BRAKE DISC FOR MOTOR VEHICLES AND MOTOR VEHICLES INCLUDING SUCH A DISC

Abstract

The invention relates to a brake disc (1) for a motor vehicle, said disc comprising a main body (3) having two opposing main faces (3a, 3b), and two parts (5) serving as friction tracks, one of said parts (5) being removably fixed to each of the faces (3a, 3b) of said main body (3). [Fig. 1]

Description

Title of the invention: BRAKE DISC FOR MOTOR VEHICLES AND VEHICLES AUTOMOBILE INCLUDING SUCH A DISC

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, and more particularly concerns a brake disc intended to equip a braking device of a motor vehicle.

[0002] Indeed, motor vehicles generally include a braking system comprising a brake pedal acting on a master cylinder, to transmit, via hydraulic circuits, fluid pressure to brakes which act on each wheel of the vehicle.

[0003] It is particularly known to use a disc having a hub rotating with the wheel, and comprising a ring having two annular friction faces or friction tracks. The friction faces receive the opposing pressure of two brake linings, controlled by a caliper having pistons actuated by hydraulic pressure.

[0004] Thus, since the friction tracks are an integral part of the brake disc, it is necessary to change the disc once these areas are worn and no longer guarantee sufficient braking quality to ensure the safety of the vehicle's passengers, even if the rest of the disc is in good condition.

[0005] This requirement therefore leads to high replacement costs and material waste. Furthermore, frequent brake disc replacement contributes to a greater quantity of metal waste, as well as an increased carbon footprint due to the production and recycling of such brake discs.

[0006] The present invention thus proposes to remedy at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a new type of brake disc for motor vehicles, said disc comprising a main body having two opposing main faces, as well as two parts acting as a friction track, one of said parts being removably fixed on each of the faces of said main body.

[0007] The brake disc according to the invention offers a technical solution allowing one or all of the friction tracks to be replaced when they are worn, without having to change the main body of said disc, thus optimizing the maintenance of the brake disc, and providing cost and material savings, while allowing the life of said brake disc to be extended.

[0008] In addition, the fact that the friction tracks are removable and separate from the main body of said disc makes it possible to decouple the wear part of the disc from the parts used only to fix said disc to a vehicle hub or to support said tracks.

[0009] According to another possible feature, each of said faces of the main body includes a reception surface for one of said parts acting as a friction track. Advantageously, reception areas or surfaces are configured to accommodate the parts acting as friction tracks, facilitating the positioning and mounting of said parts on the main body.

[0010] According to another possible feature, the reception surfaces are formed of fins spaced apart from each other. The said fins, spaced for example regularly from each other, allow the correct positioning of the said parts while allowing air circulation and cooling of the said tracks when they are heated by friction from the brake linings during braking.

[0011] According to another possible characteristic, the opposite faces have a first face, called the outer face, oriented, in the mounted position, towards the outside of the vehicle, and a second face, called the inner face, oriented, in the mounted position, towards the vehicle, the parts arranged on each of said faces having different hardnesses and / or thicknesses. Advantageously, the faces of a brake disc do not wear evenly depending on the vehicle, so having separate friction tracks allows their hardness and / or thickness to be adapted to compensate for this asymmetry of wear, and thus optimize the maintenance of said brake discs according to the invention.

[0012] According to another possible feature, said main body includes a bowl configured to be fixed on the hub of a wheel.

[0013] According to another possible feature, each of said parts acting as a friction track includes fastening structures configured to fix said parts to said main body. The said fastening structures include, for example, clips, screws or bolts cooperating with a complementary form provided on the said parts acting as a friction track and / or on the main body of the said disc.

[0014] According to another possible feature, the said fixing structures of each of the said parts acting as a friction track are located, in the mounted position of the said parts, in the said main body. The said fixing structures are advantageously located in the main body, for example between the opposite main faces of said main body, protecting said shock-absorbing structures, vibration-damping structures, etc., thus limiting the risk of said tracks detaching from said main body of the disc.

[0015] According to another possible feature, said fixing structures of each of said parts acting as a friction track are configured to cooperate with each other. Advantageously, said fastening structures cooperate mechanically with each other while fixing said tracks to said main body. These fastening structures are, for example, complementary shapes whose cooperation forms a through hole to allow a fastening element to secure said tracks to each other, as well as to the main body (thus limiting the number of fastening elements required).

[0016] According to another possible feature, the parts acting as a friction track are made of cast iron, steel, carbon or ceramic. These parts are advantageously made of a material with high wear resistance that maintains consistent braking performance over time, regardless of environmental conditions. Examples of such materials include cast iron, steel, carbon, or ceramic, all of which are robust and suitable for braking applications.

[0017] According to another possible feature, said main body is made of metal, such as aluminium or an aluminium alloy. Advantageously, the main body of the brake disc can thus be made of a lighter material than that used in prior art brake discs, thereby reducing the overall mass of the disc and consequently the braking system, as well as the vehicle's weight. Such a main body allows for more responsive braking performance, since a material like aluminum exhibits good thermal conductivity, thus enabling better cooling of the friction surfaces and improved braking efficiency.

[0018] The invention also relates to a braking device for a motor vehicle, said device comprising at least one hub and a brake disc mounted on said hub, characterized in that said brake disc is a brake disc as defined above.

[0019] The invention further relates to a motor vehicle, for example thermal, hybrid or electric, characterized in that said vehicle includes a braking device as defined above.

[0020] The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, features and advantages thereof will become more apparent in the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given solely by way of illustration and not limitation, with reference to the attached drawings, on which: - Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic and perspective side view of a brake disc according to the invention; - [Fig.2] is a schematic and perspective side view of a main body of the brake disc of [Fig.1]; - the [[Fig.3]] is a schematic exploded and perspective view of the brake disc of the [Fig.1]; - [[Fig.4]] is a schematic, enlarged, partial and cross-sectional view of the brake disc of [Fig.1].

[0021] In the following description, the term "include" is synonymous with "include" and is not limiting in that it permits the presence of other elements within the elements described below, or the structure to which it relates. It is understood that the term "include" includes the terms "consist of".

[0022] In this application, it should be noted that "substantially parallel" means a direction deviating by no more than 20°, or even by no more than 10° or 5°, from a parallel direction. It should also be noted that "substantially orthogonal" means a direction deviating by no more than 20°, or even by no more than 10° or 5°, from an angle of 90°.

[0023] Fig. 1 thus illustrates a schematic, side perspective view of a brake disc 1 according to the invention which is intended to equip a braking device of a motor vehicle, said braking device comprising for example at least one hub on which the brake disc 1 can be mounted (or fixed).

[0024] Said disc 1 comprises a main body 3 having two opposing main faces 3a and 3b, as well as two pieces 5 acting as friction tracks, one of said pieces 5 being removably fixed on each of the faces 3a and 3b of said main body 3. It should be noted that "removable" means that said pieces 5 can be mounted and dismounted on the main body 3 of the brake disc 1 without altering the various elements.

[0025] Said main body 3 is advantageously one-piece (or unitary) and is, for example, made of metal, such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The parts 5 are, for their part, advantageously one-piece (or unitary) and are, for example, made of cast iron, steel, carbon, ceramic, etc. Advantageously, said parts 5, arranged on each of said faces 3a and 3b, have different hardnesses and / or thicknesses (relative to each other).

[0026] Fig. 2 is a schematic, side perspective view of the main body 3 of the brake disc 1. Said main body 3 has a substantially discoidal shape and includes, substantially located in its center, a bowl configured 7 to be fixed to the hub of a wheel.

[0027] The bowl 7 includes, for example, holes 7a to allow the disc 1 to be fixed by means of said holes 7a and by means of fixing elements (not shown), such as bolts.

[0028] Furthermore, it should be noted that the opposing principal faces 3a and 3b define a first face 3a, called the outer face, oriented, in the mounted position, towards the outside of the vehicle, and a second face 3b, called the inner face, oriented, in the mounted position, towards the vehicle. The bowl 7, for example, has a substantially cylindrical shape and extends away from the outer face 3a of the body 3.

[0029] Furthermore, the main body 3 includes fins 9 extending radially from the bowl 7 to the outside of the body 3, the free ends of said fins 9 defining at least in part the outer edge of said body 3 (and by extension of the disk 1).

[0030] Said fins 9 are advantageously spaced apart from each other (or located at a distance from each other), so there is a radial space between each of said fins 9 acting as an air duct to promote the cooling of said parts 5 (during braking).

[0031] Furthermore, said main body 3 comprises two rings 11 and 13, respectively first ring and second ring, located on each of said faces 3a and 3b of said main body 3.

[0032] The first rings 11, called inner rings, surround (concentrically) the bowl 7 and frame the end of the fins 9 in contact with said bowl 7. While the second rings 13, called outer rings, cover the free ends of said fins 9 (therefore on each of the opposite longitudinal faces of said fins 9), the opposite ends of the fins 9 being thus framed by said rings 11 and 13.

[0033] Thus, the free portions of the fins 9 on each of the faces 3a and 3b (corresponding substantially to the longitudinal faces of said fins) located between the first and second rings 11 and 13 form a receiving surface 14 for said parts 5, acting as a friction track. The thickness of the rings 11 and 13 and the free surface of the fins 9 thus define the receiving surface 14 (or receiving cavity) into which a part 5 can be inserted or positioned.

[0034] Fig. 3 is, for its part, a schematic, perspective and exploded view of the brake disc 1 according to the invention.

[0035] Said parts 5 acting as friction tracks each have a substantially annular shape and are therefore configured to be positioned against the receiving surfaces of one of the faces 3a or 3b of the main body 3, receiving surface 14 defined among other things by the fins 9 and whose shape is substantially annular (the reception areas 14 and rooms 5 being configured to present a cooperation of forms).

[0036] Said parts 5 acting as a friction track further include fastening structures 15 for fixing (or securing) said parts 5 to said main body 3.

[0037] In the embodiment described herein and as more particularly illustrated in [Fig.4], the fixing structures 15 are located on the face of the part 5 intended to be in contact with the receiving surface 14 of the main body 3.

[0038] It will be noted that the fixing structures 15 are four in number in the embodiment described herein, but said parts 5 may include any number of fixing structures 15, for example a number greater than two, said fixing structures 15 being advantageously arranged regularly (angularly and on the circumference) on said part 5.

[0039] Said fixing structures 15 are further configured, to be in mounted position, located inside said main body 3, for example housed in the spaces between the fins 9, advantageously between the opposite main faces 3a and 3b of said main body 3.

[0040] In addition, the fastening structures 15 of each of said parts are advantageously complementary (and advantageously exhibit a cooperation of forms) and configured to cooperate with each other, and then to be secured together by means of a fastening element 17, such as a screw, a bolt, etc.

[0041] The said fastening structures 15 thus form, in the mounted position, a through hole opening outwards from the disk 1, between the second rings 15 and the fins 9, into which the fastening element 17 is inserted to secure the said tracks 5 to each other, as well as to the main body 3. The fastening element 17 is therefore configured to be inserted radially with respect to said disk 1, in order to secure said tracks 5 to said main body 3.

[0042] Furthermore, the fixing structures 15 have an elongated shape, the opposite longitudinal ends of said structures 15 being, in mounted position, respectively in contact with the first and second rings 11 and 13.

[0043] In an unrepresented embodiment of the invention, the fastening structures of said parts acting as a friction track are configured so that one or more fastening elements are inserted substantially orthogonally to the main extension plane of said parts, and through said fastening structures and the main body to secure said parts to said main body.

[0044] In another embodiment of the invention not shown, said fastening structures are, for example, clips, screws or bolts cooperating with a suitable complementary shape fitted on said parts acting as a friction track and / or on said main body.

Claims

Demands

1. Brake disc (1) for motor vehicle, said disc comprising a main body (3) having two opposing main faces (3a, 3b), and two pieces (5) acting as a friction track, one of said pieces (5) being removably fixed to each of the faces (3a, 3b) of said main body (3).

2. Brake disc (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each of said faces (3a, 3b) of the main body (3) comprises a reception surface (14) for one of said parts (5) acting as a friction track.

3. Brake disc (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the seating surfaces (14) comprise fins (9) spaced apart from each other.

4. Brake disc (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the opposite faces (3a, 3b) have a first face (3a), called the outer face, oriented, in the mounted position, towards the outside of the vehicle, and a second face (3b), called the inner face, oriented, in the mounted position, towards the vehicle, the parts (5) arranged on each of said faces (3a, 3b) having different hardnesses and / or thicknesses.

5. Brake disc (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said main body (3) comprises a bowl (7) configured to be fixed to the hub of a wheel.

6. Brake disc (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said parts (5) acting as a friction track comprises fastening structures (5) configured to fix said parts (5) to said main body (3).

7. Brake disc (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said fixing structures (15) of each of said parts (5) acting as a friction track are configured to cooperate with each other.

8. Brake disc (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said fixing structures (15) of each of said parts (5) acting as a friction track are located, in the mounted position of said parts (5), in said main body (3).

9. 9 Braking device for a motor vehicle, said device comprising at least one hub and a brake disc mounted on said hub, characterized in that said brake disc is a brake disc (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

10. Motor vehicle, characterized in that said vehicle comprises a braking device according to the preceding claim.