Patent Description:
Aircraft brake systems typically employ a series of friction disks forced into contact with each other to stop the aircraft. Friction disks splined to a non-rotating wheel axle are interspersed with friction disks splined to the rotating wheel. The friction disks withstand and dissipate the heat generated from contact between one another during braking. Current disk assemblies may comprise replaceable wear liners coupled to a reusable core. The liner may be attached to the core via a flange disposed at either an outer diameter of the liner for rotor assemblies or an inner diameter of the liner for stator assemblies. Having an annular shape, liners may result in excess wasted material during manufacturing and fewer liner volume per manufacturing cycle. <CIT> relates to shaped filamentary structures and methods of making the same. <CIT> relates to a method and apparatus for making a friction plate. <CIT> relates to carbon fibre brake preforms. <CIT> relates to a method for producing a shaped filamentary structure. <CIT> relates to methods for manufacture of friction disks. <CIT> relates to composite friction elements.

A textile board is disclosed herein. The textile board may comprise: a plurality of cutouts, each cutout disposed adjacent to an adjacent cutout, each cutout including an arcuate shape having an arc angle, the arc angle being less than or equal to <NUM> degrees; and a waste portion surrounding the plurality of cutouts.

In various embodiments, each cutout in the plurality of cutouts corresponds to a wear liner segment for use in a multi-disk braking system. Each cutout in the plurality of cutouts comprises a carbon composite matrix. The textile board may be a cuboid. Each cutout in the plurality of cutouts may be semi-annular in shape. The waste portion may be near minimal.

A method of manufacturing a plurality of wear liner segments is disclosed herein. The method may comprise: defining a plurality of cutouts on a textile board, each cutout comprising an arcuate shape having an arc angle less than or equal to <NUM> degrees, each cutout being adjacent to an adjacent cutout in the plurality of cutouts; and cutting the plurality of cutouts out of the textile board.

In various embodiments, the arc angle of each cutout is the same. Each cutout in the plurality of cutouts may corresponds to a wear liner segment for a multi-disk brake system. The method may further comprise forming a wear liner assembly from a portion of the plurality of cutouts. <NUM> degrees divided by a number of wear liner segments to form the wear liner assembly may be equal to the arc angle of the arcuate shape. Each cutout in the plurality of cutouts may be semi-annular in shape. The textile board comprises a carbon composite matrix.

A method of manufacturing a plurality of wear liner segments is disclosed herein. The method may comprise: arranging a plurality of cutouts on a tray for placement in a furnace, each cutout in the plurality of cutouts including an arcuate shape having an arc angle less than or equal to <NUM> degrees; and placing the tray in the furnace.

In various embodiments, the arc angle of each wear liner segment is the same. The method may further comprise forming a wear liner assembly from a portion of the plurality of cutouts. <NUM> degrees divided by a number of wear liner segments to form the wear liner assembly may be equal to the arc angle. Each cutout in the plurality of cutouts may be semi-annular in shape. Each cutout in the plurality of cutouts comprises a carbon composite matrix. Each cutout in the plurality of cutouts may correspond to a wear liner segment for a multi-disk brake system.

The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. A more complete understanding of the present invention, however, may best be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements.

The detailed description of exemplary embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show exemplary embodiments by way of illustration. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical changes and adaptations in design and construction may be made in accordance with this disclosure and the teachings herein without departing from the scope of the invention.

In the case of components that rotate about a common axis, a first component that is "radially outward" of a second component means that the first component is positioned at a greater distance away from the common axis than the second component. A first component that is "radially inward" of a second component means that the first component is positioned closer to the common axis than the second component. In the case of components that rotate circumferentially about a common axis, a first component that is radially inward of a second component rotates through a circumferentially shorter path than the second component. As used herein, "distal" refers to the direction outward, or generally, away from a reference component. As used herein, "proximal" and/or "proximate" refer to a direction inward, or generally, towards the reference component.

Disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, are wear liner segments for friction disks (e.g., rotors and stators) of a braking system. The friction disks may include a friction disk core with wear liner segments coupled to the friction disk core. As described in greater detail below, the wear liner segments may be manufactured by a process configured to minimize waste material. The wear liners may be manufactured by a process configured to maximize wear liner volume from a single manufacturing cycle. The wear liner segments may be of equal size and arranged to form a wear liner for a friction disk (e.g., rotors and stators) of a braking system.

Referring to <FIG>, a multi-disk brake system <NUM> is illustrated according to various embodiments. The system may include a wheel <NUM> supported for rotation around axle <NUM> by bearings <NUM>. Axle <NUM> defines an axis of multi-disk brake system <NUM> and the various components thereof described herein, and any reference to the terms axis and axial may include an axis of rotation defined by axle <NUM> or a dimension parallel to such axis. Wheel <NUM> includes rims <NUM> for supporting a tire, and a series of axially extending rotor splines <NUM> (one shown). Rotation of wheel <NUM> is modulated by multi-disk brake system <NUM>. Multi-disk brake system <NUM> includes torque flange <NUM>, torque tube <NUM>, a plurality of pistons <NUM> (one shown), pressure plate <NUM>, and end plate <NUM>. Torque tube <NUM> may be an elongated annular structure that includes reaction plate <NUM> and a series of axially extending stator splines <NUM> (one shown). Reaction plate <NUM> and stator splines <NUM> may be integral with torque tube <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, or attached as separate components.

Multi-disk brake system <NUM> also includes a plurality of friction disks <NUM>. Each friction disk <NUM> may comprise a friction disk core. The plurality of friction disks <NUM> includes at least one friction disk with a non-rotatable core, also known as a stator <NUM>, and at least one friction disk with a rotatable core, also known as a rotor <NUM>. Stators <NUM> and rotors <NUM> may be located adjacent to one another in multi-disk brake system <NUM>, forming a plurality of adjacent stator-rotor pairs. Stators <NUM> may comprise a stator core <NUM> and wear liners <NUM>. Rotors <NUM> may comprise a rotor core <NUM> and wear liners <NUM>. Each friction disk <NUM> includes an attachment structure. In the embodiment of <FIG>, each of the four stators <NUM> includes a plurality of stator lugs <NUM> at circumferentially spaced positions around stator <NUM> as an attachment structure. Similarly, each of the five rotors <NUM> includes a plurality of rotor lugs <NUM> at circumferentially spaced positions around rotor <NUM> as an attachment structure. In the embodiment of <FIG>, pressure plate <NUM>, end plate <NUM>, and friction disks <NUM> are all annular structures made at least partially from a carbon composite material.

Torque flange <NUM> may be mounted to axle <NUM>. Torque tube <NUM> is bolted to torque flange <NUM> such that reaction plate <NUM> is near an axial center of wheel <NUM>. End plate <NUM> is connected to a surface of reaction plate <NUM> facing axially inward. Thus, end plate <NUM> is non-rotatable by virtue of its connection to torque tube <NUM>. Stator splines <NUM> support pressure plate <NUM> so that pressure plate <NUM> is also non-rotatable. Stator splines <NUM> also support stators <NUM> via stator cores <NUM>. Stator cores <NUM> engage stator splines <NUM> with gaps formed between stator lugs <NUM>. Similarly, rotors <NUM> engage rotor splines <NUM> via rotor core <NUM> with gaps formed between rotor lugs <NUM>. Thus, rotor cores <NUM> of rotors <NUM> are rotatable by virtue of their engagement with rotor splines <NUM> of wheel <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, rotors <NUM> with rotor cores <NUM> are arranged with end plate <NUM> on one end, pressure plate <NUM> on the other end, and stators <NUM> with stator cores <NUM> interleaved so that rotors <NUM> with rotor cores <NUM> are directly or indirectly adjacent to non-rotatable friction components. Pistons <NUM> are connected to torque flange <NUM> at circumferentially spaced positions around torque flange <NUM>. Pistons <NUM> face axially toward wheel <NUM> and contact a side of pressure plate <NUM> opposite friction disks <NUM>. Pistons <NUM> may be powered electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically.

In various embodiments, in response to actuation of pistons <NUM>, a force, towards reaction plate <NUM>, is exerted on the rotatable friction disks <NUM> and the non-rotatable friction disks <NUM>. The rotatable friction disks <NUM> and the non-rotatable friction disks <NUM> may thus be pressed together between pressure plate <NUM> and end plate <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a front view of a friction disk <NUM> having a wear liner assembly <NUM> disposed on a front surface of a friction disk core <NUM>, according to various embodiments. Friction disk <NUM> may be a stator or a rotor, such as stator <NUM> or rotor <NUM> described above with reference to <FIG>. In various embodiments, wear liner assembly <NUM> may be replaceable, such that after wear liner assembly <NUM> has been worn below a suitable operational thickness, wear liner assembly <NUM> may be removed from friction disk core <NUM> and replaced by new or remanufactured wear liners.

In various embodiments, friction disk core <NUM> and wear liner assembly <NUM> may comprise different materials. For example, in various embodiments, friction disk core <NUM> may comprise a first material (e.g., ceramics or steel) and wear liner assembly <NUM> may comprise a second material such as a carbon composite material. In various embodiments, friction disk core <NUM> and wear liner assembly <NUM> may comprise the same material, such as a carbon composite material. In various embodiments, the material of friction disk core <NUM> may be selected for its structural properties, thermal conductivity, heat capacity, and/or oxidation resistance properties. For example, friction disk core <NUM> may comprise silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, or titanium. In various embodiments, a material of wear liner assembly <NUM> may be selected for its wear resistance and/or frictional properties. Thus, friction disk <NUM> may contain the structural advantages of friction disk core <NUM> and the frictional advantages of wear liner assembly <NUM>. In various embodiments, friction disk core <NUM> may be made of ceramics, and wear liner may be made of carbon, reducing oxidation impact to the friction disk.

Friction disk core <NUM> may comprise a rotor spine and rotor lugs <NUM>. Friction disk core <NUM> may engage rotor splines <NUM> (<FIG>) in rotor gaps formed between rotor lugs <NUM>. Thus, friction disk <NUM> may be rotatable by virtue of the engagement between rotor lugs <NUM> of friction disk core <NUM> and rotor splines <NUM> of wheel <NUM> (<FIG>). Friction disk core <NUM> may comprise an inner circumferential surface <NUM> and an outer circumferential surface <NUM> radially outward of inner circumferential surface <NUM>. Rotor lugs <NUM> may be extend from outer circumferential surface <NUM>.

In various embodiments, the wear liner assembly <NUM> comprises a plurality of wear liner segments <NUM>. The number of wear liner segments <NUM> may be selected based on minimizing waste material during manufacturing of the wear liner segments and/or maximizing a total volume of wear liner assemblies per manufacturing cycle. For example, the plurality of wear liner segments <NUM> may include <NUM> to <NUM> wear liner segments, or <NUM> to <NUM> wear liner segments, or <NUM> to <NUM> wear liner segments. In various embodiments, each wear liner segment in the plurality of wear liner segments <NUM> is arcuate in shape. Each wear liner segment in the plurality of wear liner segments <NUM> may each comprise a substantially equal arc length and/or arc angle. For example, each wear liner segment in the plurality of wear liner segments <NUM> may be interchanged with another wear liner segment in the plurality of wear liner segments <NUM> for any wear liner assembly <NUM>.

For example, wear liner assembly <NUM> may comprise a first wear liner segment <NUM> and a second wear liner segment <NUM>. The first wear liner segment <NUM> and the second wear liner segment <NUM> may be semi-annular in shape (i.e., each having substantially equal arc lengths). In this regard, manufacturing of a plurality of wear liner segments <NUM> corresponding in shape to the first wear liner segment <NUM> may produce a plurality of interchangeable wear liner segments to be used in a multi-disk brake system <NUM> from <FIG>.

In various embodiments, each wear liner segment in the plurality of wear liner segments <NUM> may be coupled to an adjacent wear liner segment in the plurality of wear liner segments <NUM> by any method known in the art. In various embodiments, each wear liner segment in the plurality of wear liner segments <NUM> may be coupled to friction disk core <NUM> and/or free from an adjacent wear liner segment in the plurality of wear liner segments <NUM>.

Referring now to <FIG>, a portion of a textile board <NUM> during manufacturing of a plurality of wear liner segments is illustrated, in accordance with various embodiments. The textile board <NUM> may comprise any shape known in the art, such as cubic, or the like. In various embodiments, textile board <NUM> comprises a plurality of cutouts <NUM> and a waste portion <NUM>. The plurality of cutouts <NUM> may be arranged to minimize the volume of the waste portion <NUM>. For example, a plurality of cutouts <NUM>, where each cutout portion in the plurality of cutouts <NUM> comprises a semi-annular shape, an approximately <NUM> % reduction in waste portion <NUM> may be achieved compared to annular cutout portions.

In various embodiments, each cutout portion in the plurality of cutouts <NUM> corresponds to a wear liner segment in the plurality of wear liner segments <NUM> from <FIG>. In this regard each cutout portion in the plurality of cutouts <NUM> may comprise a portion of a wear liner assembly. As such, each cutout portion in the plurality of cutouts <NUM> may comprise substantially the same arc length and/or substantially the same arc angle. In various embodiments, the arc angle is <NUM> degrees divided by an integer. For example, the arc angle may comprise <NUM> degrees (i.e., <NUM> divided by <NUM>), <NUM> degrees (i.e., <NUM> divided by <NUM>), <NUM> degrees (<NUM> divided by <NUM>), <NUM> degrees (i.e., <NUM> divided by <NUM>), etc. In this regard, as the number of cutouts <NUM> to make a wear liner assembly <NUM> having an annular shape increases, the greater the reduction in waste portion <NUM>.

In various embodiments, each cutout in the plurality of cutouts <NUM> may be disposed adjacent to an adjacent cutout in the plurality of cutouts <NUM>. Each cutout in the plurality of cutouts <NUM> may be determined based on minimizing a volume of the waste portion <NUM> and/or maximizing a volume of the plurality of cutouts <NUM>.

In various embodiments, the textile board <NUM> may comprise a carbon composite material or the like. By minimizing the waste portion <NUM> of the textile board <NUM>, significant cost savings may be realized during manufacturing of wear liner segments (e.g., the plurality of wear liner segments <NUM> from <FIG>). Similarly, a utilization rate of the textile board <NUM> may be maximized by increasing a number of cutouts in the plurality of cutouts <NUM> that form a wear liner assembly having an annular shape.

Referring now to <FIG>, a method <NUM> of manufacturing a plurality of wear liner segments is illustrated, in accordance with various embodiments. The method <NUM> may comprise selecting a number of wear liner segments for a wear liner assembly (step <NUM>). The number of wear liner segments may be determined based on a desired reduction in waste from a textile board used to manufacture the wear liner segments. For example, the number of wear liner segments to form a wear liner assembly having an annular shape may be increased in order to obtain a greater reduction in waste material of the respective textile board.

The method <NUM> may further comprise determining a shape of each wear liner segment based on the selected number of wear liner segments (step <NUM>). For example, if the desired number of wear liner segments is two, the shape of each wear liner segment may be semi-annular (i.e., two wear liner segments forms an annular wear liner assembly), or if the desired number of wear liner segments is three, the shape of each wear liner segment may be arcuate with an arc angle of approximately <NUM> degrees (i.e., three wear liner segments forms an annular wear liner assembly).

The method <NUM> may further comprise arranging a plurality of cutouts on a textile board based on the shape to minimize a waste portion of the textile board (step <NUM>). In this regard, each cutout in the plurality of cutouts corresponds to a wear liner segment in the plurality of wear liner segments. Each cutout in the plurality of cutouts may be disposed adjacent to an adjacent cutout in the plurality of cutouts. The method <NUM> may further comprise cutting out the plurality of cutouts (step <NUM>). The method <NUM> may further comprise forming a wear liner assembly from a portion of the plurality of cutouts (step <NUM>). For example, if the selected number of wear liner segments is two, a first cutout in the plurality of cutouts may be coupled to a second cutout in the plurality of cutouts to form a wear liner assembly having an annular shape.

Referring now to <FIG>, a top view of a tray for placement in a furnace is illustrated, in accordance with various embodiments. In various embodiments, the plurality of cutouts <NUM> from <FIG> may be arranged on a tray <NUM>. In various embodiments, the tray <NUM> may be any shape known in the art, such as annular or the like. The tray <NUM> may be configured to be placed in a furnace. The furnace may have a shape corresponding to the tray <NUM>. The arrangement of the plurality of cutouts <NUM> on the tray <NUM> may be based on maximizing a number of annular wear liner assemblies that can be formed from the plurality of cutouts after manufacturing. In this regard, the plurality of cutouts may be more efficiently arranged in furnaces. This may reduce costs and/or lead-time. Additionally, this may improve production capacity (i.e., the number of annular wear liner assemblies that can be produced in a single furnace run may be increased.

Referring now to <FIG>, a method <NUM> of manufacturing a plurality of wear liner segments is illustrated, in accordance with various embodiments. The method <NUM> may comprise selecting a number of wear liner segments for a wear liner assembly (step <NUM>). The number of wear liner segments may be determined based on a desired production capacity of wear liner assemblies. For example, the number of wear liner segments to form a wear liner assembly having an annular shape may be increased in order to obtain a greater production capacity of the wear liner assemblies per furnace runs.

The method <NUM> may further comprise arranging a plurality of cutouts on a tray for placement in a furnace in order to maximize the production capacity (step <NUM>). In this regard, each cutout in the plurality of cutouts corresponds to a wear liner segment in the plurality of wear liner segments. Each cutout in the plurality of cutouts may be disposed adjacent to an adjacent cutout in the plurality of cutouts in any manner to maximize the production capacity. The plurality of cutouts may correspond the plurality of cutouts <NUM> from textile board <NUM> in <FIG>. The method <NUM> may further comprise placing the tray in the furnace (step <NUM>). The method <NUM> may further comprise forming a wear liner assembly from a portion of the plurality of cutouts (step <NUM>). For example, if the selected number of wear liner segments is two, a first cutout in the plurality of cutouts may be coupled to a second cutout in the plurality of cutouts to form a wear liner assembly having an annular shape.

However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of the invention.

The scope of the invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless explicitly so stated, but rather "one or more.

Moreover, where a phrase similar to "at least one of A, B, and C" is used in the claims, it is intended that the phrase be interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in an embodiment, B alone may be present in an embodiment, C alone may be present in an embodiment, or that any combination of the elements A, Band C may be present in a single embodiment; for example, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C.

For example, steps that may be performed concurrently or in different order are illustrated in the figures to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.

Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it may be within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. After reading the description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the invention in alternative embodiments.

Claim 1:
A method of manufacturing a plurality of wear liner segments (<NUM>), the method comprising:
defining a plurality of cutouts (<NUM>) on a textile board (<NUM>), each cutout comprising an arcuate shape having an arc angle less than or equal to <NUM> degrees, each cutout being adjacent to an adjacent cutout in the plurality of cutouts (<NUM>), the textile board (<NUM>) comprising a carbon composite matrix;
cutting the plurality of cutouts (<NUM>) out of the textile board (<NUM>);
arranging the plurality of cutouts (<NUM>) on a tray for placement in a furnace; and
placing the tray in the furnace.