Disc Brake Pad Spring Geometry for Complete Pad Retraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disc brake systems with cross-shaped expansion springs face challenges in ensuring complete detachment of brake pads from the disc when the brake is deactivated, leading to residual braking torque, uneven pad wear, and sensitivity to geometric and frictional variations.
Innovation Solution
A spring design for disc brake pads that applies an axial elastic force to maintain pad separation from the brake disc, with a configuration that includes an elongated plate bent into a fixing stretch, a resting stretch, and an arch-shaped return stretch, allowing for effective axial and radial elastic forces to overcome frictional resistance and maintain pad positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the axial elastic force is insufficient, then the pads can detach completely, but residual braking torque remains and pad wear becomes non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the application angle to 45°-60°, the patent ensures sufficient axial elastic force is generated to completely detach pads from the brake disc. This eliminates residual braking torque and ensures uniform pad wear across the friction surface, as the pads are properly positioned and oriented during the braking cycle.
2Device complexity
If the application angle is small, then the spring configuration is simple, but the constraint conditions of pads become uncertain and sensitive to friction and geometric variability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adopts a specific application angle range of 45°-60° that optimizes the balance between axial and radial force components. This parameter selection makes the pad constraint system robust against variations in friction coefficients and geometric tolerances, as the favorable force distribution ensures reliable pad positioning and orientation throughout the braking process.
3Device complexity
If the axial elastic force varies with pad wear state, then the spring structure remains simple, but the distancing function is not ensured during the entire life cycle of the pad
Solution Approach 1:
By optimizing the application angle to 45°-60°, the patent ensures that the axial elastic force remains sufficient throughout the entire wear cycle of the pad. The favorable force distribution compensates for variations in pad position due to wear, ensuring continuous and reliable pad distancing from the brake disc from new pad condition through to wear-out.
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 spring design effectively reduces residual braking torque, ensures uniform pad wear, and enhances the robustness of the elastic constraint system, making it less sensitive to geometric tolerances and friction effects throughout the life cycle of the pads.
Implementation Method 1
a spring for pads (11) elastically retaining and positioning the pads (11) in a disc brake caliper (2)
Implementation Method 2
to reduce the vibrations of the pads
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
A spring (22) for friction pads which can be associated with a caliper of a disc brake for pushing the friction pads away from a brake disc, wherein the spring (22) comprises a descending fixing stretch (24), an ascending resting stretch (25), opposite to the fixing stretch (24), and - an arch-shaped return stretch (26) formed between the fixing stretch (24) and the resting stretch (25), wherein the return stretch (26) extends from a narrowing region (29), in which the fixing stretch (24) and the resting stretch (25) locally approach each other in form of widened loop with respect to the narrowing region (29), to a lower apical region (28) of the spring (22), wherein the fixing stretch (24) forms a fixing seat (30) for fixing a fixing portion of a pin of the caliper and the resting stretch (25) forms a contact portion (32) for a free resting with possibility of slipping of the spring (22) against a contact surface of the friction pad.