Patent ID: 12228184

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

One embodiment of the invention includes a disc brake lining assembly1comprising friction material2which is fixed on the front side of a back plate3, and with a friction lining resetting spring4which is fixed on the rear side of the back plate3, wherein the friction lining resetting spring4has a base5and an adjoining elastic resetting spring bow6, and wherein the resetting spring bow6is suitable and intended for sitting on an assigned abutment7of a stator/holder8. The stator/holder8may be a brake holder mounted rotationally fixedly, i.e. statically and stationarily with respect to the vehicle, which is suitable and intended to receive two friction linings1mounted rotationally fixedly and axially displaceably (axis Ax) parallel to one another in the holder8(and usually configured largely mirror-symmetrically), and at the same time to carry a sliding caliper brake housing19which, additionally or separately, may comprise an electric motor-gear unit20in addition to hydraulic application means. In this system assembly, a friction lining resetting spring4allocated fixedly to a friction lining, with its resetting spring bow6sitting elastically pretensioned on the abutment7, preloaded in the axial direction, ensures that under the applied resetting spring force, the respective (usually indirectly actuated) motor vehicle disc brake lining1returns automatically in the reverse brake actuation direction, i.e. away from a brake actuation position, in the axial direction.

The disclosed embodiment uses a feature combination in which the friction lining resetting spring4with its base5is fixedly mounted in relation to the friction linings, and the spring property is achieved by means of an additively composed spring characteristic curve which additively combines a plurality of portions (A, B, C, D), comprising a plurality of quasi-linearly growing straight portions A, C, D and, interposed in-between, at least one degressively curved transition portion B, and wherein the portions A-D each comprise mutually differently defined gradient angles α, β, γ, δ. Among the portions A-D there is at least one part or characteristic curve portion B, C, D which is designed at least partially plastically deformable and which, because of its predetermined defined plastic deformation behavior, serves to automatically allow defined appropriate resetting springing including wear compensation (friction lining+brake disc). The particular advantage of an aspect of the invention is that the disc brake lining1and friction lining resetting spring4can always be exchanged together, i.e. particularly efficiently, with the positive effect that the incorrect mounting of the resetting spring means is impossible, and unacceptable reuse of worn resetting springs is also impossible, wherein the pre-mounted resetting spring means according to an aspect of the invention always remains easily and properly recyclable with the metallic recyclable materials of the disc brake linings. An aspect of the invention is indeed preferably presented here primarily in conjunction with an application example of a totally non-releasably structured rivet fixing between the back plate and resetting spring assembly, but on the basis of a sufficiently secured fixing, in principle a releasably arranged spring variant is also conceivable without leaving the principles of an aspect of the present invention.

Since a resetting spring bow6according to an aspect of the invention is bent in a bow form pointing radially inward in relation to a radial direction R and is fixed on the motor vehicle disc brake lining1via the base5, a space-saving premounted friction lining assembly is presented which is efficiently bundled and resistant to incorrect installation. An alternative adaptation is that the resetting spring bow6is bent pointing outward in the tangential direction T. All these alternatives or designs can in principle be used variably for compact integration for both the electromechanical brake with MGU 20 and also for the combination brake with a combination of hydraulic and electromechanical actuation, and in particular also for motor vehicle disc brakes actuated exclusively hydraulically.

In a further embodiment of the invention, a particularly robust resetting spring bow design6is provided which is resistant to alternating bending loads when curved by strain-hardening.

Tests have shown that previously known, conventionally bent resetting spring bows can lead to noise defects due to spring resonance. An aspect of the present invention reduces such risks. Strain-hardening is partially possible in relation to the friction lining resetting spring. This may comprise a spring bow curvature with a simple or multiple-repeat S-shape and/or screw winding.

For corrosion-resistant design, it is suitable if the friction lining resetting spring4is cut from flat stainless steel material (stainless steel sheet), wherein at least some assembly parts for the purpose of spring characteristic curve modification may be provided partially or completely as a closed frame with at least one passage opening9and/or with at least one profiling10open at the edge.

A multifunctional resetting spring assembly allows rational logistics with simplified handling and effectively reduced use of material, in that the base5is defined largely centrally riveted to the friction lining resetting spring, and wherein the radially pointing end piece of the friction lining resetting spring with resetting spring bow starts from one side thereof, and diametrically opposite this, a diametrically opposite end piece of the spring assembly is defined for an integrated radial spring component11and/or an integrated tangential spring component13, spring components11and/or13including one and/or several additional spring bows12and/or14, respectively. In other words, the strip development of a cut blank is flat for the sake of simplicity, and flat and tongue-shaped with organically attached additional spring bow12.

As a result, with the arrangement according to an aspect of the invention, for the first time a disc brake is possible in which a radial spring component11and/or a tangential spring component13is integrated in the force flow between the motor vehicle disc brake lining1and the holder8via the spring assembly.

Depending on whether a largely static or relatively movably paired relationship exists between the spring component and the holder8, a differently varied, improved support for mutual contact may be provided. For example, the mutual support may comprise a transversely oriented, and in particular relatively displaceable coupling between the spring assembly and holder8. In other words, a dynamically movable spring seat may be defined in the support on the abutment7. An improved static support on the abutment7is also possible if the spring assembly forms at least one sliding shoe15and/or at least one floating shoe16. Said sliding shoe15is here particularly advantageously characterized by reproducible relative displaceability (slide friction improvement), whereas a floating or roller shoe16offers quite particular advantages of insensitivity to corrosion due to the self-cleaning properties.

In particular to improve the mounting reliability in the context of first installation, or also for reliably executable maintenance processes, for the purpose of reproduction it is suitable if the end piece of each shoe15,16has a bent blade or a curved scoop17and/or a combination thereof. It is understood that any punching burrs in the region of the friction lining resetting spring4must be correctly avoided or removed from the finished part by barrel finishing or electropolishing or similar, in order to exclude any risk of injury from protruding burrs.

An installation space reduction and/or raw material utilization is rationally improved if an additional spring component is integrally combined on the resetting spring assembly, in that the spring component branches from the spring assembly as a separate spring bow. This is achieved for example if the spring component and resetting spring bow are bent offset orthogonally to one another in the blank strip development. Furthermore, an aspect of the invention allows the additional spring component to branch from the base5and/or from the resetting spring bow6of the spring assembly.

A particularly efficient embodiment of the spring assembly is defined in that in the projected shadow form, said assembly has a substantially G-shaped, screw-curved bent silhouette, and comprising two spring components11,13including shoes15,16with force effects oriented orthogonally to one another; one in the radial direction R and the other in the axial direction Ax.

LIST OF REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS

1Disc brake lining2Friction material3Back plate4Friction lining resetting spring5Base6Resetting spring bow7Abutment8Holder9Passage opening10Profiling (open at edge)11Radial spring component12Spring bow13Tangential spring component14Spring bow15Sliding shoe16Floating shoe17Blade/scoop18Twist prevention stop/support (VA)19Sliding caliper brake housing20MGU (electric motor-gear unit)A,B,C,D Portionα,β,γ,δ Gradient angleT Tangential directionR Radial directionAx Axial direction (parallel to a theoretical wheel rotational axis Z)RS Friction lining centre of gravity (theoretical resulting friction force attack point)H1Tangential bending axisH2Radial bending axis