Brake Caliper Skeleton Structure Casting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing brake calipers for motor vehicle disk brake systems face challenges in achieving a balance between low weight and high rigidity while maintaining sufficient strength, as they often rely on reinforcing inserts that are complex to produce and may not effectively distribute load across the caliper body.

Innovation Solution

A brake caliper design featuring a skeleton structure with a higher modulus of elasticity than the caliper body, where the skeleton structure is cast into the caliper body, providing increased rigidity and strength through its extensive presence in load-bearing components, and can be made from materials like steel or metal matrix composites, with anchorings for enhanced coupling and integration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If a brake caliper is made from light metal alloy to reduce weight, then weight decreases, but rigidity and strength are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecaliper weightVSAvoidcaliper strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a composite structure combining light metal alloy (aluminum or magnesium) for the caliper body with a skeleton structure made from high-modulus material (steel, titanium, or metal matrix composite). This composite approach allows the light metal to provide weight reduction while the skeleton insert provides the necessary strength and rigidity, resolving the contradiction between weight and strength

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If reinforcing inserts are added to light metal caliper body to increase strength, then strength improves, but production complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecaliper strengthVSAvoidproduction complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The skeleton structure is prepared in advance as a pre-formed insert with integrated positioning features. This preliminary preparation allows the insert to be directly placed into the casting mold before the light metal body is cast, eliminating the need for complex positioning mechanisms during the casting process and reducing production complexity while maintaining strength enhancement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Weight of moving object

If reinforcing inserts are added to light metal caliper body to increase rigidity, then rigidity improves, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecaliper weightVSAvoidmanufacturing ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The skeleton structure is nested within the caliper body cavity, with the light metal alloy cast around it. This nesting approach allows the rigid skeleton to be embedded within the lightweight body, achieving high rigidity while maintaining low weight. The casting process naturally integrates the two components, simplifying manufacturing compared to post-assembly methods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS8336681B2Brake caliper and associated production method

Publication Date: 2012.12.25 DR ING H C F PORSCHE AG

AI summary

A brake caliper for a disk brake system of a motor vehicle, has a caliper body which is cast from a light metal alloy or from light metal, with a skeleton structure arranged inside the caliper body. The material of the skeleton structure has a higher modulus of elasticity than the material of the caliper body. The skeleton structure is cast into the caliper body so that the caliper body encases the skeleton structure.