Brake caliper

Abstract

To provide a brake caliper capable of coping with wear of a brake pad.SOLUTION: By having the sleeve member 65 and the bolt member 68 in threaded engagement with each other and adapted to be actuated by the brake lever means 6 to move the first brake pad 41 towards the brake rotor, wherein the bolt member 68 is adapted to rotate and move relative to the sleeve member 65 when the first brake pad 41 is moved by the piston means actuated by the brake pedal, the travel distance required for the bolt member 68 driven by the brake lever means 6 to perform its braking function remains substantially the same even if the amount of wear on the brake pads increases.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a brake structure for use in a vehicle, and more particularly to a brake caliper. [Background technology]

[0002] The caliper device used in a handbrake (parking brake / side brake) described in Patent Document 1 includes a main body means, a swing arm means swingably attached to the main body means, a brake lining means, a handbrake cable, and a hydraulic piston means. The caliper device performs a braking function in cooperation with a brake rotor. A working space is formed in the main body means, and the swing arm means has two swing arms attached to both sides of the working space. The brake lining means has two brake linings interposed between each of the two swing arms and the brake rotor.

[0003] The handbrake cable has a pipe member and a wire member passing through the pipe member. One end of the pipe member abuts one side of one of the two swing arms, and the wire member has a connecting end fitted into the other of the two swing arms and a passive end that is moved by the handbrake.

[0004] By depressing the brake pedal, the driver can activate the brake linings via a hydraulic piston means to clamp the brake rotor, thereby performing the braking function, and by operating the brake lever, the driver can move the swing arm via a handbrake cable to activate the brake linings to clamp the brake rotor, thereby performing the braking function.

[0005] Furthermore, the handbrake caliper device disclosed in Patent Document 2 includes a main body means, a piston means, a brake lining means, and a brake lever means. The main body means has a first side member and a second side member. The brake lining means includes two positioning plates connected to the piston means and two brake linings respectively disposed on the two positioning plates. The brake lever means includes a drive member and two actuating members that respectively abut against the positioning plates. The drive member is driven to rotate by the brake lever, and the actuating members are driven to move the positioning plates toward the brake rotor, causing the brake linings to abut against both sides of the brake rotor, thereby exerting a braking function.

[0006] The brake linings of the above two types of caliper devices wear out over long periods of operation, but the above conventional caliper devices do not have an adjustment function on the handbrake side to accommodate brake lining wear, so if the amount of wear on the brake lining becomes too great, there is a risk that the handbrake function will not be fully exerted. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Taiwan Utility Model Registration No. M394267 [Patent Document 2] Taiwan Utility Model Registration No. M415088 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a brake caliper that can accommodate brake pad wear. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a brake caliper for use in a vehicle disc brake system, which is adapted to accommodate a brake rotor having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the brake caliper comprising: a body means; piston means actuated by a brake pedal; brake means; and brake lever means, the main body means has a first seat disposed adjacent to the first surface of the brake rotor and having a first chamber formed therein, and a second seat disposed adjacent to the second surface of the brake rotor and connected to the first seat, thereby defining an accommodation space between the first seat and the second seat into which a portion of the brake rotor is inserted and accommodated; and the first seat is formed to have an attachment hole communicating with the first chamber and extending along a predetermined attachment axis, the piston means is configured to have a first piston disposed in the first chamber so as to be movable along the mounting axis; the braking means is configured to have a first brake pad disposed between a first surface of the brake rotor and the first seat and driven by a driving force from the first piston, and a second brake pad disposed between a second surface of the brake rotor and the second seat, the brake lever means is configured to include a drive member configured to be movable along the mounting axis, a sleeve member mounted in the mounting hole of the first base so as to be driven by the drive member and to be movable along the mounting axis, and a bolt member threadedly engaged with the sleeve member and connected to the first piston, The brake caliper is configured such that hydraulic oil in the first chamber pushes the first piston toward the first brake pad, thereby rotating the bolt member about the mounting axis relative to the sleeve member, and moving the first piston away from the sleeve member along the mounting axis via the bolt member, thereby causing the first piston to abut the first brake pad against a first surface of the brake rotor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] With the brake caliper of the present invention, when braking is performed using the brake pedal, the bolt member rotates relative to the sleeve member and moves the first piston away from the sleeve member along the mounting axis, so that the first piston brings the first brake pad into contact with the brake rotor to exert the braking function.However, in cases where the brake pads become worn after long periods of operation, the present invention employs a configuration in which the bolt member driven when braking is performed using the brake pedal threads into the sleeve member, so that an automatic adjustment is performed in which the relative positions of the bolt member and sleeve member that thread together are adjusted each time braking is performed using the brake pedal.As a result, even if the amount of wear in the brake pad increases, the travel distance required for the bolt member driven by the brake lever means to exert the braking function remains approximately the same, so the braking function of the brake lever means can be reliably exerted. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a brake caliper and a brake rotor according to the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of a first pedestal in the same embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5]FIG. 2 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing a first piston, a bolt member, and a positioning assembly in the same embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a bolt member and a sleeve member of the embodiment. [Figure 7] 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 3, with the brakes not operating. [Figure 8] 8 is a cross-sectional explanatory view corresponding to FIG. 7, showing a state in which a braking operation is performed by a brake pedal. FIG. [Figure 9] 8 is a cross-sectional explanatory view corresponding to FIG. 7, showing a state in which a brake operation is performed by a brake lever. FIG. [Figure 10] 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section taken along line XX in FIG. 3, illustrating the configuration of the movable base and the interlocking member when the brake is not operating. FIG. [Figure 11] 11 is a cross-sectional explanatory view corresponding to FIG. 10, showing the configuration of the movable base and the interlocking member in a state where a brake operation is performed by a brake lever. FIG. [Figure 12] 4 is a cross-sectional explanatory view corresponding to FIG. 3, showing how the brake lever means is automatically adjusted when the first brake pad is worn. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] 1 and 2, the brake caliper of the present invention is a brake caliper used in a disc brake system of a vehicle (not shown), and performs a braking function by clamping a brake rotor 10 having a first surface 11 and a second surface 12 opposite to the first surface 11 in the disc brake system. The brake caliper 1 of this embodiment includes a main body means 2, a piston means 3 operated by a brake pedal, a brake means 4, an interlocking means 5, and a brake lever means 6.

[0013] The main body means 2 has a first base 21 disposed adjacent to the first surface 11 of the brake rotor 10, a second base 22 disposed adjacent to the second surface 12 of the brake rotor 10 and connected to the first base 21, two connecting rods 23 extending along the left-right direction X and disposed between the first base 21 and the second base 22, and a connecting pipe 24 connected between the first base 21 and the second base 22. An accommodation space 25 into which a portion of the brake rotor 10 is inserted and accommodated is defined between the first base 21 and the second base 22 (see FIG. 7 ), and each connecting rod 23 is disposed near the upper end of the first base 21 and the second base 22.

[0014] 2 to 4, the first base 21 has a first chamber 211 and a second chamber 212 formed therein and spaced apart in the front-rear direction Y, which is perpendicular to the left-right direction X. The first base 21 also has a mounting hole 213 communicating with the first chamber 211 and extending along the mounting axis L, an oil inlet 214 located near the second chamber 212, a connecting hole 215 located near the first chamber 211, an oil inlet passage 216 communicating with the oil inlet 214 and the second chamber 212, an oil connecting passage 217 communicating with the first chamber 211 and the second chamber 212, and an oil discharge passage 218 communicating with the first chamber 211 and the connecting hole 215. Hydraulic oil can enter the oil inlet passage 216 via an oil guide pipe 26 inserted into the oil inlet 214. One end of a connecting pipe 24 is inserted into the connecting hole 215.

[0015] The second seat 22 is formed with two third chambers 221 spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction Y, an insertion hole 222 located between the two third chambers 221, an oil inlet (not shown) into which the other end of the connecting pipe 24 is inserted, an oil passage (not shown) extending from the oil inlet to one of the third chambers 221, and an oil communication passage (not shown) connecting the two third chambers 221. As such, the oil passage path within the second seat 22 is substantially the same as that of the first seat 21, and is therefore omitted from the drawing.

[0016] In this configuration, when the driver of the vehicle depresses the brake pedal, hydraulic oil from the vehicle's oil pump (not shown) is injected into the oil inlet 214 via the oil guide pipe 26, and then passes through the oil inlet passage 216, oil connection passage 217, oil discharge passage 218, and connection pipe 24 in the first base 21, and the oil passage and oil communication passage in the second base 22, and enters the first chamber 211, the second chamber 212, and each third chamber 221.

[0017] 2 to 4, the piston means 3 operated by the brake pedal includes a first piston 31 disposed in a first chamber 211 so as to be movable along the mounting axis L, a second piston 32 disposed in a second chamber 212 so as to be movable along the left-right direction X, and two third pistons 33 disposed in respective third chambers 221 so as to be movable along the left-right direction X. The first piston 31 and the second piston 32 are driven by hydraulic oil in the first chamber 211 and the second chamber 212, respectively. Each third piston 33 is driven by hydraulic oil in each third chamber 221, respectively.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 5, the first piston 31 is configured to have a surrounding wall 311 extending along the mounting axis L so as to surround the mounting axis L, a side wall 312 (see FIG. 7) connected to the end of the surrounding wall 311 adjacent to the brake rotor 10, an operating wall 313 extending from the side wall 312 toward the brake rotor 10, an annular groove 314 formed in the operating wall 313 so as to surround the mounting axis L, and an accommodation groove 315 recessed from the surface of the side wall 312 facing away from the operating wall 313 toward the operating wall 313 so as to receive a head portion 681 (described below) of the bolt member 68. The annular groove 314 is formed so that an inner ring portion 341 of the annular cover 34 is fitted into it. An outer ring portion 342 opposite the inner ring portion 341 of the annular cover 34 is fitted into the end of the first base 21 facing the brake rotor 10 (see FIG. 7).

[0019] 2 and 7, the braking means 4 has a first brake pad 41 disposed between the first surface 11 of the brake rotor 10 and the first base 21, and a second brake pad 42 disposed between the second surface 12 of the brake rotor 10 and the second base 22. The first brake pad 41 is used to receive driving forces from the first piston 31 and the second piston 32. The second brake pad 42 is used to receive driving forces from each of the third pistons 33.

[0020] As shown in Figures 2, 4, and 7, the interlocking means 5 is movably arranged on the main body means 2 along the mounting axis L and includes two guide rods 51 arranged outside the first base 21, movable bases 52 movably arranged on each guide rod 51 and located outside the first base 21, and an interlocking member 53 connected to the movable base 52. The guide rods 51 are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction Y and extend along the left-to-right direction X. The movable base 52 includes an inner block 521 connected to the interlocking members 53 and passed through by each guide rod 51, and an outer block 522 lockably connected to the side of the inner block 521 opposite the interlocking member 53. The inner block 521 and the outer block 522 together define a central hole 523 extending along the mounting axis L. The central hole 523 is a stepped hole. The interlocking member 53 has a connection plate 531 connected to the inner block 521 and located at the upper ends of the first pedestal 21 and the second pedestal 22, and an abutment plate 532 connected to the connection plate 531 and located between the second brake pad 42 and the second pedestal 22. The abutment plate 532 has an insertion rod 533 arranged in the insertion hole 222 so as to be movable in the left-right direction X.

[0021] 4, 5 and 7, the brake lever means 6 includes a positioning plate 60 fixed in the outer block 522, a driving member 61 passing through the central hole 523 and configured to be rotatable relative to the positioning plate 60 around the mounting axis L as a rotation axis, a hand brake lever 62 disposed at a portion of the driving member 61 exposed to the outside of the outer block 522, a first elastic member 63 disposed between the hand brake lever 62 and the outer block 522 and applying a biasing force to the hand brake lever 62 and the outer block 522 to move the hand brake lever 62 and the outer block 522 away from each other, and a second elastic member 63 disposed between the positioning plate 60 and the driving member 61. the drive member 61 and the sleeve member 65 so as to abut against the drive member 61 and the sleeve member 65; a connecting bearing 66 arranged between the drive member 61 and the sleeve member 65 so as to abut against the drive member 61 and the sleeve member 65; a second elastic member 67 arranged between the inner block 521 and the sleeve member 65 so as to abut against the inner block 521 and the sleeve member 65 within the central hole 523; a bolt member 68 threadably engaged with the sleeve member 65 and connected to the first piston 31; and a positioning assembly 69 used to position the bolt member 68 on the first piston 31.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7 , the positioning plate 60 has three first recesses 601 arranged around the mounting axis L and in which the rollers 64 are attached. The drive member 61 has a drive lever 611 extending along the mounting axis L and in which the handbrake lever 62 is arranged, a drive plate 612 connected to the drive lever 611 and in which the rollers 64 are attached, and three second recesses 613 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 7 ) formed on the side of the drive plate 612 facing the positioning plate 60 and spaced apart around the mounting axis L. In this embodiment, the first recesses 601 and the second recesses 613 extend around the mounting axis L, and the depths of the first recesses 601 and the second recesses 613 vary along the extension direction. That is, the middle portions of the first recesses 601 and the second recesses 613 are relatively deep and gradually become shallower from the middle portions to both sides.

[0023] 7 and 9, the positions of the first recesses 601 and the second recesses 613 correspond to each other and are used to accommodate the rollers 64, respectively. Due to the change in depth of the first recesses 601 and the second recesses 613, when the driving lever 611 of the driving member 61 is driven by the handbrake lever 62 to rotate relative to the positioning plate 60 about the mounting axis L, the rollers 64 move between the corresponding first recesses 601 or the corresponding second recesses 613, thereby moving the driving plate 612 of the driving member 61 relative to the positioning plate 60. For example, FIG. 9 shows the driving plate 612 moving away from the positioning plate 60.

[0024] 7, one end of the first elastic member 63 is inserted into the outer block 522, and the other end is inserted into the handbrake lever 62. In this embodiment, the first elastic member 63 is a torsion coil spring.

[0025] 4, 6, and 7, the sleeve member 65 is formed to have an abutment flange 651 that abuts against the connection bearing 66, and a tubular portion 652 that extends from the abutment flange 651 along the mounting axis L and is inserted into the central hole 523 and the mounting hole 213. The tubular portion 652 has an inner circumferential surface 653 that surrounds a through hole 655, and an internal thread 654 is formed in part of the inner circumferential surface 653. The opening of the through hole 655 is located at the tip of the tubular portion 652 extending from the abutment flange 651. The connection bearing 66 is disposed between the drive plate 612 and the abutment flange 651 so as to abut against the drive plate 612 and the abutment flange 651.

[0026] 5 and 6, the bolt member 68 is formed to have a head portion 681 that fits into the accommodating groove 315 of the first piston 31, and a bolt body portion 682 that extends from the head portion 681 along the mounting axis L. The bolt body portion 682 is formed with an external thread 683 that screws into the internal thread 654 of the sleeve member 65. In this embodiment, the external thread 683 is a multiple-start thread having four threads, and the internal thread 654 formed in the sleeve member 65 is formed to have a shape that can screw into the external thread 683 corresponding to the external thread 683.

[0027] 6, each thread of the male thread 683 formed in the bolt body 682 of the bolt member 68 has a first inclined surface 684 facing the tip side away from the head portion 681 of the bolt body 682, a second inclined surface 685 facing the head portion 681, and a crest surface 686 that contacts the first inclined surface 684 and the second inclined surface 685 at the crest of the thread, and in a cross section of the bolt member 68 parallel to the mounting axis L, the first inclined surface 684 and the second inclined surface 685 form a first angle θ1 in the range of 65° to 85°. In addition, in a cross section of the bolt member 68 parallel to the mounting axis L, the second angle θ2, which is an acute angle formed by an imaginary line perpendicular to the mounting axis L and an extension surface of the first inclined surface 684, is in the range of 45° to 55°.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 7, the second elastic member 67 is attached to the outside of the tubular portion 652 of the sleeve member 65, extends along the left-right direction X, and is disposed between the inner block 521 and the abutting flange 651.

[0029] 5, the positioning assembly 69 is used to position the bolt member 68 on the first piston 31, and includes a positioning bearing 691 abutting against the head portion 681, a washer 692 abutting against the side of the positioning bearing 691 opposite to the head portion 681, and an engagement ring 693 abutting against the washer 692 and fitted within the surrounding wall 311 of the first piston 31. The positioning bearing 691 configured in this manner allows the bolt member 68 to rotate relative to the first piston 31 with the mounting axis L as the rotation axis.

[0030] In this embodiment, needle roller bearings are used for both the connecting bearing 66 and the positioning bearing 691, but ball bearings can also be used.

[0031] The operation of the brake caliper of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0032] When the brake caliper 1 of the present invention is attached to the brake rotor 10 and is not performing its braking function, as shown in Figures 7 and 10, there are gaps between the first brake pad 41 and the first surface 11, and between the second brake pad 42 and the second surface 12, and the brake rotor 10 can rotate freely without being affected by the first brake pad 41 or the second brake pad 42.

[0033] As shown in Figure 8, for example, when a driver of a vehicle depresses the brake pedal, hydraulic oil in the first chamber 211 pushes and moves the first piston 31 toward the first brake pad 41, and the bolt member 68 rotates relative to the sleeve member 65 and the first piston 31 around the mounting axis L as its rotation axis, and moves along the mounting axis L from the sleeve member 65 side toward the first brake pad 41 side, thereby allowing the first piston 31 to move the first brake pad 41 toward the brake rotor 10.

[0034] Then, on the second chamber 212 side, the hydraulic oil in the second chamber 212 pushes the second piston 32 (see FIG. 4 ) and moves the second piston 32 toward the first brake pad 41. In this way, when the first brake pad 41 receives the driving force from the first piston 31 and the second piston 32 and comes into contact with the first surface 11 of the brake rotor 10, the gap between the first surface 11 and the first brake pad 41 disappears.

[0035] At the same time, on the third chamber 221 side, the hydraulic oil in each third chamber 221 pushes and moves each third piston 33, and each third piston 33 drives the second brake pad 42, and when the second brake pad 42 abuts against the second surface 12 of the brake rotor 10, the gap between the second brake pad 42 and the second surface 12 also disappears.

[0036] In other words, the brake rotor 10 is sandwiched between the first brake pad 41 and the second brake pad 42 and cannot rotate freely due to the frictional force generated between the first brake pad 41 and the second brake pad 42, thereby exerting the braking function.

[0037] Furthermore, when the brake rotor 10 is sandwiched between the first brake pad 41 and the second brake pad 42 and the force applied to the brake pedal is released, for example, by the driver of the vehicle removing his or her foot from the brake pedal, the driving force of the hydraulic oil in the first chamber 211, the second chamber 212, and the third chamber 221 to the first piston 31, the second piston 32, and each third chamber 221 is no longer applied, and the first brake pad 41 and the second brake pad 42 move away from the brake rotor 10, and the sandwiched state is released. In other words, the gaps shown in FIG. 7 are again formed between the first surface 11 of the brake rotor 10 and the first brake pad 41, and between the second surface 12 of the brake rotor 10 and the second brake pad 42.

[0038] Here, since the bolt member 68 and the sleeve member 65 are threadedly engaged, when the first brake pad 41 moves the first piston 31 away from the first surface 11 of the brake rotor 10, the first piston 31 pushes the bolt member 68 toward the sleeve member 65 along the mounting axis L, and this movement distance corresponds to the width of the gap between the first brake pad 41 and the first surface 11 of the brake rotor 10.

[0039] 9 and 11 , when a vehicle driver pulls up the vehicle's brake lever (not shown), the hand brake lever 62, which moves in response to the brake lever, rotates about the mounting axis L, and the drive member 61 is rotationally driven by the hand brake lever 62. Here, each roller 64 uses the difference in depth between each first recess 601 and each second recess 613 to move the drive plate 612 of the drive member 61 away from the positioning plate 60 along the mounting axis L. The drive plate 612 compresses the second elastic member 67 via the connecting bearing 66 and the abutting flange 651 of the sleeve member 65, and the sleeve member 65 pushes the bolt member 68, the first piston 31, and the first brake pad 41 toward the first surface 11 of the brake rotor 10, thereby eliminating the gap between the first brake pad 41 and the first surface 11 of the brake rotor 10. Then, after the first piston 31 brings the first brake pad 41 into contact with the brake rotor 10, the handbrake lever 62 continues to rotate the driving member 61 as operated by the driver, and the difference in depth between the first recesses 601 and the second recesses 613 of each roller 64 is used to move the movable base 52 along the mounting axis L away from the first base 21, and the inner block 521 compresses the second elastic member 67. When the interlocking member 53 moves together with the movable base 52, the abutment plate 532 moves the second brake pad 42 toward the second surface 12 of the brake rotor 10, eliminating the gap between the second brake pad 42 and the second surface 12.

[0040] 10 and 11, when the handbrake is operated in this manner, the movable base 52 moves away from the first base 21 along the mounting axis L, widening the gap between the inner block 521 of the movable base 52 and the first base 21. The interlocking member 53 moves together with the movable base 52, creating a gap between the abutment plate 532 and the second base 22.

[0041] In particular, when the handbrake is operated, the second brake pad 42, which is moved by the abutment plate 532 of the interlocking member 53, moves toward the second surface 12 of the brake rotor 10, creating a gap between the third piston 33 (only one is shown in the figure) and the second brake pad 42, as shown in Figure 9.

[0042] When the handbrake is operated, first, the sleeve member 65 moves toward the first base 21, and the abutment flange 651 of the sleeve member 65 moves toward the inner block 521, compressing the second elastic member 67. Then, the inner block 521 of the movable base 52 moves in a direction away from the first base 21, and the inner block 521 continues to move toward the abutment flange 651, further compressing the second elastic member 67. When the handbrake lever 62 drives the rotation of the drive member 61 about the mounting axis L as the rotation axis, the handbrake lever 62 moves together with the drive member 61 toward the first base 21, and the movable base 52 moves in a direction away from the first base 21, so that the first elastic member 63 is compressed by the handbrake lever 62 and the outer block 522.

[0043] When the driver releases the brake lever, the hand brake lever 62, which is operated by the brake lever, and the driving member 61, which is moved by the hand brake lever 62, rotate in opposite directions. Here, the hand brake lever 62 can rotate quickly by utilizing the restoring force from the first elastic member 63. Furthermore, when the driving member 61 rotates, the restoring force from the second elastic member 67 first pushes the movable base 52 toward the first base 21 by utilizing the difference in depth between the first recesses 601 and the second recesses 613 of each roller 64. Then, the restoring force from the second elastic member 67 moves the sleeve member 65, moving the bolt member 68 and the first piston 31 in a direction away from the first brake pad 41. The sleeve member 65 moves the driving member 61 via the connecting bearing 66, so that the driving member 61 also moves in a direction away from the first base 21. In this way, the brake caliper 1 returns to the state shown in FIG. 7 .

[0044] As shown in FIG. 12, when the first brake pad 41 is worn, the distance that the first brake pad 41 needs to move away from the sleeve member 65 along the mounting axis L of the bolt member 68 and the first piston 31 before reaching the first surface 11 of the brake rotor 10 will typically increase.

[0045] On the other hand, in the brake caliper 1 in this embodiment of the present invention, the external thread 683 of the bolt member 68 is a multiple-start thread having four threads, and the internal thread 654 of the sleeve member 65 is formed to have a shape that can be screwed into the external thread 683 of the bolt member 68, and the sleeve member 65 has a top surface 686 that contacts a first inclined surface 684 and a second inclined surface 685 at the top of the thread, and in a cross section of the bolt member 68 parallel to the mounting axis L, the first inclined surface 684 and the second inclined surface 685 form a first angle θ1 in the range of 65° to 85°, and in a cross section of the bolt member 68 parallel to the mounting axis L, the second angle θ2, which is an acute angle formed by an imaginary line perpendicular to the mounting axis L and an extension surface of the first inclined surface 684, is in the range of 45° to 55°. By configuring the first chamber 211 to be within this range, each time the driver operates the brake pedal, the hydraulic oil in the first chamber 211 pushes the first piston 31, moving the first piston 31 toward the first brake pad 41. As a result, the bolt member 68 rotates with the mounting axis L as the rotation axis relative to the sleeve member 65 and the first piston 31, and moves along the mounting axis L from the sleeve member 65 side toward the first brake pad 41 side. As a result, the first piston 31 moves the first brake pad 41 toward the brake rotor 10, and the relative position of the bolt member 68, which is threadedly engaged with the sleeve member 65, with respect to the sleeve member 65 also moves toward the first brake pad 41 side. Therefore, the increase in the travel distance required for the first brake pad 41 to reach the first surface 11 of the brake rotor 10 due to wear of the first brake pad 41 is offset by the movement of the bolt member 68 from the sleeve member 65 side to the first brake pad 41 side along the mounting axis L when the brake is applied using the brake pedal.

[0046] Therefore, even if the amount of wear on the brake pad increases, the movement distance required for the bolt member 68 driven by the brake lever means 6 to exhibit the braking function remains substantially the same.

[0047] In other words, the brake caliper 1 of the present invention can automatically adjust the brake lever means 6 in accordance with the degree of wear of the first brake pad 41 every time the driver operates the brake pedal, so that handbrake operation using the brake lever can be performed without being affected by the degree of wear of the first brake pad 41.

[0048] In particular, the shapes of the external thread 683 of the bolt member 68 and the internal thread 654 of the sleeve member 65 are such that the first angle θ1 formed by the first inclined surface 684 and the second inclined surface 685 of each thread is set within the range of 65° to 85°, and the second angle θ2, which is an acute angle formed by an imaginary line perpendicular to the mounting axis L and the extension surface of the first inclined surface 684, is set within the range of 45° to 55°, so that when the first piston 31 moves toward the first brake pad 41, the bolt member 68 can move away from the sleeve member 65 along the mounting axis L while rotating relative to the sleeve member 65 and the first piston 31 with the mounting axis L as the rotation axis.

[0049] To sum up, the brake caliper 1 of the present invention automatically adjusts the brake lever means 6 when the driver operates the brake pedal, so that the handbrake operation by the brake lever can always operate normally, thereby reliably achieving the object of the present invention.

[0050] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1 brake caliper 10. Brake rotor 11 First Surface 12 Second Surface 2 Main body means 21 First Pedestal 211 First Chamber 212 Second Chamber 213 Mounting hole 214 Oil inlet 215 Connection hole 216 Oil inlet passage 217 Oil connection passage 218 Oil drain passage 22 Second Pedestal 221 Third Chamber 222 Insertion hole 23 Connecting rod 24 Connecting pipe 25 Containment Space 26 Oil guide tube 3 Piston means 31 First Piston 311 Siege Wall 312 Side wall 313 Actuating Wall 314 Annular groove 315 Storage groove 32 Second Piston 33 The Third Piston 34 Annular cover 341 Inner ring part 342 outer ring part 4 Braking means 41 First brake pad 42 Second brake pad 5. Linkage means 51 Guide rod 52 Movable platform 521 Inner Block 522 Outer Block 523 Central hole 53 Interlocking members 531 Connecting Plate 532 Contact plate 533 Insertion rod 6 Brake lever means 60 Positioning board 601 First recess 61 Driving member 611 Drive lever 612 Drive Plate 613 Second recess 62 Handbrake lever 63 First elastic member 64 Roller 65 Sleeve member 651 Abutting flange 652 Tubular part 653 Inner surface 654 Internal thread 655 Passing hole 66 Connecting bearing 67 Second elastic member 68 Bolt material 681 Head 682 Bolt body 683 Male thread 684 First Slope 685 Second Slope 686 Top surface 69 Positioning Assembly 691 Positioning bearing 692 Washer 693 Engagement ring X Left / right direction Y forward / backward direction L Mounting axis θ1 First angle θ2 Second angle

Claims

1. 1. A brake caliper for use in a vehicle disc brake system corresponding to a brake rotor having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the brake caliper comprising: body means; piston means actuated by a brake pedal; brake means; and brake lever means; the main body means has a first seat disposed adjacent to the first surface of the brake rotor and having a first chamber formed therein, and a second seat disposed adjacent to the second surface of the brake rotor and connected to the first seat, thereby defining an accommodation space between the first seat and the second seat into which a portion of the brake rotor is inserted and accommodated; and the first seat is formed to have an attachment hole communicating with the first chamber and extending along a predetermined attachment axis, the piston means is configured to include a first piston disposed in the first chamber and movable along the mounting axis; the braking means is configured to have a first brake pad disposed between a first surface of the brake rotor and the first seat and driven by a driving force from the first piston, and a second brake pad disposed between a second surface of the brake rotor and the second seat, the brake lever means is configured to include a drive member configured to be movable along the mounting axis, a sleeve member mounted in the mounting hole of the first base to be driven by the drive member and movable along the mounting axis, and a bolt member threadedly engaged with the sleeve member and connected to the first piston, a brake caliper configured such that hydraulic oil in the first chamber pushes the first piston toward the first brake pad, thereby rotating the bolt member about the mounting axis relative to the sleeve member, and moving the first piston away from the sleeve member along the mounting axis via the bolt member, thereby causing the first piston to abut the first brake pad against a first surface of the brake rotor.

2. the sleeve member has a tubular portion formed in a tubular shape with an inner circumferential surface surrounding the passage hole and an internal thread formed on the inner circumferential surface, and the tubular portion is attached to the attachment hole, 2. The brake caliper according to claim 1, wherein the bolt member has a head portion connected to the first piston and a bolt body portion extending from the head portion along the mounting axis and having a male thread formed on a surface thereof corresponding to the female thread of the tubular portion, the male thread being a multiple-start thread having a plurality of threads, and the female thread being formed so as to have a shape that can be screwed into the male thread.

3. 3. The brake caliper according to claim 2, wherein each thread of the male thread formed in the bolt body portion of the bolt member has a first slant surface facing a tip side away from the head portion of the bolt body portion, a second slant surface facing the head portion side, and a crest surface that contacts the first slant surface and the second slant surface at the crest of the thread, and in a cross section of the bolt member parallel to the mounting axis, the first slant surface and the second slant surface form a first angle within a range of 65° to 85°.

4. 4. The brake caliper according to claim 3, wherein in the cross section of the bolt member parallel to the mounting axis, a second angle, which is an acute angle formed by an imaginary line perpendicular to the mounting axis and an extension surface of the first inclined surface, is formed within a range of 45° to 55°.

5. the bolt member has a head portion rotatably fitted into the first piston, and a bolt body portion extending from the head portion along the mounting axis, 2. The brake caliper of claim 1, wherein the brake lever means includes a positioning assembly having a positioning bearing abutting the head portion of the bolt member, a washer abutting the side of the positioning bearing opposite the head portion, and an engagement ring abutting the washer and fitted to the first piston, for positioning the bolt member to the first piston.

6. the first piston has a surrounding wall extending along the mounting axis so as to surround the mounting axis, a side wall connected to an end of the surrounding wall adjacent to the brake rotor, an actuation wall extending from the side wall toward the brake rotor, and an accommodation groove formed in the side wall so as to receive the head portion of the bolt member, 6. The brake caliper of claim 5, wherein the engagement ring of the positioning assembly is fitted into the enclosure wall.

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