Brake Lining Holding Spring Geometry for Lower Insertion Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing friction lining retaining springs for motor vehicle disc brakes require progressively increasing force for insertion, making the assembly process ergonomically challenging and labor-intensive, both in manufacturing and maintenance settings.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a gear mechanism with a non-linear insertion path curve in the elbow of the retaining spring, combined with a friction-reducing surface treatment, reduces the force requirement by providing a gear effect and minimizing contact friction, allowing for a constant or linearly increasing insertion force throughout the assembly process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional friction lining retaining spring with a straight insertion path is used, then the structure is simple, but the insertion force increases progressively making assembly ergonomically difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature to the insertion path by designing the elbow joint with a non-linear path curve instead of a straight line. This curved path provides a mechanical advantage that reduces the insertion force required, transforming the force-displacement relationship from linear to non-linear, thereby improving ergonomics during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dynamic element to the insertion process by varying the insertion path geometry. The non-linear path curve creates a changing mechanical advantage throughout the insertion stroke, allowing the force requirement to be optimized at different stages of insertion rather than remaining constant or increasing monotonically.
2Force
If the insertion path is extended to provide mechanical advantage, then the force requirement is reduced, but the insertion path becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The elbow joint incorporates a non-linear path curve that provides mechanical advantage during insertion. This curved geometry extends the effective insertion path, creating a lever effect that reduces the force required to compress the spring and engage the brake piston, while the complexity is confined to a single geometric feature rather than multiple components.
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
This design significantly reduces the insertion force needed, achieving a 35% decrease in force requirement compared to conventional designs, thereby simplifying the assembly process and reducing worker burden.
Implementation Method 1
the path curve can generate a correspondingly adapted gear effect based on path lengthening and/or the automatically altered decomposition of force component components
Implementation Method 2
an automatically adjusted force reduction with a transmission effect based on the physical principle of force distribution or stroke extension
Implementation Method 3
clamped into the inner wall of the cup-shaped actuating element/brake piston with a defined, radially outward directed, elastic preload force
Implementation Method 4
The friction-reducing surface treatment reduces the prevailing contact or sliding friction in contact zones between the inner wall of the brake piston and the elbow joint
Implementation Method 5
providing the entire retaining spring, its U-shaped spring leg, or at least the elbow joint, with a special surface treatment, at least on the side facing the inner wall of the brake piston
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a friction lining holding spring (1) and to the equipped component/assembly, specifically a motor vehicle disc brake lining including the friction lining holding spring (1). The friction lining holding spring (1) comprises a bent knee piece (11, 12) of a U-spring leg (9, 10) which branches off at an angle from a largely flat U base section (5), and wherein the largely flat base section (5) comprises a fastening tab (6) with a cup-shaped feedthrough (7) including a through-opening (8) for the purpose of fixing to a backing plate (2) of the friction lining, wherein each knee piece (11, 12) has an integrated gearing means, which is in particular designed as an uneven brake piston inward trajectory such that, when a brake piston moves inwards, there is a predefined gear reduction effect for the purpose of automatically influencing or modelling the necessary force requirement.