Piston with improved displacement properties

• US 8,348,030 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2010
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Akebono Corporation North America (Akebono Brake Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Akebono Brake Corporation
• Inventors: Alamin, Amar, Roszman, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Siconolfi, Robert A
• Assistant Examiner(s): SY, MARIANO ONG
• Application Number:
  US12/819,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20110308904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 188/370, 188/72.4, 188/72.5, 188/71.1, 188/71.8, 188/73.43, 921/68, 921/72, 922/08
• US Class Current: 188/370
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/08 using fluid or powdered medium
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2125/06 Pistons
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2200/0004 metallic
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2200/0034 non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 1/001 One-piece pistons

Abstract

A brake pad actuating device comprising: a piston including: a first pocket; an opposing second pocket; and an internal wall located in the piston separating the first pocket and the second pocket, wherein the volume of the first pocket to the volume of the second pocket form a ratio of less than about 20:1; and wherein the piston is adapted to be used as a brake piston.

Claims

1. A brake pad actuating device comprising:

a) a piston including;

i) a first pocket;

ii) an opposing second pocket; and

iii) an internal wall located in the piston separating the first pocket and the second pocket,

wherein a volume of the first pocket to a volume of the second pocket form a ratio of about 10;

1 or less; and

wherein the piston is made of a moldable plastic material that does not dissolve in brake fluid, and the piston is adapted to be used as a brake piston; and

wherein a depth of the first pocket and a depth of the second pocket form a ratio of between about 1.2;

1 and about 1;

1.2 and a wall thickness of the internal wall between about 5 mm and 14 mm.

2. The brake pad actuating device of claim 1, wherein the volume of the first pocket to the volume of the second pocket form a ratio of between about 5:

1 to about 1;

1.

3. The brake pad actuating device of claim 1, wherein the volume of the first pocket to the volume of the second pocket form a ratio of between about 2:

1 to about 1;

2.

4. The brake pad actuating device of claim 1 wherein fluid fills the second pocket and surrounds a sliding surface of the second pocket so that pressure is only exerted axially in relationship to the piston.

5. The brake pad actuating device of claim 1 wherein substantially equal amount of force, in a radial direction, are exerted on the inside of the second pocket wall and the outside of the second pocket wall.

6. The brake pad actuating device of claim 1, wherein the brake pad actuating device includes a piston bore that houses the piston, the piston bore including a seal groove;

wherein the internal wall of the piston is located proximate to the seal groove when the brake pads are fully worn, and the piston is in a fully extended position

7. The brake pad actuating device of claim 1, wherein the brake pad actuating device includes a piston bore that houses the piston, the piston bore including a seal groove;

wherein the internal wall does not travel past the seal groove when pressure is applied to the piston.

8. The brake pad actuating device of claim 1, wherein a wall thickness of the second pocket of the piston is between about 5 mm and about 8.

9. The pad actuating device of claim 1, wherein a wall thickness of the second pocket is reduced and the internal wall thickness is increased resulting in lower fluid displacement and unchanged mass.

10. The brake pad actuating device of claim 1, wherein a wall thickness of the first pocket is greater than a wall thickness of the second pocket.

11. The brake pad actuating device of claim 1, wherein a draft angle of the second pocket and the first pocket are reduced.

12. The brake pad actuating device of claim 1, wherein the piston is made of a phenolic resin or Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

13. The brake pad actuating device of claim 1, wherein the internal wall is located between the first pocket and the second pocket so that the depth of both the first pocket and the second pocket are substantially the same.

14. The brake pad actuating device of claim 1, wherein the piston is free of a closed end.

15. The brake pad actuating device of claim 1, wherein the moldable plastic material has a post-baked Rock-well hardness of about 70 E scale or more measured using ASTM D785.

16. The brake pad actuating device of claim 15, wherein the moldable plastic material has a post-baked compressive strength of about 150 MPa or more measured using ASTM D695.

17. The brake pad actuating device of claim 15, wherein the moldable plastic material has a post-baked impact strength of about 5.0 J/m or more measured using ASTM D256.

18. A brake pad actuating device comprising:

a) a cylindrical piston adapted for use as a brake piston, the cylindrical piston consisting essentially of;

i) a first pocket;

ii) an opposing second pocket;

iii) an internal wall located in the piston separating the first pocket and the second pocket; and

iv) an annular boot groove located in the cylindrical piston adjacent to the first pocket;

b) a piston bore that houses the piston, the piston bore including a seal groove;

wherein a volume of the first pocket to a volume of the second pocket form a ratio of about 1.5;

1 or less;

wherein the internal wall is located between the first pocket and the second pocket so that a depth of both the first pocket and the second pocket are substantially the same;

wherein the cylindrical piston is made of a moldable plastic material that does not dissolve in brake fluid, and the cylindrical piston is sufficiently rigid to withstand fluid pressure that pushes the cylindrical piston into contact with an inboard brake pad;

wherein brake fluid fills the second pocket and surrounds the second pocket of the cylindrical piston so that equal amounts of force, in a radial direction, are exerted on an inside of the second pocket of the cylindrical piston and an outside of the second pocket of the cylindrical piston; and

wherein the moldable plastic material has a post-baked flexural strength of about 85 or more measured using ASTM D 790.