Floating Brake Disc Assembly to Prevent Wear and Jamming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current disc brake solutions face issues with uneven wear and imbalance due to manufacturing and assembly tolerances, leading to premature damage and increased maintenance needs, particularly in high-performance vehicles, where high friction generates asymmetric clamping stresses and thermal deformations, and the accumulation of dust and debris affects axial mobility.
Innovation Solution
A brake disc assembly with a separate brake band and bell, utilizing a connecting device with a male element that allows axial float without biasing, preventing jamming and stress, and incorporating an elastic element to minimize debris entry and maintain axial mobility, while allowing the bell to be made of a softer, lighter material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the brake band is rigidly constrained axially, then the structure is simpler and more stable, but asymmetric clamping stresses and thermal deformations cause plastic deformation and premature damage
Solution Approach 1:
The brake band is designed with axial mobility, allowing it to float axially between the brake caliper pads. This dynamic capability enables the brake band to self-adjust its position and accommodate asymmetric clamping forces and thermal deformations without rigid constraints, preventing plastic deformation and extending service life
2Ease of operation
If elastic preload means are used to provide axial float, then the brake band can settle halfway between pads, but dust and debris accumulate in the connection area affecting axial mobility
Solution Approach 1:
A connecting pin serves as an intermediary element between the brake band and the bell. The pin provides a guided pathway for axial movement, allowing the brake band to float axially while the pin itself acts as a barrier that prevents dust and debris from entering the connection area, thus maintaining axial mobility without contamination
3Weight of moving object
If the bell is made of softer, lighter material, then the unsprung weight is reduced, but the connection area becomes more susceptible to wear from sliding
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting pin acts as a mediator that eliminates direct sliding contact between the bell and the brake band. By providing a guided connection, the pin prevents the softer bell material from wearing against the brake band, allowing the bell to be made of lightweight material without compromising wear resistance
4Manufacturing precision
If manufacturing and assembly tolerances are tight, then the axial positioning is more precise, but the cost and complexity of production increase
Solution Approach 1:
The brake band's axial mobility allows it to self-adjust and settle into the correct position between the brake caliper pads during operation. This self-positioning capability compensates for manufacturing and assembly tolerances, achieving precise axial positioning without requiring tight manufacturing tolerances or complex adjustment mechanisms
Data Source
AI summary
A brake disc assembly may have a brake band, a bell, and at least one connecting device, which forms a connection between the brake band and the bell. The connecting device and the bell cooperate by delimiting at least one axial band seat where the brake band may slide in an axial direction of a predetermined axial stroke. The bell may have at least a first end-of-stroke surface which forms a first abutment surface in the axial direction for the brake band. The connecting device may have a second end-of-stroke surface, opposite to said first end-of-stroke surface, which forms a second opposite abutment surface in the axial direction for the brake band.