1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to motors employing rotating elements such as drive shafts. More specifically, the present invention relates to a braking system that can be used on a motor drive shaft and/or the like that is intended to remain stationary when the motor is not energized.
2. Description of Related Art
Many motors and other mechanisms employ drive shafts and the like as rotating elements or components. When a motor is energized (that is, turned on), the drive shaft rotates, transferring power to another component, such as a pulley, gear or gearbox. When the motor is turned off, the drive shaft should remain motionless. In many cases, for example with lifting equipment, a drive shaft may be loaded when the motor is turned off and, as a result of the loading, have a tendency to rotate and thus allow the load to move. Maintaining the drive shaft in a stationary position in such situations may be desirable and even critical.
Where maintaining a drive shaft in a static position is important for safety, proper operation of the equipment, etc., unintended rotation of a drive shaft or the like can have unfavorable implications for equipment and people. Manual locks and brakes (that is, locks and brakes that require an operator to manually engage the lock or brake) can be effective in holding a shaft stationary, but the operator must remember to engage and disengage the lock/brake. This is not always done properly.
Systems and techniques that permit reliable automatic locking and/or braking of a drive shaft and/or other rotating element would represent a significant advancement in the art.