Disc braking system comprising a passage for brake pads formed between a disc support ring and a lateral support

Abstract

This braking system comprises an annular brake disc (1) and a brake disc (1) support ring (2). The support ring (2) is external to and coaxial with the brake disc (1) and fixed rigidly to a lateral support (3). The braking system includes a brake caliper (8) that engages the brake disc (1) from an inner side of the brake disc (1), and brake pads (9) interposed between the caliper (8) and the brake disc (1). The braking system includes a passage (15) for the brake pads (9) formed between the support ring (2) and the lateral support (3). (See Figure 4 for abbreviations)

Description

Title of the invention: Disc braking device comprising a passage for brake pads formed between a disc support ring and a lateral support. Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a disc braking device.

[0002] The invention also relates to a wheel motor equipped with such a braking device and to a motor vehicle equipped with such a wheel motor or such a braking device. Previous techniques

[0003] Conventional disc braking systems have certain limitations, particularly in terms of maintenance, especially when replacing brake pads.

[0004] The main drawback of traditional systems in which the calipers bite the brake disc from the outside lies in the need to remove the caliper to access the brake pads. This process is not only time-consuming but also requires specific technical expertise, thus increasing maintenance costs for the end user. Furthermore, frequent caliper removal increases the risk of premature wear of its components, potentially affecting overall vehicle safety.

[0005] Furthermore, in configurations where the calipers bite the disc from the inside, it is often necessary to remove the caliper and, in some cases, the brake disc itself. This process, although slightly different, shares the same drawbacks in terms of complexity and intervention time, with the same implications in terms of cost and potential for wear.

[0006] Furthermore, when a conventional braking system is combined with an in-wheel motor, access to the brake components, and in particular to the brake pads, is often hampered by the presence of the in-wheel motor, making the replacement process more laborious and technical, potentially requiring the removal of the in-wheel motor. This increased complexity can lead to prolonged vehicle downtime and necessitates specialized technical skills, thus increasing maintenance costs. Description of the invention

[0007] To overcome the problems posed by the prior art, the invention aims to provide a disc braking device compatible with use with wheel motors and allowing easy access to brake pads, thus reducing the time needed for their replacement or installation.

[0008] The invention relates to a braking device comprising an annular brake disc and an external support ring coaxial with the brake disc and fixed securely to a lateral support.

[0009] The braking device further comprises a brake caliper attacking the brake disc from an inner side of the brake disc, and brake pads interposed between the caliper and the brake disc.

[0010] The braking device includes a passage for the brake pads formed between the support ring and the lateral support.

[0011] Such a configuration allows easy access to the brake pads. Furthermore, when the braking device is associated with a wheel motor, this configuration further facilitates access to the brake pads because it does not require uncoupling the wheel motor from the brake disc-caliper assembly, thus reducing the time and cost of the maintenance operation.

[0012] Preferably, the passage comprises a notch formed on a first front face of the ring, the notch being axially arranged on the side of the lateral support and extending over a predetermined angular sector of the circumference of the support ring. Such a configuration makes it possible to control the dimensions, position, and shape of the passage.

[0013] According to one feature, the braking device includes removable means for closing the passage. Such a braking device allows the closing of the passage to be controlled.

[0014] According to another feature, the removable closing means are arranged between the support ring and the lateral support.

[0015] Preferably, the removable closing means comprise a rod fixed to the support ring and the lateral support.

[0016] Advantageously, the support ring is axially offset on the side of said lateral support relative to the brake disc. Such a configuration facilitates the manufacture of the braking device.

[0017] According to another advantageous feature, the support ring is provided on its first front face with a first group of secondary notches spaced apart around the circumference of the support ring and arranged axially on the side of said lateral support. Such a support ring benefits from a reduced weight while improving the ventilation of the disk.

[0018] According to an advantageous feature, the support ring is provided on a second front face with a second group of secondary notches spaced apart from each other on the circumference of the support ring and arranged axially on the brake disc side. Such a support ring further improves the ring's weight and the disc's ventilation.

[0019] According to another aspect, the invention relates to a wheel motor for a motor vehicle equipped with a braking device as defined above, in which the lateral support is part of a rotor of the wheel motor.

[0020] According to another aspect, the invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising at least one braking device as defined above or comprising at least one wheel motor as defined above. Brief description of the drawings

[0021] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0022] [Fig-1] is a perspective view of a wheel motor equipped with a device braking according to an example of an embodiment of the invention;

[0023] [Fig.2] is a cross-sectional view along axis II-II of [Fig.1];

[0024] [Fig.3] is a partial perspective view of the wheel motor of [Fig.1]; and

[0025] [Fig.4] is a partial side view of the wheel motor of [Fig.1]. Detailed description of at least one embodiment

[0026] Figures 1 to 4 show an in-wheel motor for an electrically driven motor vehicle. An in-wheel motor is an assembly that incorporates an electric traction motor capable of propelling a vehicle.

[0027] The wheel motor includes a braking device comprising an annular brake disc 1 and an external support ring 2 coaxial with the brake disc 1.

[0028] The outer support ring 2 is fixed rigidly to a lateral support 3 and is connected to the brake disc 1. The lateral support 3 is here part of a rotor 4 of the wheel motor 5. In an embodiment not shown, the lateral support 3 may be part of a wheel rim.

[0029] The lateral support 3 is coaxial with the brake disc 1 and has an annular outer surface 3b arranged radially at the same level as an outer surface 2c of the support ring 2. In other words, the outer surface 3b of the lateral support 3 is radially external to the brake disc 1 and the brake disc 1 is supported externally, via the support ring 2.

[0030] As illustrated in [Fig. 2], the support ring 2 is connected to the brake disc 1 by means of several connecting elements 6 arranged around a circumference of the support ring 2 and extending in a radial direction. It should be noted that identical or similar elements bear the same numerical references from one figure to another.

[0031] Each connecting element 6 is fixed securely to the support ring 2 and is housed in an associated cavity 7, so that it can slide in it.

[0032] Preferably, each connecting element 6 comprises an anchoring part embedded in the support ring 2 and a protrusion integral with the anchoring part and extending radially towards the brake disc 1. Each cavity 7 has a shape complementary to that of the radial protrusion of the associated connecting element 6 and is formed radially inside the brake disc 1. Such a configuration allows free radial thermal deformations of the disc.

[0033] Preferably, the anchoring portions of the connecting elements 6 are overmolded with the support ring 1, so as to ensure their fixed attachment. The radial protrusions of the connecting elements 6 include rods or tubes intended to be housed in the cavities 7.

[0034] Alternatively, it is of course possible to make the support ring and the brake disc joined together by any means known to those skilled in the art, for example with screw-nut assemblies.

[0035] The braking device further comprises a brake caliper 8 attacking the brake disc 1 from an inner side of the disc 1, and brake pads 9 interposed between the brake caliper 8 and the brake disc 1.

[0036] The brake disc here is of the ventilated type. Alternatively, it remains possible for the brake disc to be solid and / or in one piece.

[0037] The brake disc 1 comprises a first and a second annular plate la, 1b, opposed and coaxial. The first annular plate la comprises an internal surface 10a disposed opposite an internal surface 10b of the second annular plate 1b. Each annular plate la, 1b comprises on its internal surface 10a, 10b a plurality of ribs lia, 11b spaced from each other in the circumferential direction and extending radially from an external surface of each plate.

[0038] The ribs 1la of the first plate la are arranged opposite the ribs 11b of the second plate 1b. The ribs lia and 11b together form the cavities 7 housing the connecting elements 6.

[0039] To facilitate fixing, the support ring 2 is axially offset on the side of the lateral support 3, relative to the brake disc 1. The support ring 2 comprises a first front face 2a which is in axial contact with a front face 3a of the lateral support 3. The support ring 2 is fixed rigidly to the lateral support 3 by means of fixing means 12 such as screws or bolts.

[0040] The support ring 2 also includes a second front face 2b opposite the first front face 2a. The two front faces 2a and 2b define the axial thickness of the support ring 2.

[0041] The support ring 2 is provided on its second front face 2b with a second group of secondary notches 13 spaced apart around the circumference of the support ring 2. The secondary notches 13 are arranged axially on the side of the brake disc, so as to promote its ventilation. Preferably, the secondary notches 13 allow air to pass to and from the inside of the brake disc 1.

[0042] The support ring 2 is here provided on the first front face 2a with a first group of secondary notches 14 spaced from each other on the circumference of the support ring 2. The secondary notches 14 are arranged axially on the side of the lateral support.

[0043] Alternatively, it remains possible not to provide for secondary notches 13 and / or secondary notches 14.

[0044] As particularly visible in [Fig.3], the braking device includes a passage 15 formed between the support ring 2 and the lateral support 3 and intended to allow the passage of the brake pads 9, particularly during maintenance operations.

[0045] Here, the passage 15 includes a notch 16 formed on a first front face 2a of the support ring 2. More precisely, the notch 16 is arranged axially on the side of the lateral support 3 and extends over a predetermined angular sector a of the circumference of the support ring 2. The shape and dimensions of the notch 16 allow the passage of the brake pads 9 through the notch 16 and in particular their radial extraction from the braking device through the passage 15.

[0046] Preferably, the braking device includes removable means 17 for closing the passage 15. Here, the removable means 17 are arranged between the support ring 2 and the lateral support 3 and comprise a tube 18 fixed to the support ring 2 and the lateral support 3 and axially passing through the passage 15. In a particular embodiment, the tube 18 is traversed by a screw housed in a hollow central area of ​​the tube 18. Preferably, the removable means 17 contribute to ensuring the connection and maintaining a predetermined spacing between the support ring 2 and the lateral support 3. As particularly visible in [Fig. 4], the tube 18 is centered on the notch 16, so as to divide the notch 16 into two parts of substantially equal length. Alternatively, it remains possible that the tube 18 is not centered on the notch 16. In this case, the notch 16 is divided into two parts of unequal length.

Claims

Demands

1. A braking device comprising an annular brake disc (1) and a brake disc (1) support ring (2), said support ring (2) being external to and coaxial with the brake disc (1) and fixed rigidly to a lateral support (3), said braking device comprising a brake caliper (8) engaging the brake disc (1) from an inner side of the brake disc (1), and brake pads (9) interposed between the caliper (8) and the brake disc (1), said braking device being characterized in that it comprises a passage (15) for the brake pads (9) formed between the support ring (2) and the lateral support (3), said passage (15) comprising a notch (16) formed on a first front face (2a) of the ring (2), said notch (16) being disposed axially on the side of the lateral support (3) and extending over a predetermined angular sector (a) of a circumference of the support ring (2).

2. Braking device according to claim 1, comprising removable means (17) for closing said passage (15).

3. Braking device according to claim 2 in which the removable closing means (17) are arranged between the support ring (2) and the lateral support (3).

4. Braking device according to claim 3, wherein the removable closing means (17) comprise a tube (18) fixed to the support ring (2) and to the lateral support (3).

5. Braking device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the support ring (2) is axially offset on the side of said lateral support (3) relative to the brake disc (1).

6. Braking device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the support ring (2) is provided on the first front face (2a) with a first group of secondary notches (14) spaced apart on the circumference of the support ring (2) and arranged axially on the side of said lateral support (3).

7. Braking device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the support ring (2) is provided on a second front face (2b) with a second group of secondary notches (13) spaced apart on the circumference of the support ring (2) and arranged axially on the side of the brake disc (1).

8. Wheel motor for a motor vehicle equipped with a braking device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lateral support (3) is part of a rotor (4) of the wheel motor.

9. Motor vehicle comprising at least one braking device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 or comprising at least one wheel motor according to claim 8.

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