Disc Brake Lever Recess Structure for Compact Heavy-Duty Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Disc brakes for heavy load trucks face challenges in achieving a compact design while maintaining stability and ease of assembly, with existing configurations often requiring complex and costly manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A disc brake design featuring a brake caliper with a rotatable brake lever having a recessed amplification mechanism and a pivot bearing, supported by a rod within the caliper housing, allowing for a compact and stable structure with reduced material usage and easy assembly, applicable to both axial and radial types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a traditional brake lever design without a closed-loop recess is used, then the lever can be manufactured with simpler processes, but the lever requires more material resulting in increased weight and reduced rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The brake lever incorporates a closed-loop recess with curved contours instead of sharp angles, providing stress distribution and enhanced rigidity. The curved geometry of the recess creates a more structurally efficient form that resists deformation under braking loads while maintaining manufacturability through standard forming processes.
2Strength
If more material is used in the brake lever to increase rigidity, then the lever can better withstand torque, but the overall disc brake weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The brake lever features non-uniform thickness distribution with material concentrated in critical stress zones such as the pivot connection area and the closed-loop recess boundaries, while thinner sections exist in low-stress areas. This localized material placement optimizes torque resistance exactly where needed without adding unnecessary weight throughout the entire lever.
3Volume of moving object
If a compact disc brake design is implemented, then space is reduced, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The brake lever is designed as a modular component that can be manufactured separately and assembled into the brake mechanism. The closed-loop recess serves as a self-contained structural feature that simplifies connection to the pivot bearing, allowing the lever to be pre-assembled and tested before installation in the compact brake system, thereby reducing overall assembly complexity.
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 achieves a more compact and lightweight disc brake with improved rigidity, reduced material usage, and simplified assembly, while maintaining effective torque transmission and adaptability to various vehicle configurations.
Implementation Method 1
an amplification mechanism comprising a brake lever being rotatable around a pivot bearing for introducing a clamping force from an actuator, the brake lever having an arm extending between its actuator connection means and its transmission means
Implementation Method 2
a pivot bearing supported against a housing section of the brake caliper
Implementation Method 3
a thrust element in connection with said transmission means for transmitting the amplified clamping force onto the brake disc
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention refers to a disc brake comprising a brake caliper (1), which overlaps at least one brake disc, and a brake actuation mechanism (3) having - an amplification mechanism (7) comprising a brake lever (4) being rotatable around a pivot bearing (14) for introducing a clamping force from an actuator, the brake lever (14) having an arm (18) extending between its actuator connection means (6) and its transmission means (9), - a thrust element (11) in connection with said transmission means (9) for transmitting the amplified clamping force onto the brake disc, in which the brake lever (4) comprises a recess (17) between its actuator connection means (6) and its transmission means (9), which recess (17) is traversed by the axis of said pivot bearing (14).