Brake Caliper Plug for Symmetrical Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disc brake calipers face issues with accessibility during assembly and machining due to their one-piece component design, leading to asymmetry and unbalanced braking forces, as well as limitations in mounting orientation due to added material for housing plugs, which increases overall dimensions and weight.
Innovation Solution
A brake caliper design with a symmetrical one-piece containment body featuring a plug that seals internally, allowing access for assembly and service without adding material, using a threaded hole for fixation and maintaining symmetry, and allowing pistons to slide partially inside the plug for balanced operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a plug is added to seal the access hole in the caliper body, then hermetic sealing is achieved, but added material increases the caliper's overall dimensions and creates asymmetry
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is nested within the caliper body's internal cavity rather than protruding externally. The access hole is sealed from the inside, with the plug forming part of the internal structure, thereby achieving hermetic sealing without increasing external dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention maintains symmetry by positioning the plug centrally within the internal cavity, aligned with the piston axis. This central positioning ensures that the sealing function is achieved without creating external asymmetry that would affect braking balance.
2Reliability
If a plug is added to seal the access hole, then hermetic sealing is achieved, but the caliper becomes asymmetric causing unbalanced braking forces
Solution Approach 1:
The plug is nested within the internal cavity, hidden from external view and not affecting the external symmetry of the caliper. This internal nesting allows hermetic sealing while preserving the balanced external geometry required for equal braking forces on both sides.
Solution Approach 2:
The asymmetry is localized entirely within the internal cavity where it does not affect external performance. The plug's position is optimized for sealing functionality while the external caliper geometry remains perfectly symmetric, ensuring balanced braking forces.
3Strength
If the caliper is designed as a one-piece component, then structural resistance is improved, but accessibility for assembly and machining is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The caliper is designed as a one-piece component with an integrated access hole that segments the internal cavity for tool entry. This allows machining and assembly operations to be performed on the closed caliper structure without requiring separate assembly of major components, thus maintaining structural integrity while improving manufacturing accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The access hole is pre-formed in the one-piece caliper body during manufacturing, allowing subsequent assembly operations to be performed easily. Components such as pistons and seals can be installed through this pre-prepared access hole before the caliper is fully closed and sealed with the plug.
Data Source
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AI summary
A caliper for brakes comprising: a containment body (2) having an external surface (P), said containment body (2) being substantially symmetrical to a plane (X) and having a cavity (20) for housing a plug (1) inside a first portion (2a), said plug (1) having an external surface (S) and being provided with means for fixedly closing-off said cavity (20), under the closing condition of said cavity (20) the external surface (S) of said plug (1) remains fully within the overall dimensions defined by the external surface (P) of said containment body (2).