Segmented Air-Actuated Disc Brake Carrier Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-actuated disc brake systems for heavy trucks are complex, heavy, and costly due to the need for multiple bearings and a bulky carrier, which complicates manufacturing and packaging, especially in lighter duty applications where space is limited.
Innovation Solution
A disc brake carrier design comprising two separate portions with a mounting arrangement and recesses for brake pad support, allowing for simplified manufacturing, reduced weight, and increased compactness, with a support wing to manage outboard pad movement and eliminate the need for additional support structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single bulky carrier is used to support brake pads, then the brake pad can be mounted and supported, but the carrier becomes heavy, complex to manufacture, and difficult to package
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is divided into two separate portions: a first carrier portion and a second carrier portion. Each portion can independently support a brake pad, eliminating the need for a single bulky carrier while maintaining structural integrity and support reliability during braking operations.
2Reliability
If a single bulky carrier is used to support brake pads, then the brake pad can be mounted and supported, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is divided into two separate portions that can be manufactured independently using simpler processes such as forging or casting, rather than requiring complex machining of a single large carrier. This reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining support reliability.
3Reliability
If a single bulky carrier is used to support brake pads, then the brake pad can be mounted and supported, but the packaging space required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is divided into two separate portions that can be packaged more efficiently than a single bulky carrier. The separate portions occupy less total volume and can be arranged more compactly in packaging, reducing the overall space required while maintaining brake pad support reliability.
4Reliability
If two bearings are provided in the lever mechanism, then the operating shaft can be supported, but the cost and weight of the brake increase
Solution Approach 1:
The operating shaft is extracted from the traditional lever mechanism with two bearings and repositioned to bear directly on a bearing surface of the caliper. This eliminates one bearing while maintaining reliable support, reducing both weight and complexity.
5Reliability
If two bearings are provided in the lever mechanism, then the operating shaft can be supported, but the complexity of machining bearing surfaces increases
Solution Approach 1:
One bearing surface is extracted from the complex two-bearing arrangement and integrated directly into the caliper structure. This reduces the number of bearing surfaces that require precision machining from two to one, simplifying manufacturing while maintaining operating shaft support reliability.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 2A
AI summary
A brake carrier (4) for an air-actuated disc brake, the carrier comprising a first carrier portion (4a) and a second carrier portion (4b), each carrier portion including a mounting arrangement (12) for mounting the carrier portion to an axle or steering component, and a recess defining a circumferential abutment surface (75a, 75b) for restraining motion of a brake pad in a circumferential direction and the recess further defining a radial abutment surface (76a, 76b) for restraining motion of a brake pad in a radially inward direction, wherein the first and second carrier portions (4a, 4b) are separate components not physically connected to each other.