Brakes – Elements – Shoes
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-29
2001-09-04
Oberleitner, Robert J. (Department: 3613)
Brakes
Elements
Shoes
C188S073370, C188S26400E, C188S249000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283258
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a brake assembly with noise damping and, more particularly, to a brake assembly including a sound damping member having a plurality of tuning fork members formed therein and engaged with a damping material to damp vibrations of the brake assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In disc brake assemblies, a rotatable rotor rotates with the axle of a wheel to be braked. Two friction pad structures are disposed on opposite sides of the rotor. Each friction pad structure comprises a steel backing plate and a brake pad. The friction pad structures are moved inwardly, toward one another, under the force applied by a hydraulically-actuated piston and related caliper fingers of a caliper mounting structure. The plates are moved outwardly, away from one another, by return springs.
When the pistons and caliper fingers press the backing plates inwardly, the inner surfaces of the brake pads are engaged in frictional, braking contact with the rotor. A relatively high pitched and undesired brake squeal noise can be produced during such braking engagement of the pads on the rotor. The brake squeal noise is produced by vibration of the friction pad structures during braking actuation.
To reduce the undesired brake squeal noise, sound-dampening shim constructions have been used, both by original equipment manufacturers and by brake repair shops. The sound-dampening shim constructions have been positioned both between the hydraulically-actuated piston and the piston engaging surface of the related steel backing plate, and also between the caliper fingers and the caliper contact surface of the related steel backing plate. One such shim structure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,088.
It is desirable to provide an improved apparatus for sound-dampening brake squeal noise in which the brake squeal noise is reduced, and a variety of brake squeal frequencies may be absorbed.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved apparatus for sound-dampening brake squeal noise by providing a sound damping member as part of a brake assembly, wherein the sound damping member includes tuning fork members formed therein in engagement with a damping material for damping vibrations at selected frequencies.
More specifically, the present invention provides a brake assembly including a rotor and at least one backplate supporting a brake pad for frictionally engaging the rotor for braking. The damping member is a sheet metal plate which is operatively connected to a braking component, such as the backplate, and has a groove cut therethrough to form at least one tuning fork member. A damping material is engaged with the tuning fork member for damping energy associated with vibrations of the tuning fork member, thereby sound-dampening brake squeal noise.
Preferably, the groove forms multiple tuning fork members of varying length in the sheet metal plate to damp various frequencies of vibrations.
The damping material may be provided in the groove, or against one or both opposing sides of the sheet metal plate. The damping material may be a rubber-like or viscoelastic material.
The length of the tuning fork members and the thickness of the sheet metal plate may be tuned for absorption of a desired range of vibration frequencies.
In another embodiment, the backplate itself is the damping member, wherein the tuning fork members are formed by the backplate.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for sound-dampening brake squeal noise in a brake assembly by providing tuning fork members engaged with a damping material for damping vibrations.
The above object and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
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Chen Fang (Frank)
Chen Shih-Emn
Harwood Patrick J.
Quaglia Ronald Louis
Smit David Dean
Brown Gregory P.
Ford Global Technologies Inc.
Oberleitner Robert J.
Pezzlo Benjamin A.
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