Brake discs

Abstract

To improve the adaptability of connection between a brake strip and a support.SOLUTION: A brake disc rotating about its rotation axis (1a) includes a brake strip (2), an element (3) for supporting the brake strip (2), and a plurality of elements (4) for connecting the support element (3) to the brake strip (2), which can be elastically deformed so as to enable the relative movement of the brake strip (2) with respect to the support element (3). The support element (3) is equipped with at least a first component (7) and a second component (8) connected to the brake strip (2) by the first connection element (4). A plurality of second connection elements (9) of the first component (7) and the second component (8) can be elastically deformed so as to enable relative movement between the first component (7) and the second component (8).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a brake disc.

[0002] More specifically, the brake disc according to the invention is preferably intended for use with bicycles or motorcycles having two or more wheels, although this is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. [Background technology]

[0003] As is known from the prior art, the braking strip of a brake disc is exposed to high levels of heating during braking and is particularly sensitive to thermal expansion due to its thickness, which is considered to be reduced in connection with a considerable expansion of its surface.

[0004] This heating can induce deformation of the brake strips both in the diametric and axial directions of the disc, causing considerable problems in the brake mechanism.

[0005] To overcome these problems, which are particularly pronounced on high-performance and sport motorcycle systems, so-called "floating" and "semi-floating" brake discs are used. "Floating" and "semi-floating" brake discs typically consist of an internal support, an external brake strip, and a resilient system for attaching the support to the brake strip, which resilient system allows relative movement, or slippage, of the brake strip relative to the support in either a diametric or axial direction, or both. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to increase the compatibility of the connection between the brake strip and the support, a need has been felt to manufacture a brake disc that rotates about its own axis of rotation and includes a brake strip, an element for supporting the brake strip, and a plurality of first elements for connecting the brake strip with the support element, the plurality of first elements being elastically deformable to allow relative movement of the brake strip with respect to the support element.

[0007] The support element comprises at least a first component designed to be connected to the hub of the rotating element and at least a second component connected to the brake strip by a first connecting element.

[0008] The plurality of second connecting elements of the first component and the second component are elastically deformable to allow relative movement between the first component and the second component.

[0009] Advantageously, the elastic connections are divided into at least two groups connected in series, so that the compliance of the connections is doubled in the radial direction and quadrupled in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation, under conditions of equal compliance of all elastic connections. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] The features of the brake disc according to the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred, non-limiting embodiments thereof, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic front view of a first embodiment of a brake disc according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 2 is a schematic perspective view of a detail of the brake disc of FIG. 1, with parts cut away to better show other parts; FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a brake disc according to the invention.

[0012] The brake disc 1 rotates around its rotation axis 1a.

[0013] The brake disc 1 is provided with a braking strip 2 .

[0014] In the described embodiment, the brake strip 2 of the brake disc 1 is an annular strip having a thickness defined by the distance between its end faces, which are preferably parallel, and which defines a contact area with friction means (not shown) for braking or transmitting torque by friction.

[0015] It should be noted that the brake strip 2 may have a particular shape, such as for example a "wave" shape.

[0016] The brake disc 1 comprises an element 3 for supporting a braking strip 2 .

[0017] The support element 3 is configured to be fixed centrally to the hub of a wheel or rolling element of a vehicle (bicycle or motorcycle or other type of vehicle not shown).

[0018] The brake disc 1 comprises a plurality of first elements 4 for connecting the brake strips 2 to the support elements 3 .

[0019] The braking strip 2 has a plurality of sheets 14 , each of which partially accommodates a corresponding first connecting element 4 .

[0020] The first connecting element 4 is elastically deformable to allow relative movement of the braking strip 2 with respect to the support element 3 .

[0021] In that sense, the brake disc 1 according to the invention is a so-called "floating" brake disc.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, as shown, each first connecting element 4 comprises a cylindrical claw 5 .

[0023] According to the invention, the support element 3 comprises at least a first component 7 and a second component 8 .

[0024] The plurality of second connecting elements 9 of the first component 7 and the second component 8 are elastically deformable to allow relative movement between the first component 7 and the second component 8.

[0025] The first component 7 has a plurality of sheets 16 , each of which partially houses a corresponding second connecting element 9 .

[0026] The second component 8 has a plurality of sheets 17 , each of which partially houses a corresponding second connecting element 9 .

[0027] For each second connecting element 9 , it is partly housed in the seat 16 of the first component 7 of the support element 3 and partly housed in the seat 17 of the second component 8 of the support element 3 .

[0028] Preferably, each second connecting element 9 comprises a cylindrical claw 10 .

[0029] The second component 8 is connected to the braking strip 2 by a first connecting element 4 .

[0030] The second component 8 of the support element 3 has a plurality of sheets 15 , each of which partially accommodates a corresponding first connecting element 4 .

[0031] It should be noted that, according to the illustrated embodiment, with respect to the second component 8, the sheets 15 for partially accommodating the first connecting elements 4 are alternately arranged with the sheets 17 for partially accommodating the second connecting elements.

[0032] In an alternative embodiment, with respect to the second component 8, one or more sheets 15 for partially accommodating the first connecting element 4 can be arranged alternately with one or more sheets 17 for partially accommodating the second connecting element 9.

[0033] The seat 15 for partial accommodation of the first connecting element 4 faces the braking strip 2 .

[0034] A seat 17 for partial accommodation of the second connecting element 9 faces the first component 7 .

[0035] For each first connecting element 4 , it is partially housed in a seat 14 of the braking strip 2 and partially in a seat 15 of the second component 8 of the support element 3 .

[0036] Advantageously, the elastic connections are divided into at least two groups connected in series, so that the flexibility of the connections is doubled in the radial direction and quadrupled in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation under equal conditions of the flexible connections.

[0037] It should be noted that, with regard to the stiffness in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation, a floating disc of known type having ten connecting elements all with the same elastic constant k has a stiffness equal to Ktot=10k, while a brake disc 1 according to the invention has five first connecting elements 4 all with the same elastic constant k and five second connecting elements 9 all with the same elastic constant k, and has a stiffness of 1 / Ktot=1 / 5k+1 / 5k=2 / 5k, i.e. Ktot=5k / 2=2.5k. According to a first variant embodiment, the first connecting elements 4 allow an axial movement of the braking strip 2 relative to the second component 8 of the support element 3, parallel to the axis of rotation 1a of the brake disc 1.

[0038] According to a first variant embodiment, the second connecting element 9 allows an axial movement of the second component 8 relative to the first component 7 , parallel to the axis of rotation 1 a of the brake disc 1 .

[0039] According to a second variant embodiment, the first connecting element 4 allows a radial movement of the brake strip 2 relative to the second component 8 of the support element 3 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation 1 a of the brake disc 1 .

[0040] According to a second variant embodiment, the second connecting element 9 allows a radial movement of the second component 8 relative to the first component 7 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation 1 a of the brake disc 1 .

[0041] According to the third variant embodiment, which is preferred, the first connecting element 4 allows radial and axial movement of the brake strip 2 relative to the second component 8 of the support element 3 relative to the axis of rotation 1a of the brake disc 1, and the second connecting element 9 allows radial and axial movement of the second component 8 relative to the first component 7 relative to the axis of rotation 1a of the brake disc 1.

[0042] Advantageously, the presence of a first connecting element 4 arranged between the second component 8 of the support element 3 and the brake strip 2 and a second connecting element 9 arranged between the first component 7 and the second component 8 of the support element 3 quadruples the adaptability of the brake disc 1 in the axial direction, i.e. in the direction of the axis of rotation 1a of the brake disc 1, with the same connecting element, and doubles the adaptability in the radial direction relative to the axis of rotation 1a of the brake disc 1 with the same connecting element.

[0043] According to the embodiment described, the first connecting element 4 and the second connecting element 9 are arranged along the same circumference about the axis of rotation 1 a of the brake disc 1 .

[0044] Advantageously, the possibility of maintaining the same number of connecting elements in total for the first and second connecting elements arranged along the same circumference of a floating brake disc of known type allows full compatibility of floating brake discs of known type with the brake disc 1 according to the invention.

[0045] In order to arrange the first connecting element 4 and the second connecting element 9 along the same circumference around the rotation axis 1a of the brake disc 1, the second component 8 has a plurality of lobes 12, each having a seat 17 that partially accommodates a corresponding second connecting element 9, and the first component 7 has a plurality of spokes 13, each of which partially accommodates a corresponding second connecting element 9 at its end.

[0046] Advantageously, the shape of the second component 8 makes it possible to obtain the second component 8 from the support element 3 starting from the same blanks as for known types of floating brake discs. In this way, there is no increase in the cost of the brake disc 1 due to the use of additional raw material.

[0047] It should be noted that the first connecting element 4 and the second connecting element 9 may alternatively be arranged along different circumferences relative to the axis of rotation 1 a of the brake disc 1 .

[0048] Finally, it should be noted that compared to prior art floating disk solutions, twice the compatibility is obtained with the same number of elastic connecting elements, on the same circumference where all elastic connecting elements are arranged, and therefore using the same equipment for processing the components (same tools, same programs, same equipment) and using the same equipment for assembling the disk (same assembly programs, same small parts, same assembly masks).

Claims

1. A brake disc rotating about its own axis of rotation (1a), a brake strip (2); a support element (3) for supporting said brake strip (2); a plurality of first connection elements (4) for connecting the support element (3) with the brake strip (2), the first connection elements (4) being elastically deformable to allow relative movement of the brake strip (2) with respect to the support element (3); Equipped with The support element (3) comprises at least a first component (7) and a second component (8) connected to the brake strip (2) by the plurality of first connection elements (4), and the plurality of second connection elements (9) of the first component (7) and the second component (8) are elastically deformable to allow relative movement between the first component (7) and the second component (8).

2. 2. A brake disc according to independent claim 1, wherein the plurality of first connecting elements (4) allow an axial movement of the brake strip (2) relative to the second component (8) of the support element (3) parallel to the axis of rotation (1 a) of the brake disc (1).

3. 3. A brake disc according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of second connecting elements (9) allow axial movement of the second component (8) relative to the first component (7) parallel to the axis of rotation (1 a) of the brake disc (1).

4. 4. A brake disc according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first connecting elements (4) enable a radial movement of the brake strip (2) relative to the second component (8) of the support element (3) relative to the axis of rotation (1 a) of the brake disc (1).

5. 5. A brake disc according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the plurality of second connecting elements (9) allow a radial movement of the second component (8) relative to the first component (7) with respect to the axis of rotation (1 a) of the brake disc (1).

6. 6. The brake disc according to claim 1, wherein the first connecting elements (4) and the second connecting elements (9) are arranged along the same circumference around the rotation axis (1 a) of the brake disc (1).

7. Brake disc according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each first connecting element (4) comprises a cylindrical claw (5).

8. Brake disc according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each second connecting element (9) comprises a cylindrical claw (10).

9. 9. A brake disc according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein each second connecting element (9) is partly housed in a seat (16) of the first component (7) and partly housed in a seat (17) of the second component (8) of the support element (3).

10. 10. A brake disc according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein each first connecting element (4) is partly housed in a corresponding seat (14) of the brake strip (2) and partly housed in a corresponding seat (15) of the second component (8) of the support element (3).

11. 11. A brake disc according to claim 9 or 10, wherein, for the second component (8), at least one seat (15) for partial accommodation of a corresponding first connecting element (4) is alternately arranged with at least one seat (17) for partial accommodation of a corresponding second connecting element (9).

12. 12. A brake disc according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the second component (8) has a plurality of lobes (12), each of the plurality of lobes (12) having a seat (17) that partially houses a corresponding second connecting element (9), and wherein the first component (7) has a plurality of spokes (13), each of the plurality of spokes (13) at its end partially houses a corresponding second connecting element (9).

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