A brake pad warning device

Abstract

This utility model relates to the field of vehicle braking technology and provides a brake pad warning device, including a base, a friction material layer fixedly installed on the top of the base, an insulating sleeve installed between the friction material layer and the base, a conductive block and a button battery installed sequentially from top to bottom inside the insulating sleeve, and a light bulb installed at the end of the button battery; when the friction material layer wears down to a preset thickness, a physical circuit is formed through the contact between the conductive block and the metal base, driving the light bulb to light up, abandoning complex electronic sensors and signal processing circuits, and adopting a purely mechanical contact conductive circuit principle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of vehicle braking technology, specifically to a brake pad warning device. Background Technology

[0002] The braking system of mining equipment (such as monorail locomotives, ground rail locomotives, and rack rail locomotives) is the core guarantee for their safe operation. Among them, the brake pads (also called brake linings or friction pads) are the key wear parts that perform braking. Brake pads typically consist of the following parts: the pad body, the friction material layer, and mounting accessories. The pad body is made of metal (such as steel or cast iron) or high-strength composite materials and forms the supporting skeleton of the entire pad. The friction material layer is fixed to the pad body by riveting or bonding. This layer directly contacts the brake disc (or brake drum) and generates braking force through friction. Mounting accessories, such as rivets and retaining rings, are used to fix the entire pad assembly to the brake's actuating device. During braking, the brake uses hydraulic, pneumatic, or spring force to press a pair of brake pads against the high-speed rotating brake disc. A huge frictional force is generated between the friction material layer and the brake disc, thereby achieving deceleration or stopping. Due to this intense friction, the friction material layer will continuously wear and thin with increasing usage time.

[0003] Mining equipment includes monorail cranes, ground rails, and rack rail vehicles. Their operating environment is relatively harsh, with poor lighting and high noise levels. Wear and tear on many mining equipment is often difficult to detect during use. Currently, the inspection of brake pad wear in mines mainly relies on online monitoring systems with sensors. Displacement sensors are installed on the brakes to indirectly estimate the amount of brake pad wear by detecting the stroke of the brake piston; or wires are pre-embedded in the brake pads, triggering an alarm when the wires break due to wear. Although existing sensors can perform wear warning functions, they still have the following technical problems: Mining equipment is subject to strong vibrations, high humidity, and electromagnetic interference in the mining environment. Displacement sensors are easily affected by factors such as mechanical clearances and temperature changes, resulting in inaccurate and unreliable measurement results. The sensors themselves and their supporting data acquisition, transmission, and processing systems are expensive, making the overall modification cost too high for the large number of mining equipment. Utility Model Content

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model proposes a brake pad warning device, including a base, a friction material layer fixedly installed on the top of the base, an insulating sleeve installed between the friction material layer and the base, a conductive block and a button battery installed sequentially from top to bottom inside the insulating sleeve, and a light bulb installed at the end of the button battery; When the friction material layer wears down to a preset thickness, it forms a physical circuit through contact between the conductive block and the metal base, driving the bulb to emit light.

[0005] Further configured, the light bulb, conductive block and button battery are arranged coaxially, and the axis is inclined to the upper surface of the base.

[0006] A further configuration is provided, wherein an installation groove is provided above the base, and a friction material layer is fixedly installed in the installation groove.

[0007] A further configuration is that the friction material layer is higher than the side of the mounting groove, and when the friction material layer wears down to a preset thickness, the metal surface being rubbed simultaneously connects with the side of the mounting groove and the conductive block to form a conductive circuit.

[0008] A further feature is that the base has a recess corresponding to the bulb, with an opening at the bottom of the recess. This recess design achieves embedded protection for the bulb and signal optimization. The recess provides a protected physical space for the bulb, effectively preventing direct damage during installation, replacement of brake pads, or collisions with foreign objects in the well.

[0009] Further configured, the bottom of the bulb extends to the outside of the groove, which further improves the visibility of the light and the warning effect. The bottom of the bulb extending to the outside of the groove is equivalent to directly exposing the light source to the most ideal observation position, completely eliminating even the slight obstruction from the side wall of the groove.

[0010] Further, an installation cavity is provided between the friction material layer and the base, and an insulating sleeve is provided inside the installation cavity. An independent installation cavity is provided to accommodate the insulating sleeve and internal components, thereby realizing the standardized and modular integration of the sensor module and the main structure of the gate plate.

[0011] Further, the inner wall of the mounting cavity is threaded, and the outer wall of the insulating sleeve is threaded. By providing threads on both the inner wall and the insulating sleeve, the insulating sleeve can be detachably installed, facilitating assembly, adjustment, and maintenance. The introduction of the threaded connection method brings convenience to installation and maintenance. The insulating sleeve can be easily and precisely inserted into the mounting cavity to a predetermined depth by screwing, thereby achieving fine-tuning and standardized control of the warning thickness.

[0012] Further configured, the insulating sleeve is installed on the inner wall of the mounting cavity by threads. The threaded installation method makes the installation and disassembly of the insulating sleeve simpler and faster, improving production efficiency and maintenance convenience. The strong locking force provided by the threaded pair ensures that the insulating sleeve and its internal precision components will not loosen or fall off when subjected to strong vibration and impact.

[0013] Further configured, the insulating sleeve is made of ceramic, the conductive block is made of copper, and the friction material layer is made of powder metallurgy friction material. The ceramic insulating sleeve has extremely high mechanical strength, wear resistance, high temperature resistance and excellent insulation performance, ensuring that it is not prematurely damaged during the wear of the friction material, and can reliably isolate the internal circuit from the base until the warning time.

[0014] The beneficial effects of one or more of the above technical solutions: This invention eliminates complex electronic sensors and signal processing circuits, employing a purely mechanical contact conductive circuit principle. When the friction material wears down to a preset thickness, a physical circuit is formed through direct contact between the conductive block and the metal base, driving the bulb to emit light. This method fundamentally eliminates false alarms, measurement inaccuracies, or system malfunctions caused by strong vibrations, electromagnetic interference, or temperature and humidity changes in mines. This invention directly outputs an optical warning signal. In dimly lit mine tunnels, the lit bulb serves as a high-contrast visual signal, highly conspicuous and intuitive, allowing workers to quickly spot it. It exhibits stability and reliability even under harsh working conditions. The button battery, bulb, copper electrodes, and insulating sleeve used in this invention are all common, low-cost industrial components, eliminating the need for expensive external sensors, data acquisition systems, or complex wiring. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments of this application and their descriptions are used to explain this application and do not constitute a limitation thereof.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention when forming a conductive circuit; In the diagram, 1 represents the friction block; 2. Base; 21. Receiving slot; 22. Mounting slot; 3. Insulating sleeve; 4. Conductive block; 5. Battery; 6. Light bulb; 7. Braking unit. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The specific implementation of this embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] Reference Figure 1A brake pad warning device includes a base 2, with a friction block 1 fixedly mounted on top of the base 2. An insulating sleeve 3 is installed between the friction block 1 and the base 2. A conductive block 4 and a battery 5 are sequentially installed from top to bottom inside the insulating sleeve 3. A light bulb 6 is installed at the end of the battery 5. When the friction block 1 wears down to a preset thickness, it forms a physical circuit through contact with the metal base 2 via the conductive block 4, driving the light bulb 6 to illuminate. This innovative design utilizes the brake disc (the rubbed metal surface) as a "moving conductor," creating a unique two-point contact circuit. When the wear reaches the desired depth, the brake disc simultaneously contacts the exposed metal side of the mounting groove and the conductive block. The current path is: base -> mounting groove side -> brake disc -> conductive block -> ... -> light bulb -> base. This design significantly increases the effective contact area. Compared to single-point contact, it effectively overcomes the problem of excessive contact resistance caused by surface oxidation or dust coverage, ensuring that the alarm circuit can be stably and reliably triggered even under harsh operating conditions.

[0019] The bulb 6, conductive block 4, and battery 5 are arranged coaxially, with the axis inclined to the upper surface of the base 2. This coaxial arrangement and inclination to the upper surface of the base 2 achieves compact alignment of the components, reducing the risk of internal short circuits or poor contact. The inclined design optimizes space utilization, making the device easier to integrate into the limited space of the brake, while ensuring that the conductive block 4 makes more precise contact with the base 2 during wear, triggering the circuit. This simplifies the assembly process, improves production efficiency, and enhances the structural stability of the device in vibration environments, preventing component displacement due to vibration.

[0020] A mounting groove 22 is formed above the base 2, and the friction block 1 is fixedly installed in the mounting groove 22. The mounting groove 22 is designed to provide a stable fixation for the friction block 1, preventing it from shifting or loosening during braking, thus ensuring the long-term reliability of the warning device. The mounting groove 22 also allows for precise control of the installation position and thickness of the friction block 1, thereby ensuring that when it wears to a preset thickness, the conductive block 4 can accurately contact the base 2 and trigger the warning. This structure enhances the overall mechanical strength, is suitable for high-vibration mining environments, and simplifies the replacement and maintenance process of the friction block 1.

[0021] The friction block 1 is higher than the side of the mounting groove 22. When the friction block 1 wears down to a preset thickness, the rubbed metal surface simultaneously connects with both the side of the mounting groove 22 and the conductive block 4 to form a conductive circuit. The fact that the friction block 1 is higher than the side of the mounting groove 22 ensures that during the wear process, as the friction block 1 thins, the rubbed metal surface (such as the brake disc) can simultaneously contact both the side of the mounting groove 22 and the conductive block 4, forming a conductive circuit with dual contact points. This design improves the reliability and accuracy of the circuit, reducing the possibility of false alarms or missed alarms. Utilizing the brake disc itself as part of the circuit simplifies the device structure, eliminates the need for additional conductors, and reduces costs. The dual contact points also enhance vibration resistance, ensuring stable triggering under harsh operating conditions.

[0022] The base 2 has a receiving slot 21 corresponding to the bulb 6. The bulb 6 is an existing shock-resistant bulb. The receiving slot 21 has an opening at the bottom, which provides a dedicated space for the bulb 6. The opening at the bottom of the receiving slot 21 allows light to shine directly downwards or outwards, optimizing the light propagation angle and making the bulb 6 more conspicuous and visible in dimly lit mine tunnels. This opening design enhances the coverage of the warning signal, allowing workers to detect the warning from multiple angles in a timely manner, thus improving safety performance. At the same time, the receiving slot 21 helps protect the bulb 6 from external mechanical impacts, and the opening design may also promote heat dissipation, extending the lifespan of the bulb 6.

[0023] The bulb 6 extends its bottom outside the receiving groove 21, further enhancing the visibility and warning effect of the light because it is closer to the operator's eye level, reducing the risk of obstruction by dust or obstacles. This makes the warning signal more prominent in harsh environments, ensuring rapid detection.

[0024] A mounting cavity is provided between the friction block 1 and the base 2. An insulating sleeve 3 is installed inside the mounting cavity. The mounting cavity provides an isolated, sealed space to accommodate components such as the insulating sleeve 3, the conductive block 4, and the battery 5, effectively protecting the internal components from dust, moisture, and mechanical impact in the mining environment. This design enhances the durability and reliability of the device, preventing circuit failures or corrosion caused by external factors.

[0025] The inner wall of the mounting cavity is threaded, and the outer wall of the insulating sleeve 3 is also threaded. These threads on the inner wall and the insulating sleeve 3 enable detachable installation of the insulating sleeve 3, facilitating assembly, adjustment, and maintenance. The threaded connection provides a robust mechanical fixation, preventing the insulating sleeve 3 from loosening under strong vibrations and ensuring the long-term stability of the conductive circuit. This design also allows for fine-tuning of the depth of the insulating sleeve 3, thereby precisely controlling the warning thickness and increasing the flexibility and adaptability of the device.

[0026] The insulating sleeve 3 is threaded onto the inner wall of the mounting cavity. This threaded installation method makes the installation and removal of the insulating sleeve 3 simpler and faster, improving production efficiency and maintenance convenience. It ensures a tight fit between the insulating sleeve 3 and the mounting cavity, enhances sealing, prevents the intrusion of contaminants such as moisture and dust, and improves the reliability of the device in humid and dusty environments.

[0027] The insulating sleeve 3 is made of ceramic, the conductive block 4 is made of copper, and the friction block 1 uses powder metallurgy friction material. The ceramic insulating sleeve 3 has excellent insulation performance, high temperature resistance, and wear resistance, and can remain stable in the high-temperature environment generated by braking, preventing short circuits or failures and extending the life of the device. The copper conductive block 4 provides high conductivity and corrosion resistance, ensuring reliable circuit connection and minimizing resistance. The powder metallurgy friction material has a high coefficient of friction, wear resistance, and thermal stability, suitable for the braking requirements of heavy mining equipment, ensuring consistent braking performance, and making the wear process more controllable, thereby improving the accuracy of early warning.

[0028] The working principle of this utility model is as follows: Before using the brake pad, place the conductive block 4 and battery 5 into the insulating sleeve 3 in sequence, then place the insulating sleeve 3 into the pre-drilled brake pad, and finally tighten it with the light bulb 6. During use, the brake pad gradually wears down and becomes thinner. When it becomes thin to the insulating sleeve 3, the insulating sleeve 3 will begin to wear down, exposing the conductive block 4. When the friction block 1 wears down to the preset thickness, the metal surface of the friction brake body 7 simultaneously connects with the side of the mounting groove 22 and the conductive block 4 to form a conductive circuit, causing the light bulb 6 to conduct electricity and emit light, generating a light signal alarm to the outside world, indicating that the brake pad has reached its wear limit and needs to be replaced.

[0029] Although the specific embodiments of the present utility model have been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present utility model. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art without creative effort based on the technical solution of the present utility model are still within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A brake pad warning device, characterized in that, The system includes a base, a friction material layer fixedly installed on the top of the base, an insulating sleeve installed between the friction material layer and the base, and a conductive block and a button battery installed sequentially from top to bottom inside the insulating sleeve, with a light bulb installed at the end of the button battery. When the friction material layer wears down to a preset thickness, it forms a physical circuit through contact between the conductive block and the metal base, driving the bulb to emit light.

2. The brake pad warning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light bulb, conductive block, and button battery are arranged coaxially, and the axis is inclined to the upper surface of the base.

3. The brake pad warning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, An installation groove is provided above the base, and a friction material layer is fixedly installed in the installation groove.

4. A brake pad warning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The friction material layer is higher than the side of the mounting groove. When the friction material layer is worn down to a preset thickness, the metal surface being rubbed is simultaneously connected to the side of the mounting groove and the conductive block to form a conductive circuit.

5. A brake pad warning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base has a groove corresponding to the light bulb, and an opening is provided at the bottom of the groove.

6. A brake pad warning device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The bottom of the bulb extends outside the groove.

7. A brake pad warning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, An installation cavity is provided between the friction material layer and the base, and an insulating sleeve is provided inside the installation cavity.

8. A brake pad warning device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The inner wall of the mounting cavity is threaded, and the outer wall of the insulating sleeve is threaded.

9. A brake pad warning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The insulating sleeve is threaded onto the inner wall of the mounting cavity.

10. A brake pad warning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The insulating sleeve is made of ceramic, the conductive block is made of copper, and the friction material layer is made of powder metallurgy friction material.

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