and/or description herein, the following reference numerals have been mentioned:
         numeral  10  denotes a vehicle brake, according to one embodiment of the present invention;   numeral  12  denotes a disk within the brake, which spins together with the vehicle wheel;   numeral  14  denotes a tunnel in which hydraulic liquid is moved by the pistons;   numeral  18  denotes a stationary track for leading the pistons;   numerals  20 A and  20 B denote bearings in the pistons for being led by the stationary track;   numeral  22  denotes a vane for moving hydraulic liquid; according to a preferred embodiment this vane is a piston;   numeral  24  denotes a faucet for blocking the flow of the hydraulic liquid; numeral  26  denotes a cable for closing and opening the faucet;   numeral  28  denotes a inlet for adding hydraulic liquid to the vehicular brake;   numeral  30  denotes the wheel of the vehicle to be braked;   numeral  36  denotes an axle of the wheel; according to the depicted example, the axle spins together with the wheel;   numeral  40  denotes a stud for connecting the wheel to the vehicle;   numeral  44  denotes a sheave for opening or closing the faucet of the hydraulic liquid;   numeral  46  denotes a seal for confining lubricant of the wheel bearings;   numeral  48  denotes a wheel bearing, which allows the wheel to spin about the stationary elements of the vehicle;   numeral  52  denotes a wheel carrier;   numeral  54  denotes the package of the vehicular brake, and it is stationary;   numeral  56  denotes the perimeter, which is the external envelope of the rotating disk;   numeral  58  denotes the internal envelope of the stationary package; this envelope is round, and includes an inlet and an outlet of the bypass;   numeral  60  denotes a cylinder in which a piston may slide outward or inward the rotating disk;   numeral  62  denotes a bypass for the hydraulic liquid continuing the initial tunnel;   numeral  64  denotes the external side of the piston, i.e., the side close to the perimeter of the disk which spins together with the vehicular wheel;   numeral  66  denotes an internal wall of the leading track;   numeral  68  denotes the inlet of the bypass; the leading track avoids entrance of the pistons thereinto;   numeral  70  denotes the external wall of the leading track; and   numeral  72  denotes hydraulic liquid.       

     The foregoing description and illustrations of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the above description in any form. 
     Any term that has been defined above and used in the claims, should to be interpreted according to this definition.