Brakes – Elements – Brake wheels
Reexamination Certificate
1996-10-01
2001-11-13
Schwartz, Christopher P. (Department: 3613)
Brakes
Elements
Brake wheels
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315090
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk brake having a disk rotor which can be braked by a brake caliper.
2. Description of the Related Art
Disk brakes which have a disk rotor which can be braked by a brake caliper are well known in the art as a brake system for a motor vehicle such as an automobile or the like. The disk rotor may be a solid disk which comprises a single circular plate or a ventilated disk which comprises two annular circular plates with a cooling air passage defined therebetween.
FIG. 7
of the accompanying drawings schematically shows a disk brake having a disk rotor in the form of a ventilated disk which is in general use. As shown in
FIG. 7
, when a braking force is applied from a brake caliper
2
to a ventilated disk
1
, the speed of rotation of a wheel
4
which is fastened to the ventilated disk
1
by wheel bolts
3
is reduced.
The ventilated disk
1
comprises a hat
6
which accommodates a hub unit
5
supporting the wheel
4
and a disk element
7
for receiving a braking force from the brake caliper
2
. The disk element
7
has first and second annular circular plates
8
,
9
extending parallel to each other, with cooling fins
10
and a cooling passage
11
interposed therebetween. The second annular circular plate
9
is integrally joined to the hat
6
.
When a braking force is applied from the brake caliper
2
to the disk element
7
while the wheel
4
is in rotation, the disk element
7
generates a considerable amount of heat by frictional contact with the brake caliper
2
. At this time, cooling air
12
flows through the cooling passage
11
between the first and second annular circular plates
8
,
9
, causing the cooling fins
10
to cool the disk element
7
. The ventilated disk
1
is disposed in the wheel
4
. Therefore, while an inner sliding surface
8
a
of the first annular circular plate
8
is cooled by cooling air
13
, an outer slide surface
9
a
of the second annular circular plate
9
is not exposed to much cooling air, and cannot sufficiently be cooled.
Solid disk brake systems also suffer the same problem as with the ventilated disk
1
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a major object of the present invention to provide a disk brake which is capable of uniformly and effectively cooling a disk element as a whole that receives a braking force from a brake caliper.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2380085 (1945-07-01), Tack et al.
patent: 4638891 (1987-01-01), Wirth
patent: 4749065 (1988-06-01), Loeber
patent: 5107966 (1992-04-01), Metzler et al.
patent: 5161652 (1992-11-01), Suzuki
patent: 5460249 (1995-10-01), Aoko
patent: 5544726 (1996-08-01), Topouzian et al.
patent: 2698425 (1994-05-01), None
Ichikawa Shoji
Matsuoka Yoshinori
Blackman William D.
Carrier Joseph P.
Carrier Blackman & Associates P.C.
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Schwartz Christopher P.
LandOfFree
Disk brake does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Disk brake, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Disk brake will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2617498