Patent Publication Number: US-2022221014-A1

Title: Brake caliper of disc brake, disc brake system and detecting device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a brake caliper for a disc brake. 
     In particular, the present invention relates to a brake caliper comprising a detecting device. 
     The present invention further relates to a disc brake system and a vehicle comprising said disc brake system. 
     Furthermore, the present invention relates to a detecting device of a brake caliper. 
     PRIOR ART 
     In a disc brake, the brake caliper is generally arranged straddling the outer peripheral margin of a brake disc, adapted to rotate about a rotation axis defining an axial direction (X-X). In a disc brake, a radial direction (R-R), which is substantially orthogonal to said axial direction (X-X), and a tangential (T-T) or circumferential direction (T-T), orthogonal to both said axial direction (X-X) and said radial direction (R-R), is further defined. 
     Brake calipers are constrained to a support structure which remains stationary with respect to the vehicle wheel, such as, for example, a stub axle of a vehicle suspension, or a vehicle wheel hub, or a fork or swingarm of a motorcycle. A brake caliper usually comprises a caliper body having two opposite elongated portions arranged to face opposite braking surfaces of a brake disc respectively, and at least one caliper bridge, which connects said two elongated portions which protrude straddling the disc. 
     In a typical arrangement of a disc brake on a motorcycle, a braking surface of the brake disc faces towards the wheel of the motorcycle defining the axial side facing the motorcycle side or to the wheel, of the disc brake, while the other opposite braking surface of the brake disc faces towards the axially opposite direction, defining the side opposite to the motorcycle, or opposite wheel side, of the disc brake. 
     The part of the caliper facing the side of the disc opposite to the motorcycle typically has fixing means to the fork. Furthermore, the elongated portion of the caliper body facing the side of the disc opposite to the motorcycle has an important extension in an axial direction forming an overhanging portion which projects axially away from both the motorcycle wheel and the fork. 
     Clutch pads are provided arranged between each elongated portion of the caliper body and the facing braking surfaces of the brake disc. 
     In the floating caliper bodies associated with fixed discs, a floating or axially sliding portion of the caliper body has thrust means, e.g. a hydraulically actuated piston-cylinder assembly or an electrically actuated ball screw assembly on only one of its opposing elongated portions. Such thrust means apply a thrust action on the back of the facing brake pad to certify the friction material of the brake pad against a braking surface of the brake disc. 
     When the brake pad was abutted against such braking surface of the brake disc by the action of said thrust means, the floating or axially sliding body of the brake caliper undergoes an axial reaction force aimed at taking the opposite elongated portion of the brake caliper which mounts a brake pad against the opposite braking surface of the brake disc, thereby generating the braking action on both sides of the braking band of the brake disc. Axial guides are typically provided, e.g. in the form of pins, to guide the relative sliding of the floating portion of the brake caliper on the bracket, which is connected to a support structure integral with the motorcycle, in turn. 
     Typically, the elongated portion of the caliper body which mounts the thrust means and the attachment portion of the caliper body which is intended to form a firm connection to a support structure, which remains stationary with respect to the motorcycle, are provided on the side of the caliper which is facing towards the outside of the motorcycle. In this manner, the caliper body protrudes axially in relation to the dimension of the wheel of the motorcycle. 
     It is also generally known to mount floating brake calipers associated with fixed discs on a vehicle. In this case, the elongated portion which comprises the thrust means is typically arranged on the caliper side facing the vehicle as well as the vehicle connecting elements, while the side opposite to the vehicle, which is typically facing the vehicle wheel, is free from thrust means, and, therefore, has a smaller overhanging axial extension. 
     Therefore, the need is felt to reduce the axial dimensions of the elongated portion of the caliper body on the side of the disc opposite to the vehicle. 
     On the contrary, in the fixed caliper bodies associated with fixed discs, thrust means, e.g. cylinder-piston assemblies, are present in both the opposite elongated portions of the caliper body capable of applying a thrust action on the friction pad facing it, by making it abut against the braking surface of the disc, without needing to move the caliper body axially. 
     Fixed caliper bodies associated with fixed discs are also known, in which only one of the elongated portions of the caliper body has one or more cylinders adapted to accommodate hydraulic pistons capable of applying a thrust action on the friction pad facing it, making it abut against the braking surface of the disc, which in turn slides axially on its support and abuts against the opposite friction pad to apply the braking action. 
     In the known electro-actuated brake caliper solutions, e.g. as shown in document US-2017-0321773, in which the thrust means are electrically actuated and comprise, according to some known examples, a ball screw assembly in which the screw is moved by the electric motor and the nut screw or scroll or slider, moving axially on the screw and with respect to the caliper body, is intended to act as a piston or to push the piston to make the brake pad abut against the facing braking surface. 
     Therefore, in the case of electro-actuated brake calipers, the braking control is activated by the driver of the vehicle and, through suitably designed transducers, is translated into a sequence of drive signals of the electric motor which move the screw of the ball screw assembly, thereby determining the axial movement of the nut screw or scroll or slider. 
     Typically, such electric motor associated with the thrust means of an electro-actuated brake caliper, e.g. the screw of a ball screw assembly, is controlled by a loop control with feedback from sensors located on parts of the motor itself. 
     Such a solution, however, is not without drawbacks because the loop control with feedback thus obtained does not necessarily take into account the structural and dynamic effects caused by friction and deformation of the brake caliper or its parts, e.g. the brake caliper body. 
     Furthermore, in floating brake calipers, the axial guiding elements of the sliding or floating portion of the brake caliper can generate dynamic effects which are due to friction between the components in relative axial sliding. 
     Solutions which mount a sensor on the body of the electro-actuated brake caliper in the form of an elongated element which extends axially overhanging alongside the pads are known to estimate the braking torque applied on the brake disc based on the detection of the tangential deflection of the elongated element of the sensor, e.g. as shown in document US-2013-0233065. 
     However, this solution, which provides the sensor housed in an elongated cantilevered element placed tangentially alongside the brake pads, necessarily requires to take into account the axial thinning of the friction material of the brake pad due to prolonged use, which generates the gradual displacement in an axial direction towards the disc of the contact point between the side of the brake pad plate, which thus determines the deflection of the elongated cantilevered element that mounts the sensor. 
     It is therefore strongly felt the need to provide a solution to detect the force exchanged between the brake caliper and the brake disc. 
     The need is therefore strongly felt to provide improved control over the axial thrust action applied on at least one brake pad of a brake caliper to compensate for the structural and dynamic effects due to friction and deformation of the brake caliper or its parts which have an effect on the braking action. 
     Solution 
     It is an object of the present invention to solve the drawbacks of the prior art and to provide a solution to the needs described hereto with reference to the prior art. 
     These and other objects are achieved by a brake caliper according to claim  1 , as well as by a disc brake according to claim  8 , as well as by a detecting device according to claim  10 . 
     Some advantageous embodiments are the object of the dependent claims. 
     By virtue of the suggested solutions, it is possible to detect the axial force exchanged between the caliper body of a brake caliper and the brake disc during the braking action. 
    
    
     
       FIGURE 
       Further features and advantages of the brake caliper, of the brake disc system and of the detecting device will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a vertical elevation view of a brake caliper, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a section view taken along the plotting plane identified by arrows II-II in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlargement of a portion of the brake caliper in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a view of an elastic device of a detecting device, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial section axonometric view of a brake caliper, according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a section view of the brake caliper in  FIG. 1 , in which such a section is taken along a plotting plane parallel to the axial and radial directions; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlargement of a portion of the brake caliper in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an axonometric view of a disc brake system according to a further embodiment, mounted on a motorcycle. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     According to a general embodiment, a brake caliper  1  for a disc brake  2  is provided. 
     In a disc brake  2  an axial direction X-X is defined either coinciding with or parallel to the rotation axis A-A- of the disc  3  of the disc brake  2 , a radial direction R-R orthogonal to the axial direction X-X, and a tangential direction T-T, orthogonal to both the axial direction X-X and to the radial direction R-R. 
     Said brake caliper  1  comprises a caliper body  4 , adapted to straddle the disc  3 . 
     Said caliper body  4  comprises a first elongated portion  5  adapted to face a first braking surface  6  of the disc  3 , and a second elongated portion  7 , opposite to said first elongated portion  5  and adapted to face a second braking surface  8  of the disc  3  opposed to said first braking surface  6 . 
     Said caliper body  4  further comprises at least one bridge  9  to connect said first elongated portion  5  and said second elongated portion  7  to each other arranged straddling the disc  3 . 
     Said brake caliper  1  further comprises at least one pair of opposite brake pads  10 ,  20 , comprising a first brake pad  10  and a second brake pad  20 . 
     Each brake pad  10 ,  20  of said at least one pair of opposite brake pads  10 ,  20  comprises friction material  11 ,  21 , and a support plate  12 ,  22 , which supports said friction material  11 ,  21 . Said support plate  12 ,  22  of each brake pad  10 ,  20  comprises a plate back  13 ,  23  facing a respective elongated portion  5  or  7  of said elongated portions  5 ,  7  of the caliper body  4 . 
     In this manner, said first brake pad  10  comprises first friction material  11  and a first support plate  12  comprising a first plate back  13  and said second brake pad  20  comprises second friction material  21  and a second support plate  22  comprising a second plate back  23 . 
     Said brake caliper  1  further comprises at least one thrust device  14  comprising an actuator  16 , adapted to apply a thrust action on said plate back  13  to abut said first brake pad  10  of said pair of brake pads  10 ,  20  against a braking surface  6  of said facing braking surfaces  6 ,  8  of the disc  3 . According to an embodiment, said thrust device  14  comprises at least one piston  44 , adapted to press against the plate back  13  of the first brake pad  10 . 
     According to an embodiment, said actuator  16  comprises a ball screw assembly designed to apply an axial thrust action on a piston  44  to push said first brake pad  10  axially to make it abut it against a facing braking surface  6  of the disc  3 . 
     According to an embodiment, said caliper body  4  further comprises at least one housing adapted to receive at least one portion of said at least one thrust device  14 . According to an embodiment, said at least one housing of the caliper body  4  comprises a housing bottom wall  18  facing in the axial direction X-X, and at least one housing edge  19 , facing said back plate  13  of the first one brake pad  10 . According to an embodiment, said piston  44  is associated with a seal  45  to prevent the infiltration of water or foreign bodies, such as dust or gravel, into the actuator. 
     Said brake caliper  1  further comprises at least one detecting device  15 , adapted to detect a biasing force directed in axial direction X-X. 
     Advantageously, said detecting device  15  of the brake caliper  1  is interposed in axial direction X-X, either directly or indirectly, e.g. by the interposition of one or more components, e.g. such as a slewing ring body  29  and/or a slider  32 , between said plate back  23  of said second brake pad  20  of said pair of brake pads  10 ,  20  and an elongated portion  7  of the caliper body  4 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the provision of an actuator  16  between said detecting device  15  and said plate back  23  of said second brake pad  20  of said brake pad pair  10 ,  20  is avoided. 
     Improved measurement accuracy of the axial force exchanged between said second brake pad  20  and said second elongated portion  7  caliper body  4  is achieved by avoiding the provision of an actuator  16  axially placed between the detecting device  15  and the plate back  23  of the second brake pad  20 . 
     Such a detecting device  15 , which is therefore located axially between the caliper body  4  and the second brake pad  20 , allows a precise and reliable measurement of the axial force exchanged with the brake disc during the braking action, which takes into account the effect of the friction between the brake caliper components in relative motion, e.g. in a relative sliding motion, as well as deformation of parts of the caliper body and/or the brake caliper itself. 
     Furthermore, the estimate of the axial force exchanged with the disc which can be obtained with such a detecting device  15 , makes it possible to carry out a loop control with feedback on the thrust means. For example, such an estimate of the exchanged axial force can be stored by a control unit and compared with the power supply of an electric motor driving the thrust means of an electro-actuated brake caliper to diagnose possible malfunctions. 
     For example, in the case of a floating or axially sliding caliper, the friction due to the sliding of the axially sliding portion of the brake caliper necessarily generates a dissipation of the mechanical power generated by the electric motor. By virtue of such a detecting device  15 , it is possible to estimate the force actually exchanged with the disc and therefore to evaluate the dissipations which arise due to friction. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, said connecting device  15  comprises at least one load cell  25 . Preferably, said load cell  25  comprises at least one piezoelectric element. 
     According to an embodiment, said load cell  25  is adapted to work by deflection. In this manner, the load cell  25  is provided, for example, with a strain gage which detects the elongation of a deflected portion of the load cell body when measuring the force exchanged with the brake disc. 
     According to an embodiment, said load cell  25  is adapted to work in compression. 
     According to an embodiment, said load cell  25  comprises at least one contact ridge  26 ,  26 ′, adapted to define a stretch of axial contact  27 ,  27 ′ against a body axially abutting against said load cell  25 . 
     According to an embodiment, said load cell  25  comprises at least two contact ridges  26  and  26 ′, axially opposed to each other and the body of load cell  25 , each contact ridge  26  or  26 ′ of said at least two contact ridges  26 ,  26 ′ is adapted to define an axial contact stretch  27 ,  27 ′ against a body axially opposed to said load cell  25 . 
     According to an embodiment, said axial contact stretch  27 ,  27 ′ is at least an arc of a circumference. According to an embodiment, said axial contact stretch  27 ,  27 ′ is a circumference. 
     According to an embodiment, the detecting device  15  comprises a connector  52  adapted to form an operational connection to a brake control, e.g. by means of one or more transducer units. According to an embodiment, said connector  52  comprises at least one sealing portion  33 ″, e.g. a collar  53 , to achieve a mechanical interference coupling with a portion of the caliper body  4 . Preferably, said collar  53  applies a retaining action. According to an embodiment, said caliper body  4 , and preferably said second elongated portion  7  of the caliper body  4  delimits an access channel to the load cell  25  which receives said connector  52 . 
     According to an embodiment, said load cell  25  has an annular body which develops about a through opening  28 . In this manner, it is possible to accommodate other components of the brake caliper  1  at least partially inside said through opening  29 , thereby reducing the axial dimensions of the caliper body  4 . In this manner, it is possible to accommodate an anti-rotation device at least partially in the through opening  29  of the load cell  25 , for example. 
     According to an embodiment, said detecting device  15  comprises at least one slewing ring body  29  interposed in axial direction X-X between said plate back  23  of said second brake pad  20  and said load cell  25 . 
     According to an embodiment, said at least one slewing ring body  29  is adapted to abut axially against said contact ridge  26  of the load cell  25 . 
     According to an embodiment, said at least one slewing ring body  29  has an annular body which surrounds a through opening of slewing ring body. Preferably, said a through opening of a slewing ring coupling body is in axis, or coaxial, with said through opening  29  of the load cell  25 . 
     According to an embodiment, said detecting device  15  further comprises at least one elastic device  30 . 
     According to an embodiment, said elastic device  30  is adapted to apply a direct preload action in axial direction X-X between said load cell  25 , and preferably said contact ridge  26  of the load cell  25 , and said at least one slewing ring body  29 . 
     According to an embodiment, said elastic element  30  comprises one or more conical spring washers  47 . Preferably, said elastic device comprises a plurality of conical spring washers  47  stacked in axial direction X-X. 
     According to an embodiment, said elastic device  30  further comprises a regulating device  46 , e.g. comprising an adjustment screw cooperating with a nut, said adjustment device  46  being adapted to carry said slewing ring body  29  into axial abutment on said load cell  25 , thereby applying a preload action. The measurement error of the load cell  25  is minimized in this manner. 
     According to an embodiment, said plurality of conical spring washers  47  has an annular body which embraces the stem  48  of said adjustment screw of said adjustment device  46 . According to an embodiment, the head  50  of the adjustment screw of the adjustment device  46  abuts axially against said slewing ring body  29 , thereby biasing it axially against said load cell  25 . 
     According to an embodiment, said elastic device  30  comprises at least one abutment body  49  which forms an axial abutment surface for said plurality of conical spring washers  47  to apply said preload action. For example, said abutment body  49  is essentially cup-shaped with a through opening in its bottom wall. By virtue of the provision of such an abutment body  49 , said elastic device  30  forms a cartridge system with said adjustment device  46  which can be inserted axially into the brake caliper body  1 . 
     According to an embodiment, said second elongated portion  7  of the caliper body  4  comprises at least one axial guiding wall  31 , which extends in axial direction X-X between said plate back  23  of the second brake pad  20  and said load cell  25 . 
     According to an embodiment, said detecting device  15  further comprises at least one slider  32 , preferably associated in sealed manner with said at least one axial guiding wall  31 , e.g. through the interposition of an O-ring  33 , said at least one slider  32  cooperating with said at least one axial guiding wall  31  to slide in axial direction X-X when pushed by said second brake pad  20  during the braking action. 
     According to an embodiment, said at least one slider  32  comprises at least one axial guiding counter-wall  34  in contact with said at least one axial guiding wall  32  of the caliper body  4  to a predetermined axial extension X 3 . 
     According to an embodiment, said at least one slider  32  comprises an abutment surface  36 , adapted to abut axially against said plate back  23  of said second brake pad  20 . 
     Therefore, such a slider  32  is only adapted to bias the load cell  25  in an axial direction either directly or indirectly through the interposition of the said slewing ring body  29 . 
     The provision of said at least one contact ridge  26  defining a contact section  27 ,  27 ′ with said slewing ring body  29  and/or with said slider  32 , guarantees that only axial stresses are transmitted to the load cell  25 , thereby avoiding the transmission of flexural or torsional stresses, which could interfere with the reading of the detecting device  15 . Preferably, said at least two contact ridges  26 ,  26 ′, when observed, in section ideally define a single point of contact with said slewing ring body  29  and at least one point of contact with an annular abutment body  38 . 
     Preferably, said at least two contact ridges  26 ,  26 ′ are placed at different diameters of the annular body of the load cell to form two contact circumferences  27 ,  27 ′ which are substantially concentric and coaxial. Preferably, a strain gage is applied between the two contact ridges  26 ,  26 ′ to detect the elongation due to the bending of the annular body of the load cell  25  between said two contact ridges  26 ,  26 ′. 
     According to an embodiment, said slider  32  is made of thermally insulating material, e.g. phenolic resin. In this manner, the load cell  25  is protected from interferences caused by thermal stress. Preferably, said slider  32  is unsuitable for deformation by the effect of thermal stress when under operating conditions. 
     According to an embodiment, one or more seals are associated with the load cell body  25  to provide a protective seal against infiltrations. 
     According to an embodiment, an annular abutment body  38 , e.g. made of steel, is associated with the body of load cell  25  to form an axial abutment and radial positioning reference for the load cell  25 . The provision of such an annular body  38  also makes it possible to form a non-deformable abutment reference in operating conditions. 
     According to an embodiment, said detecting device  15  comprises at least one sealing element  33 ,  33 ′,  33 ′″, and preferably a plurality of sealing elements  33 ,  33 ′,  33 ′″, which define a sealed chamber  35  which receives at least said load cell  25 . In this manner, foreign bodies, as well as liquids, are prevented from interfering with the reading of the load cell  25 . According to an embodiment, said sealing elements comprise O-rings and/or sealed threaded connections. 
     According to an embodiment, a pneumatic device  37  is provided to eject, and to assemble, at least one component from the said sealed chamber  35  defined by the detecting device  15 . Indeed, by virtue of said pneumatic device  37  which comprises a pipe, an undesirable increase in chamber pressure, which could lead to failure to reach the resting position of the slider  32 , is avoided. 
     Preferably, said pneumatic device  37  comprises at least one pipe leading onto a wall of said slider  32 , e.g. said abutment surface  36 , to disassociate said slider  32  from the caliper body  4  when activated, e.g. by blowing compressed air. Disassembly operations are facilitated in this manner. 
     According to an embodiment, said actuator  16  of the thrust device  14  is associated with an electrically powered motor  41 . For example, said motor  41  comprises a rotor and a stator both received in the caliper body  4 , and preferably in the first elongated portion  5  of the caliper body  4 . 
     According to an embodiment, said brake caliper  1  further comprises a bracket  42  comprising fixing means  43  for fixing said brake caliper  1  for a vehicle  40 . 
     According to an embodiment, said caliper body  4  is adapted to slide in axial direction X-X with respect to the bracket  42  to apply the braking action. In this manner, a floating brake caliper  1  is made. 
     According to an embodiment, said caliper body  4  is made in a single piece. In other words, it is a monobloc. Preferably, said caliper body  4  is made with a single casting. 
     According to an embodiment, said caliper body  4  is monobloc and is adapted to slide on the bracket  42 . 
     According to a general embodiment, a disc brake system  2  comprises at least one brake caliper  1  according to any one of the embodiments described above. 
     Said disc brake system  2  further comprises at least one disc  3 . Said disc  3  defines a rotation axis A-A. In said disc brake system  2  an axial direction X-X is defined either coinciding with or parallel to the rotation axis A-A- of the disc  3  of the disc brake  2 , a radial direction R-R orthogonal to the axial direction X-X, and a tangential direction T-T, orthogonal to both the axial direction X-X and to the radial direction R-R. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, said disc brake system  2  further comprises at least one braking control. Preferably, said braking control comprises a control lever. 
     Preferably, the term “braking control” means a control interface intended to receive a control from a driver of the vehicle  40  to apply a braking action. 
     Preferably, the term “braking action” means the clamping action of the opposite braking surfaces  6 ,  8  applied by the opposite brake pads  10 ,  20  of the brake caliper  1  when activated by the thrust device  14 , thereby generating a braking torque. 
     Preferably, the term “braking torque” means the force generated by the brake pads  10 ,  20  to brake the disc  3  applied on the opposite braking surfaces  6 ,  8  at a predefined radial distance from the rotation axis A-A of the disc  3 . 
     According to an embodiment, said disc brake system  2  comprises at least one electric motor  41  for the activation of said thrust device  14 . 
     According to an embodiment, said disc brake system  2  comprises at least one transducer unit operationally connected to said braking control and said detecting device  15 . 
     Preferably, said at least one transduction unit is configured to transmit a control signal to said thrust device  14 , e.g. by activation of said electric motor  41 , based on a control action transmitted by the braking control when activated by the driver of the vehicle. 
     According to a general embodiment, the vehicle  40  comprises at least one disc brake  2  according to any one of the embodiments described above. 
     Preferably, said vehicle  40  is a motorcycle  40 . 
     For example, said motorcycle  40  is adapted to lean when cornering. 
     According to an embodiment, said motorcycle  40  comprises at least one fork  51  associated with said bracket  42  through fixing means  43 . 
     According to an embodiment, said first elongated portion  5  of the caliper body  4 , which receives said electric motor  41  of the brake caliper  1 , is placed on the side of disc  3  facing said fork  51 , projecting axially beyond the axial level of said fork  51  by a predetermined amount  55 . 
     According to an embodiment, said second elongated portion  7  of the caliper body  4 , comprising said detecting device  15 , is placed on the side of disc  3  facing the motorcycle wheel  56 . 
     According to an embodiment, said braking control  17  comprises a control lever preferably associated with the handlebar of the motorcycle  40 . 
     According to an embodiment, at least one detecting device  15 , adapted to detect a biasing force directed in axial direction X-X. 
     Said detecting device  15  comprises at least one load cell  25 . 
     Said load cell  25  comprises at least one contact ridge  26 ,  26 ′, adapted to define an axial contact stretch  27 ,  27 ′ preferably a circumference against a body axially abutting against said load cell  25 . Preferably, said body axially abutting against said load cell  25  is a brake pad  10 ,  20 . In this manner, it is possible to detect the axial force exchanged between the brake disc and the brake pad  10 ,  20  which is the first member of the brake caliper which provides the force to the brake disc during the braking action. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, said load cell  25  has an annular body which develops about a through opening  28 . 
     According to an embodiment, said detecting device  15  comprises at least one of the features described in any one of the embodiments described above. 
     According to a general embodiment, a vehicle is provided comprising at least one detecting device according to any one of the embodiments described above. According to an embodiment, said vehicle is a car. According to an embodiment, said vehicle is a motorcycle. 
     By virtue of the features described above, provided either separately or in combination, it is possible to respond to the needs mentioned above, and to obtain the aforesaid advantages, in particular:
         the brake control, typically a control lever and/or brake pedal, is provided with feedback on the force exchanged between brake pad and caliper body;   it provides an electro-actuated floating brake caliper with unusual performance in terms of control by the driver of the vehicle even in emergency situations, as well as improved comfort for the driver of the vehicle;   it is possible to detect, as needed, only the axial stress exchanged between brake pad and caliper body, avoiding to detect shear, bending and/or torsional stress;   it is possible to house a body, e.g. an elastic device, within the overall dimensions of the load cell  25 , thereby reducing the overall dimensions of the brake caliper, the performance being the same;   a compact caliper body is provided, particularly in the axial direction, reducing the axial dimension of the cantilevered portion of the brake caliper.   it is possible to integrate the anti-rotation in the piston and not in the caliper body, thereby resulting in a further reduction of dimensions;   it is possible to make the monoblock caliper body, even in the case of a floating brake caliper;   the brake caliper can be mounted from a single axial side of the brake disc;   it is possible to preload the sensor impacting on external dimensions, using a masked volume;   it makes it possible to simplify the transmission-screw mechanical layout for the removal of the sensor component and above all of the management of electrical contacts.       

     The person skilled in the art may make many changes and adaptations to the embodiments described above or may replace elements with others which are functionally equivalent to satisfy contingent needs without however departing from the scope of the appended claims. 
     LIST OF REFERENCES 
     
         
           1 . Brake caliper 
           2 . Disc brake system, or disc brake 
           3 . Disc brake disc 
           4 . Caliper body 
           5 . First elongated portion of the caliper body 
           6 . First braking surface of the disc 
           7 . Second elongated portion of the caliper body 
           8 . Second braking surface of the disc 
           9 . Caliper body bridge 
           10 . First brake pad 
           11 . Friction material of the first brake pad 
           12 . Support plate of the first brake pad 
           13 . Back plate of the first brake pad 
           14 . Thrust device 
           15 . Detecting device 
           16 . Actuator 
           18 . Housing bottom wall 
           19 . Housing edge 
           20 . Second brake pad 
           21 . Friction material of the second brake pad 
           22 . Support plate of the second brake pad 
           23 . Back plate of second brake pad 
           25 . Load cell 
           26 ,  26 ′ Contact ridges 
           27 ,  27 ′. Contact stretches 
           28 . Through opening of the load cell 
           29 . Slewing ring body 
           30 . Elastic device 
           31 . Guide axial wall 
           32 . Slider 
           33 ,  33 ′,  33 ′″ Sealing element 
           34 . Axial guiding counter-wall 
           35 . Sealed chamber of the detecting device 
           36 . Slider abutment surface 
           37 . Ejection device 
           38 . Abutment annular body 
           40 . Vehicle or motorcycle 
           41 . Electric motor 
           42 . Brake caliper bracket 
           43 . Fixing means 
           44 . Thrust device piston 
           45 . Seal 
           46 . Adjustment device 
           47 . Conical spring washer 
           48 . Adjustment screw stem 
           49 . Abutment body 
           50 . Adjustment screw head 
           51 . Fork 
           52 . Connector 
           53 . Collar 
           55 . Cantilevered axial extension 
           56 . Wheel 
         A-A. Disc rotation axis 
         X-X. Axial direction 
         R-R. Radial direction 
         T-T. Tangential direction