Utility Vehicle Disc Brake Floating Bearing Seal for Dirty Water
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Solution Overview
Problem
Disc brakes for utility vehicles face increased wear and premature replacement due to stone impact and dirt exposure, leading to bearing damage and ingress of dirty water, and existing solutions require additional processing and mounting, increasing costs and noise issues.
Innovation Solution
A disc brake design with a double-sided rolling bellows and central sealing element provides pressure-tight encapsulation of the floating bearing, using a ring portion in a peripheral groove for secure retention and sealing, allowing the guide bar to be made from conventional steel and maintaining installation space and functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional sealing components and processing are added to protect against stone impact and dirt, then reliability improves, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sealing function and protective function into a single integrated sealing element that is already part of the floating bearing assembly. This eliminates the need for additional separate sealing components while maintaining protection against stone impact and dirt ingress.
Solution Approach 2:
The existing sealing element in the floating bearing is designed to automatically protect against dirt and water ingress without requiring additional processing or mounting steps. The sealing structure itself provides the protective function through its inherent design.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional steel guide bar is used instead of stainless steel, then manufacturing costs decrease, but susceptibility to corrosion from water ingress increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element acts as an intermediary between the conventional steel guide bar and the external environment (dirty water and stone impact). It protects the guide bar from direct exposure to corrosive elements, allowing the use of cheaper conventional steel while maintaining corrosion resistance through the sealing barrier.
3Adaptability or versatility
If floating bearing with increased play is used for compensation, then adaptability to spacing tolerances improves, but noise generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potential harm of increased play (which causes rattling noises) into a benefit by designing the sealing element to dampen vibrations and absorb impacts. The sealing structure itself becomes a noise-reducing feature while maintaining the necessary play for tolerance compensation.
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 extends the service life of the disc brake, reduces production costs, and withstands high-pressure cleaning, preventing water penetration and corrosion, while maintaining axial installation space and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
the compensating bearing, which is referred to in the following as floating bearing, has a guide bush which engages around the guide bar and which is connected to the brake caliper so as to be secured against displacement, said guide bush having an elastic inner sleeve which consists of an elastomer. The elasticity of the inner sleeve prevents the occurrence of rattling noises as can occur due to tolerances in compensating bearings having a degree of play.
Implementation Method 2
a first tubular, length-variable seal which seals the guide bar with respect to the surroundings is arranged at least on the end region of the guide bar that faces away from the brake disc and is fastened on the one hand to the guide bar and on the other hand in the guide bush
Data Source
AI summary
A brake caliper is fastened to a stationary brake carrier by two fastening elements such that the caliper can slide axially relative to the brake disc. The fastening elements each have a guide bar fixedly connected to the brake carrier, of which guide bars, one guide bar is guided as a fixed bearing and the other guide bar is guided in a plain bearing, which is designed as a floating bearing having a floating bearing axis. The floating bearing has a guide bush, which reaches around the guide bar and is retained in a caliper bore such that sliding is prevented. A first tubular, variable-length seal is arranged on the end region of the guide bar far from the brake disc, which seals the guide bar from the environment and is fastened on the guide bar and in the guide bush. The first tubular, variable-length seal is clamped on the guide bar by a cap pressed into the guide bar. The first tubular, variable-length seal has a ring section, which is inserted in a peripheral groove between a covering section, a collar, and a section of an outer surface. The ring section is retained by the section of the outer surface such that the ring section is secured in the radially inward direction with respect to the floating bearing axis. The ring section is retained by the covering section such that the ring section is secured in the radially outward direction with respect to the floating bearing axis.