Air disc brake

• US 5,671,827 A
• Filed: 11/07/1995
• Issued: 09/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ikaros Demetriou, Kenneth Peer
• Original Assignee: Ikaros Demetriou, Kenneth Peer
• Inventors: Peer, Kenneth, Demetriou, Ikaros
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Douglas C.
• Application Number:
  US08/554,838
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 188/71.6, 188/73.1, 188/73.2, 188/72.5, 188/72.4, 188/73.31, 188/73.32, 188/366, 188/367, 188/264 AA, 188/250 B, 188/250 R, 188/250 G, 188/264 A, 188/344, 188/370, 188/218 XL, 188/218 A, 188/73.46, 188/73.44, 188/73.39, 192/113.23, 192/88 A, 192/85 AA, 192/11.2, 192/113.2, 192/70.12, 192/70.13, 301/6.3, 301/6.8
• US Class Current: 188/71.6
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0037 Protective covers
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0091 Plural actuators arranged side by side on the same side of the rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2069/004 Profiled friction surfaces, e.g. grooves, dimples
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2121/02 Fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 55/228 with a separate actuating member for each side
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/128 characterised by means for cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/18 adapted for drawing members together , e.g. for disc brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/847 with open cooling system, e.g. cooled by air

Abstract

A disc brake apparatus comprising an annular brake disc carried by a wheel hub rotatably mounted on an axle, the brake disc being constructed of circular friction plates spaced by a plurality of vanes extending radially along an inner face of the friction plates for enhancing flow of air past the disc and for enhancing dissipation of heat from the disc. A caliper brake assembly is mounted on a stationary support, the caliper brake assembly including a caliper housing, a pair of pistons mounted in the caliper housing and a diaphragm mechanism mounted adjacent and engaging the pistons. A brake pad assembly including brake pads is mounted adjacent to the pistons on the caliper housing and a source of pressurized air communicating fluid pressure from an outside source to the caliper assembly causes an application of force to the brake pad assembly by the pistons so that the brake pads engage with opposite radial faces of the brake disc.

Claims

1. A disc brake apparatus comprising an annular brake disc carried by a wheel hub, said brake disc comprising circular friction plates secured to and spaced by a plurality of vanes extending radially along an inner face of each said friction plates for enhancing the flow of air past the disc and for enhancing dissipation of heat from the disc, the hub being rotatably mounted on an axle, a stationary support mounted adjacent said brake disc and a plurality of caliper brake assemblies, mounted to said stationary support, said caliper brake assemblies being spaced apart from each other by spacer means and positioned on opposite sides of said brake disc, each caliper brake assembly comprising a caliper housing, piston means moveably mounted in said caliper housing, a brake pad assembly including a brake plate with a brake pad secured thereto movably mounted on said caliper housing and positioned by support and guide means extending from said caliper housing and means connected to one end of said caliper housing for communicating air under pressure from an outside source to said piston means causing an application of force to said brake pad assembly by said piston means so that the brake pads engage with opposite outer faces of said friction plates of said brake disc.

2. A disc brake apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said brake disc vanes are curved and said friction plate defines an open central area with a surrounding exterior surface which is blanchard ground with a plurality of face grooves.

3. A disc brake apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said open central area is generally circular in configuration with a plurality of spaced inwardly projecting ribs.

4. A disc brake apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said caliper brake assemblies comprises a housing defining cylinder means, a piston assembly mounted in said housing and a diaphragm plate covering said piston assembly, said diaphragm plate being provided with air source means.

5. A disc brake apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein each of said piston assemblies comprises a flexible member, a front plate mounted on said flexible member, a back plate mounted on said flexible member and pistons mounted to said front plate and back plate.

6. A disc brake apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said caliper housing support and guide means for said brake pad mounted thereon comprises a plurality of brackets mounted to said housing and a rod assembly mounted to said housing.

7. A disc brake apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said braking plate has a triangular shaped section which extends past the brake pad section, said triangular section defining a throughgoing hole adapted to receive a slidable rod.

8. A disc brake apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a flexible cover strip covering said rotor and a flexible cover for each of said caliper assemblies.

9. A brake assembly for stopping rotation of a rotary disc, said brake assembly comprising;

a pair of opposed braking elements moveably mounted to respective caliper assemblies, said caliper assemblies being spaced apart from each other by spacer means and positioned on each side of said rotary disc, said braking elements being adapted to be selectively moved into engagement with opposite radial side surfaces of said rotary disc;

said caliper assemblies being operable to control movement of said braking elements into and out of engagement with said rotary disc, each of said caliper assemblies comprising a caliper housing, cylinder means defined in said caliper housing and piston means moveably mounted in said cylinder means, said piston means comprising a flexible moveable member, a front plate, mounted on said flexible member, a back plate mounted on the opposite side of said flexible member and at least one piston member mounted to said front plate and back plate, and a source of pressurized air communicating with said caliper housing and associated flexible member such that admission of air pressure causes said piston means to be extended so as to move against braking elements driving said braking elements into engagement with said rotary disc and stopping rotation of said disc.

10. A disc brake assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein said caliper housing is provided with support means for said braking elements.

11. A brake assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein each said braking element comprises a support plate, a friction pad mounted on said support plate and support means connecting said support plate to said caliper housing.

12. A brake assembly as claimed in claim 10 wherein said support means comprises a rod slidably mounted in said caliper housing and extending through a braking element, said rod being provided with removable fastener means.

13. A brake assembly as claimed in claim 9 wherein said caliper housings are mounted on a support plate, said support plate defining a plurality of arms, one of said caliper assemblies mounted on said arms, tube means spacing a second caliper assembly from said first caliper assembly and fastener means connecting said caliper assemblies, tube means and support plate arms.

14. A disc brake apparatus comprising an annular rotor disc carded by a wheel hub to be braked, said rotor disc comprising circular plates spaced by a plurality of curved vanes extending radially along the face of said plates for enhancing the flow of air past the rotor and for enhancing dissipation of heat from the rotor with the outer surface of said circular plates being adapted to be frictionally engaged by a brake pad, said wheel hub being rotatably mounted on a shaft, a plurality of caliper brake assemblies are carried by a stationary support and spaced from each other by spacer means positioned on each side of said rotor disc, each caliper brake assembly comprising a caliper housing, a piston means mounted in a chamber formed in said caliper housing, diaphragm means mounted adjacent and connected to said piston means on said caliper housing, a brake pad assembly comprising a brake pad plate and a brake pad moveably mounted on said caliper housing between support and guide means mounted on said housing, and means connected to one end of said caliper assembly for communicating pneumatic pressure from an outside source to said caliper assembly causing an application of force to said brake pad assembly by said piston means and associated diaphragm means so that the brake pads engage the opposite radial faces of said rotor disc to stop rotation of said rotor disc.

15. An air brake apparatus, comprising:

a rotor assembly with spaced connected friction plates spaced apart by a plurality of vane members which cooperate to form a plurality of air passages between the friction plates;

a stationary support plate mounted adjacent said rotor assembly;

a plurality of brake caliper assemblies including a first brake caliper assembly and a second brake caliper assembly, each secured to said stationary support and positioned on opposite sides of said rotor assembly plate, each caliper assembly comprising;

a housing defining a chamber on a side of said housing distal from said rotor assembly and defining a plurality of cylinders in said chamber;

a diaphragm member defining a plurality of apertures therein mounted in said housing chamber;

a piston plate defining a plurality of apertures mounted on said diaphragm member on the side proximal to said housing so that said diaphragm apertures and piston plate apertures are aligned;

a back plate defining a plurality of apertures mounted on said diaphragm member on the side distal from said housing such that the apertures in said diaphragm, the apertures in said back plate and the apertures in the piston plate are aligned to form a throughgoing apertures;

a plurality of pistons mounted on said piston plate by fastening means extending through said throughgoing apertures said pistons being slidably mounted within said cylinders;

a cap member mounted to said caliper housing covering said diaphragm member;

an air pressure source in communication with each cap member which selectively drives said diaphragm member and associated pistons;

a brake pad assembly comprising a brake plate and a brake pad secured to said brake plate, said brake plate extending past the end of said brake pad, pin means mounted on each caliper housing to support said brake pad assembly, said brake pad assembly being positioned between guide members extending from said caliper housing, with said brake plate being engaged by said pistons when selectively driven by air pressure against said diaphragm member so that said brake pad frictionally engages a friction plate of said rotor assembly; and

a removable cover means mounted on said stationary support plate to cover said rotor assembly.