Brake wear sensor system with mounting clip

• US 5,839,545 A
• Filed: 05/27/1997
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dane Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sanford Acquisition Company
• Inventors: Preston, David M., Fortune, G. Clark
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberleitner, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, CHRISTOPHER P
• Application Number:
  US08/863,651
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 188/1.11 L, 188/1.11 W, 354/454, 116/208, 73/129, 73/130
• US Class Current: 188/1.11L
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 66/024 Sensors mounted on braking members adapted to contact the brake disc or drum, e.g. wire loops severed on contact

Abstract

A brake wear sensor and a mounting clip for retaining the brake wear sensor to a brake table. A housing assembly contains a conductive wire to be worn as the brake pad wears a predetermined amount. The housing assembly partially passes through an opening slot in a brake table. A spring clip is provided to positively secured to the housing assembly to the brake table. The spring clip has clip arms which deform inwardly to pass through the opening slot and spring back to prevent reverse passage. The spring clip is also provided with preload springs to force the housing assembly against the brake table. When assembled, the housing assembly and spring clip are positively secured to the brake table.

Claims

1. A brake wear sensor for first and second brake pads mounted to a brake table of a vehicle brake assembly, the sensor designed to be mounted through an opening slot formed in the brake table between the first and second brake pads so that an electrical conductor forming a part of the wear sensor is rubbed against by a rotating brake drum when the first and second brake pads reach a thickness less than a predetermined limit, the wear sensor comprising:

a sensor housing;

a housing cap adapted to fit over a portion of said sensor housing thereby forming a channel for allowing the conductor to be passed therethrough, said conductor is disposed in said channel between said sensor housing and said housing cap;

a spring clip adapted to retain said sensor housing cap in proper position relative to said brake table, said spring clip having at least one clip arm engaging said brake table to prevent movement in one direction and at least one preload spring engaging said housing cap to prevent movement in an opposite direction, said spring clip thereby providing positive retainment of said sensor housing and said housing cap to said brake table.

2. The brake wear sensor of claim 1, wherein said at least one clip arm is comprised of a first clip arm and a second clip arm adapted to engage said opening slot.

3. The brake wear sensor of claim 2, wherein said at least one preload spring comprises a first preload spring extending from said first clip arm and a second preload spring extending from said second clip arm, said first and second preload springs engage said sensor housing thereby providing an axial preload urging said sensor housing and said housing cap toward said brake table.

4. The brake wear sensor of claim 2, wherein said first clip arm is comprised of a first front clip arm and a first rear clip arm, and said second clip arm is comprised of a second front clip arm and a second rear clip arm.

5. The brake wear sensor of claim 1, wherein said opening slot is located on an inboard side of said brake table.

6. The brake wear sensor of claim 1, wherein said conductor is comprised of a conducting wire coated with an insulating material.

7. The break wear sensor according to claim 1, wherein said spring clip is formed of a unitary body.

8. A brake wear sensor for a brake assembly with a brake table having at least one brake friction pad attached thereto and having an opening slot formed therein comprising:

a sensor housing;

a housing assembly having a channel formed therein adapted to pass partially through said opening slot in said brake table;

a spring clip having at least one preload spring and at least one clip arm, said clip arm adapted to clip onto said brake table at said opening slot, and said preload spring contacting said sensor housing to apply a compressive force between said sensor housing and said brake table;

a conductor disposed within said channel and located relative to said brake table to be severed when said brake friction pads wear to a predetermined thickness;

wherein said at least one clip arm is comprised of a first front clip arm and a first rear clip arm and a second front clip arm and a second rear clip arm where said clip arms are adapted to engage said brake table at said opening slot to capture a portion of a housing cap and said sensor housing between said preload spring and said brake table.

9. The brake wear sensor of claim 8, wherein said at least one preload spring comprises a first preload spring extending from said first front clip arm and said first rear clip arm and a second preload spring extending from said second front clip arm and said second rear clip arm.

10. The brake wear sensor of claim 9, wherein said first preload spring and said second preload spring are leaf springs.

11. A brake wear sensor for a brake assembly with a brake table having at least one brake friction pad attached thereto and having an opening slot having an axis extending from a first side to a second side of said brake table said brake wear sensor comprising:

a housing assembly having a channel formed therein adapted to pass partially through said opening slot in said brake table;

a integral spring clip having at least one preload spring and at least one clip arm, said clip arm adapted to clip onto said first side of said brake table at said opening slot preventing relative movement of said housing assembly with respect to said brake table in a first direction parallel to said axis, and said preload spring contacting said sensor housing assembly to apply a compressive force urging a portion of said housing assembly in a second direction opposite said first direction against said second side of said brake table thereby providing positive retainment of said housing assembly to said brake table; and

a conductor disposed within said channel and located relative to said brake table to be severed when said brake friction pads wear to a predetermined thickness.

12. The brake wear sensor of claim 11, wherein said opening slot is rectangular.

13. The brake wear sensor of claim 11, wherein said housing assembly is comprised of a sensor housing and a housing cap adapted to engage said sensor housing to form said channel.

14. A brake wear sensor assembly adapted to be mounted through an opening slot extending from a first side to a second side of a brake table and positively secured thereto, said assembly comprising:

a housing cap having a portion extending through said opening slot and having at least one outwardly extending mounting ear to prevent said housing cap from passing through said opening slot and facilitate positioning with respect to said brake table;

a sensor housing disposed within said housing cap;

a conductor wire at least partially disposed within said housing cap between said sensor housing and said housing cap;

a unitary spring clip having at least one clip arm engaging said second side of said brake table thereby preventing passage therethrough, said at least one clip arm adapted to deform inwardly to facilitate passage through said opening slot and thereafter spring back to prevent return passage, said spring clip further including at least one preload spring positively engaging a portion of said sensor housing thereby providing an axial preload to urge said sensor housing toward and said at least one mounting ear of said housing cap against said first side of said brake table, said spring clip thereby providing positive retainment of said sensor housing and said housing cap to said brake table.