TORSION BRAKE RETRACTOR, CALIPER AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A brake pad retractor system, comprising:
- a torsion arm having a free end portion configured to contact a brake pad of a brake system, and an opposite end portion having an adjustable split ring;
a torsional mount comprising a pin and an arrangement to support the pin from a housing portion of a brake system at a location adjacent the brake pad, said torsional mount cooperative with the torsion arm such that the split ring of the torsion arm is mounted on the pin of the torsional mount, and the torsion arm has an angular relation with the torsional mount and may be sprung responsively to at least some movement of a brake pad in response to operation of a brake system;
the torsional mount operative such that upon movement of a brake pad by a first distance, the torsion arm is sprung and communicates an action upon the brake pad through a contact between the torsion arm and the brake pad, the communicated action sufficient to positively retract the brake pad upon release of the brake system;
the torsional mount further operative such that upon further movement of a brake pad beyond the first distance the angular relation between the torsion arm and the torsional mount is adjusted responsively to the further movement;
whereby the positive retraction of the brake pad is maintainable as the brake pad undergoes wear.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A brake pad retractor system, comprising, a torsional mount and an adjustable torsion arm having an angular relation with the torsional mount, wherein the torsion arm is sprung responsively to at least some movement of a brake pad and the torsional mount being operative such that upon movement of a brake pad by a first distance, the torsion arm is sprung and communicates an action upon the brake pad through a contact between the torsion arm and the brake pad, the communicated action sufficient to positively retract the brake pad upon release of the brake system, the torsional mount further operative such that upon further movement of a brake pad beyond the first distance the angular relation between the torsion arm and the torsional mount is adjusted responsively to the further movement. Further aspects include a novel a brake caliper and method.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A brake pad retractor system, comprising:
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a torsion arm having a free end portion configured to contact a brake pad of a brake system, and an opposite end portion having an adjustable split ring; a torsional mount comprising a pin and an arrangement to support the pin from a housing portion of a brake system at a location adjacent the brake pad, said torsional mount cooperative with the torsion arm such that the split ring of the torsion arm is mounted on the pin of the torsional mount, and the torsion arm has an angular relation with the torsional mount and may be sprung responsively to at least some movement of a brake pad in response to operation of a brake system; the torsional mount operative such that upon movement of a brake pad by a first distance, the torsion arm is sprung and communicates an action upon the brake pad through a contact between the torsion arm and the brake pad, the communicated action sufficient to positively retract the brake pad upon release of the brake system; the torsional mount further operative such that upon further movement of a brake pad beyond the first distance the angular relation between the torsion arm and the torsional mount is adjusted responsively to the further movement; whereby the positive retraction of the brake pad is maintainable as the brake pad undergoes wear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A brake caliper, comprising:
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a caliper housing comprising opposing side portions disposable on opposite sides of a brake rotor; a brake pad extendably and retractably supported from a side portion of the caliper housing, the brake pad including a braking surface for selectively engaging a side of the brake rotor; a piston operable to extend the brake pad into and out of frictional engagement with the rotor, and a torsional retractor operative upon the brake pad, the torsional retractor comprising a torsional mount supported from the caliper housing and a torsion arm supported from the torsional mount such that a first portion of the torsion arm is in contact with a portion of the brake pad and such that a second portion of the torsion arm having an adjustable split ring is supported at an angular relation with respect to the torsional mount, the torsional mount including a frictional connection in communication with the torsion arm; upon the piston extending the brake pad along a first distance, the first portion of the torsion arm is displaced and the frictional connection is sufficient to maintain the angular relation between the second portion of the torsion arm and the torsional mount, whereby the torsion arm is flexed, the frictional engagement allowing the first portion of the torsion arm to rotate responsively to the piston further extending the brake pad beyond the first distance; so that upon cessation of the extension force by the piston, the torsion retractor positively retracts the brake pad from the rotor consistently through a wear life of the brake pad. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification