Abstract:
A tool for, and method of, removing a first component, such as a disc brake rotor, from an assembly, such as a disc brake assembly. The tool includes an elongated bar and a pressing device. The elongated bar has a pressing surface for pressing against the first component, and a backing surface opposite the pressing surface. The pressing device is connectable to the backing surface of the elongated bar. The pressing device is adjustable to engage a second component that is fixed to the assembly, in order to apply a force between the first component and the second component, to thereby remove the first component from the assembly.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to a tool used to remove a component from an assembly by providing a force between the component to be removed and the assembly. The present invention also relates to a method of removing a component from an assembly using a tool.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Prior to the present invention, there was no suitable way to remove the disc brake rotor from the hub of some vehicles.  
           [0003]    An exploded view of a front disc brake assembly of a conventional front- or four-wheel drive vehicle is shown in FIG. 1. The brake assembly generally comprises a steering knuckle  4 , which is pivotally attached to the vehicle suspension to allow a vehicle wheel (not shown) to turn. An axle shaft or drive shaft  2  extends through an opening in the center of the steering knuckle  4 , such that a distal end  20  of the drive shaft projects outwardly from the steering knuckle  4 . The distal end  20  of the axle shaft  2  has splines formed in its outer periphery. A wheel hub  10  is provided with splines about its inner periphery sized to engage the splines of the axle shaft  2 . A wheel bearing assembly  8  is interposed between the wheel hub  10  and the axle shaft  2 , within the steering knuckle  4 , to align and support the vehicle wheel for rotation relative to the steering knuckle  4 . Wheel studs  12  are press-fitted into a plurality of holes formed in the outer periphery of the hub  10 . A disc brake rotor  14  is then fitted over the wheel hub  10  by aligning a plurality of corresponding holes formed in the rotor  14  with the wheel studs  12  press-fitted in the wheel hub  10 . A brake caliper (not shown) is attached via a caliper mounting bracket (also not shown) to the steering knuckle  4  at caliper mounting bosses  18 . The brake caliper supports a pair of brake pads (also not shown) on either side of the rotor  14 . In operation, the brake pads clamp the rotor  14  therebetween in order to stop the vehicle when an operator depresses the vehicle brake pedal.  
           [0004]    Some vehicles are manufactured with a very small tolerance between the inner diameter of the rotor  14  and the outer diameter of the hub  10 . Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to remove the rotor  14  from the hub  10  in order to service the rotor  14 . This problem is especially pronounced when the vehicle is older and the brake assembly components have a build-up of dirt and/or corrosion.  
           [0005]    The rotor  14  may also be difficult to remove from the hub  10  when the vehicle has been recently driven, due to thermal expansion of the hub  10 . During braking, heat is generated due to both friction between the brake pads and the rotor  14  and friction in the wheel bearings, thereby heating the whole brake assembly (including both the rotor  14  and hub  10 ) and causing thermal expansion of the parts of the assembly. Because the rotor  14  has a large surface area and is designed to dissipate heat quickly, the rotor  14  will cool much faster than the hub  10 . As the rotor  14  cools it will contract onto the hub  10  creating an interference fit between the hub  10  and rotor  14 .  
           [0006]    Mechanics have developed a technique of removing rotors that have become stuck on the vehicle hub due to dirt, corrosion, and/or thermal contraction, by simply prying them off the hub using a pry bar. However, this technique is likely to damage various components of the wheel assembly, and is, therefore, unsatisfactory.  
           [0007]    As another means of removal, brake rotors on some front-wheel drive vehicles include a pair of threaded removal holes (in addition to the holes to accommodate the wheel lugs) formed in the central region of the rotor. To remove the brake rotor, bolts are threaded into the removal holes and screwed in. As the bolts begin to protrude through the rotor, they contact the hub  10  and press the rotor away from, and off of, the hub.  
           [0008]    However, brake rotors on most vehicles are not provided with these threaded removal holes. There is, therefore, a need in the art for an improved tool for, and method of, quickly and safely removing a brake rotor from a hub of a vehicle, without damaging any of the brake assembly components.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention provides an improved tool for, and method of, removing a component from an assembly, that is fast, safe, and reduces the likelihood of damaging the component during removal. The tool and method of the present invention are especially useful for removing a brake rotor from a hub of a vehicle.  
           [0010]    In one aspect, the present invention relates to a tool for removing a first component from an assembly, the tool comprising an elongated bar and a pressing device. The elongated bar has a pressing surface for pressing against the first component, and a backing surface opposite the pressing surface. The pressing device is connectable to the backing surface of the elongated bar. Moreover, the pressing device is adjustable to engage a second component that is fixed to the assembly, in order to apply a force between the first component and the second component, to thereby remove the first component from the assembly.  
           [0011]    In another aspect, the present invention relates to a tool for removing a brake rotor from a disc brake assembly, the tool comprising an elongated bar and a pressing device. The elongated bar has a pressing surface for pressing against the brake rotor, and a backing surface opposite the pressing surface. The pressing device is connectable to the backing surface of the elongated bar. Furthermore, the pressing device is adjustable to engage a caliper mount of the disc brake assembly, in order to apply a force between the brake rotor and the caliper mount, to thereby remove the brake rotor from the brake assembly.  
           [0012]    In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to a method of removing a first component of an assembly. The method comprises the steps of attaching a tool to a second component of the assembly, and adjusting the tool to apply a force between the first component and the second component, to thereby remove the first component from the assembly.  
           [0013]    In still another aspect, the present invention relates to a method of removing a disc brake rotor. The method comprises the steps of removing a brake caliper from a vehicle caliper mount, attaching a tool to the vehicle caliper mount, and adjusting the tool to apply a force between the caliper mount and the brake rotor, to thereby remove the brake rotor.  
           [0014]    These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with, and with reference to, the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional front disc brake assembly of a front- or four-wheel drive vehicle.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2A is an exploded perspective view of the tool of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the elongated bar member of the tool of the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a front view showing a front disc brake assembly of a vehicle with the tool of the present invention in a first, partially installed, condition.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a front view showing a front disc brake assembly of a vehicle with the tool of the present invention in a second, mostly installed, position.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is a front view showing a front disc brake assembly of a vehicle with the tool of the present invention in a third, fully installed, position.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 is a front view showing a front disc brake assembly of a vehicle with the rotor partially removed using the tool of the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 is a front view showing a front disc brake assembly of a vehicle with the rotor fully removed using the tool of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]    In general, the present invention relates to a tool used to remove a component from an assembly by providing a force between the component to be removed and the assembly. As illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the tool  100  generally comprises an elongated bar  101  and a pressing device  102 . In operation, the tool  100  is attached, via the pressing device  102 , to the assembly. The pressing device  102  is then attached to the elongated bar  101 , and adjusted to provide a pressing force between the assembly and a component to be removed. The elongated bar  101  abuts the component to be removed from the assembly and distributes the pressing force applied by the pressing device  102  over a larger area of the component that is being removed.  
         [0024]    The tool may be adapted to remove different components from various different assemblies. However, one particular application to which the tool is especially well suited, is the removal of a disc brake rotor from a brake assembly of a front- or four-wheel drive vehicle (such as the conventional brake assembly shown in FIG. 1). This preferred embodiment of the tool of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B. While the present invention is particularly well suited for use in removing disc brake rotors from brake assemblies, this use is merely illustrative of one of the many uses of the present invention. The tool may advantageously be adapted to remove a wide range of mechanical components from their respective assemblies, without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.  
         [0025]    In this preferred embodiment of the tool  100 , the elongated bar  101  comprises a rectangular bar having a pressing surface  118  for pressing against the brake rotor  14 , and a backing surface  120  opposite the pressing surface  118 . As best illustrated in FIG. 2B, a channel  122  having a T-shaped cross-section is provided in the backing surface  120  and extends between longitudinal ends of the elongated bar  101 . Instead of a T-shaped cross-section, the channel may have any desired cross-sectional shape, so long as the opening of the channel in the backing surface  120  of the elongated bar  101  is narrower than the rest of the channel.  
         [0026]    An end plate  110  is attached to the elongated bar  101  at a first longitudinal end thereof, preferably by a pair of connectors  112 , such as allen screws, hex bolts, machine screws, rivets, other suitable connectors. Alternatively, the end plate  10  could be formed integrally with the elongated bar  101 .  
         [0027]    The elongated bar  101  is preferably made of steel, however, any suitable material having sufficient strength characteristics may also be used. Some other suitable materials include aluminum, iron, bronze, copper, titanium, plastics, polymers, carbon fiber, fiberglass, composites thereof, or the like. Further, while the elongated bar is disclosed in the preferred embodiment as being rectangular, the shape of the bar may be adapted to fit various different uses.  
         [0028]    The pressing device  102 , in the preferred embodiment, takes the form of a pair of screw jacks. The term screw jack is used herein to refer to any device that is capable of providing a compressive force by rotation of a threaded rod or screw relative to a threaded sleeve or nut. Each of the screw jacks  102  comprises a threaded rod  116 , a drive head  114  fixedly attached to one end of the threaded rod  116 , a cap  108  connected to the other end of the threaded rod  1   16 , and an adjuster nut  106  threaded on the threaded rod  116  and located between the drive head  114  and the cap  108 . Each screw jack  102  may further include a washer  104  positioned between the adjuster nut  106  and the drive head  114 , although such is not critical for the function of the invention.  
         [0029]    The drive heads  114  may be formed integrally with the threaded rods  116 , as in the case of a standard hex bolt or allen bolt. Alternatively, the drive heads  114  may be separate elements, fixedly attached to one end of the threaded rods, such as a pair of jammed nuts (i.e., locked together by an interference fit), a cap or blind nut, a nut welded on the threaded rod, or the like. The adjuster nuts  106  may be any suitable nut or threaded sleeve corresponding in size and thread to the threaded rods  116 .  
         [0030]    The caps  108  of the screw jacks are in the shape of stepped circular discs, each having a small side and a large side. The caps  108  have an outer profile corresponding in shape to the cross-section of the channel  122 . Each cap  108  has a blind threaded bore formed in the small side thereof for connection with the threaded rods  116 . Alternatively, the caps  108  may be connected to the threaded rods  116  by a snap connection, a rivet, plastic deformation, or the like. In these alternative connection arrangements, the caps  108  could be infinitely rotatable relative to the threaded rods  116 . While the shape of the caps  108  is not crucial, it is preferable that they are circular (as viewed from an axial end thereof) so that they can rotate within a the channel  122  of the elongated bar  101 . However, the caps  108  could also be square or rectangular, for example, especially if the caps  108  are rotatably connected to the threaded rods  116  by one of the alternative connection arrangements.  
         [0031]    While the pressing device  102  of the preferred embodiment is described as comprising a pair of screw jacks, any suitable device that is capable of providing a pressing force may instead be used. Other suitable devices that could be used include ratcheting devices, cam operated devices, hydraulic devices, or the like. Moreover, while a pair of screw jacks are disclosed, any number of suitable pressing devices may be used, including a single pressing device.  
         [0032]    The installation and use of the tool  100  on a disc brake assembly of a vehicle will be described with reference to FIGS.  3 - 7 .  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 3 shows a front disc brake assembly of a vehicle, with the vehicle&#39;s wheel and brake caliper already removed. The screw jacks  102  of the tool  100  are positioned on the caliper mount of the vehicle brake assembly by inserting the threaded rods  116  through holes found in a pair of caliper mounting bosses  18 . It should be noted that not all vehicles have the sort of caliper mounts shown in the drawing figures. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the tool of the present invention could be easily adapted for use on vehicles having other sorts of brake caliper mounting configurations.  
         [0034]    Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the washers  104  are positioned on the threaded rods  116  adjacent to the respective mounting bosses  18 . The adjuster nuts  106  are then threaded onto the threaded rods  116 , and caps  108  are attached to the ends of the threaded rods  116 . At this point, the screw jacks are loosely connected to the mounting bosses  18  of the caliper mount.  
         [0035]    The elongated bar  101  is then attached to the to the screw jacks  102  by sliding the channel  122  down over the caps  108  until the upper cap  108  rests against the end plate  110  of the elongated bar as shown in FIG. 5. Since the profile of the caps  108  matches that of the channel  122  formed in the elongated bar  101 , the caps  108  are slidably retained within the channel  122 . In this manner, the tool  100  is effectively held in place by the caliper mount, freeing the operator&#39;s hands for adjustment of the tool  100 . The sliding engagement of the screw jacks  102  with the elongated bar  101  allows for extensive adjustment of the tool  100  to fit various caliper mounts having different sizes and arrangements.  
         [0036]    Once the tool  100  is in place on the vehicle caliper mount, the operator adjusts the tool as shown in FIG. 5. Specifically, the operator holds the adjuster nuts  106  stationary with, for example, a wrench W (shown in phantom), while rotating the threaded rods  116  via drive heads  114  with, for example, a socket S (shown in phantom) turned by a ratcheting socket wrench R (shown in phantom). This rotation of the threaded rods  116  relative to the adjuster nuts  106  causes the elongated bar  101  to translate in the axial direction of the threaded rods  116  into contact with the brake rotor  14 . As the adjustment of the tool  100  continues, screw jacks  102  impart a pressing force between the caliper mounting bosses  18  and the brake rotor  14  until the rotor  14  becomes dislodged from the hub  10 . The large pressing surface  118  of the elongated bar  101  effectively distributes the pressing force generated by the screw jacks  102  evenly over a large area of the rotor&#39;s surface.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 6, shows the rotor  14  in a state of being dislodged from the hub  10  and resting on the wheel studs  12 . At this point the operator can easily grasp and remove the rotor  14  from the brake assembly in order to service the rotor  14 . FIG. 7 illustrates the brake assembly with the rotor  14  completely removed to expose the hub  10  and wheel studs  12 . In FIG. 7, the tool  100  is shown adjusted back toward the caliper mounting bosses  18 .  
         [0038]    Based on the foregoing description, it is apparent that the tool of the present invention provides an improved tool for, and method of, removing a brake rotor from a hub that is fast, safe, and reduces the likelihood of damaging the rotor during removal.  
         [0039]    Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail, it will be understood that this description is merely for purposes of illustration. Various modifications of the disclosed aspects of the preferred embodiments, in addition to those described above, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention defined in the following claims, the scope of which is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass such modifications and equivalent structures.