Pneumatically actuated disk brake with electromotive adjusting devices and method for controlling the disk brake

Abstract

An electro mechanical or pneumatically actuated disk brake, in particular for a utility vehicle, includes a brake caliper or saddle and a brake disk. The brake saddle overlaps the brake disk at least in sections of the outer periphery thereof. The disk brake also includes a tensioning device which is entirely or partially inserted into the brake saddle. The tensioning device is used to produce a tensioning movement between the brake linings and the brake disk. The disk brake further includes at least one, and preferably several, adjusting devices. The brake disk and / or the brake saddle are arranged on a stop with elastic pre-tension when the brake is in a release state. Braking is determined by a control method in a sensor-free manner during adjustment.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation of international application no. PCT / EP2004 / 014009, filed Dec. 9, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. [0002] This application also claims the priority of German application 103 57 374.7, filed Dec. 9, 2003.BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention relates to a pneumatically actuated disk brake with electromotively driven adjusting devices and a method for controlling the disk brake. [0004] In known compressed-air-actuated disk brakes, a braking operation is effected by an actuation of the brake application device, for example by movement of a piston rod of a pneumatically operating brake cylinder, by which movement a connected brake pad is pressed against the brake disk. Depending on whether the disk brake is designed as a fixed-caliper brake or as a sliding-caliper or hinged-caliper brake (or as a combination of these brake types), the brake disk is pushed toward the further b...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] The further contact between the brake pads and the brake disk following the release of the brake application device gives rise to an additional wear of both the brake disk and the brake pads, which results in a reduced service life for the wearing parts, with the corresponding cost disadvantages in terms of spare parts procurement and installation and removal.

[0037] This is extremely advantageous since, in a simple manner, the zero point which is necessary for all manner of controls (play adjustment, cleaning of the disk, etc.) can in this way easily be precisely determined over and over again. In order to avoid momentarily excessively high current consumption, the adjustment can also be made sequentially one after the other to the various brakes of a vehicle. As a result of the stop, the movements of disk and / or pads in all manner of play adjustments and functions can also be realized in a virtually “force-free” manner and without excessive opposing friction forces or the like, and can thus be performed in a particularly precise and reliable manner. Prior art methods are known from European document EP 0 703 133 B1 and German document DE 44 33 377 A1.

Problems solved by technology

The contact between brake disk and brake pad is released by the vibrations which are usually generated during driving, or due to a so-called wobble of the brake disk, which is undesirable per se.

The further contact between the brake pads and the brake disk following the release of the brake application device gives rise to an additional wear of both the brake disk and the brake pads, which results in a reduced service life for the wearing parts, with the corresponding cost disadvantages in terms of spare parts procurement and installation and removal.

As a result of a somewhat longer contact of the brake pads against the brake disk, the brake temperatures are somewhat increased, which can likewise have an adverse effect on service life.

Apart from the absence of forced lifting, i.e. the reliable release of the brake pads from the brake disk following completion of the braking operation, a further design problem of fixed-caliper disk brakes is that the operational micromobility of the brake disk and / or of the brake caliper, in the event of severe vibration stress, as occurs when driving on poor roads, leads to heavy wear, particularly on engaging elements such as splines, with which the axially displaceable brake disk is held in a torsionally secure manner against an axle flange or against a comparable vehicle-side component.

The enormous stress which is generated upon the engaging parts calls for a wear-conditioned premature exchange of the corresponding components, with the consequent costs.

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