Method and device for determining the thickness of a brake disk

• US 9,983,000 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beissbarth GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Malmsheimer, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwok, Helen
• Application Number:
  US15/031,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20160265911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/221 Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 66/02 Apparatus for indicating wear
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 66/028 with non-electrical sensors or signal transmission, e.g. magnetic, optical
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 17/02 for measuring thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/013 Wheels

Abstract

A method for determining the thickness of a brake disk of a pneumatic-tired vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle or a commercial vehicle, including the steps of applying an ultrasonic measuring head on the brake disk, without dismounting the wheel associated with the brake disk; and carrying out an ultrasonic measurement for determining the thickness of the brake disk.

Claims

1. A method for determining a thickness of a brake disk of a pneumatic-tired vehicle, the method comprising:

applying an ultrasonic measuring head to the brake disk by inserting the ultrasonic measuring head through a rim of a wheel that is controllable by the brake disk while the brake disk and the wheel are both mounted on the vehicle; and

carrying out an ultrasonic measurement for determining the thickness of the brake disk.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a passenger vehicle or a commercial vehicle.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the inserting includes guiding the ultrasonic measuring head through an opening in a face of the rim that extends approximately perpendicularly to an axis of rotation of the wheel.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method is carried out while the vehicle is standing on the ground.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

outputting a visual or acoustic warning when the thickness of the brake disk drops below a predefined value.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

outputting a signal when the ultrasonic measuring head is applied correctly to the brake disk.

13. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic measuring head includes a push-button that is engaged when the ultrasonic measuring head is properly pressed against the brake disk, and the ultrasonic measuring head is configured to output a signal responsive to the engagement by the push-button.

14. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the opening is in a face of the rim that extends approximately perpendicularly to an axis of rotation of the wheel.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic measuring head includes a push-button that is engaged when the ultrasonic measuring head is properly pressed against the brake disk, and the method further comprises outputting a signal when a proper positioning of the ultrasonic measuring head is detected by the pressing of the push-button.

7. A device for determining a thickness of a brake disk of a pneumatic-tired vehicle, the device comprising:

an ultrasonic measuring head designed in such a way that is attachable to the brake disk by guiding the ultrasonic measuring head through an opening in a rim of a wheel that is controllable by the brake disk while the brake disk and the wheel are both mounted on the vehicle.

8. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein the vehicle is a passenger vehicle or a commercial vehicle.

9. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein the ultrasonic measuring head is designed to detect at least one web interconnecting brake disk plates of the brake disks including at least two brake disk plates which are interconnected by webs, and to it detects at least one of the webs and take the webs into account in determining the thickness of the brake disk.

10. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein the device further comprises:

at least one of;

i) an evaluation unit, and ii) a display unit, connected to the ultrasonic measuring head by a wireless or hardwired data link.

11. The device as recited in claim 10, wherein the device includes a warning device, which is designed to output a visual or acoustic warning when the thickness of the brake disk determined by the device drops below a predefined value.

12. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein the ultrasonic measuring head includes at least one sensor which is designed to detect whether the ultrasonic measuring head is positioned properly on the brake disk.

16. An arrangement comprising:

a pneumatic-tired vehicle that includes an installed brake disk and an installed wheel controllable by the brake disk; and

a device for determining a thickness of the brake disk, the device comprising an ultrasonic measuring head extending (a) from a side of a rim of the wheel that is opposite a side of the rim at which the brake disk is located, (b) through an opening in a face of the rim, and (c) to the brake disk, the face of the rim extending approximately perpendicularly to an axis of rotation of the wheel.