Resilient Torque Pad Pin Assembly for Fastener-Free Brake Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brake assemblies for vehicles face challenges in securely attaching torque pads without the need for additional fastening elements, such as cotter pins, which can complicate installation and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
The brake assembly utilizes a torque pad design with resiliently biased support portions that allow pins to be inserted into recesses of a boss, eliminating the need for additional fastening elements by maintaining the pin's position through resilient biasing, thereby securing the torque pad to the boss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional fastening elements (such as cotter pins) are used to secure the torque pad to the boss, then the attachment reliability is improved, but the device complexity and ease of installation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the additional fastening elements (cotter pins, set screws, or other fasteners) from the attachment system. The torque pad is designed with a back portion that directly engages the boss through a friction-fit interface, removing the need for separate fastening components and simplifying the overall assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the attachment function into the basic structural components. The back portion of the torque pad and the boss are designed to mate directly through friction engagement, combining the support and attachment functions into a single integrated interface without requiring additional fastening mechanisms.
2Reliability
If additional fastening elements are used to secure the torque pad, then the attachment reliability is improved, but the ease of installation and maintenance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the need for additional fastening elements such as cotter pins or set screws, allowing the torque pad to be installed and removed by simply engaging and disengaging the back portion with the boss. This extraction of fastening components directly improves installation ease while maintaining attachment reliability through the friction-fit design.
3Reliability
If the support portion is made rigid to securely hold the pin, then the attachment reliability is improved, but the ease of installation deteriorates due to difficulty in positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies dynamics by making the support portion resilient rather than rigid. The resilient support portion can deform to accommodate the pin during installation, then maintains secure engagement during operation. This dynamic property allows easy positioning during installation while ensuring reliable attachment during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameter of the support portion from rigid to resilient. This parameter change allows the support portion to flex during installation for easy pin positioning, then provides secure mechanical engagement during operation, resolving the contradiction between installation ease and attachment reliability.
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 facilitates easy installation and secure attachment of torque pads, reducing complexity and ensuring stability during operation and assembly processes.
Implementation Method 1
The support portion of the torque pad is resiliently biased, such that the support portion exerts a force on the pin in an inward direction (e.g., toward the support recess) when the pin is displaced in an outward direction opposite the inward direction.
Data Source
AI summary
In some examples, a brake assembly is configured to compress a brake disc stack to reduce and/or limit rotational motion of a wheel about a wheel axis. The brake assembly is configured to transmit a compression force on the disc stack to a backing plate. The backing plate is configured to transmit the compression force to a torque tube via one or more torque pads. A torque pad includes a pin supported by a support portion of the torque pad. The pin is configured to insert into a support recess of a boss when the boss supports the torque pad. The support portion of the torque pad is resiliently biased, such that the support portion exerts an force on the pin in an inward direction when the pin is displaced in an outward direction opposite the inward direction.