BRAKE DEVICE COMPRISING A ROTOR OF AN EDDY CURRENT DISK BRAKE, THE ROTOR FORMING THE BRAKE DISK OF A FRICTION DISK BRAKE

Abstract

A brake device of a vehicle, containing an eddy current disk brake having a rotationally fixed stator and a rotating rotor, wherein the rotor or the stator bears an eddy current path and the stator or the rotor bears a magnetic arrangement, the magnetic field lines of which induce eddy currents in the eddy current path for generating a braking torque upon a relative movement of the rotor with respect to the stator, and a friction disk brake having at least one brake disk and brake pads cooperating with the brake disk for generating a braking friction torque between the brake disk and the brake pads, wherein the rotor of the eddy current disk brake is formed by the brake disk of the friction disk brake.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM

This patent application is a U.S. National Phase of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2011/062902, filed 27 Jul. 2011, which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2010 032 516.3, filed 28 Jul. 2010, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD

Disclosed embodiments relate to a brake device of a vehicle, containing an eddy current disk brake having a rotationally fixed stator and a rotating rotor, wherein the rotor or the stator carries an eddy current path and the stator or the rotor carries a magnet arrangement, the magnetic field lines of which induce eddy currents in the eddy current path during relative movement of the rotor with respect to the stator in order to generate a braking torque, and a friction disk brake having a brake disk and brake pads interacting with the brake disk in order to generate a braking friction torque between the brake disk and the brake pads.

BACKGROUND

Three wheel brake systems are currently used in friction disk brakes in the rail vehicle sector: pneumatic or electropneumatic brake systems, hydraulic or electrohydraulic brake systems and mechanical or electromechanical brake systems. In this context, the friction disk brake system can be embodied as an active or passive brake system, depending on whether the force of the brake actuator has to be applied in order to brake (active brake system) or in order to release the brake (passive brake system). For the eventuality of malfunctions in operation, energy is stored in compressed air reservoirs in pneumatic systems, in hydraulic reservoirs in hydraulic systems and in the form of accumulator springs in electromechanical systems.

Electromechanical friction disk brakes for rail vehicles which have a service brake unit and an accumulator-type brake unit having an energy storage device are known from the prior art, e.g. from WO 02/49901 A1. The service brake unit contains a braking force generator or brake actuator for applying and/or releasing the brake, e.g. in the form of an electric motor drive. The accumulator-type brake unit comprises at least one energy storage device for storing and releasing energy for applying the brake as an in-service emergency brake in the sense of a backup safety level for the failure of the service brake unit and/or as a parking or immobilization brake. The accumulator-type brake unit is generally designed as a spring brake. A force converter provides conversion of the energy output by the braking force generator and/or by the energy storage device into a brake application movement and, for example, comprises a brake spindle driven by the electric motor drive. When the spring brake is triggered in the case of parking or emergency braking, the potential energy stored in the accumulator spring is released and converted into a high kinetic energy of the elements of the force converter.

In this friction disk brake, which is generally used to supplement electrodynamic and hydrodynamic brakes on driving axles and carrying axles of rail vehicles, the braking effect is the result of friction between the brake pads and the brake disk. The disadvantage with such friction disk brakes is the brake pad wear and the brake abrasion which occurs during this process. Moreover, cracks can form due to local stresses. These local stresses, referred to as hot spots, are caused by uneven brake pad and brake disk surfaces, causing the brake pads to act on the brake disk at individual points and leading to the thermal or braking energy being introduced unevenly into the brake disk.

A brake device in which a friction brake and an eddy current disk brake are constructed separately as an electrodynamic brake and arranged in a rail vehicle is known from DE-A-2 213 050, which defines the relevant type, it being possible to use both kinds of brake jointly to brake the rail vehicle. This is referred to as “brake blending”.

In most cases, that part of the eddy current disk brake which generates the magnetic force lines is mounted on fixed parts of the vehicle, e.g. in the case of rail vehicles, on the bogie, and the eddy current disk brake is mounted on those parts which are to be braked, e.g. on an axle.

Here, braking is performed as far as possible with the eddy current disk brake as the service brake since it is almost wear-free, being dependent on force-based engagement. Eddy current disk brakes of this kind are generally integrated into the drives, and therefore act only on driving axles. The disadvantage here is that their braking performance is speed-dependent; in particular, the braking torque decreases as the speed of rotation of the rotor falls, for which reason they cannot be used for braking to a halt and cannot hold a parked rail vehicle in its immobilized position. Moreover, the high additional weight and additional installation space required by electrodynamic eddy current disk brakes used in addition to friction brakes are disadvantageous, especially in spatially restricted bogies of rail vehicles.

SUMMARY

Disclosed embodiments provide a brake device of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that it takes up less installation space and has a lower weight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a sectioned representation of at least one disclosed embodiment of a brake caliper unit of a friction disk brake in the release position;

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 shows a highly schematized representation of a brake device according to at least one disclosed embodiment having an eddy current disk brake and a friction disk brake as shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed embodiments are based on the concept that the rotor of the eddy current disk brake as a rotary eddy current brake is formed by the brake disk of the friction disk brake. The eddy current brake disk and the friction brake disk are therefore formed by a single component.

Thus, a brake disk of this kind manages to combine two functions in one component, serving, on the one hand, as a friction partner for the brake pads of the friction disk brake and, on the other hand, also at the same time as the rotor of the eddy current disk brake. The only additional component required to obtain an eddy current disk brake is a stator interacting with the brake disk, the latter already being present as part of the friction disk brake, which stator optionally carries the unit generating the magnetic force lines, e.g. an electromagnet.

As a result, the number of components used in both types of brake is advantageously reduced, and consequently the weight of the brake device is also reduced, this being advantageous with regard to the restricted installation space in the region of rail vehicle bogies and the unsprung masses. Last but not least, the compact construction of the brake device makes it easier to install in the bogie.

In other words, disclosed embodiments combine a friction disk brake having an integrated spring brake and an eddy current disk brake suitable for open-loop and/or closed-loop control in order to generate a required service braking torque in succession and/or simultaneously and in order to generate an immobilization braking torque by means of the spring brake to prevent the parked vehicle from rolling away.

The friction disk brake may transmit the braking force to a friction surface of the brake disk by means of a brake caliper, brake pad holders and brake pads. The immobilization brake can be implemented by means of the spring brake integrated into the friction disk brake, the spring brake producing a continuous mechanical spring force on the brake caliper when the air is released, for example.

The brake device can be used for driving axles or carrying axles, thus making it possible in a simple manner to also brake carrying axles without wear and thereby reduce pad wear at the carrying axles.

In at least one disclosed embodiment, the magnet arrangement contains at least one electromagnet and/or at least one permanent magnet. In the case of electromagnets, a magnetic field is generated in a known manner when they are excited, the magnetic field lines of the magnetic field inducing eddy currents in the eddy current path optionally formed on or in the brake disk during relative movement of the brake disk as the rotor with respect to the electromagnet as the stator, the eddy currents exerting a braking torque on the brake disk.

The at least one electromagnet is activated by a control unit, for example, in accordance with operating parameters of the vehicle, wherein the operating parameters of the vehicle include the respective braking request and/or the speed of the vehicle. To save additional installation space, this control unit is integrated into a brake control unit, which also includes the control of the friction disk brake.

The friction disk brake may be a combined service and immobilization brake, wherein a brake actuator of the service brake is combined in a single unit, optionally in a brake caliper unit, with a brake actuator of the immobilization brake. In this case, the brake actuator of the service brake of the friction disk brake can be actuated electrically and/or pneumatically, for example, and the brake actuator of the immobilization brake of the friction disk brake contains a spring accumulator that outputs the application force. As part of the brake caliper unit, the brake actuator of the service brake of the friction disk brake and the brake actuator of the immobilization brake of the friction disk brake act on a common brake caliper which carries the brake pads of the friction disk brake at the ends.

Further embodiments are disclosed below together with reference to the drawings.

With this understanding in mind, within the drawings, the brake actuator 1 denoted by 1 in FIG. 1 and shown in a release position is used as a drive unit for a friction disk brake 2, e.g. an electromechanical friction disk brake, of a rail vehicle. The brake actuator 1 has a substantially hollow-cylindrical actuator housing 3, which is closed off toward one axial end by a cover section 4, which has an end opening 6. Starting from the cover section 4, the actuator housing 3 is of substantially double-walled design, wherein an inner accumulator spring 10 and an outer accumulator spring 12 coaxial with the latter are arranged in the space between an inner wall 7 and an outer wall 8, with the outer accumulator spring 12 surrounding the inner accumulator spring 10.

The accumulator springs 10, 12 may be designed as helical springs and are each supported at one end on the actuator housing 3. The other end of the outer accumulator spring 12 is supported on an annular collar 14 of an outer sliding sleeve 16, and the other end of the inner accumulator spring 10 is supported on an annular collar 18 of an inner sliding sleeve 20, wherein the inner sliding sleeve 20 is interposed between the outer sliding sleeve 16 and the inner wall 7 of the actuator housing 3. The inner and the outer sliding sleeve 16, 20 are furthermore guided movably on one another in the axial direction, and the inner sliding sleeve 20 is guided movably on a radially inner circumferential surface of the inner wall 7 of the actuator housing 3, wherein the outer sliding sleeve 16 comes to rest against an axial stop 22 of the inner sliding sleeve 20 in the release position. The annular collar 14 of the outer sliding sleeve 16 furthermore projects beyond the annular collar 18 of the inner sliding sleeve 20 in the axial and the radial direction.

An SR motor 24 (switched reluctance motor) that can be operated in four-quadrant mode is accommodated in the cover section 4, on the side facing away from the accumulator springs 10, 12. The SR motor 24 contains a radially outer stator 30, which is fixed with respect to the housing and which surrounds a rotor 32, which can be braked by means of a holding brake 34, optionally a permanent magnet brake, which is closed when deenergized and open when energized.

As can be seen best from FIG. 2, the rotor 32 is seated on a hollow shaft 36, which is rotatably mounted in the actuator housing 3 by means of ball bearings 38 and is provided on its radially inner circumferential surface with an axially extending set of splines 40, in which radially outer fins 42 of an intermediate sleeve 44 extending in the axial direction engage. As a result, the intermediate sleeve 44 is guided in such a way as to be non-rotatable relative to the hollow shaft 36 but capable of axial movement.

An end journal 46 of a brake spindle 48 projects coaxially into an end of the intermediate sleeve 44 which faces the accumulator springs 10, 12 and is held there in an axially fixed manner and in a manner fixed against relative rotation. The other end of the brake spindle 48 projects into a cup-shaped section 50 of a connecting rod 52 for an eccentric lever 53, as FIG. 1 shows. The cup-shaped section 50 of the connecting rod 52 is held in an axially fixed manner in the outer sliding sleeve 16 but is allowed to pivot sideways by a universal ball joint. A lug is formed on that end of the connecting rod 52 which faces away from the accumulator springs 10, 12, into which lug there engages a pin 55, which is connected to one end of the eccentric lever 53 of an eccentric arrangement. The eccentric arrangement has an eccentric shaft 56, which is attached in an articulated manner to a caliper lever 57 and, together with a further caliper lever 57′, forms a brake caliper. Respective pad holders with brake pads 58, which can be moved in the direction of the axis of a brake disk 59, are arranged at one end of each of the caliper levers 57, 57′. The ends of the caliper levers 57, 57′ which face away from the brake pads 58 are connected to one another by a pushrod actuator 59′, which may be of an electrically actuated design.

As is evident from FIG. 2, the brake spindle 48 is rotatably mounted within the inner sliding sleeve 20, optionally by means of a double-row deep-groove ball bearing 61, which can absorb both axial and radial forces and of which an inner ring is preloaded against a shoulder 62 of the brake spindle 48 by a nut 60 screwed onto an outer threaded section of the brake spindle 48 and is thereby held on the brake spindle 48 in a manner fixed against relative rotation and in an axially fixed manner. An outer ring of the deep-groove ball bearing 61 is likewise held in a manner fixed against relative rotation and in an axially fixed manner in the inner sliding sleeve 20.

The brake spindle 48 is surrounded by a nut/spindle unit 64, which may be designed as a rolling-contact thread drive, e.g. a recirculating ball screw, roller screw, satellite roller screw or planetary rolling-contact screw. The cup-shaped section 50 of the connecting rod 52 is inserted into the outer sliding sleeve 16 to such an extent here that the nut 66 of the nut/spindle unit 64 is clamped between a radially inner shoulder 68 of the outer sliding sleeve 16 and an end face of the cup-shaped section 50 of the connecting rod 52, thus ensuring that it is held securely against rotation relative to the latter. During rotations of the brake spindle 48, the nut 66 is therefore guided in translation along the brake spindle 48 and takes the outer sliding sleeve 16 and the connecting rod 52 with it in the process.

An annular space 70 is formed in the cover section 4 of the actuator housing 2, in which space a ring gear 76 in driving connection with a locking nut 72 via a slipping clutch 74 is accommodated coaxially with respect to the brake spindle 48. The ring gear 76 is seated on the radially outer circumferential surface of the locking nut 72 and is connected to the latter for conjoint rotation by the slipping clutch 74 up to an upper limiting torque. The slipping clutch 74 may be formed by axially intermeshing face gear teeth 78 on the ring gear 76 and on the locking nut 72, wherein a diaphragm spring pack 82, which is supported axially on the actuator housing 3 by a snap ring 80 and acts on a radial deep-groove ball bearing 84 which supports the locking nut 72 relative to the actuator housing 3, provides the axial force required for force- and form-locking engagement of the face gear teeth 78. On its side facing away from the face gear teeth 78, the ring gear 76 is supported axially with respect to the actuator housing 3 by an axial needle bearing 86. The locking nut 72 surrounds the inner sliding sleeve 20 and is rotatably mounted on the latter by means of a non-self-locking thread 88.

An electromagnetically actuable locking device 90 may have a housing 92, which is flanged to a radial opening of the annular space 70. The locking device 90 comprises a shaft 94, at the radially inner end of which a bevel wheel 96 is arranged and at the opposite, radially outer end, of which a cylindrical flywheel 98 is arranged. The bevel wheel 96 meshes with the teeth of the ring gear 76 and, with the latter, forms a bevel wheel mechanism, which may have a relatively high transmission ratio, which is in a range of 3.0 to 8.0, for example. The shaft 94 is rotatably mounted in the housing 92 of the locking device 90 by deep-groove ball bearings 100, with the shaft 94 being arranged perpendicularly to the brake spindle 48.

On its face facing the brake spindle 48, the flywheel 98 has an annular recess 102 for a ring 104, which is arranged coaxially with the shaft 94 and is accommodated in a manner which allows movement along pins 106 extending in the axial direction, and it is therefore connected for conjoint rotation to the flywheel 98. On its face facing away from the flywheel 98, the ring 104 furthermore has a radially outer toothed rim 108, which lies opposite a further toothed rim 108′ supported on the housing 92 of the locking device 90 and is pushed away from the further toothed rim by the action of compression springs 110. Opposite the ring 104 there are furthermore two solenoids 112, 112′ arranged axially one behind the other in the housing 92 of the locking device 90, and the solenoids can be energized by means of an electric terminal 114. The ring 104, the two toothed rims 108, 108′ and the two solenoids 112, 112′ together form a solenoid-operated toothed brake 116.

In the case of energized solenoids 112, 122′, magnetic forces of attraction arise which move the ring 104 in the axial direction along the pins 106 toward the solenoids 112, 112′, against the action of the compression springs 110, as a result of which the toothed rim 108 of the ring 104 comes into engagement with the toothed rim 108′ held on the housing 92 of the locking device 90 and thus enters into a connection therewith so as to be fixed against relative rotation. A torque introduced into the locking device 90 via the ring gear 76 can then be supported on the housing 92 of the locking device 90, with the flow of force passing through the bevel wheel 96, the shaft 94 and the flywheel 98.

In the release position of the solenoid-operated toothed brake 116, on the other hand, the solenoids 112, 112′ are deenergized, and therefore the toothed rim 108 of the ring 104 moves out of engagement with the toothed rim 108′ held on the housing 92 of the locking device 90 owing to the action of the compression springs 110 and, as a result, the ring gear 76, together with the bevel wheel 96, the shaft 94 and the flywheel 98, can rotate freely relative to the housing 92 of the locking device 90. Together, the flywheel 98, the ring 104, the shaft 94 and the bevel wheel 96 then form an inertia mass 118, which can be rotated perpendicularly to the brake spindle 48 or to the brake application direction and is arranged on the far side of the locking nut 72 from the slipping clutch 74, wherein the share of the flywheel 98 in the mass moment of inertia of the inertia mass 118 is the greatest, owing to its radius.

The SR motor 24 forms a braking force generator, while the other elements of the force transmission path from the SR motor 24 to the caliper levers 57, 57′ form a braking force converter 120. An electric motor 24 may be used as a braking force generator. As an alternative, however, the braking force generator could also be a hydraulic or pneumatic brake cylinder acting in one or two directions of actuation or some other unit acting in one or two directions. The locking device 90, the permanent magnet brake 34 and the SR motor 24 can be activated by an electronic control and regulating device (not shown). Given this background, the brake actuator 1 or friction disk brake 2 operates as follows:

In the release position of the brake actuator 1, which is shown in FIG. 1, the outer and inner accumulator springs 10, 12 are preloaded. The force of the inner accumulator spring 10 is transmitted by the inner sliding sleeve 20, via the non-self-locking thread 88, to the locking nut 72 and, from there, via the slipping clutch 74, to the ring gear 76 and the flywheel 98. Owing to the spring force of the inner accumulator spring 10, a torque is produced in the non-self-locking thread 88, i.e. the locking nut 72 wants to turn together with the inertia mass 118, but this is prevented by the energized and therefore closed solenoid-operated toothed brake 116.

The force of the outer accumulator spring 12 is supported by the outer sliding sleeve 16 on the nut 66 of the nut/spindle unit 64, although the nut/spindle unit 64 is not self-locking. This is because the torque which arises in the brake spindle 48 owing to the force of the outer accumulator spring 12 is introduced into the actuator housing 3 via the permanent magnet brake 34, which is closed in the release position. From the nut 66, the flow of force runs via the brake spindle 48 and the double-row deep-groove ball bearing 61 into the inner sliding sleeve 20 and, from there, into the ring gear 76 over the same path as the force of the inner accumulator spring 10. This means that both the outer and the inner accumulator spring 10, 12 are held in the loaded state by the locking device 90 in the release position.

At the transition from the release position to a service braking operation, the permanent magnet brake 34 is energized by the electronic control and regulating device, as a result of which the brake 34 opens and allows rotation of the SR motor 24, which is likewise supplied with electric energy by the control and regulating device. Rotation of the rotor 32 and of the brake spindle 48 extends the nut 66 of the nut/spindle unit 64, together with the outer sliding sleeve 16 and the connecting rod 52, into the service braking position. This extension movement of the connecting rod 52 is assisted by the outer accumulator spring 12, which, in terms of function, is connected in parallel with the SR motor 24.

The activation of the SR motor 24 by the control and regulating device and the outer accumulator spring 12 are coordinated with one another in such a way that the outer accumulator spring 12 alone produces a defined braking force value lying between a minimum and a maximum braking force and defining an operational zero point. At the operational zero point, the SR motor 24 is deenergized. The magnitude of the braking force acting at the operational zero point is therefore dependent, inter alia, on the spring rate of the outer accumulator spring 12 and the degree of preloading. To achieve the maximum braking force, the SR motor 24 is controlled in such a way in four-quadrant mode by the control and regulating device that it assists the outer accumulator spring 12 by turning in the brake application direction and outputting a positive braking torque, corresponding, for example, to operation in the first quadrant. To achieve a braking force less than that at the operational zero point, the SR motor 24 does rotate in the brake application direction but, like a generator, delivers a negative torque, which acts against the outer accumulator spring 12 via the nut/spindle unit 64 (operation in the second quadrant). The inner accumulator spring 10 does not participate in the generation of the service braking force and remains in the loaded state since the locking nut 72 is locked by the solenoid-operated toothed brake 116, which continues to be energized.

The controlled application of the immobilization or parking brake is initiated by the service braking operation described above until a braking force approximately 20% lower than the ultimate force to be achieved with the immobilization brake is reached. By means of appropriate control signals from the control device, the SR motor 24 is shut down, the permanent magnet brake 34 is closed by interrupting the power supply, and the solenoid-operated toothed brake 116 is released by switching off the current. Owing to the spring force acting on the inner sliding sleeve 20 and produced by the inner accumulator spring 10, a torque is produced in the non-self-locking trapezoidal thread 88 between the locking nut 72 and the inner sliding sleeve 20, which torque is no longer supported by the now freely rotatable inertia mass 118. Consequently, the locking nut 72 begins to rotate on the inner sliding sleeve 20, which then moves in the brake application direction and takes the outer sliding sleeve 16 with the connecting rod 52 along by way of its axial stop 22. At the same time, the unlocked outer sliding sleeve 16 can move in the brake application direction owing to the spring force of the outer accumulator spring 12. It is immaterial here whether the permanent magnet brake 34 is open or closed during this process since the intermediate sleeve 44 together with the brake spindle 48 moves axially during this process in the set of splines 40 of the hollow shaft 36 of the rotor 32. In the immobilization braking position, a total braking force resulting from the sum of the spring forces of the two parallel-acting accumulator springs 10, 12 is therefore in effect.

During the brake application movement, the rotation of the locking nut 72 is converted by the bevel wheel mechanism 76, 96 into a higher-speed rotation of the inertia mass 118, with the result that a large part of the potential energy of the expanding accumulator springs 10, 12 is converted into rotational energy. Once the braking position is reached, the entire energy supply can be switched off, and the rail vehicle is held reliably in the immobilization braking position by the spring forces of the inner and outer accumulator springs 10, 12. In order to maintain the immobilization braking force achieved thereby over a prolonged period, only slight relaxation can be permitted in the inner and outer accumulator springs 10, 12. Optionally, both accumulator springs 10, 12 consist of high-strength silicon spring wire CrSiVa TH-381 HRA from Trefileurope.

Once the braking position is reached, the rotation of the locking nut 72 stops. The slipping clutch 74 between the locking nut 72 and the ring gear 76 is designed in such a way that the upper limiting torque, above which relative rotation between the face gear teeth 78 can take place, is exceeded in the braking end position by the torque which is the product of the mass moment of inertia of the inertia mass 118 and the retardation present after traversal of the brake application stroke, with the result that, after reaching the braking position, the inertia mass 118 can initially continue to rotate and is slowly brought to a halt essentially by the friction which occurs between the face gear teeth 78 of the ring gear 76 and the locking nut 72. A gradual reduction in the rotational energy stored in the inertia mass 118 can thereby be achieved.

If the power supply to the brake actuator 1 and/or the control and regulating device and a higher-ranking vehicle control system fail during a service braking operation, the solenoids 112, 112′ of the locking device 90 are no longer energized, with the result that the compression springs 110 pull the ring 104 back in the direction of the flywheel 98 and hence release the solenoid-operated toothed brake 116. The subsequent events are identical with those described previously in connection with an immobilization or parking brake operation, and therefore the total braking force is obtained from summation of the spring forces of the two parallel-acting accumulator springs 10, 12 in the case of an emergency or safety braking operation as well.

Release of the brake, starting from the immobilization braking or emergency braking position, takes place in two steps, wherein first of all the inner accumulator spring 10 is subjected to load. The permanent magnet brake 34 is energized by the control and regulating device and hence open, and the SR motor 24 is driven in the brake application direction. During this process, the rotating brake spindle 48 is supported on the nut 66 of the nut/spindle unit 64 and moves together with the inner sliding sleeve 20 in the direction of the release position. During this process, the locking nut 72 rotates on the inner sliding sleeve 20 while the locking device 90 is open. When the loaded state of the inner accumulator spring 10 is reached, which corresponds to the state in the release position, the SR motor 24 is stopped by the control and regulating device, and the locking device 90 is brought into the locking position by energizing the solenoids 112, 112′. However, the inner accumulator spring 10 can be subjected to load even when the solenoids 112, 112′ are already energized and the locking device 90 is therefore closed.

In a further step, the outer accumulator spring 12 is subjected to load by operating the SR motor 24 in the opposite direction of rotation, i.e. in the release direction, wherein the rotation of the brake spindle 48, which is supported on the locked inner sliding sleeve 20, screws the nut 66 of the nut/spindle unit 64, together with the outer sliding sleeve 16, in the direction of the release position. The SR motor 24 is then switched off, and the permanent magnet brake 34 is activated.

As FIG. 3 shows, the friction disk brake in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is combined with an eddy current brake 122, which comprises a rotationally fixed stator 124 and a rotating rotor 59, wherein, for example, the rotor 59 carries an eddy current path 126 and the stator 124 carries a magnet arrangement 128, the magnetic field lines of which induce eddy currents in the eddy current path 126 during relative movement of the rotor 59 with respect to the stator 124 in order to generate a braking torque.

In this case, the rotor of the eddy current brake 122 is formed by the brake disk 59 of the friction disk brake 2. The magnet arrangement 128 may contain an electromagnet, which, when excited, generates a magnetic field in a known manner, the magnetic field lines of which induce eddy currents in the eddy current path 126 formed at or in the brake disk 59 during relative movement of the brake disk 59 as the rotor with respect to the electromagnet 128 as the stator. The electromagnet 128, which is supplied with power by the onboard electrical system of the rail vehicle, is activated via a control unit 130 in accordance with operating parameters of the rail vehicle, wherein the operating parameters of the rail vehicle include the respective braking request and/or the speed of the rail vehicle. This control unit 130 is integrated into a brake control unit (not shown explicitly here), which also comprises the control system for the friction disk brake 2.

If a power supply for the electromagnet 128 is activated through control by control unit 130, eddy currents running counter to the direction of rotation of the brake disk 59 in a known manner are induced in the eddy current path 126 of the brake disk 59, and a braking torque on the brake disk 59 is thereby produced. The eddy current path 126 is then the ferromagnetic part of the brake disk 59, which is encompassed by the field lines of the magnetic field. In the present case, the brake disk 59 may be composed completely of ferromagnetic material, and therefore the eddy current path 126 is formed approximately by the entire brake disk 59.

The friction disk brake 2 and the eddy current disk brake 122 as an electrodynamic brake are then arranged jointly as a unit in a bogie of the rail vehicle, wherein the common brake disk 59 is arranged on a rotating driving axle 132 of the bogie. For service braking, both brakes 2, 122 can then be used individually and/or in combination in any desired manner, e.g. simultaneously or in succession. As an alternative, the brake disk 59 could, of course, also be arranged on an undriven axle. The immobilization brake is then formed exclusively by the friction disk brake 2 or integrated into the latter, as described above.

The brake device, which comprises the friction disk brake 2 and the eddy current disk brake 122, is not restricted to application on rail vehicles. On the contrary, it can be used as a combined electrodynamic brake/friction disk brake in any type of vehicle, e.g. for road vehicles or utility vehicles.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

• 1 brake actuator
• 2 friction disk brake
• 3 actuator housing
• 4 cover section
• 6 bore
• 7 inner wall
• 8 outer wall
• 10 inner accumulator spring
• 12 outer accumulator spring
• 14 annular collar
• 16 outer sliding sleeve
• 18 annular collar
• 20 inner sliding sleeve
• 22 axial stop
• 24 SR motor
• 30 stator
• 32 rotor
• 34 holding brake
• 36 hollow shaft
• 38 ball bearing
• 40 sets of splines
• 42 fins
• 44 intermediate sleeve
• 46 journal
• 48 brake spindle
• 50 cup-shaped section
• 52 connecting rod
• 53 eccentric lever
• 55 pin
• 56 eccentric shaft
• 57 caliper lever
• 57′ caliper lever
• 58 brake pads
• 59 brake disk
• 59′ pushrod actuator
• 60 nut
• 61 deep-groove ball bearing
• 62 shoulder
• 64 nut/spindle unit
• 66 nut
• 68 shoulder
• 70 annular space
• 72 locking nut
• 74 slipping clutch
• 76 ring gear
• 78 face gear teeth
• 80 snap ring
• 82 diaphragm spring pack
• 84 deep-groove ball bearing
• 86 axial needle bearing
• 88 thread
• 90 locking device
• 92 housing
• 94 shaft
• 96 bevel wheel
• 98 flywheel
• 100 deep-groove ball bearing
• 102 annular recess
• 104 ring
• 106 pin
• 108 toothed rim
• 108′ toothed rim
• 110 compression springs
• 112 solenoid
• 112′ solenoid
• 114 electric terminal
• 116 solenoid-operated toothed brake
• 118 rotational inertia mass
• 120 braking force converter
• 122 eddy current disk brake
• 124 stator
• 126 eddy current path
• 128 magnet arrangement
• 130 control unit

Claims

1. A brake device of a vehicle, comprising:

an eddy current disk brake having a rotationally fixed stator and a rotating rotor, wherein the rotor or the stator carries an eddy current path and the stator or the rotor carries a magnet arrangement, the magnetic field lines of which induce eddy currents in the eddy current path during relative movement of the rotor with respect to the stator in order to generate a braking torque; and

a friction disk brake having at least one brake disk and brake pads interacting with the brake disk in order to generate a braking friction torque between the brake disk and the brake pads,

wherein the rotor of the eddy current disk brake is formed by the brake disk of the friction disk brake.

2. The brake device of claim 1, wherein the magnet arrangement contains at least one electromagnet and/or at least one permanent magnet.

3. The brake device of claim 2, wherein the at least one electromagnet is activated by a control unit in accordance with operating parameters of the vehicle.

4. The brake device of claim 3, wherein the operating parameters of the vehicle include the respective braking request and/or the speed of the vehicle.

5. The brake device of claim 3, wherein the control unit is integrated into a brake control unit, which also includes the control of the friction disk brake.

6. The brake device of claim 1, wherein the stator carries the magnet arrangement and the brake disk carries the eddy current path.

7. The brake device of claim 1, wherein the friction disk brake comprises a combined service and immobilization brake, wherein a brake actuator of the service brake of the friction disk brake is combined in a single unit with a brake actuator of the immobilization brake of the friction disk brake.

8. The brake device of claim 7, wherein the brake actuator of the service brake of the friction disk brake can be actuated electrically and/or pneumatically and wherein the brake actuator of the immobilization brake of the friction disk brake contains a spring accumulator that outputs the application force.

9. The brake device of claim 8, wherein the brake actuator of the service brake of the friction disk brake and the brake actuator of the immobilization brake of the friction disk brake act on a common brake caliper having caliper levers which carries the brake pads of the friction disk brake at the ends.

10. A rail vehicle containing a brake device as claimed in claim 1.