Disk brake

• US 8,276,718 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Bach, Uwe, Heinz, Stefan, Bogenschütz, Peter, Sefo, Ahmed
• Primary Examiner(s): Siconolfi, Robert A
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOMPER, ANNA M
• Application Number:
  US12/514,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20100163350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 188/71.1, 188/72.5, 188/73.43, 188/73.47, D12/80
• US Class Current: 188/73.43
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0012 integral with vehicle suspension
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0037 Protective covers
• 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 55/226 in which the common actuating member is moved axially , e.g. floating caliper disc brakes

Abstract

A disk brake having a brake disk, a brake caliper including a bracket, a caliper housing and a brake lining. The bracket and the caliper housing engage axially around the brake disk, with the caliper housing and the brake lining movable in an axial direction. The caliper housing has outer housing limb comprising two housing fingers which run substantially in a radial direction and which span a limb window situated between them and which is open in the direction of the rotational axis, with the housing fingers having one end section facing the rotational axis. A protective screen covers end sections of the housing fingers and conceals a section of the limb window that faces the rotational axis, with an outer dimension of the protective screen in a circumferential direction such that a transition between the protective screen and the housing fingers is substantially stepless in an axial projection.

Claims

1. A disk brake for a vehicle comprising:

at least one brake disk, which is mounted so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis;

a brake caliper associated with the brake disk, said brake caliper including a bracket which is fixed with respect to the vehicle, a caliper housing and at least one brake lining, the bracket and the caliper housing engaging axially around the brake disk, the caliper housing and the brake lining being mounted on the bracket so as to be movable in an axial direction;

said caliper housing having an axially inner housing limb which faces toward the vehicle, an outer housing limb and a housing bridge, the outer housing limb comprising at least two housing fingers which extend in a substantially radial direction, the housing fingers spanning a limb window which is situated between the housing fingers, the limb window is open in the direction of the rotational axis, each housing finger having one end section which faces toward the rotational axis;

a spring arrangement for generating a preload force that is positioned between the bracket and the caliper housing; and

a protective screen that at least partially covers the spring arrangement, completely covers the end sections of the housing fingers, and conceals a section that faces toward the rotational axis of the limb window, wherein an outer dimension of the protective screen in a circumferential direction is substantially equal to a spacing between outer edges of the housing fingers such that a transition between the protective screen and the housing fingers is substantially stepless in a circumferential projection.

2. The disk brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protective screen has a U-shaped bend section which delimits the limb window in the radial direction.

3. The disk brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein, at the transition, an outer edge of the protective screen extends substantially parallel to an outer edge of the housing finger in a circumferential projection.

4. The disk brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transition is of substantially stepless design in the axial direction.

5. The disk brake as claimed in claim 4, wherein each housing finger comprises a first axial surface and the end section of each housing finger comprises a second axial surface having an axial offset relative to the first axial surface, the protective screen contacting the second axial surface of the end sections of the housing fingers in order to achieve the substantially stepless design in the axial direction.

6. The disk brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protective screen has a central section which substantially conceals the limb window.

7. The disk brake as claimed in claim 6, wherein the protective screen, comprising the bend section and the central section, is formed in one piece.

8. The disk brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein a receptacle, into which the spring arrangement engages, is provided in the end sections of the housing fingers.

9. The disk brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protective screen is arranged on the spring arrangement.

10. The disk brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protective screen and the spring arrangement are arranged, with common connecting means, on the outer housing limb.

11. The disk brake as claimed in claim 1, wherein connecting means are arranged on the protective screen, which connecting means engage into the housing fingers and fix the protective screen to the caliper housing.