Asymmetric Pad Spring Rigidity for Caliper Brake Drag Torque
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pad springs in caliper brakes, with uniform material and symmetry, fail to maintain a constant distance between the disc and pad plate due to asymmetrical pressure during vehicle braking, leading to imbalanced distance and drag torque issues.
Innovation Solution
The pad spring design incorporates clip bases, anchors, and retainers with varying rigidities by using different materials (e.g., iron, aluminum, hard plastic) and shapes, such as varying thickness, length, and opening areas, to create inner and outer retainers that appropriately support the pad plates, ensuring appropriate rigidity distribution to counteract asymmetrical pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pad spring is formed of uniform material and symmetric shape, then manufacturing is simple and cost is low, but it cannot maintain constant distance between disc and pad plate under asymmetrical pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The pad spring is designed with different materials or structures for the inner retainer and outer retainer portions. The inner retainer uses a material or structure providing first rigidity while the outer retainer uses a material or structure providing second rigidity, allowing each portion to locally adapt to the asymmetrical pressure distribution during braking.
Solution Approach 2:
The pad spring transitions from a symmetric uniform structure to an asymmetric structure where the inner retainer and outer retainer have different rigidity characteristics. This asymmetry directly addresses the asymmetrical pressure conditions experienced during vehicle braking, enabling the spring to maintain constant distance between disc and pad plate.
2Reliability
If different materials are used for inner and outer retainers, then asymmetrical pressure can be countered, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inner retainer and outer retainer are merged into a single integrated pad spring component rather than being separate parts. This combining approach allows different materials or structures to be incorporated into one piece, achieving the desired differential rigidity while simplifying assembly and potentially reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If uniform rigidity is used throughout the pad spring, then manufacturing is easy, but distance between disc and pad plate becomes imbalanced during repeated braking
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the pad spring (inner retainer vs outer retainer) are assigned different rigidity characteristics through material selection or structural design. This local differentiation enables precise control over the distance maintenance function in each region, addressing the imbalanced distance problem caused by uniform rigidity.
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 design effectively minimizes drag torque by adapting to asymmetrical pressure, maintaining a consistent distance between the disc and pad plate, reducing manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for additional components and enhancing the pad spring's universality.
Implementation Method 1
each of a pair of pad springs for elastically supporting a pair of pad plates on a carrier
Data Source
AI summary
A pad spring of a caliper brake according to the present embodiment is provided as a pair of pad springs for elastically supporting a pair of pad plates on a carrier, and the pad springs includes a pair of clip bases in contact with protruding surfaces of protrusions formed on two sides of the pad plates, a pair of first anchors connected to lower ends of the clip bases and formed to be curved in contact with lower surfaces of the protrusions, a pair of second anchors connected to upper ends of the clip bases and formed to be curved in contact with upper surfaces of the protrusions, a connector configured to connect the pair of second anchors, and a pair of retainers having one ends bonded to the clip bases and formed to extend inward and the other ends curved outward to be in contact with and support the pad plates and formed to extend, wherein the pair of retainers include an inner retainer in contact with and supporting an inner pad of the pair of pad plates and an outer retainer in contact with and supporting an outer pad of the pair of pad plates, and the inner retainer is formed of a material having a higher rigidity than the outer retainer.