Floating-caliper spot-type disc brake with a light-metal brake housing

• US 5,472,068 A
• Filed: 10/04/1993
• Issued: 12/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zellweger Uster AG (Toyota Motor Corporation), ITT Automotive Europe GmbH (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH (Xylem, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mehner, Gotz, Weiler, Rolf, Ruckert, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberleitner, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Muratori, Alfred
• Application Number:
  US08/129,046
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 188/71.1, 188/71.6, 188/73.43-73.45, 188/369, 188/370, 188/73.39, 192/66
• US Class Current: 188/73.44
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/002 assembled from a plurality of parts
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0041 Resilient elements interposed directly between the actuating member and the brake support, e.g. anti-rattle springs
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2200/0026 Non-ferro
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 55/22 by clamping an axially-located rotating disc between movable braking members, e.g. movable brake discs or brake pads
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 55/226 in which the common actuating member is moved axially , e.g. floating caliper disc brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 55/227 by two or more pins

Abstract

A cast-aluminum floating caliper of a floating-caliper spot-type disc brake is reinforced by means of reinforcing elements of a high-tensile material. In accordance with one embodiment of this invention the floating caliper is provided with recesses in an area adjacent the brake disc and the brake shoes. Bolts extend through the recesses in the direct vicinity of the radially outside brake disc edge. Commercially available steel bolts preferably are used. These measures optimize the floating caliper weight, stiffness and manufacturing cost.

Claims

1. A floating-caliper spot-type disc brake, comprising:

a one piece floating caliper adapted for applying brakes shoes arranged on both sides of a brake disc, said caliper embracing the brake shoes in a U-shaped manner and having a caliper bridge straddling a radially outside edge of the brake disc and the brake shoes, said caliper for transmitting a clamping force for applying the brake shoes against said brake disc;

at least one bolt threaded within the caliper bridge;

said floating caliper being cast from aluminum;

said at least one bolt being made of a high-tensile material and reinforcing said caliper bridge;

said floating caliper having a recess opening toward said brake disc in an area of the caliper bridge adjacent the brake disc;

said at least one bolt having a midsection extending through said caliper recess, said mid-section being disposed in the direct vicinity of the radially outside brake disc edge;

wherein, said caliper recess is constructed such that no portion of the caliper lies directly between said bolt mid-section and said brake disc.

2. A spot-type disc brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bolt is a steel screw bolt which at two end sections is positively connected with said floating caliper.

3. A spot-type disc brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bolt is axially prestressed against the floating caliper.

4. A spot-type disc brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein said floating caliper is radially supported on a radially outside narrow edge of each of said brake shoes, said floating caliper having said recesses at a point provided for support of a floating caliper, and said bolt extending through said recesses being supported on each of said radially outside brake shoe edges.

5. A spot-type disc brake as claimed in claim 4, wherein said radially outside narrow edge of the brake shoe is adapted to abut said bolt in a curved manner, at said point provided for support of the floating caliper.

6. A spot-type disc brake as claimed in claim 4, wherein said brake shoes further comprise a backing plate carrying a friction pad, with two hammer-head-type projections projecting laterally from the backing plate in the circumferential direction adapted for transmitting the friction forces to a brake carrier and for radial support of the floating caliper on the brake carrier, and wherein said projections include radially outside narrow sides facing the floating caliper and also include concave and essentially cylindrical recesses on whose surfaces said bolt connected with the floating caliper can be supported.

7. A floating-caliper spot-type disc brake, comprising:

a one piece floating caliper adapted for applying brakes shoes arranged on both sides of a brake disc, said caliper embracing the brake shoes in a U-shaped manner and having a caliper bridge straddling a radially outside edge of the brake disc and the brake shoes, said caliper for transmitting a clamping force for applying the brake shoes;

at least one reinforcing element substantially enclosed within a substantially cylindrical bore of said caliper bridge, said cylindrical bore extending essentially parallel to the brake disc axis;

said floating caliper being cast from aluminum light metal and said at least one reinforcing element being made of a high-tensile material;

said at least one reinforcing element being essentially at least one cylindrical pin which, essentially without axial prestress, is disposed within said substantially cylindrical bore in said caliper bridge, said bore essentially running parallel to the brake disc axis.

8. A disc brake as claimed in claim 7, wherein said at least one reinforcing element is made of steel.

9. A disc brake as claimed in claim 8, wherein the surfaces of said at least one reinforcing element are plated with one or more platings belonging to the group consisting of galvanized plating or nickel plating.

10. A disc brake as claimed in claim 7, wherein each said at least one reinforcing element is a hollow cylindrical sleeve.

11. A disc brake as claimed in claim 10, wherein each said sleeve have a slot extending in the longitudinal direction along the entire length of each said sleeve.

12. A disc brake as claimed in claim 7, wherein each said at least one reinforcing element is a massive cylindrical pin.

13. A disc brake as claimed in claim 12, wherein each said pin is provided with a groove extending over its entire length.

14. A disc brake as claimed in claim 7, wherein said at least one reinforcing element is pressed into said bores of said caliper bridge.

15. A disc brake as claimed in claim 7, wherein said bores of said caliper are pocket bores.

16. A disc brake as claimed in claim 15, wherein said at least one reinforcing element is secured within said bores by means of a deformation of an open end of the pocket bores.

17. A disc brake as claimed in claim 7, wherein said at least one reinforcing element comprises twelve reinforcing elements which are arranged symmetrically relative to the brake center in twelve bores of the caliper bridge and, in two superposed rows of six reinforcing elements per row relative to the brake disc axis, and are staggered relative to each other.

18. A disc brake as claimed in claim 7, further comprising second bores with second reinforcing elements plugged into said second bores, arranged in a leg, adjacent to said caliper bridge, said second reinforcing elements essentially extending parallel to the brake disc and essentially perpendicularly to said caliper bridge.

19. A spot-type disc brake as defined in claim 7, wherein said floating caliper mainly consists of cast aluminum;

said caliper bridge being provided with bores running essentially parallel to the brake disc axis, with said at least one reinforcing element designed as screw bolts being screwed into said bores; and

said screw bolts consisting of steel and having a threading structure over the entire screw-in length for cutting a thread into the bores when the bolts are screwed in.