Suspension and braking assembly

• US 6,131,932 A
• Filed: 06/11/1999
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BWI Company Limited SA (Shougang Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Federal-Mogul Technology Ltd. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bunker, Kenneth James
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/319,809
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 280/88, 280/124.146
• US Class Current: 280/88
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/065 employing disc B60T1/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0062 Partly lined, i.e. braking surface extending over only a part of the disc circumference
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0091 Plural actuators arranged side by side on the same side of the rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2065/1396 Ancillary resilient elements, e.g. anti-rattle or retraction springs
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2121/20 using electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 55/32 actuated by a fluid-pressure device arranged in or on the brake
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 55/40 actuated by a fluid-pressure device arranged in or one the brake

Abstract

A suspension and braking assembly for a wheel of vehicle, comprises a suspension link, a hub mounted on the suspension link for rotation relative thereto, a brake disc mounted for rotation with the hub, friction material pads arranged on opposite sides of the disc, and a piston and cylinder assembly operable to urge the pads against the disc. The link comprises top and bottom mounts for supports. The suspension link also comprises the cylinder of said piston and cylinder assembly which is formed integrally with the remainder of the link. Said disc is mounted for limited movement on the hub in a direction generally parallel to the axis about which the hub rotates.

Claims

1. A suspension and braking assembly for a wheel of a vehicle, the assembly comprising a suspension link which comprises top and bottom mountings for supports of the link, and a hub mounted on the suspension link for rotation relative thereto, the hub providing a mounting for said wheel, the assembly also comprising a brake disc mounted for rotation with the hub, said disc also being mounted for limited movement on the hub in a direction generally parallel to the axis about which the hub rotates, the assembly also comprising friction material pads arranged on opposite sides of the disc, and a piston and cylinder assembly operable to urge the pads into engagement with opposite side surfaces of the disc to brake the hub and hence the wheel, wherein the suspension link also comprises the cylinder of said piston and cylinder assembly which is formed integrally with the remainder of the link, and wherein the assembly also comprises resilient force applying means acting between the hub and the brake disc to control the movement of the disc on the hub.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the disc has inwardly-projecting teeth which engage splines on the hub.

3. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the splines are spaced and said resilient force applying means comprises springs mounted on the hub between the splines.

4. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the assembly also comprises a second disc mounted on the hub beside said disc, the second disc also being mounted for limited movement on the hub in a direction generally parallel to the axis about which the hub rotates and being acted upon by said resilient force applying means, the assembly also comprising brake pads mounted between said discs for limited movement in said direction.

5. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the link also comprises an arm for connection to a track rod of a steering system of the vehicle.