Brakes – Wheel – Axially movable brake element or housing therefor
Patent
1995-12-05
1999-01-19
Graham, Matthew C.
Brakes
Wheel
Axially movable brake element or housing therefor
188250E, F16D 6504
Patent
active
058604952
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention generally relates to automotive brakes and more particularly relates to floating caliper-type disk brake for automotive vehicles comprising a brake carrier forming an integral part of the steering knuckle of the automotive vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A disk brake of the afore-mentioned type is known from DE-A-38 15 733. This disk brake comprises a floating caliper displaceably guided on the steering knuckle by means of two bolt guides. The two bolt guides form two support points for the floating caliper on the inner axial side. The back plate of the outer brake pad is used for additionally supporting the floating caliper on the outer axial side. The floating caliper is disposed either on a central projection of the brake pad serving as a third support point or on projections of the back plate lateral in the circumferential direction in the form of a four-point support. The brake pad, in turn, is supported on carrier arms of an integrated brake carrier.
Typically, the floating caliper is clamped in the radial direction vis-a-vis the carrier arms by means of a wire spring to prevent rattling from occurring. The floating caliper, by the wire spring, is rigidly forced radially inwardly against the back plate of the brake pad which, in turn, is rigidly forced against the carrier arms. No radially resilient movement of the floating caliper over the brake pad is provided. The outer brake pad is detachably fixed to the floating caliper by means of a leaf spring, with the latter also comprising a radially resilient spring tongue; however, the spring tongue in the outer brake pad has no function in the prior art system and is provided only in order to permit an identical design of the outer and inner brake pads.
As in a disk brake of the afore-mentioned type the carrier arms are integral parts of the steering knuckle of the automotive vehicle, the brake pads and the floating caliper must be mounted, during final assembly of the vehicles, by the vehicle manufacturer. The final assembly must be as simple as possible. The floating caliper is, therefore, supplied by the brake manufacturer together with the brake pads as a pre-assembled unit to the vehicle manufacturer for final assembly. However, the prior art floating caliper-type disk brake involves the disadvantage that after fixing the floating caliper by means of the two bolt guides, the wire spring is yet to be clamped between floating caliper and brake carrier, thereby substantially complicating assembly (especially automated assembly) of the floating caliper on the vehicle wheel.
It is the object of the invention to provide a floating caliper-type disk brake of a simple design, permitting a low-cost manufacture and an easy, preferably, automatic assembly on the vehicle wheel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a leaf spring provided for fixing the outer brake pad at the same time for radially clamping the floating caliper vis-a-vis the brake carrier. To that extent, the wire spring conventionally required can be eliminated. The solution according to the invention involves the advantage that the material and manufacturing expenses as well as the weight of the brake are reduced. However, the primary advantage involved resides in that the floating caliper after fixing the bolt guides is automatically prestressed vis-a-vis the brake carrier, thereby eliminating corresponding assembling steps, and, in particular, substantially simplifying an automatic assembly.
In a preferred form of embodiment of the invention, the radial prestress of the brake pad vis-a-vis the floating caliper is achieved in an advantageous and simple way. The measures of the invention do not incur any additional manufacturing expenses. The depressions in the wall of the recess on the outer caliper knuckle with the radial stops thereof can be readily moulded during casting of the floating caliper.
Preferably, the point of contact of the spring tongue serving for radial prestresses is located in the immediate vicinity of the
REFERENCES:
patent: 4424886 (1984-01-01), Frigger et al.
patent: 4905796 (1990-03-01), Schonenberger et al.
patent: 5113978 (1992-05-01), Weiler et al.
patent: 5330035 (1994-07-01), Klimt et al.
patent: 5494140 (1996-02-01), Weiler et al.
patent: 5509508 (1996-04-01), Evans
Bieraugel Dieter
Schiel Wolfgang
Storzel Karl
Weiler Rolf
Graham Matthew C.
ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
Lewis J. Gordon
Twomey Thomas N.
LandOfFree
Floating caliper-type disk brake for automotive vehicles does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Floating caliper-type disk brake for automotive vehicles, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Floating caliper-type disk brake for automotive vehicles will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1240589