Brake Caliper Bridge Venting for Heat Evacuation and Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brake caliper designs face challenges in efficiently evacuating heat generated during braking, leading to overheating and deformation, which compromises mechanical strength and braking efficiency, particularly in floating-type calipers.
Innovation Solution
A caliper body design with axially oriented ventilation openings and channels that direct heat away from the wheel rim, utilizing centrifugal air flow to naturally evacuate heat to the vehicle side, combined with a seamless bridge for increased stiffness and reduced weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If ventilation channels are made inside the caliper body to increase heat exchange surface area, then heat dissipation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases and mechanical resistance to deformation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the caliper body into distinct functional zones: a first zone with ventilation openings for heat dissipation, a second zone for hydraulic cylinders, and a bridge zone connecting them. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized independently, with ventilation channels concentrated in specific areas rather than throughout the entire structure, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining heat dissipation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different structural qualities to different regions of the caliper body. The bridge connecting the wheel-side and vehicle-side portions is designed with increased thickness and stiffness specifically where needed to maintain mechanical resistance, while ventilation openings are strategically placed in non-critical areas. This local differentiation allows heat dissipation improvements without compromising overall structural integrity or excessive manufacturing complexity.
2Temperature
If ventilation channels are made inside the bridges of the caliper body, then heat exchange surface area is increased, but mechanical resistance to deformation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention strategically places ventilation openings in specific locations on the bridge structure where they provide heat dissipation benefits without critically compromising mechanical strength. The bridge design incorporates reinforced sections and optimized thickness variations to maintain structural integrity in load-bearing areas while allowing ventilation in less critical regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the three-dimensional space of the bridge structure by creating ventilation channels that extend through multiple surfaces and depths. Rather than simple surface openings, the channels are designed to maximize internal surface area for heat exchange while maintaining adequate material thickness for structural strength, effectively using spatial arrangement to resolve the contradiction between heat dissipation and mechanical resistance.
3Temperature
If the caliper body is designed to evacuate heat efficiently, then overheating is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention integrates the ventilation function directly into the bridge structure that already connects the wheel-side and vehicle-side portions of the caliper body. The bridge serves dual purposes: providing structural support and serving as the pathway for ventilation channels. This merging eliminates the need for separate, complex cooling system components, achieving effective heat evacuation while minimizing additional structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge structure is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical support to hold the caliper body together, serves as a mounting structure for ventilation openings, and acts as a thermal management pathway. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated cooling components, thereby preventing excessive device complexity while achieving effective heat evacuation.
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 design effectively evacuates heat, preventing overheating and maintaining mechanical rigidity, ensuring efficient braking performance and compatibility with various vehicle spaces.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing centrifugal air flow to naturally evacuate heat to the vehicle side
Data Source
AI summary
A caliper body which has a wheel-side first portion, a vehicle-side second portion, at least one thrust device housing, and at least one bridge connecting the wheel-side first portion to the vehicle-side second portion is provided. The at least one bridge has at least one ventilation opening and at least one conveying channel fluidically connected to the outside of the caliper body through the at least one ventilation opening. The least one ventilation opening directly faces in an axial direction the inside of the caliper body with the outside of the caliper body to direct heat generated inside the caliper body in an outer axial direction towards the outside of the caliper body and conveyed outside by the at least one conveying channel through the at least one ventilation opening.