Patent ID: 8789665

Claim:
A brake pad assembly, for use with a caliper brake system having a caliper piston that applies a compressive force to said brake pad assembly, comprising: a friction lining providing a wear surface for contacting a surface of a brake rotor; and a non-metal, independent structurally supportive back plate made of a carbon matrix composite, free of resin and ceramic, and reinforced with carbon fibers, comprising a first side coupled directly to the friction lining without an intermediate insulating layer to structurally support the friction lining, and an opposite second side immediately adjacent to said caliper piston to receive said compressive force that pushes the friction lining against said brake rotor to produce a braking force, wherein production of said braking force further produces reactive flexural and shear forces against said brake pad assembly and the independent back plate has sufficient strength to withstand, and to structurally support the friction lining against, all of said compressive, flexural, and shear forces, and wherein the back plate comprises a generally planar support surface that defines an x-y in-plane direction arranged substantially parallel to the surface of the brake rotor, and wherein the carbon fibers of the back plate are oriented substantially along the x-y in-plane direction of the back plate to thereby conduct thermal energy produced by said compressive force being applied to said brake pad assembly along the x-y in-plane direction of the back plate and away from said caliper piston.