Abstract:
The invention relates to a self-reinforcing, in particular electromechanical disk brake having a wedge mechanism as the self-boosting device, for example. The invention proposes that the actuating device be attached to a separate holder, which does not have forces or torques of the wedge mechanism applied thereto.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a 35 USC 371 application of PCT/EP2008/064388 filed on Oct. 23, 2008. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a self-boosting disk brake. The disk brake is intended in particular as a wheel brake of a motor vehicle. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A disk brake of this kind is known from German Patent Disclosure DE 103 02 516 A1. The known disk brake has a brake caliper, in which a friction brake lining is disposed on one side of a brake disk and can be pressed for brake actuation against the brake disk by an actuation device. 
     As a self-boosting device, the known disk brake has a wedge mechanism, with a wedge face extending obliquely at a wedge angle to the brake disk, on which face the friction brake lining is braced and along which the friction brake lining is movable. When the rotating brake disk exerts a frictional force on the friction brake lining that is pressed against it when the brake is actuated, the bracing of the friction brake lining at the wedge angle on the wedge face of the wedge mechanism effects a supporting force on the friction brake lining that is oriented perpendicular to the wedge face. One component of the supporting force acts on the friction brake lining perpendicular to the brake disk. This component of the supporting force of the wedge mechanism is a contact pressure, which presses the friction brake lining against the brake disk. The contact pressure effected by the wedge mechanism acts on the friction brake lining in addition to an actuation force that exerted by the actuation device and that together with the contact pressure exerts a tensing force, with which the friction brake lining is pressed against the brake disk. In the manner described, the wedge mechanism converts the frictional force, exerted by the rotating brake disk on the friction brake lining that is pressed against it when the disk brake is actuated, into a contact pressure that presses the friction brake lining against the brake disk. As a result of the contact pressure exerted on the friction brake lining in addition to the actuation force, a braking force of the disk brake is increased; the wedge mechanism effects self-boosting of the disk brake. 
     As the actuation device, the known disk brake selectively contemplates an electromechanical actuation device with an electric motor, optionally a step-down gear, and a spindle drive, or in other words a screw drive, or selectively a hydraulic actuation device with a hydraulic piston. The actuation device is secured to the brake caliper on the same side as the friction brake lining and on the same side as the wedge mechanism that forms the self-boosting device. 
     The wedge mechanism of the known disk brake acts on the brake caliper in the sense of spreading it open. Since in practice the brake caliper is not absolutely rigid, the wedge mechanism effects an elastic spreading open of the brake caliper, which lengthens an actuation travel of the actuation device. Actuation energy necessary for brake actuation is increased accordingly. 
     ADVANTAGES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The disk brake according to the invention has its own holder for the actuation device, and this holder is not directly acted upon with a force or a moment by the self-boosting device. As a result, an elastic spreading apart of the brake caliper, caused by forces or moments that the self-boosting device exerts, does not lengthen the actuation travel that the actuation device performs for pressing the friction brake lining against the brake disk and for building up the actuation force. Actuation energy that the actuation device must exert for brake actuation is increased just as little by an elastic spreading apart of the brake caliper. A further advantage of the invention is that the holder of the actuation device must withstand only the actuation force exerted by the actuation device, and not the full tensing force of the disk brake; its deformation—assuming the same rigidity as the brake caliper—is consequently reduced. This again contributes to a short actuation travel and low actuation energy. The brake caliper itself can be designed as less rigid and consequently lighter in weight. A less-rigid brake caliper causes less noise and reduces an excitation to vibration. Since the rigidity of the holder can be selected independently of the rigidity of the brake caliper, the invention affords additional opportunities for targeted variation of noise development and the vibration behavior, possibilities that are lacking in a brake caliper on which the actuation device is mounted on the same side as the self-boosting device. 
     The holder of the actuation device of the disk brake of the invention may be a part that is separate from the brake caliper and that is for instance an integral component of a brake holder or is screwed to an axle arm or the like. One aspect of the invention provides that the holder is connected to the brake caliper, for instance screwed to it or integral with it. Unlike in the prior art, however, the holder is connected to the brake caliper on a side that relative to the brake disk is opposite the side on which the friction brake lining, which acts on the actuation device, is disposed. In the prior art, the self-boosting device is disposed on that side of the brake disk as well. 
     Instead of a wedge mechanism, the disk brake of the invention may also have some other mechanical self-boosting device, such as a lever mechanism with one or more support levers positioned obliquely to the brake disk and bracing the friction brake lining. Even a nonmechanical self-boosting device, for instance a hydraulic self-boosting device, is possible. Hydraulic self-boosting devices are known per se and therefore need not be explained here. Instead of a wedge mechanism, the disk brake of the invention may also have a ramp mechanism. In a distinction from the wedge mechanism, in which the wedge face, over its entire length, has the same wedge angle to the brake disk, a ramp of a ramp mechanism can have a varying slope. As a result, the magnitude of the self-boosting varies as well. When the braking force is high, major self-boosting can be achieved. 
     The invention is not limited to an electromechanical actuation device; it can also have some other actuation device, for instance pneumatic or hydraulic. An electromechanical actuation device is not limited to an electric motor with a gear; a linear motor, electromagnet, or piezoelectric element is also possible for brake actuation. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be described below in terms of an exemplary embodiment shown in conjunction with the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a self-boosting disk brake in accordance with the invention, looking radially from outside onto a brake disk; 
         FIG. 2  shows the disk brake of  FIG. 1  looking from the opposite direction; and 
         FIG. 3  is a section through the disk brake of  FIG. 1  in a radial plane to the brake disk, along the line III-III in  FIG. 1 , on a larger scale. 
     
    
    
     The drawings are to be understood as schematic, simplified illustrations for the sake of explanation and comprehension of the invention. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The disk brake  1  of the invention, shown in the drawings, has a brake caliper  2 , in which two friction brake linings  4 ,  5  are disposed, one on either side of a brake disk  3 . One of the two friction brake linings, the brake lining  4 , is disposed immovably in the brake caliper  2  and will hereinafter be called the fixed friction brake lining  4 . The other friction brake lining  5  is movable in the brake caliper  2  in a manner to be explained below and will hereinafter be called the movable friction brake lining  5 . 
     The disk brake  1  has an electromechanical actuation device  6 , which is disposed on the same side of the brake disk  3  as the movable friction brake lining  5 . The actuation device  6  need not necessarily be electromechanical; it may for instance be hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical, in the last case for instance via a Bowden cable and/or a lever. The actuation device  6  has an electric motor  7  and a spindle drive that converts a rotational motion of the electric motor  7  into a translational motion for pressing the movable friction brake lining  5  against the brake disk  3 . Between the electric motor and the spindle drive, there can be a step-down gear, such as a planetary gear, which is not shown in the drawings. On one end of a spindle  8  of the spindle drive, a roller  9  is rotatably supported for reducing friction, and with it the spindle drive acts on the movable friction brake lining  5 . 
     For brake actuation, by means of a supply of current to the electric motor  7 , the movable friction brake lining  5  is pressed against the brake disk  3 . The brake caliper  2  is embodied as a floating caliper; that is, it is guided displaceably transversely to the brake disk  3 . Pressing the movable friction brake lining  5  against the one side of the brake disk  3  displaces the brake caliper  2  transversely to the brake disk  3  and presses the fixed friction brake lining  4  against the other side of the brake disk  3 . The disk brake  1  is tightened and brakes the brake disk  3 . Guides  10 , which guide the brake caliper  2  displaceably transversely to the brake disk  3 , are indicated by symbols in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     On a back side, remote from the brake disk  3 , the movable friction brake lining  5  has a wedge body  11 , with wedge faces  12  extending obliquely at a wedge angle α to the brake disk  3 . With the wedge faces  12 , the wedge body  11  is braced on corresponding wedge faces  13  of the brake caliper  2 . The wedge faces  13  of the brake caliper  2  likewise extend at the wedge angle α obliquely to the brake disk  3 ; the wedge body  11  and with it the movable friction brake lining  5  are displaceable along the wedge faces  13  in the brake caliper  2 . For reducing friction, rollers  14  are disposed as roller bodies between the wedge faces  12 ,  13  of the wedge body  11  and of the brake caliper  2 . 
     If for brake actuation, with the brake disk  3  rotating, the movable friction brake lining  5  is pressed by the actuation device  6  against the brake disk  3 , the brake disk exerts a frictional force on the movable friction brake lining  5 . The frictional force acts on the wedge body  11 , which is mounted on the back side of the movable friction brake lining  5 . The frictional force exerted by the rotating brake disk  3  on the movable friction brake lining  5  pressed against it urges the wedge body  11  into an increasingly narrower wedge gap between the wedge face  13  of the brake caliper  2  and the brake disk  3 . In accordance with the wedge principle, the wedge face  13  of the brake caliper  2 , on which the movable friction brake lining  5  is braced via its wedge body  11 , exerts a supporting force that is oriented perpendicular to the wedge face  13 . The supporting force has a component perpendicular to the brake disk  3  that is called the contact pressure. The contact pressure, in addition to the actuation force exerted by the actuation device  6 , presses the friction brake lining  5  against the brake disk  3 . The wedge body  11  with the wedge faces  12  and the complementary wedge faces  13  of the brake caliper  2  form a wedge mechanism  15 , which in the manner described boosts an actuation force exerted by the actuation device  6  and thus boosts a braking force of the disk brake  1 . With the wedge mechanism  15 , the disk brake  1  has a mechanical self-boosting device. For a reversed direction of rotation of the brake disk  3 , the wedge mechanism  15  has wedge faces  16 ,  17  with opposite inclination. The wedge angle α can be the same or different for both directions of rotation of the brake disk  3 . 
     The actuation device  6  is secured to a holder  18 , which on the side of the fixed friction brake lining  4  is integral with the brake caliper  2 . The holder  18  is accordingly connected to the brake caliper  2  on a side of the brake disk  3  that is opposite both the movable friction brake lining  5  and the wedge mechanism  15 . The holder  18  grips the brake disk  3  on its circumference and protrudes to the side of the brake disk  3  on which the wedge mechanism  15  and the movable friction brake lining  5  are disposed. The actuation device  6 , which is mounted on the holder  18 , is also located on that side of the brake disk  3 . For the holder  18 , it would also be conceivable for a frame construction with two tie anchors, which are disposed in the circumferential direction of the brake disk  3  next to the movable friction brake lining  5  and grip the brake disk  3  at the level of the friction brake lining  5  (not shown). As a result, bending stress on the holder is reduced. The holder  18  is not directly acted upon by forces or moments of the wedge mechanism  15 . In particular, a spreading apart of the brake caliper  2  upon a brake actuation does not act directly on the holder  18  and on the actuation travel that the actuation device  6  must execute for attaining a defined braking force. By means of a rigid holder  18  that deforms only slightly under load, the actuation travel of the actuation device  6  is kept short even when the brake caliper  2  is relatively nonrigid. The holder  18  is directly acted upon only by the actuation force of the actuation device  6 , and not by the contact pressure that the wedge mechanism  15  exerts; as a result, elastic deformation of the holder  18  is slight. 
     The foregoing relates to the preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, it being understood that other variants and embodiments thereof are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, the latter being defined by the appended claims.