Opposed-Piston Brake Caliper Rib Structure for Rigidity and Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing calipers for opposed-piston type disc brakes face challenges in ensuring rigidity while minimizing weight, particularly when equipped with four or more cylinder portions, which can lead to elastic deformation and vibration during braking, especially in high-performance vehicles.
Innovation Solution
The caliper design incorporates an inner body and outer body with multiple cylinder portions, connected by rotation-in and rotation-out side connecting portions and center bridges, featuring a belt-shaped rib on the outer body to enhance rigidity and a connecting portion between center bridges to support the outer cylinder portions, thereby improving structural integrity without increasing weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the number of piston and cylinder portions is increased to four or more, then the braking force is improved, but the rigidity of the caliper deteriorates causing elastic deformation and vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The caliper body is segmented into multiple functional zones through strategically placed ribs: front ribs connect to front cylinder portions, rear ribs connect to rear cylinder portions, and center bridges connect circumferentially intermediate portions. This segmentation allows each region to independently support the increased forces from multiple pistons, preventing overall structural deformation while maintaining high braking force capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The ribs and center bridges are designed with curved, arc-shaped configurations that follow the circumferential curvature of the rotor. This curvature optimally distributes stress along the natural load paths during braking, enhancing the structural efficiency and rigidity of the caliper body to resist elastic deformation under high braking forces.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the rigidity of the caliper is increased to prevent elastic deformation, then the braking stability is improved, but the weight of the caliper increases
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than uniformly thickening the entire caliper body, ribs and center bridges are strategically placed only at critical stress concentration zones: between cylinder portions, at circumferential intermediates, and connecting to rotation-in/out side connecting portions. This localized reinforcement provides necessary rigidity for braking stability while minimizing unnecessary material and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The caliper body is constructed using cast aluminum alloy or similar lightweight materials that provide high strength-to-weight ratio. The integrated rib and center bridge structures form a composite-like framework within the monolithic casting, combining the rigidity of reinforced structural elements with the lightweight properties of the base material.
3Weight of moving object
If the caliper structure is simplified to reduce weight, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the rigidity deteriorates leading to vibration and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The ribs and center bridges serve multiple functions simultaneously: they structurally connect cylinder portions to enhance rigidity, provide mounting surfaces for pads and pistons, facilitate heat dissipation pathways, and reduce stress concentrations. This multi-functionality allows the caliper to achieve necessary rigidity without adding separate dedicated components, thus avoiding weight increase.
Data Source
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AI summary
A belt-like rib (12) that extends in a peripheral direction is provided to the outer surface, in the axial direction, of an outer body (3a). The inner diameter side sections of the bottoms of outer cylinders (18a, 18b) at the outer diameter side and the outer diameter side sections of the bottoms of outer cylinders (19a, 19b) at the inner diameter side, all the cylinders being provided to the outer body (3a) so as to be separated into two stages in the radial direction, are covered with the belt-like rib (12) from outside in the axial direction so as to traverse along the peripheral direction. The outer diameter side sections of the bottoms of the outer cylinders (18a, 18b) at the outer diameter side and the inner diameter side sections of the bottoms of the outer cylinders (19a, 19b) at the inner diameter side are made to protrude from the belt-like rib (12) in the radial direction.