Brakes – With condition indicator – Wear
Patent
1998-08-06
2000-10-10
Oberleitner, Robert J.
Brakes
With condition indicator
Wear
188 111W, F16D 6600
Patent
active
061291838
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to brake lining wear monitoring means particularly for use with vehicle brakes of the kind in which a friction lining has an operative face adapted to be applied to a rotatable braking member, such as a drum or a disc.
It is known to sense the wear of friction lining within a brake assembly through measurement of brake adjustment to compensate the wear.
In our International Publication No. WO95/09991 we disclose the use of an "in adjuster" wear sensor comprising a rotary potentiometer driven by movement of adjuster means through a reduction gearbox. The sensor is integrally mounted with the adjuster means and is both assembled to, and removable from, the brake as part of a sub assembly incorporating the adjuster means.
EP-A-0 492 143 discloses the use of a rotary potentiometer mounted remote from a brake disc and which is adapted to be driven from a spindle of an adjuster. This assembly is also constructed as part of an assembly with the adjuster and as it is attached to the end of a spindle of the adjuster, the overall length of the assembly is increased. It follows that the brake cover plate has to be modified to incorporate an extension with a consequential increase in the overall size of the brake package.
EP-A-0566006 discloses a construction similar to that of EPA-492143 in which a reduction gearbox is provided to reduce the total number of turns of a potentiometer to a maximum of one. Again the potentiometer is driven from a spindle of the adjuster which has the effect of increasing the length of the overall adjuster package with a consequential increase in the total size of the brake package.
International Publication No. WO94/07050 discloses a further addition to the constructions disclosed in the EP-A-04921423 and EP-A0566006. In WO94/07050 a rotary potentiometer with a reduction gearbox is adapted to be mounted as a separate unit assembled to the outside of the brake but, again, adapted to be driven from a spindle of the adjuster. Mounting the sensor on the other side of the cover plate again produces a consequential increase in overall brake package size. In addition a route for external contamination of the brake now exists around the larger periphery of a body of the sensor and this has to be sealed in order to prevent contaminants from entering into the brake mechanism. As the sensor is "surface mounted" it is also susceptible to possible impact damage and moreover where a "clip" fit is used the device may become detached from the brake itself.
In all the known constructions described above the effective length of the adjuster mechanism is relatively increased and in the construction of WO94/07050 the brake may be susceptible to external contaminants and possible accidental disconnection of the sensor.
According to our invention in brake lining wear monitoring means for monitoring the wear condition of a brake assembly in which a friction lining has an operative face adapted to be applied to a brake rotor, in which the monitoring means comprises actuating means for applying the brake lining to the brake rotor, adjusting means adapted to be driven by the actuating means for the purpose of maintaining the brake lining in close proximity to the brake rotor, and wear sensing means responsive to actuation movement of the brake in a brake-applying direction and the wear sensing means is housed within a body of the brake itself without increasing the overall package size of the brake and in which the wear sensing means is driven from a wheel on the adjuster means with the end of the sensing means remote from the wheel being formed into a connector whereby to provide a compact and integrated unit which can be removed from the brake for service without dismantling the brake assembly itself.
The sensing means may be in the form of a linear potentiometer or similar inductive device. Alternatively it may comprise a rotary potentiometer driven from the adjuster wheel through a gear drive.
An external connector for the sensing means may extend axially from the sensing means. In a mo
REFERENCES:
patent: 3339676 (1967-09-01), Quinn
patent: 3887040 (1975-06-01), Simon et al.
Lipka Pamela J.
Lucas Industries Public Limited Company
Oberleitner Robert J.
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