Floating Brake Pad Structure for Horizontal Shift Restraint

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Solution Overview

Problem

Floating type brake pads in train brakes experience significant horizontal positional shifts under braking friction or vehicle vibrations, leading to loss of optimal braking surface, deformation, or breakage of connection members, which compromises braking effect and service life.

Innovation Solution

A floating type brake pad design featuring a countersunk face, positioning hole, elastic supporting member, anti-rotation member, and compression bushing, with strategically sized gaps and varying hardness values to prevent horizontal positional shifts, ensuring optimal braking surface maintenance and preventing deformation or breakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the friction block is freely adjustable in the vertical direction to achieve optimal working surface, then the braking effect is improved, but the friction block undergoes positional shift in the horizontal direction under braking friction or vibration, causing loss of optimal braking surface and potential connection rod deformation or breakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebraking effectVSAvoidhorizontal position stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The positioning function is segmented into multiple components: the positioning hole provides vertical positioning, the elastic supporting member prevents horizontal shift, and the anti-rotation member prevents rotation. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in one aspect of stability, resolving the contradiction between freedom of movement and positional stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic supporting member acts as a beforehand cushioning mechanism that prevents horizontal positional shift before it can occur. By providing pre-positioning constraints in the horizontal direction while maintaining vertical adjustability, the system preserves optimal braking surface contact without allowing harmful shifts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the friction block is constrained to prevent horizontal positional shift, then the optimal braking surface is maintained, but the braking effect and service life are adversely affected due to connection rod deformation or breakage under shear force

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehorizontal position stabilityVSAvoidbraking effect
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Different positioning characteristics are applied to different directions: the elastic supporting member provides rigid constraint in the horizontal direction to prevent shift, while the connection rod maintains flexibility in the vertical direction to allow optimal surface adjustment. This local differentiation of constraints resolves the contradiction between stability and braking effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If the connection rod integrates the friction block and backing plate, then the structure is simplified, but the connection rod deforms or breaks under large shear force when the friction block shifts horizontally

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection structureVSAvoidconnection rod strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic supporting member acts as an intermediary between the friction block and the backing plate, providing horizontal constraint without requiring the connection rod to bear horizontal shear forces. This intermediary protection allows the connection rod to remain simple in structure while avoiding overload and potential failure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 prevents horizontal positional shifts and maintains the optimal braking surface, enhancing braking effect and service life by sequential engagement of elastic supporting and anti-rotation members, and the compression bushing, thereby reducing damage and improving overall performance.

Implementation Method 1

the elastic supporting member undergoes elastic deformation to prevent horizontal positional shift of the friction body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the compression bushing is configured to exert a biasing force on the friction part to prevent relative rotation between the friction part and the brake pad backing plate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentEP3822506B1Floating type brake pad
Publication Date: 2022.10.05 BEIJING TIANRENDAOHE NEW MATERIAL CO LTD
  • EP3822506B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3822506B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention provides a floating type brake pad that comprises a brake pad backing plate (1), formed with a countersunk face (2) and a positioning hole (3); a friction body (4), comprising a friction part (5) and a positioning part (6) inserted into the positioning hole (3), wherein a first relative gap (7) is present between the positioning part (6) and the positioning hole (3); a connection member (8), for arranging the friction body (4) on the brake pad backing plate (1) in a floatable manner; and an elastic supporting member (9), mounted within the countersunk face (2), connected with the friction body (4), and provided with a guide hole adapted to allow the positioning part (6) to pass through, wherein an outer contour edge of the elastic supporting member (9) abuts against an inner side wall of the countersunk face (2), or a second relative gap (10) smaller than the first relative gap (7) is present between the outer contour edge of the elastic supporting member (9) and the inner side wall of the countersunk face (2). The present invention solves the problem that, when subjected to the action of a braking friction force or affected by vehicle vibration, a floating type brake pad of prior art undergoes serious positional shift in the horizontal direction, whereby the friction body thereof loses an optimal braking working surface and the braking effect is adversely affected, which may even cause the connection member connecting the brake pad backing plate and the friction body to deform or even break under a shear force, which seriously reduces the braking effect and service life of the floating type brake pad.