Floating-caliper spot-type disc brake for high-powered vehicles

• US 5,464,077 A
• Filed: 03/31/1994
• Issued: 11/07/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH (Xylem, Inc.)
• Inventors: Halasy-Wimmer, Georg, Thiel, Rudolf, Doell, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberleitner, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, CHRISTOPHER P
• Application Number:
  US08/221,195
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 188/72.1-72.5, 188/73.32, 188/73.39, 188/250 B
• US Class Current: 188/72.5
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0008 Brake supports
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/002 assembled from a plurality of parts
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0045 Braking members arranged non-symmetrically with respect to the brake disc
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0091 Plural actuators arranged side by side on the same side of the rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2065/026 characterised by a particular outline shape of the braking member, e.g. footprint of friction lining
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 55/227 by two or more pins
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/0006 Noise or vibration control
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/092 for axially-engaging brakes, e.g. disc brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/095 Pivots or supporting members therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/0978 acting on one pad only
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/0979 acting on the rear side of the pad or an element affixed thereto, e.g. spring clips securing the pad to the brake piston or caliper

Abstract

The invention is related to a spot-type disc brake with a stationary brake carrier (19) at which a floating caliper (1) is slidingly guided which straddles the edge of a brake disc (10), with two brake cylinders (11, 12) which are positioned on the internal axial side of the brake disc (10) aside each other and whose brake pistons (13, 14) act on the brake shoes (5, 7) which are arranged on the same axial side and in circumferential direction of the brake disc (10) at a distance from each other. According to the invention a third brake shoe (6) is fixed on the external axial side of the brake disc (10) to the floating caliper (1), which brake shoe is positioned staggered in such a manner that its friction area point of gravity (36) comes to be arranged substantially between the other two brake shoes (5, 7) in the circumferential direction of the brake disc (10). Braking noises and brake rubbing are eliminated by this arrangement. Further advantages of the inventive brake are constituted by its ease of serviceability in view of an ease of mounting of the brake shoes (5, 6, 7) and by its floating caliper (1) which allows to be manufactured with ease and at but low cost and with but little material, and which simultaneously with a low weight affords an elevated stiffness and a large brake disc diameter.

Claims

1. A floating-caliper spot-type disc brake for an automotive vehicle having a brake disc and a steering knuckle, said disc brake including a brake carrier adapted to be fixed to said steering knuckle;

a floating caliper having a first part adapted to be located on an axially internal side of a brake disc and a second part adapted to be located on an axially external side of a brake disc;

two brake shoes mounted en said first part of said brake caliper and one brake shoe mounted on said second part thereof, said one brake shoe being centered between said two brake shoes;

a shell structure connecting said first and second parts together, said shell structure comprising a thin wall extending along the circumference of each of said caliper first and second parts, and also adapted to extend across a brake disc perimeter;

said shell structure having a plurality of openings formed therein, each located over a respective brake shoe and configured to allow withdrawal of said brake shoe through said opening, said openings in said shell structure thin wall defined by a series of webs extending above said brake shoes;

one of said openings located over said one brake shoe and partially defined by a pair of said series of webs, said pair of webs converging together, each web in said pair extending from a respective outside end of said second caliper part;

a pair of said openings each aligned over a respective one of said two brake shoes, and partially defined by one of said series of webs centrally located and extending axially to meet said pair of webs whereat said pair of webs converge;

means for axially slidingly guiding said floating caliper on a brake carrier;

said brake shoes each mounted on said caliper for limited axial movement towards and away from a brake disc to be engageable therewith, and to transmit the reaction force of said brake shoes engaging a brake disc into a brake carrier;

hydraulic actuating means adapted to urge one of said brake shoes into engagement with an axially internal side of a brake disc, said hydraulic actuating means mounted on said first part of said floating caliper on an axially internal side of a brake disc, said second part of said floating caliper engaging said other brake shoe to urge the other of said brake shoes into engagement with an axially external side of a brake disc upon operation of said hydraulic actuating means.

2. The disc brake according to claim 1 wherein said shell structure thin wall is formed by separate wall segments, each wall segment integral with a respective caliper part and abutting each other, said segments joined together to form said shell structure, said pair of webs converging together formed as a part of said one segment, and said web centrally located formed as a part of said other segment.

3. The disc brake according to claim 2 wherein abutting portions of said wall segments are integrally formed with three enlarged portions, said enlarged portions each formed with aligned bores receiving threaded fasteners, whereby a three point connection is established between said caliper parts.

4. The disc brake according to claim 3 wherein a pair of hydraulic cylinders are provided, each centered over a respective brake shoe on one side of said brake disc and wherein two of said threaded fasteners are located at either end of said wall segments, extending parallel to said hydraulic cylinders, each of said two threaded fasteners having an axis extending through an imaginary line passing through the center of both hydraulic cylinders, whereby said two threaded fasteners are only minimally loaded in bending.

5. The disc brake according to claim 1 wherein said shell structure thin wall arches over said brake disc perimeter.