Brakes – Wheel – Axially movable brake element or housing therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-17
2001-02-27
Schwartz, Christopher P. (Department: 3613)
Brakes
Wheel
Axially movable brake element or housing therefor
C188S073370, C192S10900B
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193024
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention concerns a damping plate, especially for vehicle brakes, that is made of at least one plate of metal and a pressure-transferring surface that transfers offset the pressure applied to the damping plate.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Damping plates are in brakes, especially in vehicle brakes, to avoid the transfer of vibration between components and to dampen the transfer of noise. The damping plate is attached to the base plate of the brake lining on the side opposite the brake lining and conducts pressure applied from the brake piston or the caliper, in the case of floating caliper brakes, through the base plate to the brake lining. The damping plate optimally fulfills its function when the pressure applied by the brake piston or caliper is applied evenly on the brake lining, i.e., between the brake lining and the damping plate. Design requirements, however, frequently force the piston or caliper to not apply the pressure at the center of gravity of the brake lining. This results in uneven pressure on the brake lining. To counteract this, it is prior art to provide the damping plate with a crescent-shaped cut-out in the area at which pressure is transferred so that the pressure-applying surface of the piston/caliper only partially rests on the damping plate, and the pressure point displacement can be correspondingly adjusted to the requirements. It is also prior art to place a ledge in the side of the piston facing the damping plate so that the piston does not provide contact over its entire surface, and the pressure point is displaced.
With these prior art solutions, locally excessive pressure arises at the ends of the crescent-shaped cut-out or the ledge in the piston or caliper. Rubber coatings on the damping plate abrade quickly, and the damping plate is destroyed. In addition, it has been determined with floating caliper brakes that the piston and caliper assume a relatively strong angle and can partially lift from the damping plate which increases the load on the damping plate and brake lining and increases wear. For this reason, the precision in displacing the pressure point leaves something to be desired in the prior art solutions. The wear is particularly increased when the piston/caliper comes through the cut-out to directly rest on the base plate. In this case, the actual function of the damping plate is eliminated.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention is directed to improving a generic damping plate to reduce wear and increase the precision in displacing the pressure point. In addition, continuous operability of the damping plate is guaranteed.
A damping plate according to the present invention includes a pressure-transferring surface which has at least two areas with different resilience, and a pressure-applying unit applying the pressure distributed over the entire pressure surface can be placed at least in sections on the pressure-transferring surface at least starting at a certain pressure.
With the measures according to the invention, the life of the damping plates is substantially increased, and noise and the transmission of vibration is reduced. The pressure point is no longer displaced geometrically but rather by different pressure resistances, i.e., resilience, in the pressure-transferring surface. The pressure-applying unit applying the pressure distributed over the entire pressure surface can be placed at least in sections on the pressure-transferring surface. A continuous transition is attained in the pressure-transferring surface between the areas with lower and higher pressure resistance. Local peaks of stress are avoided, and the damping plates are stressed less locally which reduces wear. In addition, the angled position is reduced, and the piston or caliper is not lifted from damping plate, and the pressure point displacement can be adjusted more finely. In any case, the piston/caliper does not directly contact the base plate.
Preferred embodiments are found in the subclaims. Accordingly, the arrangement of beads not only increases the resilience in one area of the pressure-transferring surface, but it also increases the flexural strength of the damping plate. In addition, the damping plate is given an additional grip since bulges form on the edges of the contact surface when the pressure-applying unit deforms the beads by pressure, and the bulges help keep the pressure-applying unit in place.
It is also possible to set the different degrees of resilience by partially cutting out the are that is to have a lower resilience. with this embodiment, the entire pressure surface of the piston experiences contact from the beginning at least in sections. A number of variations are conceivable for the design and arrangement of the cut-outs.
The pressure-applying unit can completely contact the pressure-transferring surface when pressure is initially applied to the damping plate when the different degrees of resilience are created by materials with a differing pressure elasticity modulus.
It is also conceivable to create a sandwich damping plate that is composed of two individual damping plates, and the top damping plate facing the pressure-applying unit has cut-outs.
In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, there are elements only in selected areas of the pressure-applying surface that increase or reduce the average resilience of these areas, i.e., at least one area can be free of such elements.
It is particularly preferable for the same elements to be in the same area, and the areas are arranged according to increasing average resilience. The resilience hence increase continuously from the area of least resilience to the area of greatest resilience. The pressure point is displaced with a very effectively by avoiding a wave-like pattern of resilience.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3851724 (1974-12-01), Banks
patent: 5407034 (1995-04-01), Vydra
patent: 5538104 (1996-07-01), Katz et al.
Heppes Peter
Noack Hans-Herbert
Weichsel Karsten
Allen Dyer Doppelt Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A.
Bartz C.
Eagle-Picher Wolverine GmbH
Schwartz Christopher P.
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