Disc brake rotor mounting system

• US 6,988,598 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark Williams Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mark Williams Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Williams, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): SICONOLFI, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US10/830,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20040195059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 188/218.XL, 188/18.A
• US Class Current: 188/218.0XL
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2065/1368 with relative movement both radially and axially
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2065/1392 Connection elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/12 Discs; Drums for disc brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/54 by means of direct linear adjustment

Abstract

A mounting system for disc brake rotors. Drive pins are mounted to a wheel hub. Alignment bushings having outer flanges defining a channel are slidably held in slots in a disc brake rotor, with the rotor engaging the bushing channel. The alignment bushings are each mounted on a drive pin inserted through a hole in the alignment bushing. Drag rings prevent unwanted movement between the alignment bushings and the drive pins. The drag rings can be mounted in grooves in the alignment bushings or, alternatively, in grooves on the drive pins. Retaining rings on the drive pins prevent the bushings from coming off of the drive pins.

Claims

1. A wheel assembly comprising:

a hub;

a plurality of drive pins mounted on said hub;

a rotor having a plurality of slots;

a plurality of alignment bushings, each said alignment bushing slidably inserted into one of said slots in said rotor, each said alignment bushing slidably held by one of said drive pins; and

a plurality of drag rings, each said drag ring located between one of said alignment bushings and the drive pin by which said one alignment bushing is held, each said drag ring resisting relative axial movement between the associated alignment bushing and drive pin, whereby, when said rotor is engaged by calipers during braking, the resistance provided by the drag ring may be overcome allowing the associated alignment bushing to move axially relative to the associated drive pin to a position in which the forces applied by the calipers to the opposed sides of the rotor are balanced and, when the calipers are released, the resistance provided by the drag ring maintains the relative axial positions of the associated alignment bushing and drive pin.

2. A wheel assembly as in claim 1, further comprising:

an adapter mounted on said hub, said drive pins mounted to said adapter.

3. A wheel assembly as in claim 1,

wherein each said alignment bushing has a drag ring groove, and one of said drag rings is held in said drag ring groove.

4. A wheel assembly as in claim 1,

wherein each said alignment bushing has at least one flange, said flange substantially restricting movement of said alignment bushing in a direction perpendicular to the plane of one of said slots of said rotor when the alignment bushing is inserted therein.

5. A wheel assembly as in claim 4,

wherein each said alignment bushing has at least two flanges, said flanges substantially restricting movement of said alignment bushing in a direction perpendicular to the plane of one of said slots of said rotor when the alignment bushing is inserted therein.

6. A wheel assembly as in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of retaining rings, each said drive pin having a retaining ring groove for holding a respective one of said retaining rings to retain one of said alignment bushings on each of said drive pins, and one of said retaining rings is mounted in each of said retaining ring grooves.

7. A wheel assembly as in claim 1,

wherein said slots of said rotor have substantially straight sides;

and

wherein said alignment bushings have substantially straight sides along one axis.

8. A wheel assembly as in claim 7,

wherein said slots of said rotor are substantially D-shaped in configuration;

and

wherein said alignment bushings are substantially D-shaped in configuration.

21. A wheel assembly as in claim 1,

wherein each said drive pin has a drag ring groove, and one of said drag rings is held in said drag ring groove.

9. A disc brake rotor mounting system comprising:

a rotor having a plurality of slots;

a plurality of alignment bushings, each configured to be slidably insertable into one of said slots in said rotor and each having a drive hole therein;

a plurality of drive pins, each configured to be mountable on a hub and to be slidably insertable into the drive hole of one of said alignment bushings; and

a plurality of drag rings, each said drag ring located between one of said drive pins and the alignment bushing into which said one drive pin is inserted, each said drag ring resisting relative axial movement between the associated alignment bushing and drive pin, whereby, when said rotor is engaged by calipers during braking, the resistance provided by the drag ma may be overcome allowing the associated alignment bushing to move axially relative to the associated drive pin to a position in which the forces applied by the calipers to the opposed sides of the rotor are balanced and, when the calipers are released, the resistance provided by the drag ring maintains the relative axial positions of the associated alignment bushing and drive pin.

10. A disc brake rotor mounting system as in claim 9, further comprising:

an adapter configured to be mountable on said hub and configured to receive said drive pins, said drive pins being mountable on said adapter.

11. A disc brake rotor mounting system as in claim 9,

wherein each said alignment bushing has at least a partial groove configured to hold one of said drag rings.

12. A disc brake rotor mounting system as in claim 9,

wherein each said alignment bushing has at least one flange, said flange configured to substantially restrict movement of said alignment bushing in a direction perpendicular to the plane of one of said slots of said rotor when the alignment bushing is inserted therein.

13. A disc brake rotor mounting system as in claim 12,

wherein each said alignment bushing has at least two flanges, said flanges configured to substantially restrict movement of said alignment bushing in a direction perpendicular to the plane of one of said slots of said rotor when the alignment bushing is inserted therein.

14. A disc brake rotor mounting system as in claim 9, further comprising:

a plurality of retaining rings, and each said drive pin having a retaining ring groove for holding a respective one of said retaining rings for retaining one of said alignment bushings on each of said drive pins.

15. A disc brake rotor mounting system as in claim 9,

wherein said slots of said rotor have substantially straight sides;

and

wherein said alignment bushings have substantially straight sides.

16. A disc brake rotor mounting system as in claim 15,

wherein said slots of said rotor are substantially D-shaped;

and

wherein said alignment bushings are substantially D-shaped.

22. A disc brake rotor mounting system as in claim 9,

wherein each said drive pin has at least a partial groove configured to hold one of said drag rings.

17. A method of installing a disc-drive rotor onto a hub comprising:

mounting a plurality of drive pins on said hub;

inserting a plurality of alignment bushings into respective slots in a rotor;

mounting said rotor onto said hub by inserting each of said drive pins into a hole in a respective one of said alignment bushings;

inserting a drag ring between each of said drive pins and the associated alignment bushing into which the drive pin is inserted, said drag ring resisting relative axial movement between the associated alignment bushing and drive pin, whereby, when said rotor is engaged by calipers during braking, the resistance provided by the drag ring maybe overcome allowing the associated alignment bushing to move axially relative to the associated drive pin to a position in which the forces applied by the calipers to the opposed sides of the rotor are balanced and, when the calipers are released, the resistance provided by the drag ring maintains the relative axial positions of the associated alignment bushing and drive pin; and

securing said rotor to said hub by installing a retaining ring on each of said drive pins.

18. A method of installing a disc-drive rotor onto a hub as in claim 17 further comprising:

mounting an adapter on said hub; and

wherein said mounting a plurality of drive pins on said hub is replaced with mounting a plurality of drive pins on said adapter.

19. A method of installing a disc-drive rotor onto a hub as in claim 17 wherein:

each said drag ring is inserted into a receiving groove in each of said alignment bushings for engaging a surface of the associated drive pin.

20. A method of installing a disc-drive rotor onto a hub as in claim 17 wherein:

each said drag ring is inserted into a receiving groove on each of said drive pins for engaging a surface of the associated alignment bushing.