Modular Fixed Brake Caliper Assembly for Low Vibration Braking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fixed caliper disc brake systems face issues with deformation, vibrations, and increased weight due to uneven distribution of braking forces, leading to suboptimal performance and increased production costs in high-performance vehicles, while also requiring complex assembly methods.
Innovation Solution
A modular fixed caliper body design with separable half-bodies and bridge elements made from different materials, featuring guiding and resting surfaces for precise alignment and connection, reducing construction tolerances and weight while maintaining stiffness and orthogonality, and incorporating heat-guard sheets to manage thermal stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single-block caliper body is used, then manufacturing precision and structural integrity are improved, but device complexity and production costs increase due to difficult cylinder working operations
Solution Approach 1:
The caliper body is divided into two separate half-bodies (first half-body and second half-body) that can be manufactured independently with easier cylinder working operations, then assembled together using connection means to form the complete caliper body, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and device complexity
2Weight of moving object
If the caliper body is made lighter, then productivity and vehicle performance are improved, but strength and stiffness of the bridge elements deteriorate under high braking forces
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge elements are constructed using composite material structures that provide high strength-to-weight ratio, allowing the caliper body to be lightweight while maintaining the necessary strength and stiffness to withstand high braking forces during operation
3Ease of manufacture
If the caliper body structure is simplified, then ease of manufacture is improved, but deformation under uneven braking forces increases
Solution Approach 1:
The caliper body is segmented into two independent half-bodies connected by bridge elements, allowing simplified manufacturing of each component while the modular assembly structure provides structural stability to resist deformation under uneven braking forces
Solution Approach 2:
The two half-bodies are merged through the bridge elements and connection means to form a unified caliper body structure that maintains stability under braking loads while keeping individual components simple for easier manufacture
4Manufacturing precision
If guiding and resting surfaces are added for precise alignment, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Guiding and resting surfaces are incorporated into the half-bodies and bridge elements to establish precise alignment and positioning during assembly, ensuring manufacturing precision is achieved through built-in alignment features rather than post-assembly adjustments
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a fixed brake caliper (1) for a disc brake disc (2), - said disc (2) comprising opposite braking surfaces (3, 4) and axial-symmetric disc body (5) adapted to rotate about a rotation axis (A-A) defining an axial direction (X-X), said disc body (5) develops radially along a radial direction (R-R) orthogonal to said axial direction (X-X), as well as along a circumferential direction (C-C) orthogonal both to said axial direction (X-X) and to said radial direction (R-R); said fixed caliper (1) comprising: a first half-body (6) comprising at least one first housing (7) for a first thrust device (8) to generate a first braking action; said first half-body (6) being adapted to face either directly or indirectly a first braking surface (3) of said braking surfaces (3, 4) of said disc (2); a second half-body (9) comprising at least one second housing (10) for a second thrust device (11) to generate a second braking action; said second half-body (9) being adapted to face either directly or indirectly a second braking surface (4) of said braking surfaces (3, 4) of said disc (2); at least one first bridge element (12) to connect and support said second half-body (9) to said first half-body (6); said at least one bridge element (12) comprising at least one first guiding and supporting bridge surface (13) oriented according to a first predetermined resting plane (14) and at least one second guiding and supporting bridge surface (15) oriented according to a second predetermined resting plane (16); wherein said first half-body (6) comprises at least one first protrusion (17) which protrudes in a cantilevered manner in axial direction (X-X) towards the opposite second half-body (9); said second half-body (9) comprises at least one second protrusion (18) which protrudes in a cantilevered manner in axial direction (X-X) towards the opposite first half-body (6); said first half-body (6), said second half-body (9) and said at least one bridge element (12) are three mutually separable components; and wherein said at least one first protrusion (17) delimits a first guiding and resting half- body surface (19) oriented according to said first predetermined resting plane (14) and parallel to said at least one first bridge surface (13) when said bridge element (12) is connected to said first half-caliper (6); said at least one second protrusion (18) delimits a second guiding and resting half-body surface (20) oriented according to said second predetermined resting plane (16) and parallel to said at least one second bridge surface (15) when said bridge element (12) is connected to said second half-caliper (9); said at least one bridge element (12) firmly rests said at least one first bridge surface (13) thereof against said first half- body surface (19) by connecting and orienting said at least one bridge element (12) to said first half-body (6), creating a rest for said at least one bridge element (12) in circumferential direction (C-C); said at least one bridge element (12) firmly rests said at least one second bridge surface (15) thereof against said second half-body surface (20) by connecting and orienting said at least one bridge element (12) to said second half-body (9) in circumferential direction (C-C).