Graphene-Coated Brake Pad Backing Plate for Fade-Resistant Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brake pads for bicycle and motorbike disc brake assemblies suffer from inadequate heat dissipation, leading to brake fading and loss of braking power, particularly during prolonged descents, due to limited thermal conductivity and inefficient heat emission and convection.
Innovation Solution
The brake pad incorporates a graphene coating on the backing plate and/or backing plate extension, enhancing thermal conductivity and emission, with cutouts on the extension providing increased surface area for convection, and optionally using crumpled graphene powder in the friction material to replace copper.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a steel backing plate is used, then stiffness and stability are improved, but thermal conductivity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a graphene coating on the steel backing plate to create a composite structure. The graphene layer provides superior thermal conductivity while the steel substrate maintains structural strength and stiffness, resolving the contradiction between mechanical strength and heat dissipation capability.
2Temperature
If the cooling surface is enlarged, then heat dissipation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the backing plate in the radial direction to create a backing plate extension with cutouts, utilizing the available space in the radial dimension. This approach increases the cooling surface area without significantly increasing overall brake pad complexity, as it uses the existing radial space efficiently.
3Temperature
If a groove is added to the backing plate, then heat dissipation is improved to a certain extent, but emission efficiency remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the groove structure with a graphene coating on the backing plate extension. The groove provides convective cooling pathways while the graphene coating enhances radiative heat emission, together achieving superior heat dissipation performance that overcomes the limitations of groove-only designs.
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 graphene coating significantly improves heat dissipation, reducing brake pad temperature and preventing brake fading, with a 100°C temperature difference demonstrated in testing, and offering improved braking performance.
Implementation Method 1
One type of heat transfer is conduction which is the transfer of the thermal or heat energy through direct contact between the backing plate and the friction material of the friction pad
Implementation Method 2
A further type of heat transfer is convection by means of which the thermal energy is transferred through the movement of air around the backing plate acting as a radiator
Implementation Method 3
A further type of heat transfer is the transfer of the thermal energy through the thermal radiation by means of electromagnetic waves emission from the surface
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention pertains to a brake pad for a bicycle or a motorbike disc brake assembly comprising: a backing plate (1) having a front surface (2) and a rear surface (3), a friction pad (4) disposed on the front surface (2) or the rear surface (3) of the backing plate (1), and a backing plate extension (5) formed in one piece with or adjacently attached to the backing plate (1), wherein at least a part of the backing plate (1) and/or the backing plate extension (5) is coated with a graphene coating (17).