U-Shaped Spring Clip With Bent Tabs For Brake Wear Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spring-clip holders for brakeshoe wear sensors in disk brake systems still experience noise issues due to relative motion between the wear sensor and the brake backing plate, despite previous designs with corrugated spring clips providing some noise reduction.
Innovation Solution
A U-shaped spring clip with bent tabs that project onto the brakeshoe backing plate and wear sensor, preventing movement in any direction, ensuring secure installation and noise elimination through enhanced contact points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a corrugated spring clip with multiple contact points is used, then the wear sensor is held substantially without play in the seat, but noise problems still occur under adverse circumstances due to relative motion between the sensor and backing plate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional contact system (corrugated spring clip contacting the sensor housing) to a three-dimensional contact system by adding bent tabs that extend laterally to contact the backing plate face. This dimensional extension creates additional contact points in a new spatial dimension, preventing relative motion between the sensor and backing plate that causes noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The bent tabs act as intermediary elements between the spring clip assembly and the backing plate. These tabs provide an additional contact interface that mediates the interaction between the sensor housing and the backing plate, eliminating direct relative motion and the associated noise while maintaining the sensor's held position.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the spring clip is designed with bent tabs projecting from the legs, then movement of the wear sensor relative to the backing plate is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring clip is segmented into functional zones: the U-shaped body for holding the sensor, the corrugated sections for spring action, and the bent tabs for noise elimination. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function while maintaining overall simplicity. The bent tabs are simple extensions from existing legs rather than completely new components.
Solution Approach 2:
The bent tabs are merged with the spring clip legs as integral parts rather than separate components. This combining approach eliminates the need for additional fasteners or separate noise-reduction elements, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving the noise elimination function through the unified structure.
3Reliability
If bent tabs are added to the spring clip legs, then the wear sensor is secured against parallel and perpendicular movement, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bent tabs are formed as integral parts of the spring clip during the stamping and bending process, before assembly. This preliminary formation of the tabs eliminates the need for separate manufacturing steps for attaching noise-reduction elements, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while ensuring precise geometry for reliable sensor positioning.
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 solution effectively eliminates disturbing noises by preventing parallel or perpendicular movement between the wear sensor and the brake backing plate, facilitating easy installation and mass production while ensuring the wear sensor is securely held in place.
Implementation Method 1
the wear sensor is held substantially without play in the seat on account of the spring action generated by the several contact points
Implementation Method 2
a bent tab projects from the spring clip in sections and bears at least partially on the face of the brakeshoe backing plate when the wear sensor is inserted into the seat by the spring clip
Data Source
AI summary
A brakeshoe having a backing plate formed with a seat recess opening at a face, is provided with a brakeshoe wear sensor held in place by a U-shaped spring clip. The clip is formed with a pair of legs extending generally parallel to each other and spaced so as to fit around the sensor and a front end extending between the legs and joining same together. The legs and front end fit wholly in the seat recess between the sensor and the backing plate and bear on the sensor and backing plate. A bent-out tab projects transversely from each of the legs and bears outside the recess on the face of the backing plate.