Brake Piston Retraction Assembly for Consistent Release Air Gap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brake assemblies face challenges in efficiently retracting the brake piston during the release operation of an electric parking brake, leading to potential brake drag and inconsistent air gaps between the brake piston and rotor.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a linearly movable structure, such as a spindle nut, within the brake piston cavity, coupled with a resilient material that is deformable and engages with a groove on the piston's inner wall, allowing the resilient material to exert a restoring force for effective retraction of the brake piston during release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional brake piston structure is used during parking brake release, then the structure is simple, but the brake piston cannot be efficiently retracted leading to brake drag and inconsistent air gaps
Solution Approach 1:
A linearly movable structure (spindle nut) is introduced as an intermediary component between the rotatable structure (spindle) and the brake piston. This spindle nut converts rotational motion to linear motion and works with the resilient material to efficiently retract the brake piston during release, ensuring consistent air gaps and eliminating brake drag while maintaining reasonable structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient material (elastic element) provides self-service by automatically exerting a restoring force on the brake piston during release. This elastic restoration mechanism ensures the piston retracts to the correct position without requiring additional actuation, improving release consistency and eliminating brake drag naturally
2Ease of operation
If the brake piston is not efficiently retracted during release, then the structure remains simple, but brake drag occurs and air gaps become inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The linearly movable spindle nut acts as a mediator that smoothly translates the rotational motion of the spindle into linear retraction of the brake piston. This intermediary mechanism ensures smooth brake release operation while managing the complexity of the retraction system through a well-defined mechanical conversion
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient material replaces complex mechanical retraction mechanisms with an elastic restoring force. This substitution simplifies the overall retraction system while ensuring smooth and consistent brake release, eliminating the need for additional actuators or complex linkage systems
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 solution ensures smooth retraction of the brake piston, reduces brake drag, and maintains a consistent air gap, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the brake release operation.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient material, wherein at least a part of the resilient material is located within the groove formed on the inner wall of the brake piston and an other part of the resilient material is disposed on an outer surface of the linearly movable structure positioned within the piston cavity of the brake piston so that the resilient material is engageable with a surface of the groove formed on the inner wall of the brake piston to move the brake piston by a restoring force of the resilient material
Data Source
AI summary
A brake assembly comprises: a brake piston configured to be movable for a brake apply or release and having an inner wall forming a piston cavity, wherein a groove is formed on the inner wall of the brake piston; a linearly movable structure positioned within the piston cavity of the brake piston and configured to be linearly movable within the piston cavity; and a resilient material, wherein a part of the resilient material is located within the groove formed on the inner wall of the brake piston and the other part of the resilient material is disposed on an outer surface of the linearly movable structure so that the resilient material is engageable with a surface of the groove formed on the inner wall of the brake piston to move the brake piston by restoring force of the resilient material in response to linear movement of the linearly movable structure.