Disc Brake Caliper Rib Structure for Sensor Unit Protection

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing brake calipers with sensor resetting units are vulnerable to damage from external impacts and shocks, leading to increased production costs and machining time due to the need for post-machining to protect the sensor resetting unit.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating ribs between sliding bushes and the flange face on the brake caliper housing to provide cost-neutral and reliable protection for the sensor resetting unit, which are casted together with the caliper, eliminating the need for additional machining steps and ensuring complete coverage of the unit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the sensor resetting unit is disposed directly on the brake caliper housing, then the sensor resetting unit is protected against impact and shock, but additional machining steps (milling) are required which increase production costs and machining time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of sensor resetting unitVSAvoidmachining time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The rib is integrated directly into the brake caliper housing as a single cast component, merging the protective structure with the main housing. This eliminates the need for separate protective components and post-machining operations, resolving the contradiction by achieving protection without additional machining steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective rib is formed during the initial casting process of the brake caliper housing, before any machining operations. This preliminary formation of the protective structure eliminates the need for subsequent milling operations, thereby reducing machining time while maintaining protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the sensor resetting unit is disposed directly on the brake caliper housing, then the sensor resetting unit is protected against impact and shock, but additional machining steps increase production costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of sensor resetting unitVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The protective rib is integrated directly into the brake caliper housing as a single cast component, merging the protective structure with the main housing. This eliminates the need for separate protective components and post-machining operations, resolving the contradiction by achieving protection without additional machining steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective rib is formed during the initial casting process of the brake caliper housing, before any machining operations. This preliminary formation of the protective structure eliminates the need for subsequent milling operations, thereby reducing machining time while maintaining protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the brake caliper is cast with a protective structure, then protection is achieved, but using more raw material increases cost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of sensor resetting unitVSAvoidraw material

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly thickening the entire brake caliper housing, a localized rib structure is added only in the specific region where the sensor resetting unit requires protection. This local addition of material minimizes the quantity of extra raw material while providing targeted protection where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The rib provides more protection than the base housing alone, but the excess material is confined to a partial structure (the rib) rather than the entire housing. This partial action approach achieves sufficient protection with minimal additional material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11111975B2Brake caliper of a disc brake for motor vehicles

Publication Date: 2021.09.07 ZF CV SYST EURO BV

AI summary

A brake caliper (1) for a disc brake has a tensioning side (2) and a rim side (3) and bears a brake cylinder flange face (4), which, for receiving a brake cylinder, is disposed on the tensioning side (2). Two sliding bushes (5, 6) for an axial displacement of the brake caliper (1) are disposed on a brake support, and two flange faces (8, 8a) are disposed axially parallel to each other on the tensioning side (2) between the sliding bushes (5, 6) for receiving a sensor resetting unit (9).