Combined retainer and anchor for floating shoe drum brake

• US 7,637,361 B1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Robert Bosch LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Anger, Stefan U., Charmat, Djamel
• Primary Examiner(s): TORRES WILLIAMS, MELANIE
• Application Number:
  US12/241,155
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 188/341, 188/78, 188/216, 188/325, 188/327, 188/328, 188/331, 188/333, 188/340
• US Class Current: 188/341
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2121/02 Fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2121/14 Mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2123/00 Multiple operation forces
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2125/60 Cables or chains, e.g. Bowden cables
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2125/62 Fixing arrangements therefor, e.g. cable end attachments
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2125/64 Levers
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 51/24 fluid actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/09 Pivots or supporting members therefor

Abstract

A one-piece sheet metal combination retainer and anchor for use in a non-servo floating shoe drum brake assembly (10) having a pair of laterally extending ears (62, 64,94, 96) for axially retaining respective ends (22, 24) of a pair of brake shoes (12, 14), and a pair of rivet head reinforceable axially extending portions (58, 60, 82, 84) for anchoring the brake shoe ends during brake application. A base portion (50, 88) has one or more rivet (54, 56, 86, 90) or shaft (92) receiving apertures with the each of the axially extending portions abutted by a rivet head flat surface (70). The base portion has a transversely extending central region (76, 98) to provide, in conjunction with a brake assembly backing plate (52), a parking brake cable (80) retaining clamp.

Claims

1. A brake component for use as an anchor in a non-servo floating shoe drum brake assembly, comprising:

a sheet metal retainer having a relatively flat base portion, a pair of opposed upstanding end walls, and a pair of flange portions extending from respective end walls laterally away from one another generally parallel to and spaced from the base portion; and

at least one fastener for fixing the retainer to a brake assembly backing plate, said fastener including a head having at least one generally flat surface for engaging and reinforcing a corresponding retainer end wall against force applied thereto during braking,

wherein the base further includes a transversely extending central region providing, in conjunction with the backing plate, a parking brake cable retaining clamp.

2. A brake component for use as an anchor in a non-servo floating shoe drum brake assembly, comprising:

a sheet metal retainer having a relatively flat base portion a pair of opposed upstanding end walls, and a pair of flange portions extending from respective end walls laterally away from one another generally parallel to and spaced from the base portion; and

at least one fastener for fixing the retainer to a brake assembly backing plate, said fastener including a head having at least one generally flat surface for engaging and reinforcing a corresponding retainer end wall against force applied thereto during braking,

wherein the distance from the backing plate to each flange portion is slightly greater than a spanned brake shoe portion whereby the brake shoes may be held captive between the backing plate and corresponding flange portion.

3. The brake component of claim 2, wherein said at least one fastener comprises a flat head solid rivet.

4. The brake component of claim 2, wherein there is only one fastener having a head spanning the base portion and having two generally parallel flat surfaces each engaging a corresponding end wall.

5. The brake component of claim 4, wherein the fastener head is substantially rectangular in cross-section.

6. The brake component of claim 2, wherein there are two fasteners, each passing through the base and the backing plate and each including a head having at least one relatively flat surface juxtaposed with a corresponding end wall for reinforcing the end wall against force applied thereto by a shoe during braking.

7. The brake component of claim 6, wherein each fastener head is substantially square in cross-section.

8. A drum brake comprising a hollow generally cylindrical drum that is fixed to and rotatable with a vehicle wheel about a wheel axle axis;

a support plate fixed to the vehicle first and second brake shoes movably mounted on the support plate each of which including a web and a rim, each rim having opposite the drum inner surface a face bearing a friction lining, a hydraulic actuation device capable of acting on a first end of the web of each shoe to press the friction linings against the drum and a bearing component secured to the support plate and acting as a bearing surface of a second end of the web of each shoe, said bearing component comprising;

a relatively flat base fixed to the support plate and having opposed respective ends;

a pair of lugs each extending from a corresponding base end generally parallel to one another and away from the support plate;

a pair of cantilevered retainer tabs extending from respective lug ends opposite the base laterally away from one another; and

at least one fastener passing through the base and the support plate, said fastener including a head having at least one surface juxtaposed with a corresponding lug for reinforcing the lug against force applied thereto by a shoe second end during braking,

wherein the distance from the support plate to each cantilevered tab is slightly greater than the thickness of a brake shoe web whereby the brake shoes may be held captive axially between the support plate and respective retainer tabs.

9. The drum brake of claim 8, wherein there is only one fastener having a head spanning the base and having two generally parallel flat surfaces each engaging a corresponding lug.

10. The drum brake of claim 9, wherein the fastener head is substantially rectangular in cross-section.

11. The drum brake of claim 8, wherein there are two fasteners, each passing through the base and the support plate and each including a head having at least one flat surface juxtaposed with a corresponding lug for reinforcing the lug against force applied thereto by a shoe second end during braking.

12. The drum brake of claim 11, wherein each fastener head is substantially square in cross-section.

13. A drum brake comprising a hollow generally cylindrical drum that is fixed to and rotatable with a vehicle wheel about a wheel axle axis;

a support plate fixed to the vehicle first and second brake shoes movably mounted on the support plate each of which including a web and a rim, each rim having opposite the drum inner surface a face bearing a friction lining, a hydraulic actuation device capable of acting on a first end of the web of each shoe to press the friction linings against the drum and a bearing component secured to the support plate and acting as a bearing surface of a second end of the web of each shoe, said bearing component comprising;

a relatively flat base fixed to the support plate and having opposed respective ends;

a pair of lugs each extending from a corresponding base end generally parallel to one another and away from the support plate;

a pair of cantilevered retainer tabs extending from respective lug ends opposite the base laterally away from one another; and

at least one fastener passing through the base and the support plate, said fastener including a head having at least one surface juxtaposed with a corresponding lug for reinforcing the lug against force applied thereto by a shoe second end during braking,

wherein the base further includes a transversely extending central region providing, in conjunction with the support plate, a parking brake cable retaining clamp.

14. The drum brake of claim 13, wherein the support plate includes a concave cable receiving depression closely adjacent the transversely extending central region.