Brake Lining Wear Sensor Circlip for Easier Secure Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brake-lining wear indicators for commercial vehicles require complex and difficult mounting processes due to the use of traditional circlips, necessitating special pliers and risking misalignment during installation.
Innovation Solution
A circlip with a groove and sensor head design that includes flattened end pieces and a cylindrical shape, allowing for a close fit and simplified mounting of the sensor on the brake lining, secured by a round spring-steel wire circlip.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional round-wire circlips are used to secure the sensor in the brake lining, then the sensor can be secured with preload, but the mounting process becomes difficult and requires special pliers
Solution Approach 1:
The circlip is segmented into two functional zones: a round-wire arc portion for providing elastic preload and securing force, and flattened end portions for engagement with the groove. This segmentation allows the circlip to be installed without special pliers while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the circlip have different geometries optimized for different functions: the round-wire portion provides elastic compliance and securing force, while the flattened end portions provide stable engagement surfaces in the groove. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between secure mounting and ease of installation.
2Ease of operation
If a groove with flattened region is designed in the sensor head, then the circlip can be easily mounted without special pliers, but the groove geometry becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The groove is designed with asymmetric geometry: a flattened bottom region for receiving the circlip's end portions and a curved side region. This asymmetric design simplifies the mounting process by providing a stable engagement surface while accommodating the circlip's rounded shape, resolving the contradiction between ease of mounting and geometric complexity.
3Reliability
If the circlip ends are bent inward toward the center, then the circlip locks into the groove with close fit, but the circlip shape becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The circlip is pre-formed with inward bends at the ends during manufacturing, creating a ready-to-lock geometry that engages the groove upon installation. This preliminary shaping ensures reliable locking fit without requiring complex adjustment or additional components during installation.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for indicating the wear of a brake lining of a disc brake, which triggers a signal when a wear limit of the brake lining is reached, includes a circlip (10) and a sensor (32) with a sensor head (34). The sensor (32) can be fastened in a bore of the brake lining and has a groove (36) that receives the circlip (10) to secure the sensor (32) on the brake lining. The groove (36) has a flattened region, and the shape of the circlip (10) is adapted to the flattened region. The circlip (10) has a region (12) which has a uniformly round curvature, and has bends (18, 20) in the direction of a centre (25) of the circlip (10) at the ends (14, 16) of this region (12). End pieces (22, 24) extend from the bends (18, 20) and have straight regions that are parallel and aligned.