Brake Disc Cover Offset Contact Surfaces Flapping Prevention

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Disc brake covers are prone to undesirable flapping behavior due to dynamic and aerodynamic forces, especially when made of thin-walled materials, which can lead to vibration and instability during practical driving operations.

Innovation Solution

A cover design with offset contact surfaces for attachment to the carrier, where one surface is on one side and the other is on the opposite side, providing support both towards and away from the brake disc, and featuring resilient contact surfaces with a shortest mutual distance less than the carrier thickness, which prevents flapping and jamming on the carrier.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If the cover is made of thin-walled material to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but the cover exhibits flapping behavior and vibration under dynamic and aerodynamic forces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecover weightVSAvoidcover stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment method transitions from single-sided to dual-sided attachment, utilizing the axial dimension to provide support from both directions. The offset contact surfaces are positioned at different axial locations, creating a three-dimensional attachment geometry that prevents flapping while maintaining thin-walled construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The contact surfaces are designed to be resilient rather than rigid, allowing dynamic adaptation to carrier thickness variations and operational forces. This resilience enables the thin-walled cover to maintain stable attachment without requiring increased wall thickness for rigidity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If single-sided attachment is used to simplify the design, then device complexity is reduced, but the cover exhibits flapping behavior under dynamic forces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment structure complexityVSAvoidcover stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment structure is segmented into two separate contact surfaces positioned at different axial locations on opposite sides of the carrier. This segmentation provides stable attachment without requiring complex multi-component fastening systems, as each contact surface independently contributes to preventing flapping.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Stability of the object's composition

If the contact surfaces are made resilient with short mutual distance to prevent flapping, then stability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecover stabilityVSAvoidcontact surface positioning precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The contact surfaces are designed with resilience, changing the physical state from rigid to elastic. This parameter change allows the system to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and carrier thickness variations through elastic deformation, reducing the stringency of manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining stable attachment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design effectively counteracts the risk of flapping and vibration, ensuring a stable and secure attachment even with thin-walled materials, providing a flutter-free fastening against wind and vibration forces.

Implementation Method 1

the contact surfaces are resilient to one another, with the shortest mutual distance between them being less than the component thickness of the carrier in the support area in the de-energized state

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

this design of the contact surfaces results in the cover jamming on the carrier, which additionally counteracts the risk of it being knocked back and forth

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP2148110B1Cover for the brake disc of a vehicle disk brake
Publication Date: 2010.08.18 BPW BERGISCHE ACHSEN KG
  • EP2148110B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2148110B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The cover (20) comprises contact surfaces (31,32) which are movable towards each other in an axial direction and stay opposite to each other at the carrier. One of these contact surfaces is supported from one side opposite the carrier and the other contact surface is supported from the other side. The contact surfaces are connected with each other with 180 degrees in one piece.