Disc Brake Caliper Back Alignment for Uniform Pad Wear

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Disc brakes experience uneven wear of brake pads due to unfavorable leverage and design issues, leading to increased clearance and reduced braking performance as the pads wear down over time.

Innovation Solution

The design features a brake caliper with projections and recesses on the caliper back and brake pad carrier, respectively, arranged coaxially with the threaded tube units, which reduces uneven wear by ensuring proper alignment and force distribution, and includes a compact adjustment device within the threaded tube to maintain optimal clearance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the rear brake pad rests against a milled surface on the back of the brake caliper, then the brake pad can be easily manufactured and installed, but uneven wear of the brake pads occurs due to unfavorable leverage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoiduniformity of wear
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The contact surface carrier is pre-positioned on the brake caliper back with precisely defined contact surfaces before brake pad installation. This preliminary positioning ensures that the brake pad receives forces along its central axis from the start, preventing uneven wear during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A contact surface carrier is introduced as an intermediary element between the brake caliper back and the brake pad. This carrier has precisely machined contact surfaces that ensure proper force distribution and alignment, mediating the interaction to eliminate unfavorable leverage effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If the brake pad carrier is simplified without contact surface carrier, then the device complexity is reduced, but uneven wear and increased clearance occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidbrake clearance stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The contact surface carrier performs multiple functions: it provides precise contact surfaces for force distribution, ensures proper alignment of the brake pad with the threaded tube units, and maintains stable brake clearance. By consolidating these functions in one component, the overall device complexity is not significantly increased while reliability is improved.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Device complexity

If the contact surfaces are not aligned with the threaded tube units, then the brake caliper design is simpler, but uneven wear increases due to adverse leverage effect

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment precisionVSAvoiduniformity of wear
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The contact surfaces on the contact surface carrier are asymmetrically positioned relative to the brake caliper back, but symmetrically aligned with the threaded tube units. This asymmetric yet aligned configuration ensures that forces are transmitted centrally through the brake pad without creating adverse leverage effects, while maintaining design simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

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

This configuration significantly reduces uneven wear of the brake pads, maintains optimal clearance, and enhances braking performance by ensuring consistent force application and alignment, leading to improved disc brake functionality and longevity.

Implementation Method 1

friction brakes to convert kinetic energy

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

Forces are amplified by an eccentric mechanism and transmitted as clamping force via threaded rods

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical Advantage: Mechanical Advantage

Implementation Method 3

projections and recesses on the caliper back and brake pad carrier, respectively, arranged coaxially with the threaded tube units, which reduces uneven wear by ensuring proper alignment and force distribution

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForce distribution:

Data Source

PatentEP3149353B2Disk brake, brake caliper and brake pad set for a disk brake
Publication Date: 2023.03.08 KNORR BREMSE SYSTEME FUER NUTZFAHIZEUGE GMBH
  • EP3149353B2 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3149353B2 patent drawingFigure 1a
  • EP3149353B2 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A disk brake, preferably pneumatically actuated, in particular for a motor vehicle, having a brake disk with a brake disk axis, a brake caliper, in particular a sliding caliper, with a brake application section (9) and a caliper back which are connected via tie bars (11, 12), at least two brake pads with in each case one brake pad carrier, wherein, of the brake pads, an application-side brake pad is assigned to the brake application section (9) and a back-side brake pad is assigned to the caliper back, wherein the brake pad carrier of the back-side brake pad and the caliper back of the brake caliper are in contact via at least one pair of bearing surfaces. One bearing surface of the at least one pair of bearing surfaces is an end surface of a projection (30, 32), and the other bearing surface of the at least one pair of bearing surfaces is a bottom surface of a recess; and a brake pad set.