Disc brake caliper

• US 7,766,132 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Freni Brembo S.P.A.
• Original Assignee: Freni Brembo S.P.A.
• Inventors: Veneziano, Aristide, Previtali, Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz; Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US11/871,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20080185243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 188/71.1, 188/73.39, 188/73.46, 188/73.47, 188368-370
• US Class Current: 188/73.39
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0016 Brake calipers
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0045 Braking members arranged non-symmetrically with respect to the brake disc
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 55/22 by clamping an axially-located rotating disc between movable braking members, e.g. movable brake discs or brake pads
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 55/226 in which the common actuating member is moved axially , e.g. floating caliper disc brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 55/228 with a separate actuating member for each side

Abstract

A disc brake caliper (4) comprising a first half caliper on the support side and a second half caliper on the wheel side (20, 24), at least one of said portions comprising a seat (28) having a prevailing extension that defines an axial direction (X-X). The caliper comprises at least one inclined bridge element (40) suitable for structurally connecting said first and said second half caliper (20, 24), said at least one bridge element (40) defining a substantial longitudinal prevailing extension direction (S-S) inclined by a predetermined angle (A) relative to the axial direction (X-X).

Claims

1. A disc brake caliper, comprising

a caliper body suitable for being fixed to a fixed support structure of a motor vehicle and suitable for being arranged astride of a disc for a disc brake,

said disc comprising a braking surface on the support side and a braking surface on the wheel side, opposite said braking surface on the support side and facing an associated wheel of the vehicle,

said caliper body comprising a first half caliper on the support side suitable for facing said braking surface on the disc support side and a second half caliper on the wheel side suitable for facing said braking surface on the disc wheel side,

at least one of said half calipers comprising a seat having a prevailing extension that defines an axial direction, said seat being suitable for seating a pushing element suitable for cooperating with a pad for exerting a braking action against said disc surfaces,

the body comprising a bridge element suitable for structurally connecting said first and second half caliper,

wherein said bridge element defines a substantially longitudinal prevailing extension direction, said prevailing extension direction being inclined by a predetermined angle relative to said axial direction of the seat for seating the pushing element, said angle being determined by projecting the prevailing extension direction and the axial direction onto a projection plane perpendicular to said braking surfaces on both sides of the brake disc.

2. The disc brake caliper according to claim 1, comprising a first and a second end bridge, opposite to one another relative to said pads and respectively arranged at said inlet portion and at said outlet portion of the caliper body, said end bridges connecting the half calipers to one another and therewith delimiting a seating space for the pads, wherein the first connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the wheel side is positioned at the first end bridge.

3. The disc brake caliper according to claim 2, comprising a first and a second inclined bridge element arranged at said inlet and outlet portion of the caliper body, respectively.

4. The disc brake caliper according to claim 3, wherein said first and second inclined bridge elements are substantially extended according to directions parallel to one another.

5. The disc brake caliper according to claim 2, wherein the second connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the support side is positioned at the second end bridge.

6. The disc brake caliper according to claim 2, wherein the second connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the support side is positioned at said center line plane of the caliper body.

7. The disc brake caliper according to claim 1, wherein the caliper body comprises a center line plane parallel to said axial direction and passing by the axis of rotation of the brake disc, said center line plane dividing the caliper body in an inlet portion and in an outlet portion, the inlet portion intercepting the brake disc during the forward motion of the vehicle first, a first connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the wheel side and a second connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the support side being positioned at opposite inlet and outlet portions of the caliper body.

8. The disc brake caliper according to claim 7, wherein said first connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the wheel side is positioned on the outlet portion of the caliper body and said second connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the support side is positioned on the inlet portion of the caliper body.

9. The disc brake caliper according to claim 7, wherein said first connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the wheel side is positioned on the inlet portion of the caliper body and said second connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the support side is positioned on the outlet portion of the caliper body.

10. The disc brake caliper according to claim 1, comprising a first and a second end bridge, opposite to one another relative to said pads and respectively arranged at said inlet portion and at said outlet portion of the caliper body, said end bridges connecting the half calipers to one another and therewith delimiting a seating space for the pads, wherein the first connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the wheel side is positioned at the second end bridge.

11. The disc brake caliper according to claim 10, wherein the second connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the support side is positioned at the first end bridge.

12. The disc brake caliper according to claim 10, wherein the second connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the support side is positioned at said center line plane of the caliper body.

13. The disc brake caliper according to claim 1, wherein the prevailing direction of the seat extends substantially perpendicular to the braking surfaces on the support side and on the wheel side of the disc.

14. The disc brake caliper according to claim 1, wherein said angle is between 1 and 60 degrees.

15. The disc brake caliper according to claim 1, wherein said angle is between 20 and 40 degrees.

16. The disc brake caliper according to claim 1, wherein said angle is 30 degrees.

17. The disc brake caliper according to claim 1, wherein the caliper body comprises a center line plane parallel to said axial direction and passing by the axis of rotation of the brake disc, said center line plane dividing the caliper body in an inlet portion and in an outlet portion, the inlet portion intercepting the brake disc during the forward motion of the vehicle first, a first connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the wheel side being positioned at said outlet portion.

18. The disc brake caliper according to claim 1, wherein the caliper body comprises a center line plane parallel to said axial direction and passing by the axis of rotation of the brake disc, said center line plane dividing the caliper body in an inlet portion and in an outlet portion, the inlet portion intercepting the brake disc during the forward motion of the vehicle first, a first connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the wheel side being positioned at said inlet portion.

19. The disc brake caliper according to claim 1, wherein the caliper body comprises a center line plane parallel to said axial direction and passing by the axis of rotation of the brake disc, said center line plane dividing the caliper body in an inlet portion and in an outlet portion, the inlet portion intercepting the brake disc during the forward motion of the vehicle first, a first connecting portion of the bridge element to the half caliper on the wheel side being positioned at least partly astride of said center line plane.

20. The disc brake caliper according to claim 1, wherein said caliper body comprises a central bridge substantially axially directed that structurally connects said first and second half caliper.

21. The disc brake caliper according to claim 1, wherein said at least one inclined bridge element is in a single block with said first and second half caliper.

22. The disc brake caliper according to claim 1, wherein said bridge element is associated to said first and second half caliper of the caliper body by first threaded connecting means according to an upwind element configuration.

23. The disc brake caliper according to claim 1, wherein said bridge element comprises a duct passing inside the bridge and suitable for making a fluid connection between said first and second half caliper for the passage of a cooling flow in the caliper body.