Brake Caliper Pad Assembly With Pin-Less Sliding Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current disc brake calipers face issues with pin breakage and slippage due to heavy stresses, lack of space for efficient mass placement or spring placement, excessive weight due to steel pins, and complex maintenance processes for pad replacement.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a caliper body with machined sliding surfaces that support pad support plates directly, eliminating the need for pins. The pad support plates feature protuberances or support hooks that slide on these machined surfaces, allowing for smooth pad movement and easy assembly/disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If steel pins are installed in the caliper, then the pads can be supported, but the caliper becomes excessively heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the heavy steel pin components from the caliper assembly, replacing them with lighter machined sliding surfaces that are directly formed on the caliper body. This extraction eliminates the unnecessary weight of separate pin components while maintaining the essential pad support function.
2Reliability
If steel pins are used for pad support, then the structure is complete, but there is a lack of space for placing masses, springs, or sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the steel pin components that occupy valuable space within the caliper structure. By eliminating these pins and replacing them with integrated machined surfaces, the design recovers internal volume that can be utilized for placing vibration-damping masses, positioning springs for residual torque minimization, or installing wear indicator sensors.
3Reliability
If the caliper is designed with traditional pin structure, then the pads can be supported, but maintenance requires disassembly of the entire caliper
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the brake pad assembly from the caliper body by designing the pad with protrusions that engage with recesses in the caliper's machined sliding surfaces. This segmentation allows the brake pads to be independently removed and replaced without disassembling the caliper body itself, significantly easing maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic interface between the brake pad and caliper through machined sliding surfaces that allow smooth relative movement. The pad protrusions engage with caliper recesses to provide guidance and support, enabling the pad to slide dynamically during braking while maintaining ease of removal for maintenance.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an assembly (1) of caliper body (2) and brake pads (3, 4). Said caliper body (2) comprises two pockets (5, 6) which receive the pads (3, 4). The caliper body (2) comprises two elongated elements (201, 202) and at least one central bridge (203) which crosses the two pockets (5, 6). Each brake pad (3, 4) comprises a support plate (11, 12) and friction material (13, 14) of predetermined radial extension (MAR). Each support plate (11, 12) comprises a support plate edge (17) having an upper edge portion (18). Each support plate (11, 12) comprises at least one protuberance (19, 20) which projects from said upper edge portion (18) and is hook-shaped defining a plate sliding surface (21) indirectly facing said rotation axis (X-X). Each support plate (11, 12) comprises at least one pad support surface (22) arranged substantially orthogonal to said circumferential direction (C-C) which extends over at least half of the predetermined radial extension (MAR) of said friction material (13, 14). Said central bridge (203) comprises at least two central bridge protuberances (23) separated by a central bridge window (27) which form caliper body sliding surfaces (24) which face said plate sliding surfaces (21). The caliper body (2) comprises at least two caliper support surfaces (25, 26) which face said pad support surfaces (22).