Two-Part Brake Caliper Bridge Element Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brake calipers in two parts face issues with thread damage leading to costly and complex maintenance, as threaded seats are directly formed in the half-calipers, requiring replacement of the entire component, and suffer from limited resistance and reliability due to wall thickness constraints, making maintenance operations risky and costly.
Innovation Solution
A brake caliper design featuring a bridge element with threaded seats, where the bridge element connects the two half-calipers, allowing for high resistance without overdimensioning the half-calipers, and enabling simple maintenance by remaining connected even when one screw is unscrewed, reducing the risk of parts falling or damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If threaded seats are directly made into the wall of the half-caliper, then the connection structure is simple, but the maintenance cost increases and maintenance period extends when threads are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the threaded seat from the half-caliper by introducing a bridge element as an independent component. The threaded seats are made on the bridge element rather than directly on the half-caliper walls, allowing the bridge element to be replaced independently when threads are damaged, thus reducing maintenance cost and time while keeping the overall connection structure relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge element acts as an intermediary component between the half-calipers and the screws. It provides the threaded seats for screw attachment while being replaceable, thus protecting the half-calipers from thread damage and enabling easier maintenance without requiring replacement of the entire half-caliper assembly.
2Reliability
If the wall thickness is increased to ensure sufficient connection resistance, then the connection reliability improves, but the caliper weight increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the connection system into the bridge element and the half-calipers. The bridge element can be designed with optimized thickness and material properties to provide sufficient connection resistance without requiring the half-caliper walls to be excessively thick, thus achieving reliable connections while controlling overall caliper weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows for optimization of the bridge element's geometric parameters (such as thickness, length, and cross-section) to achieve the required connection resistance. By adjusting these parameters, sufficient connection reliability can be obtained without overdimensioning the half-caliper walls, thereby controlling the overall weight of the caliper assembly.
3Ease of operation
If the spacer is disconnected by unscrewing tension screws, then maintenance access is improved, but the risk of inadvertent falling or damage of the spacer increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates retention elements that preliminarily secure the bridge element (spacer) in place during maintenance operations. These retention elements prevent the bridge element from inadvertently falling or being damaged when tension screws are unscrewed, thus maintaining safety while allowing necessary maintenance access.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention elements act as intermediaries between the bridge element and the maintenance environment. They provide a safety mechanism that holds the bridge element during screw removal operations, preventing harmful falling or damage while allowing technicians to perform necessary maintenance tasks.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A brake caliper (1) for a disc brake of a vehicle comprises a first half-caliper (2) and a second half-caliper (3) separable from the first (2), means (5) for reciprocal connection of such first half-caliper (2) e and second half-caliper (3), a bridge element (9) connectable in a removable manner to the two half-calipers (2,3) comprising a first end (18) and a second end (19) axially opposite to the first end (18). The first end (18) of the bridge element (9) is connectable to the first half caliper (2) by means of a first screw (20) and the second end (19) of the bridge element (9) is connectable to the second half-caliper (3) by means of a second screw (21).