Brake disc for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a brake disc for a motor vehicle. The brake disc (2) comprises a disc (4) delimited by a first large face (6) opposite a second large face. The first large face (6) includes an opening (10) for receiving the end of a hub of a motor vehicle. The brake disc (2) also includes reversible means for retaining the end of a hub present in said opening (10). Remarkably, between the first large face (6) and the second large face of the disc (4), in a plane parallel to the first large face (6), the contour of the opening (10) is delimited by at least two portions (20, 22) of different shapes. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Brake disc for a motor vehicle Technical field to which the invention relates

[0001] The present invention relates to a brake disc for a motor vehicle and a hub, comprising an end adapted to the particular shape of the brake disc. Technological background

[0002] The braking system of a motor vehicle is an essential element of its safety, as it allows the driver to control the speed of the vehicle. To this end, most braking systems include a brake disc attached to the hub of a wheel of the motor vehicle and brake pads fixed to the moving shoes of a caliper.

[0003] When the braking system is inactive, the caliper keeps the brake pads away from the brake disc. Conversely, when the braking system is activated, the brake pads are moved so as to clamp the brake disc in order to slow the rotation of the hub.

[0004] The attachment of the brake disc to the hub is therefore a crucial element of the braking system. This attachment must be strong enough to withstand significant braking forces, while also allowing for easy removal of the brake disc to facilitate its replacement.

[0005] The brake disc is held to the hub by means of retaining screws, which pass through openings provided for this purpose in the brake disc. The ends of the retaining screws are then screwed into openings provided for this purpose in the hub.

[0006] The use of retaining screws advantageously ensures a solid and reliable connection between the brake disc and the hub, while allowing easy mounting and dismounting of the brake disc.

[0007] Prior to screwing in the retaining screws, it is necessary to properly position the brake disc on the hub so that the passages dedicated to the retaining screws are perfectly aligned with the openings provided in the hub for said screws.

[0008] Mounting a brake disc onto a hub therefore begins with a preliminary step of positioning the brake disc on the hub. In order to maintain alignment between the brake disc openings and the hub openings, positioning screws are known to be used during the tightening of the retaining bolts.

[0009] The positioning screws are smaller than the retaining screws to facilitate their handling. The positioning screws are inserted into additional passages provided for this purpose in the brake disc, so that they can be screwed into auxiliary openings provided for this purpose in the hub. The positioning screws thus allow the brake disc to be temporarily and quickly secured to the hub before carrying out the screwing step mentioned above.

[0010] Once the retaining screws are properly tightened, the positioning screws are removed.

[0011] This technique has several drawbacks. First, it requires Creating additional passages in the brake disc and openings in the hub weakens the mechanical structure of both the brake disc and the hub. Another drawback is that tightening and loosening the positioning screws is a tedious and time-consuming process, slowing down production on a brake disc assembly line.

[0012] The invention aims to solve these problems by proposing a brake disc and a hub adapted to the brake disc, allowing more precise positioning of the brake disc on the hub, while preventing its pivoting relative to the hub during the step of screwing the retaining screws. Object of the invention

[0013] For this purpose, the invention proposes a brake disc for a motor vehicle, comprising a disc delimited by a first large face opposite a second large face, the first large face comprising an opening intended to accommodate the end of a hub of a motor vehicle, as well as reversible means for retaining the end of a hub present in said opening.

[0014] The invention is remarkable in that between the first large face and the second large face, in a plane parallel to the first large face, the contour of the opening is delimited by at least two portions of different shapes.

[0015] By "different shapes," we mean in particular the fact that at least two portions delimiting the contour of the opening are not perfectly superimposable. In other words, these two portions of different shapes can be distinguished regardless of their overlap.

[0016] In other words, the contour of the opening in a plane parallel to the first large face is not regular. As a result, the irregular shape of the opening allows the end of a hub with a shape complementary to the opening to be inserted, in a translational movement, while preventing the brake disc from pivoting around the end of said hub.

[0017] By the term "complementary form" is meant the fact that the contour of the end of the hub fits into the opening of the brake disc.

[0018] The specific shape of the brake disc opening advantageously allows for faster and more precise positioning of the brake disc at the end of a hub with a complementary shape, according to a predetermined orientation. As a result, the orientation of the brake disc relative to the end of the hub is achieved more securely and quickly. According to another advantage, the specific shape of the brake disc opening allows this orientation to be maintained when the brake disc is secured to the hub by means of retaining screws.

[0019] The number of positioning screws can then be reduced, or even eliminated, during this assembly step.

[0020] The number of passages through the brake disc can also be reduced in order to preserve the mechanical properties of the disc as well as the mechanical properties of the hub.

[0021] The invention thus provides a brake disc that allows for more precise positioning of the brake disc on a hub, the end of the hub being shaped to complement the opening of the brake disc, while preventing the brake disc from pivoting relative to the hub during its final attachment to said hub, using fewer positioning screws or even no positioning screws at all. The production rate on a brake disc assembly line for a motor vehicle can therefore be increased.

[0022] According to another embodiment of the invention, between the first large face and the second large face, in a plane parallel to the first large face, the contour of the opening comprises at least a first circular portion. In other words, at least a first portion delimiting the contour of the opening forms an arc of a circle.

[0023] According to another embodiment of the invention, between the first large face and the second large face, in a plane parallel to the first large face, the contour of the opening comprises at least a second portion of rectilinear shape.

[0024] According to another embodiment of the invention, between the first large face and the second large face, in a plane parallel to the first large face, the contour of the opening comprises at least a second portion of rectilinear shape connecting two portions of circular shape.

[0025] According to another embodiment of the invention, between the first large face and the second large face, in a plane parallel to the first large face, the second rectilinear portion connects two portions of the same circle.

[0026] Preferably, the second portion forms a flat area between two portions delimiting the outline of the same circle.

[0027] According to another embodiment of the invention, the opening delimits a passage centered on the central axis of the brake disc, and at the level of the second large face, the The passage is closed by a plate incorporating reversible retaining means. Preferably, the plate faces the second large face.

[0028] According to another embodiment of the invention, the reversible retaining means comprise several secondary passages through the plate, and at least one secondary passage is smaller than the other secondary passages. Preferably, the smaller secondary passage(s) are intended to allow the passage of the positioning screws mentioned above.

[0029] Of course, the different characteristics, variants and embodiments mentioned above can be combined with each other in various ways, provided that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

[0030] The invention also relates to a hub for a motor vehicle, comprising an end with a shape complementary to the contour of the opening formed through the first large face of a brake disc as described above, so as to allow translational movement of the hub end within the opening, while preventing its rotation when inserted into said opening. In other words, the hub has an end with a shape complementary to the opening of the brake disc to prevent the brake disc from pivoting around said end.

[0031] According to another embodiment, the end of the hub includes openings arranged so that each opening can be aligned with a secondary passage through the plate which closes the passage of the brake disc. Description of the figures

[0032] The invention will be better understood from the following description, which relates to a preferred embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, and explained with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

[0033] [Fig.1] illustrates a perspective view of a brake disc according to the invention;

[0034] [Fig.2] illustrates a perspective view of the end of a hub according to the invention;

[0035] [Fig.3] illustrates a perspective view of the hub represented by the [Fig.2] positioned opposite the brake disc shown in [Fig.1]. Detailed description of the invention

[0036] As a reminder, the invention proposes a brake disc and a hub adapted to the brake disc, allowing more precise positioning of the brake disc on the hub, while preventing the brake disc from pivoting around the hub when the brake disc is held on the hub by means of retaining screws.

[0037] Figure 1 shows a non-limiting example of a brake disc according to the invention. The brake disc 2 is intended for use in a motor vehicle.

[0038] The brake disc 2 consists of a disc 4 delimited by a first large face 6 and a second large face. The first large face 6 is intended to be opposite a hub 8 of a motor vehicle illustrated by [Fig. 2]. The second large face is parallel to the first large face 6.

[0039] The first large face 6 includes an opening 10 centered on said face. In a known manner, the opening 10 is intended to allow the insertion of the end 12 of the hub 8 as illustrated by [Fig.3].

[0040] According to the present example, the opening 10 defines a passage 14 that passes completely through the disc 4. The passage is extended by a projection protruding from the second large face. The end of the passage 14, at the second large face, is closed by a plate 16 visible in [Fig. 1]. The plate 16 is parallel or substantially parallel to the first large face 6. The plate 16 is traversed by several so-called secondary passages 18A. Each secondary passage is designed to allow the insertion of a retaining screw as mentioned above. As a reminder, the retaining screws allow the brake disc 2 to be firmly held to the end 12 of the hub 8.

[0041] According to the present example, the plate 16 has a smaller secondary passage, in this case with a smaller diameter, hereinafter referred to as the tertiary passage. This tertiary passage 18B is intended to allow the passage of a positioning screw. It should be noted that the brake disc according to the invention may not have any tertiary passage.

[0042] Remarkably, the opening 10 in the brake disc is characterized, in a plane parallel to the first large face 6, by a contour delimited by at least two portions of different shapes. In the present case, at the level of the first large face 6, the contour of the opening 10 is delimited by two first circular portions 20, separated by two second rectilinear portions 22. According to this example, the second portions 22 are parallel to each other and of the same length. This particular shape of the opening 10 is extended at least partially along the passage 14 through the brake disc.

[0043] Advantageously, the second portions 22 allow the end 12 of the hub to be inserted into the passage 14 only when the brake disc 2 is properly oriented relative to the hub 8, so that the secondary passages 18A are perfectly aligned with openings 24A provided at the end of the hub 8. The openings 22A are threaded to allow the tightening of retaining screws, present in the aforementioned secondary passages 18A. The second portions thus allow for faster and more precise positioning of the brake disc 2 relative to the hub 8.

[0044] It should be noted that the invention also relates to the particular shape of the end 12 of the hub as illustrated by [Fig.2], of complementary shape to the passage 14 of the brake disc 2.

[0045] The complementary shapes of the end 12 of the hub and the passage 14 of the brake disc thus allow a user to quickly position the brake disc 2 on the hub 8, ensuring that the secondary passages 18A of the brake disc are perfectly aligned with the openings 14A provided at the end 12 of the hub as illustrated by [Fig.3].

[0046] According to another advantage, the complementary shapes of the hub end 12 and the brake disc passage 14 prevent the brake disc from pivoting relative to the hub and thus prevent misalignment of the secondary passages 18A with the hub openings 24A. Consequently, the use of positioning screws to maintain this alignment is no longer necessary, or at least their number can be significantly reduced.

Claims

Demands

1. Brake disc (2) for a motor vehicle comprising a disc (4) delimited by a first large face (6) opposite a second large face, the first large face (6) comprising an opening (10) intended to receive the end of a hub of a motor vehicle, and reversible retaining means for the end of a hub present in said opening (10), characterized in that between the first large face (6) and the second large face, in a plane parallel to the first large face (6), the contour of the opening (10) is delimited by at least two portions (20, 22) of different shapes.

2. Brake disc (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that between the first large face (6) and the second large face, in a plane parallel to the first large face (6), the contour of the opening (10) comprises at least a first portion (20) of circular shape.

3. Brake disc (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that between the first large face (6) and the second large face, in a plane parallel to the first large face (6), the contour of the opening (10) comprises at least a second portion (22) of rectilinear shape.

4. Brake disc (2) according to claim 3, characterized in that between the first large face (6) and the second large face, in a plane parallel to the first large face (6), the contour of the opening (10) comprises at least a second portion (22) of rectilinear shape connecting two first portions (20) of circular shape.

5. Brake disc (2) according to claim 4, characterized in that between the first large face (6) and the second large face, in a plane parallel to the first large face (6), the second portion (22) of rectilinear shape connects two portions of the same circle.

6. Brake disc (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the opening (10) delimits a passage (14) centered on the central axis of the brake disc (2), and in that at the level of the second large face the passage (14) is closed by a plate (16) comprising reversible retaining means.

7. Brake disc (2) according to claim 6, characterized in that the plate (16) faces the second large face.

8. Brake disc (2) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the reversible retaining means comprise several secondary passages (18A) through the plate (16) and at least one secondary passage (18B) is smaller in size than the other secondary passages.

9. Hub (8) for a motor vehicle comprising an end (12) of a shape complementary to the contour of the opening (10) formed through the first large face (6) of a brake disc (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, so as to permit translational movement of the end (12) of the hub in the opening (10) while preventing its rotation when inserted into said opening (10).

10. Hub (8) for a motor vehicle comprising an end (12) of a shape complementary to the contour of the opening (10) formed through the first large face (6) of a brake disc (2) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, so as to permit translational movement of the end (12) of the hub in the opening (10) while preventing its rotation when inserted into said opening (10), and in that the end (12) of the hub comprises openings (24A) arranged so that each opening (24A) can be aligned with a secondary passage (18A) through the plate (16) which closes the passage (14) of the brake disc (2).