Brake Caliper Mount Grooves for Pad Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air-operated disc brakes in commercial vehicles require labor-intensive and costly brake pad replacement processes, with brake pads prone to rotation and vibration, leading to increased wear and stress on caliper components due to limited space constraints.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of narrow vertical and lateral grooves on brake caliper mount horns allows for easy installation and removal of brake pads without caliper disassembly, with the grooves and corresponding features on the pads preventing rotation and vibration, enabling a more robust and durable caliper design by reducing horn height and distributing loads more effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If brake pads are retained using transverse suspension pins or leaf spring-type metal strips, then brake pads can be retained in the caliper, but brake pad replacement becomes labor-intensive and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The brake pad retention system is segmented into modular components: the caliper body with integrated retention features, the brake pad with corresponding engagement features, and the mounting bracket. This segmentation allows the brake pad to be independently replaced without removing the entire caliper assembly, transforming a labor-intensive process into a simple plug-and-play replacement operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The caliper is designed with self-retaining features where the brake pad automatically engages with retention elements (such as clips, lugs, or interlocking surfaces) upon installation. The brake pad's own structure works with the caliper to secure itself, eliminating the need for separate retention mechanisms that would complicate replacement procedures.
2Reliability
If brake pads are retained by capturing them between the caliper mounting frame and the brake caliper, then brake pads are retained during service, but caliper disassembly is required for pad replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The retention system is divided into independent functional elements within the caliper structure, allowing the brake pad to be accessed and replaced from the external side without disassembling the caliper housing. The retention features are positioned such that they engage the brake pad but do not require caliper disassembly for access.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of capturing the brake pad between the caliper frame and caliper body (requiring disassembly), the design inverts the approach by providing retention features that engage the brake pad from the external accessible side, allowing the pad to be retained securely while remaining easily accessible for replacement.
3Stability of the object's composition
If mount horns are made taller to prevent brake pad rotation, then brake pad rotation is minimized, but caliper thickness in high-stress regions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves from controlling brake pad rotation through vertical dimension (taller mount horns) to controlling it through horizontal dimension (lateral grooves and engagement features). The grooves extend in the circumferential direction, providing rotation control without increasing radial height, thereby preserving caliper thickness and strength in high-stress regions.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly increasing mount horn height throughout, the design provides localized rotation control features (lateral grooves and engagement surfaces) only where needed for pad retention. This allows the mount horns to maintain minimal height while still effectively preventing rotation, preserving material in high-stress caliper regions.
4Reliability
If ancillary brake pad retention mechanisms are installed, then brake pads are retained during service, but installation complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The brake pad retention function is merged with the caliper structure itself. The caliper body and mounting bracket incorporate integrated retention features (such as clips, lugs, or interlocking surfaces) that work with corresponding features on the brake pad. This eliminates the need for separate ancillary retention mechanisms, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable retention during service.
Solution Approach 2:
The caliper structure serves multiple functions: it provides the braking force application mechanism, structural support, and brake pad retention. The mounting bracket similarly serves both as a structural component and as a retention mechanism. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated ancillary retention devices, simplifying the overall system.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are provided for mounting, removing and retaining brake pads in disc brakes, such as air-operated disc brakes utilized on commercial vehicles, in a manner which does not require the use of separate brake pad retaining devices while providing positive retention of the brake pad. A preferred embodiment includes a brake caliper mount having brake pad abutment surfaces having radially-oriented and lateral grooves which permit a brake pad with corresponding projections on is lateral sides to be inserted through an opening of the brake caliper into the radially-oriented grooves until the backing plate projections are aligned with the lateral groove, and advancing the brake actuator behind the brake pad to place the brake pad in an operating position in which the actuator prevents the brake pad from realigning with the radially-oriented grooves until the actuator is retracted to permit brake pad extraction.