Patent Publication Number: US-2020300315-A1

Title: Restricting device for restricting brake rotor from rotating during maintenance

Description:
The present invention is a Continuation-In-Part application of applicant&#39;s former patent application with the application Ser. No. 16/165,032, filed on Oct. 19, 2018. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Fields of the Invention 
     2. Descriptions of Related Art 
     JP 2000-274511 discloses a differential which is connected to two axles that are respectively connected to two wheels. A set of gears secures the differential by bolts. The set of gears transfers the output energy from the engine to the differential so as to drive the wheels. JP2000-274511 provides a device that replaces the differential and includes a portion that is connected to the set of gears, and another portion that is connected to the axles so as to restrict rotation of the axles. 
     When the bolts are to be removed, the axles rotate freely, this requires one person to secure the brake rotor that is connected with the axle, and another person to remove the bolts. In other words, this task requires two persons to finish and therefore reduces the efficiency or work. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 9,376,300 discloses an end piece of wheel cylinder piston adjustor and which discloses two rock arms which are pivotably located between a seat body and a guide body. The guide body includes two slots. Each rock arm has a pin-shaped locating body which movably extends through the slot corresponding thereto. The rock arm is pivotably connected along the periphery of the seat body. When moving the pin-shaped locating bodies along the two slots, the distance between the pin-shaped locating bodies is adjusted. 
     The end piece is used to push the wheel cylinder piston back into the piston room for replacing the worn linings with new ones. 
     The present invention is intended to provide a restriction device that is installed to the brake rotor so as to restrict rotation of the shaft and the brake disk of the brake rotor to eliminate the drawbacks mentioned above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a restriction device for restricting brake rotor from rotating. The brake rotor  30  includes a brake disk which includes a disk body and a hub which protrudes axially from the center of the disk body. A brake caliper is mounted to outside of the disk body and overlapped a portion of the disk body. The brake caliper is cooperated with brake pads which are located between the brake disk and the brake caliper. The hub includes multiple connection parts. The restriction device comprises a bridge including a connection portion and a locking portion respective formed on two ends thereof. The connection portion has a protrusion which extends from the first side of the bridge and is adapted to be connected to connection parts of the hub. The locking portion has a tubular part which is connected to the second side of the bridge. The tubular part is configured to be located between the hub of the disk body and the brake caliper. The tubular part is configured to contact one of two ends of the brake caliper to restrict rotation of brake disk. 
     Preferably, a locking member extends through the bridge and is connected to the tubular part. 
     Preferably, the bridge includes a first hole and a second hole defined therein. The first hole is located corresponding to the protrusion. The second hole is located corresponding to the tubular part. The locking member extends through the second hole and is connected with a nut. 
     The present invention requires only one person to remove bolts of the brake rotor. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view to show the restriction device of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows the wheel drive system of a vehicle; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates the brake rotor and brake caliper of a vehicle; 
         FIG. 4  shows the restriction device of the present invention is installed to the brake rotor; 
         FIG. 5  shows that the tubular part of the restriction device of the present invention contacts one of two ends of the brake caliper, and 
         FIG. 6  shows that the tubular part of the restriction device of the present invention contacts the other one of two ends of the brake caliper. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the wheel drive system of a vehicle  1  includes an engine  2 , a clutch  3 , a drive shaft  7  and a transmission  4 . A differential  8  is connected to the drive shaft  7 , and the differential  8  is connected to two wheels  5 ,  6  by two axles  9 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , each wheel  5 / 6  is cooperated with a brake rotor  30  which are driven by hydraulic cylinders to brake the vehicle  1 . The output of the engine  2  is transferred to the drive shaft  7 , and the differential  8  receives the power from the drive shaft  7  and drives the two axles  9  to rotate the two wheels  5 ,  6 . 
     The brake rotor  30  as shown in  FIG. 3  includes a brake disk  31  which includes a disk body  34  and a hub  36  protrudes axially from the center of the disk body  34 . A brake caliper  32  is located outside of the disk body  34  and is cooperated with brake pads  33  which are used to stop the rotation of the brake disk  31 . The thickness of the hub  36  is larger than that of the brake disk  31 . The brake caliper  32  is mounted to a portion of the brake disk  31  and the brake pads  33  are located between the brake disk  31  and the brake caliper  32  so that when the brake caliper  32  is activated, the brake pads  33  are moved to touch the brake disk  31  to stop the wheel  5 / 6 . The hub  36  includes multiple connection parts  38  which include bolts and nuts. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the restriction device  10  of the present invention comprises a bridge  16  which includes a connection portion  12  and a locking portion  14  respectively formed on two ends thereof. The bridge  16  is an elongate board that has a certain thickness and includes a first hole  15  and a second hole  17  defined therein. The connection portion  12  has a protrusion  22  which extends perpendicularly from the first side of the bridge  16 . The protrusion  22  is adapted to be connected to the connection parts  38  on the brake rotor  30 . The locking portion  14  includes a tubular part  18  which is perpendicularly connected to the second side of the bridge  16 . The tubular part  18  is to be in contact with the brake caliper  32  to restrict rotation of brake disk  31 . The first hole  15  is located corresponding to the protrusion  22 , and the second hole  17  is located corresponding to the tubular part  18 . The protrusion  22  of the connection portion  12  is connected to one of the connection parts  38  on the hub  36 . 
     The tubular part  18  includes a locking member  25  which extends through the second hole  17  and is locked by a nut  20 . The brake disk  31  is restricted from rotating when the tubular part  18  contacts the brake caliper  32 . 
     When unscrewing the bolts of the axle  9  and the differential  8 , the axle  9  freely rotates and this may affect the maintenance processes. As shown in  FIG. 4 , when removing the bolts and nuts that connecting the center of the brake disk  31  to the axle  9 , the brake disk  31  and the axle  9  rotate freely as well. Although the technician can use a wrench to control the rotation of the brake disk  31 , but this is not an easy job. The same problem is expected when removing the bolts connecting the axle  9  and the differential  8 . Therefore, it requires two technicians to do the task. On the contrary, only one technician is required when using the restriction device  10  of the present invention. 
     When using the restriction device of the present invention, the wheel is removed and the connection parts  38  are exposed. The tubular part  18  is located between the hub  36  of the disk body  34  and the brake caliper  32 , and the protrusion  22  is connected to one of the connection parts  38  and secured by a nut as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     The bolts connecting the axle  9  and the differential  8  are then rotated, and the brake disk  31  is therefore rotated an angle. The base  18  then contacts one of two ends of the caliper  32  as shown in  FIG. 5 . Because the tubular part  18  is stopped by the caliper  32 , the axle  9  and the brake disk  31  now do not rotate. Therefore, the bolts connecting the shaft  9  and the differential  8  can be easily unscrewed. 
     After the maintenance, and the bolts are rotated in reverse direction to fasten the axle  9  to the differential  8 , the brake disk  31  will rotate, and the tubular part  18  is moved to another position to contact the other one of the two ends of the caliper  32  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Therefore, the brake disk  31  is restricted from rotating, and the axle  9  does not rotate either. The bolts connecting the shaft  9  and the differential  8  can be easily fastened and connected to the nuts. After the task is finished, the nut  20  on the locking portion  14  is removed, the restriction device  10  can then be removed from the brake disk  31 . Only one technician is required when using the restriction device  10  of the present invention. 
     While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.