Disc Brake Bell-Braking Band Coupling for Cooling and Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disc brake assemblies face challenges with weight, complexity, and cooling efficiency due to complex couplings between the bell and braking band, which obstruct air flow in ventilated braking bands and require multiple components, increasing assembly complexity and weight.
Innovation Solution
A disc assembly with a simplified connection between the bell and braking band using driving elements that slide radially to securely couple them in tangential and axial directions, allowing radial deformation and improving cooling efficiency by reducing axial volume and weight, while maintaining resistance to wear and thermal-mechanical stresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complex coupling between bell and braking band is used to ensure tangential and axial restraints, then reliability of torque transmission is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple restraint functions (tangential and axial) into a single integrated coupling structure. The bell and braking band are directly coupled without intermediate components, merging the functions of multiple restraints into one simple interface that ensures reliable torque transmission while minimizing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides tangential restraint for torque transmission, axial restraint for positional stability, and allows radial expansion for thermal accommodation. This multi-functionality in a single simple structure resolves the contradiction between reliability and complexity.
2Reliability
If a complex coupling structure is used to restrain bell and braking band, then torque transmission is improved, but weight of the assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the bell and braking band into a simple two-piece assembly with a direct coupling interface. This eliminates the need for heavy intermediate coupling components, achieving reliable torque transmission while minimizing the weight of the moving assembly.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a complex coupling is used between bell and braking band, then structural stability is improved, but cooling efficiency deteriorates due to obstructed air flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the disc brake into two functional parts: a bell and a braking band, coupled together with a simple interface. This segmentation allows the braking band to have ventilated structures for cooling while the bell provides structural stability, and the simple coupling minimizes obstruction to air flow through the ventilation channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the coupling function to a minimal interface between bell and braking band, removing complex intermediate structures that would obstruct air flow. This allows ventilation channels to remain open and unobstructed, maintaining cooling efficiency while preserving structural stability through the essential coupling.
4Reliability
If multiple components are used for coupling bell and braking band, then restraint reliability is improved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple restraint components into a single integrated coupling interface between bell and braking band. This direct coupling provides both tangential and axial restraints without requiring separate components, thereby ensuring restraint reliability while simplifying the assembly process.
Data Source
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AI summary
A disc assembly (1) of disc brake comprising • - a braking band (2); • - a bell (13) for connecting the disc assembly (1) to a support of a vehicle; • - at least one driving element (20); wherein • - said bell (13) comprises at least one driving bell surface (18) extending along axial and radial directions, thus forming a tangential abutment surface for the bell (13); and wherein • - said bell (13) rests on at least one surface (33, 34) of the braking band (2), or a plurality of surfaces (33, 34) of the braking band (2) substantially co-planar with one another, thus avoiding a two-sided restraint at least between said bell and said braking band (2); • - said braking band (2) comprises at least one driving band surface (9; 10; 11; 12) extending along said axial and radial directions, thus forming at least one tangential abutment surface for the band (2); • - said at least one driving element (20) slidingly rests on said at least one driving band surface (9; 10; 11; 12); • - said at least one driving element (20) is selectively movable along said at least one driving band surface (9; 10; 11; 12), at least passing: • - from a position in which it avoids resting on the bell (13) • - to a position in which it rests on the bell and restrains said bell (13) to said band in axial direction and in circumferential direction; • - thus avoiding said braking band (2) from being restrained to said bell (13) in radial direction.