Brakes – Wheel – Axially movable brake element or housing therefor
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-30
2001-05-01
Schwartz, Chris (Department: 3613)
Brakes
Wheel
Axially movable brake element or housing therefor
C188S073360
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223866
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to vehicle disc brake assemblies and in particular to an improved structure for a damped pad spring adapted for use in such a vehicle disc brake assembly. Most vehicles are equipped with a brake system for slowing or stopping movement of the vehicle in a controlled manner. A typical brake system for an automobile or light truck includes a disc brake assembly for each of the front wheels and either a drum brake assembly or a disc brake assembly for each of the rear wheels. The brake assemblies are actuated by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure generated when an operator of the vehicle depresses a brake pedal. The structures of these drum brake assemblies and disc brake assemblies, as well as the actuators therefor, are well known in the art.
A typical disc brake assembly includes a brake rotor which is secured to a wheel of the vehicle for rotation therewith. The disc brake assembly further includes a caliper assembly which is slidably supported on pins secured to an anchor bracket. The anchor bracket is secured to a non-rotatable component of the vehicle, such as the axle flange or steering knuckle, connected to the vehicle frame. The caliper assembly includes a pair of friction pads or brake shoes which are disposed on opposite sides of the brake rotor. The friction pads are connected to one or more hydraulically or pneumatically actuated pistons for movement between a non-braking position, wherein they are spaced apart from opposed axial sides or braking surfaces of the brake rotor, and a braking position, wherein they are moved into frictional engagement with the opposed braking surfaces of the brake rotor. When an operator of the vehicle depresses the brake pedal, the piston urges the friction pads from the non-braking position to the braking position so as to frictionally engage the opposed braking surfaces of the brake rotor and thereby slow or stop the rotation of the associated wheel of the vehicle.
When the disc brake assembly is not actuated, the friction pads are normally spaced apart from the opposite sides of the rotor. Because they are not positively engaged with the rotor, the friction pads are free to move relative to other brake and vehicle components during vehicle operation. Vehicle induced vibration loads can result in an undesirable rattle or other noises. To prevent this from occurring, it is known to provide an anti-rattle clip in the disc brake assembly. The anti-rattle clip is typically embodied as a spring metal member having leg portions which spring load each of the friction pads against a non-moving component of the disc brake assembly. The anti-rattle clip exerts a relatively small force against the associated friction pad which prevents it from rattling while limiting pad sliding resistance to an optimum level when the disc brake assembly is disengaged. A number of anti-rattle clip structures are known in the art for use with the friction pads of disc brake assemblies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention related to an improved structure for a damped pad spring adapted for use in a disc brake assembly. The disc brake assembly includes an anchor bracket adapted to be secured to a vehicle component, a brake caliper adapted to be secured to the anchor bracket, a pair of friction pads carried by the disc brake assembly and adapted to be disposed on opposite axial sides of an associated brake rotor, and actuation means for selectively moving the friction pads into frictional engagement with the rotor. The pad spring is carried by the disc brake assembly and is disposed between the anchor bracket and at least one end of one of the pair of friction pads. In a preferred embodiment, the pad spring is a multi-layered pad spring and includes an outer layer disposed adjacent the friction pad and in contact with at least a portion thereof, and an inner layer disposed adjacent the anchor bracket and in contact with at least a portion thereof. The outer layer is formed from a first material and the inner layer formed from a second material. Preferably, the first material is metal and the second material is a damping material which covers the entire inner surface of the metal outer layer and is applied thereto prior to the forming of the pad spring by a stamping operation.
Other advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.
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patent: 4865163 (1989-09-01), Kondo
patent: 5377790 (1995-01-01), Tsuruta
patent: 5381875 (1995-01-01), Tsuruta et al.
patent: 5447594 (1995-09-01), Josefsson
patent: 5853070 (1998-12-01), Josefsson
patent: 014731 (1983-09-01), None
patent: WO 95/29060 (1995-11-01), None
patent: WO 96/30205 (1996-10-01), None
Kelsey-Hayes Company
MacMillan Sobanski & Todd LLC
Schwartz Chris
LandOfFree
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