Patent Publication Number: US-2007119666-A1

Title: Support bracket for an internally abutted brake pad and a hanging brake pad

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application relates to U.S. patent application Ser. No. [XX/XXX,XXX] filed on [______ ] titled Outer Pad Abutment Design for Frame Type Calipers, Attorney Docket No. 2448-000031. The above disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. 
    
    
     FIELD  
      The present teachings relate to a disc brake assembly and more specifically relate to a support bracket configured to receive both a hanging brake pad and an internally abutted brake pad.  
     BACKGROUND  
      In one example, a support bracket includes a pair of rails and/or pins from which pair of hanging pads extend and slidably move toward a rotor. A pressure plate formed in a portion of the rails may serve as a tension member under a braking load. Because in some designs it may not be structurally necessary to cast an additional tension member into the support bracket, the overall size of the support bracket may be reduced.  
      In another example and with reference to  FIG. 1 , a caliper assembly  1  may have a support bracket  2 , which may be configured to receive a pair of internally abutted brake pads  3 . The support bracket  2  that receives the pair of internally abutted brake pads  3  tends to deflect under braking loads relatively less than the above-mentioned support bracket having the pair of rails and/or pins. In this regard, the support bracket  2  may include an outer beam tension member  4  to reduce the deflection under the braking load. The support brackets  2  that are configured to receive the pair of internally abutted brake pads  3  are, however, relatively larger and heavier than the above mentioned support bracket with the pair of rails and associated hanging pads.  
     SUMMARY  
      The present teachings generally include a brake assembly having a hanging brake pad, an abutted brake pad and a caliper body that clamps the pads against a rotor. The brake system comprises a support bracket having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion defines an aperture that receives the abutted brake pad. The second portion extends generally perpendicular from the first portion. At least one rail extends from the second portion. The at least one rail receives the hanging brake pad and wherein the support bracket is adapted to connect to the caliper body.  
      Further areas of applicability of the present teachings will become apparent from the detailed description and the claims provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the specific examples in the detailed description, while indicating the various embodiments of the teachings, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present teachings.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The various embodiments of the present teachings will become more fully understood from the detailed description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a prior art perspective view of a brake caliper assembly including a support bracket having an outer beam tension member configured to internally abut a pair of brake pads; and  
       FIGS. 2 and 3  are perspective views of a disc brake assembly showing a rotor received by a support bracket having an internally abutted brake pad and a hanging brake pad constructed in accordance with the present teachings;  
       FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the disc brake assembly of  FIGS. 2 and 3 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the disc brake assembly of  FIG. 4  showing the caliper body in an unclamped or open position in accordance with the present teachings;  
       FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5  and shows the caliper in a clamped position;  
       FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of the outboard side of the support bracket of  FIGS. 2 and 3  in accordance with the present teachings;  
       FIG. 7B  is a perspective view of the inboard side of the support bracket of  FIG. 7A ;  
       FIG. 8A  is similar to  FIG. 7A  and shows a hanging brake pad connected to the support bracket in accordance with the present teachings;  
       FIG. 7B  is similar to  FIG. 8B  and shows the internally abutted brake pad held within the support bracket;  
       FIG. 9A  is a perspective view of the internally abutted brake pad of  FIG. 8B ; and  
       FIG. 9B  is a perspective view of the hanging pad of  FIG. 8A . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS  
      The following description of the various embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the teachings, their application, or uses.  
      The present teachings generally include a disc brake system  10 . While the present teachings are generally described and illustrated with reference to a vehicle and an exemplary associated suspension and drive train, the present teachings remain applicable in various applications to aid in slowing of rotating motion. With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the disc brake assembly  10  includes a caliper body  12 , a support bracket  14 , an outboard brake pad  16  and an inboard brake pad  18 . In one example, the support bracket  14  is configured to receive a hanging brake pad  20  and an internally abutted brake pad  22 . In this regard, the outboard brake pad  16  may define the hanging brake pad  20 , while the inboard brake pad  18  may define the internally abutted brake pad  22 . In other examples, the position of the brake pads may be reversed. The caliper body  12  may connect to the support bracket  14  and be moveable relative thereto when clamping the brake pads  16 ,  18  against a rotor  24  to slow the motion of a vehicle (not shown).  
      The support bracket  14  may define hanging rails  26  ( FIGS. 7A and 7B ) and an aperture  28 . The aperture  28  may serve as an internal abutment portion for the internally abutted brake pad  22 . The hanging rails  26  may include a front rail  26   a  and rear rail  26   b  from which the hanging brake pad  20  may be coupled. With regard to abutting the brake pad  22 , the aperture  28  may define a front abutment portion  30  and a rear abutment portion  32  that receive (i.e. abut) the internally abutted brake pad  22 .  
      The support bracket  14  may also define two mounting holes  34 . The mounting holes  34  may facilitate coupling the support bracket  14  locations on the vehicle (not shown) using various suitable methods. The support bracket  14  may further define two mounting bosses  36  in which an aperture  38  ( FIG. 7B ) is formed. A fastener  40  may couple the caliper body  12  to the support bracket  14  via the aperture  38  on the mounting boss  36  and further allow the caliper body  12  to move relative to the support bracket  14  when clamping against the rotor  24 . In this regard, the support bracket  14  remains fixed with the vehicle and the caliper body  12  moves relative to the rotor  24 .  
      In one example and with reference to  FIGS. 7A and 7B , the support bracket  14  is a single piece of material, i.e., monolithic. For example, the support bracket  14  may be made from a single casting. The support bracket  14  may define a bridging portion  42  that extends over the rotor  24 . The bridging portion  42  may extend in a generally perpendicular direction from a generally planar portion  44  of the support bracket  14 . The hanging rails  26  may extend from the bridging portion  42 . In this regard, the planar portion  44  may define the aperture  28  that receives (i.e., abuts) the internally abutted brake pad  22 , while the hanging rails  26  can hold the hanging brake pad  20 .  
      With regard to the hanging rails  26 , the front rail  26   a  includes a protrusion  46  that may face the rear rail  26   b . The rear rail  26   b  includes a protrusion  48  that may face the front rail  26   a . With reference to  FIGS. 9A and 9B , the brake pads  20 ,  22  include a backing member  50  and a friction material  52 . With reference to  FIG. 8B  and  FIG. 9B , the backing member  50  defines a front rail channel  58  and a rear rail channel  60 . The rail channels  58 ,  60  further define respective grooves  62 . In one example, the grooves  62  may be formed on inside walls of the rail channels  58 ,  60 . When the hanging brake pad  20  is received by (and hangs from) the rails  26 , the protrusions  46 ,  48  are received by the grooves  62  and thus hold the brake pad  20  to the rails  26 . When the caliper body  12  clamps the brake pads  20 ,  22  against the rotor  24 , the hanging brake pad  20  travels along the rails  26 , thus contacting the rotor  24  with the friction material  52  to slow the vehicle.  
      With reference to  FIGS. 7B and 8B , the support bracket  14  defines the aperture  28  that receives and abuts the internally abutted brake pad  22 . The front abutment portion  30  may define a front channel  66  and the rear abutment portion  32  may define a rear channel  68 . The backing member  50  of the internally abutted brake pad  22  may define a pair of flanges  70  ( FIG. 9A ) that is received in the front channel  66  and the rear channel  68 , respectively. More specifically, a front flange  70   a  ( FIGS. 9A ) may abut the front channel  66  formed in the front abutment portion  30  during a braking load, i.e., when the vehicle is slowed in a forward direction. A rear flange  70   b  ( FIG. 9A ) may similarly abut the rear channel  68  formed in the rear abutment portion  32  during an opposite braking load i.e., when the vehicle is slowed in a rearward direction. It will be appreciated that the internally abutted brake pad  22  is held within the aperture  28  while no braking load is supplied.  
      In one example and with reference to  8 A and  9 B, a front rail clip  72  may be disposed between the front rail  26   a  and the front rail channel  58 . A rear rail clip  74  may be disposed between the rear rail  26   b  and the rear rail channel  60 . With reference to  FIGS. 8B and 9A , a front abutment clip  76  may be disposed between the front abutment portion  30  and a front side  78  of the internally abutted brake pad  22 . The front side  78  of the brake pad  22  may further define the aforementioned front flange  70   a . A rear abutment clip  80  may be disposed between the rear abutment portion  32  and a rear side  82  of the internally abutted brake pad  22 . The rear side  82  of the brake pad  22  may define the aforementioned rear flange  70   b.    
      It may be shown that one or more of the clips  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  80  may reduce the friction between the above-mentioned portions and structures of the support bracket  14  and the pads  20 ,  22  between which the clips  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  80  are respectively disposed relative to contact therebetween without the clips  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  80 . Moreover, it may be shown that the clips  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  80  position and provide tension between the internally abutted brake pad  22 , the aperture  28 , the rails  26  and rail channels  66 ,  68 . The tension between the pads  20 ,  22  and the support bracket  14  may be shown to reduce noise, vibration or harshness in the disc brake assembly  10 .  
      With reference to  FIGS. 2, 3  and  4 , the caliper body  12  includes a first piston  84 , a second piston  86 , an inboard contact surface  88  and an outboard contact surface  90 . The pistons  84 ,  86  may be formed on (and behind) the inboard contact surface  88 . The outboard contact surface  90  is about opposite to the inboard contact surface  88 , i.e., on opposite sides of the rotor  24 . A face  92  of each piston  84 ,  86  contacts the backing member  50  of the inboard brake pad  18  (illustrated as the internally abutted brake pad  22 ).  
      An inboard shim  94  may be placed between the inboard brake pad  18  and the faces  92  of the pistons  84 ,  86  respectively. It will be appreciated when the pistons  84 ,  86  are fully retracted (i.e., flush or recessed with the caliper body  12 ), the inboard shim  94  ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) may contact the outboard contact surface  90 . The outboard contact surface  90  may abut the backing member  50  of the outboard brake pad  16  (illustrated as the hanging pad  20 ). An outboard shim  96  ( FIGS. 5 and 6 ) may be placed between the outboard brake pad  16  and the outboard contact surface  90  of the caliper body  12 . The caliper body  12  may also include a suitable hydraulic valve that may allow for addition, removal and/or maintenance of a hydraulic fluid within the first and second pistons  84 ,  86 .  
      In operation and with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the pistons  84 ,  86  may be extended and retracted by manipulating the hydraulic fluid pressure in the caliper body  12 . By increasing the hydraulic fluid pressure to the pistons  84 ,  86 , the pistons  84 ,  86  extend out of the caliper body  12  and define an extended or clamping position  98 . By reducing the hydraulic pressure to the pistons  84 ,  86 , the pistons  84 ,  86  retreat into the caliper body  12  and define an unclamped or retracted position  100 . In the clamped position  98 , the faces  92  of the respective pistons  84 ,  86  urge the inboard brake pad  18  toward an inboard face  102  of the rotor  24 . The caliper body  12  also moves relative to the support bracket  14  and the rotor  24  and therefore urges the outboard brake pad  16  toward an outboard face  104  of the rotor  24 . The friction material  52  on the inboard and the outboard brake pads  16 ,  18  contact the faces  102 ,  104  of the rotor  24 . The pistons  84 ,  86  may continue to urge the pads  16 ,  18  against the rotor  24 , thereby clamping the rotor  24  and reducing its rotational velocity to thereby slow the vehicle. By contacting the rotor  24 , the friction material  52  on the brake pads  20 ,  22  wear due to the heat and abrasion while engaging the rotor  24 .  
      Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings may be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while the present teachings have been described in connection with the specific examples thereof, the true scope of the present teachings should not be so limited because other modifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims.