PARKING BRAKE ASSEMBLY WITH WEAR ADJUSTMENT FOR HEAVY ROAD VEHICLE DISC BRAKE

Abstract: In a disc brake (10) having a disc (16) and a brake shoe (82) movable towards and away from a friction surface (86) provided on one face of the disc (16), there is provided a parking brake (22a/22b) having a pushing member (44a/44b) for moving the brake shoe (82) towards and away from the friction surface (86) of the disc (16). The parking brake (22a/22b) further includes a cam (36a/36b) displacaeable between a first position in which the cam (36a/36b) forces the pushing member (44a/44b) against a biasing force acting thereon to maintain the brake shoe (82) in friction engagement with the disc (16) and a second position in which the pushing member (44a/44b) is free to move in a direction away from the disc (16) to release the brake shoe (82) from the friction surface (86) of the disc (16). A piston and cylinder arragement (28) is provided to displace the cam (36a/36b) between its first and second position.

Description: PARKING BRAKE ASSEMBLY WITH WEAR ADJUSTMENT FOR HEAVY ROAD VEHICLE DISC BRAKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention 5 The present invention relates to a vehicle brake system and, more particularly, to disc brakes for heavy road vehicles . 2. Description of the Prior Art United States Patent No. 5,205,380 issued 10 to Paquet et al . on April 27, 1993 discloses a disc brake assembly for heavy road vehicles. The disc brake assembly includes a parking or safety brake which is automatically activated when the road vehicle is parked. The parking brake comprises spring 15 acting on a movable plate to urge a brake shoe against a friction surface provided on one face of a disc. A fluid bladder is provided to overcome, when expanded, the force of the spring in order to release the brake shoe from the friction surface of the disc. 20 Although the parking brake described in the above-mentioned patent is effective, it has been found that there is a need for a new parking brake which is more compact . 25 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an aim of the present invention to provide a new parking brake for a disc brake assembly. It is also an aim of the present invention 30 to provide a new disc brake assembly having a system for automatically repositioning a brake shoe to compensate for wear thereof. It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a compact parking brake which is 35 integrated with a disc brake assembly. Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a disc brake assembly having a disc and a brake shoe movable towards and away from a friction surface provided on one face of the disc, and a parking brake comprising a first pushing member for moving the brake shoe towards and away from the friction surface of the disc, a first movement transmitting member displaceable between a first position wherein said first movement transmitting member forces said first pushing member against a biasing force acting thereon to maintain the brake shoe in friction engagement with the disc and a second position wherein said first pushing member is free to move in a direction away from the disc to release the brake shoe from the friction surface of the disc, and a motive means to displace said first movement transmitting member between said first and second positions thereof. In accordance with a further general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a parking brake for mechanical connection to a wheel of a vehicle for maintaining the vehicle stationary, comprising a disc adapted to be mounted to the wheel and having a friction surface on a face thereof, a brake shoe movable towards and away from said friction surface of said disc, and a brake actuator for normally maintaining said brake shoe against said friction surface, said brake actuator comprising a first pushing member biased in a direction away from said friction surface, said brake shoe being movable by said first pushing member, and a first cam displaceable by a motive means between a first position wherein said first pushing member is pushed against a biasing force thereof by said first cam and a second position wherein said first pushing member is allowed to return to a rest position thereof under the biasing force acting thereon, and wherein said brake shoe is applied against said friction surface as long as said first pushing member is pushed by said first cam against said biasing force thereof. In accordance with a further general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a self- adjusting brake for a wheel on a vehicle, comprising at least one disc adapted to be mounted to the wheel and having a friction surface on one face thereof, at least one brake shoe movable axially towards and away from said friction surface for friction engagement therewith and release thereof, and a brake actuator for displacing the brake shoe from an idle position to a functional position in which said brake shoe is urged against said friction surface of said disc, a wear compensating mechanism for automatically readjusting said idle position of said brake shoe to accommodate wear thereof, at least two pivotally mounted ratchet arms biased towards a closed position wherein said ratchet arms are urged in toothed engagement with a pawl member, said ratchet arms having a number of axially spaced-apart level of notches, said pawl member being loosely mounted for limited axial movement along an axially extending brake shoe projection so that when the stroke of the brake shoe becomes greater than a permitted distance of travel of said pawl member on said brake shoe projection, said ratchet arms are pivoted to an open position thereof by said pawl member to allow said pawl member to fall into a next level of notches on said ratchet arms. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which: Fig. 1 is a top view of a disc brake assembly for heavy road vehicles in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a rear plan view of the disc brake assembly of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view, partly in section, of the disc brake assembly illustrated in an idle position thereof; Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a parking brake spring biased in an idle position thereof ; and Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a pair of parking brake forming part of the disc brake assembly of Fig. 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Now referring to the drawings, an in particular to Figs. 1 and 3, a disc brake assembly 10 suited for heavy road vehicles, such as trucks, busses, tractors or trailers, will be described. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the disc brake assembly 10 comprises a housing 12 adapted to be mounted on an axle 14 of a vehicle for housing a pair of axially spaced-apart ventilated discs 16 and 18 adapted to be connected to the hub 20 of a wheel (not shown) for rotative movement therewith, as described in United States Patent 5,205,380 issued on April 27, 1993 to Paquet et al .. A pair of mechanically linked identical parking brakes 22a, 22b are housed in respective cylindrical shells 24a and 24b secured on opposed sides of the housing 12. The security or parking brakes 22a and 22b are mechanically connected with a disc brake sub-assembly 26 (Fig. 3) which is, in turn, operatively connected to the pedal brake (not shown) of the vehicle to act as the main brake of the vehicle to control the speed thereof when the latter is in operation. As shown in Fig. 2, the parking brakes 22a and 22b are mechanically linked and operated by a brake actuator including a pneumatic cylinder 28 extending therebetween. The pneumatic cylinder 28 includes a cylindrical housing 30 and a piston rod 32 normally biased in a retracted position by a spring (not shown) provided within the cylindrical housing 30. As shown in Fig. 5, the piston rod 32 is pivotally connected at 34 to a cam 36a which is, in turn, pivotally mounted at 35 to a bracket 38a secured onto the shell 24a. Likewise, the housing 30 is pivotally mounted at 40 to a cam 36b which is, in turn, pivotally mounted to a bracket 38b secured onto the shell 24b. Therefore, when the biasing force of the spring (not shown) of the pneumatic cylinder 28 is overcome by the air pressure directed into the housing 30 via conventional fluid lines (not shown) , the piston rod 32 will slide axially out of the housing 30 to an extended position thereof, thereby causing the cams 36a and 36b to rotate in opposed directions, as depicted by arrows 39a and 39b in Fig. 1, respectively. As seen in Fig. 5, a brace member 42 extends between the brackets 38a and 38b to structurally unify the same and increase the rigidity of the assembly. The brackets 38a and 38b have respective bottom through bore 41a and 41b for receiving corresponding tubular necks 43a and 43b formed on respective top surfaces of the shells 24a and 24b. The term cam is herein intended to encompass any rotating or sliding piece of any definite shape for imparting a desired movement to the pushing members 44a and 44b. For instance, a sliding wedge defining an inclined surface could also be used to displace the pushing members 44a and 44b. It is also contemplated to use a pantograph linkage or a pair of scissor links in lieu of a cam to transmit a movement to the pushing members 44a and 44b. Referring now to Fig. 4, the action of the cam 36b on the parking brake 22b, as well as the structural details of the latter will now be described. The interaction between the cam 36a and the parking brake 22a is similar to that of the cam 36b and the parking brake 22b and, thus, the duplicate description thereof will be omitted. The structural details of the parking brake 22a, which are identical to those of the parking brake 22b, will not be repeated for brevity. As seen in Fig. 4, the parking brake 22b includes a pushing member 44b mounted for axial movement within the shell 24b and having a cylindrical stem portion 46b extending outwardly of the shell 24b through a cylindrical passage 48b defined by the tubular neck 43b thereof. The cam 36b has a curved cam surface 50b for engaging a domed- shaped terminal distal end 52b of the cylindrical stem portion 46b. Upon rotation of the cam 36b in the direction indicated by arrow 54, the pushing member 44b will be pushed axially into the shell 24b due to the curvature of the cam surface 50b. The pushing member 44b has three circumferentially spaced-apart ratchet arms 55b, 57b, 59b (Fig. 5) pivotally mounted thereto for engagement with a pawl provided in the form of an annular ring 61b loosely fitted about a piston head 56b securely mounted to a spring-loaded pusher or piston 58b. More particularly, the annular ring 61b has a beveled bottom rim 63b for mating engagement into axially spaced-apart interdental spaces or notches 65b defined on respective inner surfaces of the ratchet arms 55b, 57b and 59b. The ratchet arms 55b, 57b and 59b are normally biased radially inwardly to a closed position thereof against the annular ring 61b by an annular spring member 66b encircling the lower ends of the arms 55b, 57b and 59b. The piston 58b has a stem 68b having a radially enlarged end portion 70b from the periphery of which depends a cylindrical skirt 72b defining an annular seat 74b about the stem 68b for receiving one end of a compression spring 76b. The other end of the spring 76b is abutted against a spider 77b mounted on the axle 14 to support the housing 12 and receive the actuator of the disc brake sub-assembly 26. An annular dish member 78b extends about the skirt 72b and is urged against the free terminal ends of the arms 55b, 57b and 59b by a second compression spring 80b concentrically disposed about the first spring 76b and having a first end abutting against the dish member 78b and a second opposed end received in an annular seat 79b defined in the spider 77b. The second spring 80b normally urges the dish member 78b against the arms 55b, 57b and 59b to resist the axial displacement of the pushing member 44b and, thus, allow the radial deployment of the arms 55b, 57b and 59b when the piston 58b is drawn against the spring 76a in response to the activation of the disc brake sub-assembly 26 to brake or control the speed of the vehicle, as will be explained hereinafter. The piston 58a and 58b are structurally connected to an annular pressure plate 82 (see Fig. 3) by conventional fastening elements (not shown) . Therefore, the axial displacement imparted to the pushing members 44a and 44b by the rotational movement of the cams 36a and 36b and transferred from the pushing members 44a and 44b to the pistons 58a and 58b via the ratchet arms 55a, 55b, 57a, 57b, 59a, 59b and the annular rings 61a and 61b, will be communicated to the pressure plate 82 which forms part of the main brake, herein referred to as the disc brake sub-assembly 26. As seen in Fig. 3, a plurality of brake shoe lining segments 84 forming a lining ring or, alternatively, a one-piece lining ring are/is mounted to the front surface of the pressure plate 82 adjacent a radial friction surface 86 of the disc 16. A second brake shoe lining ring 88 is mounted to an axially movable intermediate annular plate 90 adjacent a second radial friction surface 92 of the disc 16 opposite the first friction surface 86 thereof. The intermediate plate 90 is slidably mounted to the pressure plate 82. As seen in Fig. 3, the intermediate plate 90 includes a plurality of axially extending fingers 94 which are slidably receive in corresponding channels 96 formed on an axially extending portion of the pressure plate 82. A third brake shoe lining 98 (Fig. 1) is mounted to the intermediate plate 90 opposite the second brake shoe lining 88 adjacent a radial friction surface (not shown) of the second disc 18. A fourth stationary brake lining (not shown) is mounted within the housing 12 adjacent a second friction surface (not shown) of the second disc 18 opposite the first friction surface thereof. When the vehicle is not in operation, the pneumatic cylinder 28 is depressurized so as to retract the piston rod 32 and cause the rotation of the cams 36a and 36b in the direction indicated by arrows 39a and 39b in Fig. 1. The rotational movement of the cams 36a and 36b will cause the pushing members 44a and 44b to be pushed within respective shells 24a and 24b, thereby pushing the pistons 58a and 58b and the annular dish members 78a and 78b against the springs 76a, 76b and 80a, 80b, respectively. The pistons 58a and 58b will then push on the pressure plate 82 which will, in turn, press the movable brake shoe lining 84 against the friction surface 86 of the first disc 16 which is mounted for limited axial movement on the axle 14 via a spline arrangement (not shown) , as described in United States Patent No. 5,205, 380 issued to Paquet et al . Therefore, the first disc 16 will also be pushed against the second brake shoe lining 88 which will, in turn, push the intermediate plate 90, and the third brake shoe lining 98 against the second disc 18 which will move axially against the stationary brake shoe lining (not shown) . When the pneumatic cylinder 28 is pressurized, the springs 76a and 76b act on the pistons 58a and 58b to maintain the brake shoe linings 84, 88 and 98 out of engagement with the discs 16 and 18, thereby allowing the discs 16 and 18 to rotate freely with the associated wheel (not shown) . When the vehicle is operated, the parking brakes 22a and 22b are disabled, i.e. the pneumatic cylinder 28 is pressurized, and the speed of the vehicle is controlled by a pneumatic brake actuator 100 (Fig. 3) mounted within the spider 77b for selectively pushing the pressure plate 82 towards the discs 16 and 18 to engage the movable brake shoe linings 84, 88 and 98 and the stationary brake shoe lining (not shown) with the radial friction surfaces of the discs 16 and 18, as described hereinbefore with respect to the parking brakes 22a and 22b. As the pressure plate 82 is pushed by the pneumatic brake actuator 100, the pistons 58a and 58b are pulled against the springs 76a and 76b thereof. As seen in Fig. 4, the piston head 56b has a flange 102b which is axially spaced from the annular ring 61b to define therewith a play 104b when the piston 58b is at rest, i.e. when the piston 58b is not solicited by external axial forces. It is understood that a similar play exist between the piston head 56a and the annular ring 61a. These plays correspond to the play existing between the brake shoe linings 84, 88 and 98 and the discs 16 and 18 when the brake assembly 10 is not operated and the discs 16 and 18 are free to rotate. Therefore, when the pneumatic actuator 100 is activated to displace the pressure plate 82, the pistons 58a and 58b will travel with the pressure plate 82 over an axial distance corresponding to the play 104b. Accordingly, the annular rings 61a and 61b will remain trapped in the first level of notches 65a and 65b. However, when the brake shoe linings 84, 88 and 98 will become worn, the thickness thereof will reduce and consequently the displacement of the pressure plate 82 and the pistons 58a and 58b necessary to effect braking will increase. At a certain level of wear of the brake shoe linings 84, 88 and 98, the displacement of the pressure plate 82 and the pistons 58a and 58b under the governed of the pneumatic operator 100 will be such that the annular rings 61a and 61b will be drawn by the piston heads 56a and 56b, thereby causing the radial deployment of the arms 55a, 55b, 57a, 57b, 59a and 59b which are retained against axial movement by the spring loaded dish members 78 and 78b, to allow the annular rings 61a and 61b to move axially relative to the arms 55a, 55b, 57a, 57b, 59a and 59b beyond the first level of notches 65a and 65b thereof . When the pressure exerted by the pneumatic actuator 100 is released, the springs 76a and 76b will urge the pistons 58a and 58b and the annular rings 61a and 61b towards their original position but the respective beveled rims 63a and 63b of the annular rings 61a and 61b will fall into the second level of notches 65a and 65b of the arms 55a, 55b, 57a, 57b, 59a and 59b, which tend to return to their original closed position under the biasing force of the annular spring 66a and 66b, thereby preventing the pistons 58a and 58b from returning to their original resting position. When the brake shoe linings 84, 88 and 98 will become further worn, the annular rings 61 and 61b will automatically fall in the next level of notches 65a and 65b and so on. This mechanism allows to automatically compensating for the wear of the brake shoe linings 84, 88 and 98 to maintain the original adjustment of the parking brakes 22a and 22b irrespectively of the condition of the brake shoe linings 84, 88 and 98.

Claims: I claim : 1. In a disc brake assembly having a disc and a brake shoe movable towards and away from a friction surface provided on one face of the disc, a parking brake comprising a first pushing member for moving the brake shoe towards and away from the friction surface of the disc, a first movement transmitting member displaceable between a first position wherein said first movement transmitting member forces said first pushing member against a biasing force acting thereon to maintain the brake shoe in friction engagement with the disc and a second position wherein said first pushing member is free to move in a direction away from the disc to release the brake shoe from the friction surface of the disc, and a motive means to displace said first movement transmitting member between said first and second positions thereof. 2. A parking brake as defined in claim 1, wherein said first movement transmitting member includes a first cam having a cam surface engaged with a free distal end of said first pushing member. 3. A parking brake as defined in claim 2, wherein said motive means includes a piston and cylinder arrangement, and wherein said first cam is pivoted at one end thereof to said piston and cylinder arrangement and at a second opposite end thereof to a fixed support structure. 4. A parking brake as defined in claim 3, further comprising a second cam and a second pushing member, said piston and cylinder arrangement being connected at one end thereof opposite said first cam to said second cam to displace said second cam to a first position thereof in order to force said second pushing member against a biasing force acting thereon to maintain the brake shoe in frictional engagement with the disc. 5. A parking brake as defined in claim 4, wherein said cylinder and piston arrangement has a housing and a piston rod, said first and second cams being respectively pivotally connected to said housing and said piston rod to cause said cam to rotate in opposed directions upon axial movement of said piston rod relative to said housing. 6. A parking brake as defined in claim 5, wherein said piston rod is normally biased in a retracted position to maintain said first and second cams in respective first positions thereof so that said brake shoe be forced against the disc by said first and second pushing members. 7. A parking brake as defined in claim 3, wherein said piston and cylinder arrangement extends in a direction generally perpendicular to a direction of motion of said first pushing member, and wherein said first cam has a pivot axis perpendicular to said piston and cylinder arrangement . 8. A parking brake as defined in claim 1, wherein at least two ratchet arms are pivotally mounted to said first pushing member and biased towards a closed position wherein said ratchet arms are urged in toothed engagement with a pawl member, said ratchet arms having a number of axially spaced- apart level of notches, said pawl member being loosely mounted for limited axial movement along an axially extending brake shoe projection so that when the stroke of the brake shoe becomes greater than a permitted distance of travel of said pawl member on said brake shoe projection, said ratchet arms are pivoted to an open position thereof by said pawl member to allow said pawl member to fall into a next level of notches on said ratchet arms in order to compensate wear of said brake shoe. 9. A parking brake as defined in claim 8, wherein said brake shoe projection is biased in a direction away from said disc. 10. A parking brake as defined in claim 9, wherein said brake shoe projection is biased by a return spring . 11. A parking brake as defined in claim 8, further comprising a biasing member to prevent said first pushing member from being drawn by said brake shoe projection under normal brake mode operation. 12. A parking brake as defined in claim 11, wherein said biasing member is provided in the form of a spring-loaded dish member. 13. A parking brake for mechanical connection to a wheel of a vehicle for maintaining the vehicle stationary, comprising a disc adapted to be mounted to the wheel and having a friction surface on a face thereof, a brake shoe movable towards and away from said friction surface of said disc, and a brake actuator for normally maintaining said brake shoe against said friction surface, said brake actuator comprising a first pushing member biased in a direction away from said friction surface, said brake shoe being movable by said first pushing member, and a first cam displaceable by a motive means between a first position wherein said first pushing member is pushed against a biasing force thereof by said first cam and a second position wherein said first pushing member is allowed to return to a rest position thereof under the biasing force acting thereon, and wherein said brake shoe is applied against said friction surface as long as said first pushing member is pushed by said first cam against said biasing force thereof . 14. A parking brake as defined in claim 13, wherein said first cam has a cam surface engaged with a free distal end of said first pushing member. 15. A parking brake as defined in claim 14, wherein said motive means includes a piston and cylinder arrangement, and wherein said first cam is pivoted at one end thereof to said piston and cylinder arrangement and at a second opposite end thereof to a stationary bracket . 16. A parking brake as defined in claim 15, further comprising a second cam and a second pushing member, said piston and cylinder arrangement being connected at one end thereof opposite said first cam to said second cam to displace said second cam in order to force said second pushing member against a biasing force acting thereon to maintain the brake shoe in frictional engagement with the disc. 17. A parking brake as defined in claim 16, wherein said cylinder and piston arrangement has a housing and a piston rod, said first and second cams being respectively pivotally connected to said housing and said piston rod to cause said cam to rotate in opposed directions upon axial movement of said piston rod relative to said housing. 18. A parking brake as defined in claim 17, wherein said piston rod is normally biased in a retracted position to cause said first and second cams to force said first and second pushing members 19. A parking brake as defined in claim 13, wherein at least two ratchet arms are pivotally mounted to said first pushing member and biased towards a closed position wherein said ratchet arms are urged in toothed engagement with a pawl member, said ratchet arms having a number of axially spaced- apart level of notches, said pawl member being loosely mounted for limited axial movement along an axially extending brake shoe projection so that when the stroke of the brake shoe becomes greater than a permitted distance of travel of said pawl member on said brake shoe projection, said ratchet arms are pivoted to an open position thereof by said pawl member to allow said pawl member to fall into a next level of notches on said ratchet arms in order to compensate wear of said brake shoe. 20. A parking brake as defined in claim 19, wherein said brake shoe projection is biased in a direction away from said disc. 21. A parking brake as defined in claim 20, wherein said brake shoe projection is biased by a return spring. 22. A parking brake as defined in claim 19, further comprising a biasing member to prevent said first pushing member from being drawn by said brake shoe projection under normal brake mode operation. 23. A parking brake as defined in claim 22, wherein said biasing member is provided in the form of a spring-loaded dish member. 24. A self-adjusting brake for a wheel on a vehicle, comprising at least one disc adapted to be mounted to the wheel and having a friction surface on one face thereof, at least one brake shoe movable axially towards and away from said friction surface for friction engagement therewith and release thereof, and a brake actuator for displacing the brake shoe from an idle position to a functional position in which said brake shoe is urged against said friction surface of said disc, a wear compensating mechanism for automatically readjusting said idle position of said brake shoe to accommodate wear thereof, at least two pivotally mounted ratchet arms biased towards a closed position wherein said ratchet arms are urged in toothed engagement with a pawl member, said ratchet arms having a number of axially spaced-apart level of notches, said pawl member being loosely mounted for limited axial movement along an axially extending brake shoe projection so that when the stroke of the brake shoe becomes greater than a permitted distance of travel of said pawl member on said brake shoe projection, said ratchet arms are pivoted to an open position thereof by said pawl member to allow said pawl member to fall into a next level of notches on said ratchet arms .

Inventors: BOUFFARD GERARD, JUNEAU ANDRE, BOUFFARD, GERARD, JUNEAU, ANDRE
Applicants: BOUFFARD GERARD, JUNEAU ANDRE, NEW TECH GROUP INTERNAT INC, BOUFFARD, GERARD, JUNEAU, ANDRE, NEW TECH GROUP INTERNATIONAL INC
Application year: 2001
Main classification: F16D65
IPC codes: F16D65