Caliper mounting arrangement

• US 7,673,723 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Performance Friction
• Original Assignee: Performance Friction
• Inventors: Burgoon, Donald, Paul, Scott Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US11/536,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20070137953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 188/73.31, 188/73.39, 403/364
• US Class Current: 188/73.31
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0008 Brake supports
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0016 Brake calipers
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 55/228 with a separate actuating member for each side

Abstract

A brake caliper assembly includes a caliper body connected to a torque plate via a mating protrusion and cavity that transfer torque through facing abutment surfaces to reduce twisting of the caliper. The mating protrusion and cavity provide a stiff connection and also allow use of a smaller, lighter connecting bolt. This arrangement eases removal and reinstallation of the caliper.

Claims

1. A brake caliper assembly, comprising:

a caliper body for supporting a brake pad having a braking surface that selectively engages a brake rotor;

a torque plate connected to the caliper body, the torque plate having a mounting member for connection to a vehicle support;

a fastener that fastens the caliper body to the torque plate, and

wherein one of the caliper body and the torque plate includes at least two protrusions extending outwardly therefrom and the other of the caliper body and the torque plate includes at least two cavities that are shaped to correspond to the protrusions and mate therewith so that forces generated during braking are transferred between the caliper body and the torque plate via the protrusion and cavity and said fastener is isolated from shear forces generated by said braking, and

wherein each of said protrusions has at least one plane surface that is substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of said brake rotor that, during actuation, engages a plane surface of its respective cavity that is substantially parallel to said axis of rotation of said brake rotor to isolate said fastener from said shear forces.

2. The caliper assembly of claim 1, wherein the protrusions are formed on the caliper body and the cavities are formed in the torque plate.

3. The caliper assembly of claim 1, wherein the protrusions are formed on the torque plate and the cavities are formed in the caliper body.

4. The caliper assembly of claim 1, wherein the protrusions and the cavities each have facing abutment surfaces that are disposed at an angle to the braking surface of the brake pad supported by the caliper body.

5. The caliper assembly of claim 1, wherein the protrusions and the cavities each have facing abutment surfaces that are generally perpendicular to the braking surface of the brake pad supported by the caliper body.

6. The caliper assembly of claim 1, further comprising a clip disposed between the protrusions and the cavities.

7. The caliper assembly of claim 6, wherein the clip is made of stainless steel.

8. The caliper assembly of claim 6, wherein the clip is U-shaped.

9. The caliper assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the protrusions and the cavities are coated or plated with corrosion resistant material.

10. The caliper assembly of claim 9, wherein the material is formed on both the protrusions and the cavities.

11. The caliper assembly of claim 9, wherein the material is formed of zinc-nickel.

12. The caliper assembly of claim 9, wherein the material is formed of zinc-iron.

13. The caliper assembly of claim 1, wherein a bolt hole extends through the protrusions and the cavities.

14. The caliper assembly of claim 1, in combination with a vehicle.

15. The caliper assembly of claim 1, in combination with a vehicle having a gross vehicle weight of at least 11,000 pounds.

16. The caliper assembly of claim 1, wherein each protrusion is a generally rectangular member and each cavity is a generally rectangular channel.

17. The caliper assembly of claim 1, wherein each protrusion is formed as a toothed rack and each cavity is formed as a toothed rack and the teeth interlock to form a mating connection.

18. The caliper assembly of claim 1, wherein each protrusion is a boss and each cavity is an indent.

19. The caliper assembly of claim 18, wherein each boss and indent are generally cylindrical.

20. The caliper assembly of claim 18, wherein each boss and indent are generally polygonal.

21. The caliper assembly of claim 1, wherein each protrusion is integrally formed with the caliper body.

22. The caliper assembly of claim 1, wherein each protrusion is integrally formed with the torque plate.

23. The caliper assembly of claim 1, wherein each protrusion is a separate piece that mates with one of the caliper body and torque plate to function as a protrusion.

24. The caliper assembly of claim 1, wherein each protrusion is a bushing and each cavity is a groove.

25. The caliper assembly of claim 24, wherein each bushing is formed as a bar.

26. The caliper assembly of claim 24, wherein each bushing is formed as a rod.

27. The caliper assembly of claim 24, wherein each bushing is a separate piece that is mounted in a corresponding groove formed in the associated caliper body or torque plate.

28. A caliper assembly for use with a disc brake system for a vehicle, comprising:

a caliper body having a bottom surface and a pair of side walls defining a space therebetween for accepting a portion of a brake rotor;

a torque plate having a top surface that connects with the bottom surface of the caliper body and having a mounting flange for mounting the caliper assembly to a fixed mounting member; and

,

a fastener fixing the caliper body to the torque plate;

means for isolating said fastener from shear forces caused by relative flexing between the caliper body and torque plate during a braking operation including at least two protruding members extending from one of the bottom surface and the top surface and at least two corresponding depressed areas located in the other of the bottom surface and the top surface that mate with the protruding members to form a connection between the caliper body and torque plate through which shear forces are transferred during braking, and

a corrosion resistant clip disposed between the protruding members and the depressed areas,

wherein each said of said protrusions has at least one plane surface that is substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of said brake rotor that, during actuation, engages a plane surface of its respective cavity that is substantially parallel to said axis of rotation of said brake rotor to isolate said fastener from said shear forces.

29. The caliper assembly of claim 28, wherein at least one of the protruding members and the depressed area is coated or plated with corrosion resistant material.

30. The caliper assembly of claim 28, wherein the protruding members and the depressed areas each have abutment surfaces that face each other, wherein the abutment surfaces are oriented at an angle with respect to the mounting flange.

31. The caliper assembly of claim 28, wherein the protruding members are generally rectangular members and the depressed areas are generally rectangular channels.

32. The caliper assembly of claim 28, wherein the protruding members are formed as a toothed rack and the depressed areas are formed as a toothed rack and the teeth interlock to form a mating connection.

33. The caliper assembly of claim 28, wherein the protruding members are bosses and the depressed areas are indents.

34. The caliper assembly of claim 33, wherein the bosses and the indents are generally cylindrical.

35. The caliper assembly of claim 33, wherein the bosses and the indents are generally polygonal.

36. The caliper assembly of claim 28, wherein the protruding members are integrally formed with the caliper body.

37. The caliper assembly of claim 28, wherein the protruding members are integrally formed with the torque plate.

38. The caliper assembly of claim 28, wherein each of the protruding members is a separate piece that mates with one of the caliper body and torque plate to function as a protrusion.

39. The caliper assembly of claim 28, wherein each of the protruding members is a bushing and each of the depressed areas is a groove.

40. The caliper assembly of claim 39, wherein the bushing is formed as a bar.

41. The caliper assembly of claim 39, wherein the bushing is formed a rod.

42. The caliper assembly of claim 39, wherein the bushing a separate piece that is mounted in a corresponding groove formed in the associated caliper body or torque plate.

43. The caliper assembly of claim 28, in combination with a vehicle.