Abstract:
An actuating assembly, including a rotatable core and an electric drive for driving the rotatablecore are disclosed. The rotatable core is arranged for engagement with a cable disposed within a pair of conduit sections and the cable can connect with a pair of actuatable devices. The rotatable core is arranged to be operable to pull the cable on each side of the core upon rotation thereof in a first direction, and to extend the cable on each side of the core upon rotation thereof in a second direction. The assembly further includes a pair of reaction abutments disposed on opposite sides of the rotatable core and to which a respective end of each conduit section can be connected. The assembly is arranged to be fixedly mounted and the reaction abutments are mounted for movement relative to the rotatable core for equalization of cable load transmitted through the conduit sections.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from Australian provisional patent application no. 2004906133 filed on 22 Oct. 2004, the contents of which are taken as incorporated herein by this reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an actuating assembly principally for electric brake operation. It will be convenient to describe the invention as it relates to an electric brake actuating assembly, although it should be appreciated that the invention could have application as an actuating assembly in other related and non-related fields. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     An electric brake actuating assembly and actuator is disclosed in applicant&#39;s International application WO 03/008248, filed 16 Jul. 2002. This document discloses an arrangement in which a rotatable actuator is driven rotate by an electric motor to act on a continuous cable which extends on either side of the rotatable member. Rotation of the rotatable member in a first direction, retracts the cable on either side of the rotatable member for brake application, while rotation in a second and reverse direction extends the cable on either side for brake release. 
     In one embodiment of the above document, the electric motor and the rotatable member are mounted so that they can shift in order to equalize out-of-balance loads in the cable. That is, in the event that retraction of the cables causes a load in the cable portion extending on one side of the rotatable member to be greater than on the other side, the actuator and the rotatable member can shift to equalize the respective loads. 
     The present invention relates to an arrangement which provides an alternative to the arrangement disclosed in the above discussed document. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention there is provided an actuating assembly, including a rotatable member and electric drive means for driving the rotatable member to rotate, the rotatable member being arranged for engagement with a cable arrangement which includes a cable disposed within a conduit and in use the cable arrangement can extend for connection with at least one device to be actuated, the rotatable member being arranged such that it is operable to pull the cable of the cable arrangement on each side of the rotatable member upon rotation of the rotatable member in a first direction, and to extend the cable on each side of the rotatable member upon rotation of the rotatable member in a second and reverse direction, the assembly further including a pair of reaction abutments one each of which is disposed on opposite sides of the rotatable member for connection of a portion of the cable arrangement and for transmission of cable load thereto, the actuator being arranged to be fixedly mounted and the reaction abutments being mounted for movement relative to the rotatable member. 
     According to the above embodiment, a single output actuator can be provided, whereby cable of the cable arrangement extends to a single device, such as a brake assembly or a splitting arrangement that operates a pair of brake assemblies, on one side of the rotatable member and on the other side the cable extends to connection with a reaction abutment. In this arrangement, the other of the reaction abutments is engaged by cable conduit and load is transmitted to that abutment through the conduit. Engagement of the reaction abutment by the conduit can be through suitable fittings or fasteners, or the conduit end can be in abutment with the reaction abutment. On the other side of the rotatable member, the cable can be connected to the reaction abutment in any suitable manner, such as by suitable fittings or fasteners. 
     According to the present invention there is further provided an actuating assembly, including a rotatable member and electric drive means for driving the rotatable member to rotate, the rotatable member being arranged for engagement with a cable arrangement which includes cable disposed within a pair of conduit sections and in use the cable arrangement can extend for connection with a pair of actuatable devices, the rotatable member being arranged such that it is operable to pull the cable of the cable arrangement on each side of the rotatable member upon rotation of the rotatable member in a first direction, and to extend the cable on each side of the rotatable member upon rotation of the rotatable member in a second and reverse direction, the assembly further including a pair of reaction abutments one each of which is disposed on opposite sides of the rotatable member and to which a respective end of each conduit section of the cable arrangement can be connected, the actuating assembly being arranged to be fixedly mounted and the reaction abutments being mounted for movement relative to the rotatable member for equalisation of cable load transmitted through the conduit sections. 
     The above embodiment can advantageously be employed for actuating a pair of brake assemblies of a vehicle, which assemblies are operable when actuated to apply a braking load to brake a wheel associated with each respective said brake assembly. For that purpose, the actuator is fixedly mounted to the vehicle, while the reaction abutments can be fixed as required to the actuator, or to the vehicle. 
     The assembly of the invention is operable with a cable arrangement which comprises either a continuous cable that extends between the pair of brake assemblies and which cooperates with the rotatable member in the required manner, or alternatively, that comprises a pair of separate cables which extend from a respective brake assembly into connection with the rotatable member. In this latter arrangement, the connection with the rotatable member can be by any suitable arrangement, such as a pin and slot or trunnion and hole arrangement. 
     Likewise, the rotatable member can have any suitable form and could for example take any of the forms described and illustrated in International application WO 03/008248. Accordingly, the disclosure of that International application is incorporated herein fully by cross-reference. 
     The reaction abutments can be mounted for movement relative to the rotatable member in any suitable manner. In one embodiment, a bridging structure is provided to connect the reaction abutments together and the bridging structure is such that movement of one of the reaction abutments results in movement of the other of the reaction abutments with the movement of the reaction abutments being in generally the same direction. 
     A bridging structure of the above kind can take any suitable form and for example, can include a bridging plate that extends between the reaction abutments. The plate may be solid, or it may include openings for weight reduction or other purposes, and it may also include stiffening ribs or the like. Alternatively, instead of a bridging plate, one or more bridging members may extend between the reaction abutments and for example, a pair of parallel walls, each including a reaction abutment, may be connected by a transverse member or beam which extends between the walls. A frame may alternatively be provided and this may be substantially square or rectangular, with reaction abutments formed in opposite frame members. A bracing or stiffening structure may be included in the frame. Clearly, a wide variety of connection arrangements may be employed. 
     However, in the preferred arrangement, a bridging plate extends between the reaction abutments and in one form that bridging plate includes an opening for receiving therethrough at least a portion of the rotatable member. The opening may take any suitable shape, such as square, oval or circular, with a requirement that the opening be sufficiently large to permit the bridging structure to move relative to the rotatable member for load equalisation. In the preferred arrangement, the rotatable member is generally circular, and the opening in the bridging structure is generally oval or oblong, with the greatest diameter of the oval extending in a direction between the reaction abutments. 
     The reaction abutments will be positioned suitably for attachment thereto of the conduit ends. In one form of rotatable member, the member is circular and the cable engages or is fixed to the member at generally diametrically opposite sides thereof. In this arrangement the reaction abutments will be located diagonally opposite each other. 
     When the rotatable member rotates, the cable of the cable arrangement may shift laterally relative to the direction of cable pull. The reaction abutments therefore must accommodate any such lateral movement. In the preferred arrangement, the rotatable member defines a circular or part circular (arcuate) periphery for cable engagement and in this arrangement, lateral cable movement can be substantially eliminated with no necessity to accommodate lateral movement. 
     The reaction abutments can be provided in separate members which are separately mounted in place, or they can be provided as part of an integral unit. In the preferred arrangement, each reaction abutment is formed in a lip or wall which is upstanding from a bridging plate, which connects between the respective lips or walls. This arrangement can be of a reasonably simple construction, in that it can comprise a shallow channel member, with upstanding side walls depending from a central base. The reaction abutments can then be formed in the upstanding side walls, and if an opening is required for accommodation of the rotatable member, that can be provided in the base. In this arrangement, mounting means can be provided to mount the arrangement to either other parts of the assembly, or to a relevant connection point of the vehicle. In one arrangement, a pair of plates or legs can extend from the bridging plate and connection means are provided for suitably connecting the plates or legs to other parts of the assembly or the vehicle. It is the plates or legs which facilitate movement of the reaction abutments and in the preferred arrangement, that movement is provided by the plates or legs having flexibility to flex when an unequal load is experienced. The plates or legs can be constructed of any suitable material, and for example they can be metallic, such as steel, or a plastic. If a plastic is chosen, then the structure of the reaction abutments, the bridging structure and the plates or legs can be moulded as a single unit, whereas if a metallic material is employed, then typically the component parts will be formed and thereafter connected together, such as by rivets, suitable fasteners, or by welding, soldering, or brazing. 
     In the preferred arrangement, the drive means comprises an electric motor which is connected by suitable electrical connection to an electrical supply and the motor either directly drives the rotatable member to rotate, or drive is through a gearbox. In the preferred arrangement, the axis of rotation of the rotatable member is transverse and preferably perpendicular to the axis of rotation of an output shaft of the electric motor. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a better understanding of the invention and to show how it may be performed, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a front, perspective, exploded view of an electric brake actuating assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top, plan view of an actuating assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a side, perspective view of a portion of the actuating assembly shown in  FIG. 1 , with a cable conduit being installed; 
         FIG. 4  is a side, plan view of a portion of the assembly shown in  FIG. 1 , with a cable conduit installed; 
         FIG. 5  is a side, perspective, schematic view of a further embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of a further embodiment according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of a further embodiment according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows an assembly  10  in exploded view. The assembly  10  includes an actuator  11  which comprises an electric motor  12  and a rotatable member  13 . The electric motor  12  drives the rotatable member  13  to rotate, through a gearbox housed within a housing  14 . The housing  14  includes feet  15  for mounting the housing  14  to a rigid part of a vehicle, such as to the floor pan. Bolt holes  16  are provided for that purpose. 
     The rotatable member  13  has the form of that disclosed in applicant&#39;s International application WO 03/008248, such that it has a pair of lobes  17 ,  18  which are spaced apart to define a passage between them. With reference to  FIG. 2 , a continuous cable  19  is shown and this illustrates the route the cable takes about the lobes  17 ,  18 . It should be appreciated however, that the form of the rotatable member can be other than that shown and in particular, two separate cables can be employed, one end of each of which is fixed to the rotatable member. 
     It will be appreciated from WO 03/008248, that the actuator  11  is operable, by rotation of the rotatable member  13 , to retract and extend the cable  19 . The cable  19  extends at either end to a pair of brake assemblies operable to brake respective vehicle wheels. The brake assemblies typically will be parking brake assemblies. The brake assemblies are actuated by retraction of the cable  19  and are released by return extension thereof. 
     The assembly  10  includes a bracket  20  which has a pair of legs  21 ,  22  connected to a bridging plate  23 . The bridging plate  23  includes a bridging section  24  and a pair of opposed walls  25 ,  26  which extend generally perpendicular to the general plane of the bridging section  24 . The bridging plate  23  is connected through the walls  25 ,  26  to the legs  21 ,  22 , such as by suitable threaded fasteners or rivets  27 . As shown, the bracket  20  is fabricated from metal, preferably steel, although the bracket could alternatively be moulded in one piece from plastic. 
     The bridging plate  23  includes a central opening  28  which can be of any suitable shape, such as oval or circular. The opening  28  is shaped and sized to accommodate passage therethrough of the rotatable member  13  of the actuator  11 . The opening is further sized and shaped so that the bracket  20  can shift by flexing of the legs  21 ,  22  transverse to the general plane of the legs  21 ,  22 , without interference from the rotatable member  13 . By this shifting movement, equalisation of cable forces can be achieved. However, in contrast to the arrangement of WO 03/008248, only the bracket  20  shifts to equalize cable load, rather than the actuator  11 . Accordingly, it is possible to rigidly fix the actuator to the vehicle, rather than to mount it for movement. This can facilitate a less complex mounting arrangement. 
     The bracket  20  includes cable openings  29  in each of the walls  25 ,  26  and these are arranged to facilitate attachment of cable conduit to opposite sides of the walls  25 ,  26  about the openings  29 . Each opening  29  communicates with a slot  30  that opens through the edge  31  of each of the walls  25 ,  26 . The slots  30  allow for easy insertion and removal of the cable  19  into or from the openings  29 . 
       FIG. 3  is a view of the wall  25  through which the cable  19  extends, prior to attachment of the conduit  32  to the wall  25 , while  FIG. 4  shows the conduit fixed to the wall  25 . It will be readily appreciated, that by fixing the conduit at each end, the cable can be pulled and released within the conduit, with load being transmitted through the conduit. It will be further appreciated that the opposite end of the conduit is also fixed, and load is transmitted through the conduit to the structure at each fixing end. Thus, the point at which the conduit is fixed to the wall  25  becomes one point or reaction for conduit load. The forward end of the conduit  32  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  includes a pair of integrally formed fixing member portions  33  and  34 . The conduit  32  extends through the fixing member portions  33  and  34  and fixing of the conduit to the wall  25  involves pushing the fixing member portion  34  fully through the opening  29 , to allow the flexible barbs  35  to flex outwardly into facing relationship with the section of the wall  25  which surrounds the opening  29 . When the portion  34  is fully through the opening  29 , the portion  33  will rest against the opposite side of the wall  25  with sufficient clamping force to fix the end of the conduit to the wall  25 . The fixing member portions  33  and  34  do not need to hold tightly against the wall  25 . A loose fit is acceptable, as the portion  33  will move into firm engagement with the wall  25  upon a load being applied to the cable  19 . This arrangement is completed in relation to conduit extending from each of the openings  29  of the respective walls  25  and  26  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     With the conduit  32  fixed to the walls  25  and  26 , and the cable  19  threaded about the rotatable member  13 , an actuating load can then be applied to brake assemblies to which opposite ends of the cable  19  are fixed. In the arrangement shown in  FIG. 1 , the cable  19  extends from the bracket orthogonally to the lengthwise axis of the motor  12  while in  FIG. 2 , the cable  19  extends substantially parallel to the axis A of the motor  20 . Either arrangement can equally be employed, depending on the layout of the vehicle to which the assembly  10  is applied. 
     The bracket  20  is fixed to the feet  15  of the actuator  11  by threaded fasteners  36  (only a single fastener being shown in  FIG. 1 ). The fasteners  36  extend through openings  37  in the legs  21 ,  22  and threadably engage within openings  38  formed in the feet  15 . This is one arrangement for securing the bracket  20  in place. In an alternative arrangement, the bracket can be fixed using rivets, such as integral rivets cast into the housing  14 , and then mushroomed over when they have been passed through the openings  37 . Alternatively, the bracket can be fixed to the vehicle separately to the actuator  11 . The bridging plate can include stiffening ribs  39  to stiffen the bridging section as required. 
     The assembly  10  is operable such that cable loading is transmitted through the cable conduit  32  to the bridging plate  23 . Where this cable loading, or cable displacement measured on either side of the rotatable member, is equal, then the bracket  20  will remain stationary in relation to the actuator  11 . However an unequal load or displacement will cause the legs  21 ,  22  to flex in the direction of the lower load. Thus, if a greater load or displacement is applied to the wall  26 , the legs  21 ,  22  will flex, with the leg  22  flexing toward the leg  21 . 
     An unequal load or displacement can occur for a variety of reasons. For example, if the friction lining of one of the brake shoes of one of the brake assemblies has worn more than the brake shoe of the other brake assembly, then the less worn shoe will engage the braking surface first and the resistance to further travel of the brake shoe will be transmitted through the conduit back to the bracket  20 . As the other shoe will not have yet engaged the braking surface, there will be no equivalent resistance transmitted to the other side of the bracket  20 . Thus the loads on the bracket  20  will be unequal and to equalize, the bracket will shift in the direction of the shoe which has greater wear. Shifting of the bracket  20  can also be necessary if there is cable stretch more on one side of the cable than the other (this is not normally a problem with a cable that is continuous, but rather, it can occur where a pair of cables are separately attached to the rotatable member) or if the tolerance stack in the assembly is greater in the brake assembly on one side of the actuator than the other, or if there is an imbalance in the initial adjustment of the brake shoe clearance. Still further, conduit routing in which conduit extending from one side of the assembly is longer than on the other side can cause an imbalance. Differences in conduit routing can arise due to practical difficulties in achieving symmetrical layout of the conduit, such as where the actuating assembly cannot be located centrally between a pair of brake assemblies. 
     In the above circumstances, without equalisation, equal cable travel will result, so that one of the pair of brake assemblies will be applied to a lesser extent that the other. In extreme circumstances the parking brakes will not hold the vehicle stationary in this condition, because one of the wheels will not be properly braked. 
     It will be appreciated that where an unequal load occurs, the difference in cable load usually will be small, so that the amount that the legs  21 ,  22  are required to flex is likewise only small. It is not expected that there would be as requirement, in normal operating circumstances, for the bridging plate to shift more than about 10 mm in either direction. 
     An alternative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . This embodiment includes legs that flex about a different axis to the legs  21 ,  22  of  FIG. 1 . In the  FIG. 5  embodiment, which is shown schematically only and without an actuator, a bracket  50  is shown. The bracket  50  has a bridging plate  51  that includes an opening  52  to accommodate a rotatable member such as the member  13  of  FIG. 1 . The bridging plate  51  is connected to conduit connecting and reacting members  53 ,  54 , each of which includes an opening  55  for passage therethrough of a cable (not shown). It is to be appreciated that the bridging plate  51 , could have a very similar construction to that of the bridging plate  23  of  FIG. 1 . 
     The conduit members  53 ,  54  extend downwardly from the bridging plate  51  and connected to the conduit members  53 ,  54  is a pair of elongate legs  56 ,  57 . A further leg  56 ′ shown in broken outline is an alternative to the leg  56  and therefore in practice, only one of these legs  56  or  56 ′ is provided. The selection of leg  56  or leg  56 ′ is dependent on the layout of the vehicle to which the bracket  50  is attached. The operation of the bracket  50  is essentially the same regardless of which of the legs  56  or  56 ′ is selected. 
     The bracket  50  can be fixed to an actuator such as the actuator  11  of  FIG. 1 , or another suitable part of a vehicle, such as the actuator  11  of  FIG. 1 , by fastening the distal ends  58  or  58 ′ and  59  of the legs  56 ,  56 ′ and  57  to an actuator or other vehicle part. Holes  60 ,  60 ′ are provided to receive suitable fasteners. Clearly the connection of the distal ends  58 ,  58 ′ and  59  to an actuator will require a different connecting arrangement to that shown and described in  FIG. 1 . 
     In a first arrangement of the  FIG. 5  embodiment, the legs  56  and  57  can be suitably fixed at each of distal ends  58  and  59  and in that arrangement the legs  56  and  57  will each be in tension when reacting the conduit loading. In a second arrangement of the  FIG. 5  embodiment, the legs  56 ′ and  57  can be fixed at each of the distal ends  58 ′ and  59  and in that arrangement, the leg  56 ′ will be in compression and the leg  57  will be in tension when the bracket  50  reacts the conduit load. 
       FIG. 6  represents a further embodiment of the invention which relates to an electric brake actuating assembly  70  in which only one of the cables extending from the rotatable member  71  extends to a device such as a brake assembly or a splitter of a braking system. The cable  72  is a continuous cable, although a first portion  73  extends from the rotatable member  71  for connection to a brake assembly (not shown), while a second portion  72  extends only as far as the equalizer bracket  75 . The first portion  73  is accommodated within a conduit  76  and the conduit  76  includes fixing members  77  and  78  for fixing one end of the conduit  76  to the equalizer bracket  79 . The manner of fixing the end of the conduit  76  to the equalizer bracket  79  is the same as the arrangement illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Indeed, the arrangement of  FIG. 6  is the same as that shown in  FIG. 2  except that the second cable portion  74  terminates at the equalizer bracket  75  rather than extending beyond that bracket to a brake assembly. 
     The termination of the cable  72  at the equalizer bracket  75  can be arranged by fixing an abutment  80  to the distal end of the second portion  74 , which fixes that end to the equalizer bracket  75 . 
     The arrangement of  FIG. 6  can be employed when only a single output actuator is required. This is in contrast to the actuators shown in the earlier figures, in which a pair of outputs are required for actuation of a separate pair of brake assemblies. The advantage of the assembly  70 , is that the bearing of the rotatable member  71  experiences a relatively low load when it rotates to retract the cable  72 . In an assembly in which a cable is fixed to a rotatable member and rotated to retract the cable, the bearing of the rotatable member is subject to a load which is proportional to that applied to the cable. However, in the assembly  70 , substantially equal but opposite and off-set cable loadings are applied to the rotatable member and reacted by the equalizer brackets  75  and  79 , so that the bearing of the rotatable member  71  experiences a very small net radial load only. Equally, the bridging plate  81  including the equalizer brackets  75  and  69  will experience a counter rotational torque which will be transmitted to the actuator body via legs equivalent to the legs  21  and  22  of  FIG. 1 , equalizing or cancelling all the loads and torques internally. Thus the mounting of the actuator to the vehicle or other support does not experience any external load. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an assembly  90  which is substantially identical to the assembly  70  of  FIG. 6 , and therefore like parts have the same reference numerals. In this figure, the electric motor  91  extends from the assembly  90  from the opposite side to that of the assembly  70 , and this illustrates that the orientation of the motor  91  can be changed as required. Because of the change in orientation of the motor  91 , the equalizer brackets are renumbered  91  and  93 . 
     In the  FIG. 7  embodiment, the second cable portion  74  is connected to a rod  94  which is threaded and which extends through the equalizer bracket  93  for threaded engagement with a nut  95 . In this arrangement, the cable  72  can be slackened or tightened by hand or by tool, by threading the nut  95  up or down the rod  94 . This could be useful in an emergency in which actuation or deactuation or even re-activation of the device  90  is required, but the electric power supply or electric motor  91  has failed. The nut  95  has a knurled circumferential edge, to assist its manual rotation, although for the same purpose, the nut  95  may include a handle or crank arm. 
     The invention described herein is susceptible to variations, modifications and/or additions other than those specifically described and it is to be understood that the invention includes all such variations, modifications and/or additions which fall within the spirit and scope of the above description.