Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
  • F16D66/00—Arrangements for monitoring working conditions, e.g. wear, temperature
  • F16D66/02—Apparatus for indicating wear
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
  • F16D66/00—Arrangements for monitoring working conditions, e.g. wear, temperature
  • F16D66/02—Apparatus for indicating wear
  • F16D66/021—Apparatus for indicating wear using electrical detection or indication means
  • F16D66/022—Apparatus for indicating wear using electrical detection or indication means indicating that a lining is worn to minimum allowable thickness
  • F16D66/023—Apparatus for indicating wear using electrical detection or indication means indicating that a lining is worn to minimum allowable thickness directly sensing the position of braking members

Definitions

• This invention relates generally to a disc brake lining wear sensor, in particular to a disc brake lining wear sensor which permits the inner brake pad and/or the caliper to wear away the sensor and complete a warning circuit.
• the present invention comprises a disc brake having a brake lining wear sensor, comprising a support member which supports a caliper, an inner brake pad and an outer brake pad each having a brake lining for engaging a respective side of a rotor, the inner brake pad displaced by a piston contained in the caliper and the outer brake pad displaced by the caliper, the inner brake pad having a peripherally projecting portion and the caliper having a peripheral caliper projecting portion, and the brake lining wear sensor attached to the support member, the brake lining wear sensor comprising an axially extending member having a longitudinal mid-portion disposed between axially extending end portions, each end portion connected with the longitudinal mid-portion by a sloped end surface which increases thereat the cross-sectional dimension of the sensor, the sensor including therein conductor means disposed adjacent a surface of the longitudinal mid-portion and the sloped end surfaces of the end portions, so that as either of the brake linings of the brake pads wears the respective projecting portion will contact and erode the respective slope
• Figure 1 illustrates a section view of the disc brake and lining wear sensor
• Figure 2 illustrates the disc brake and lining ln wear sensor when the outer brake pad has experienced substantial wear.
• Disc brake 10 includes a support member 12 which is ,.- disposed adjacent a rotor 14 that is engaged by brake pads 16 and 18.
• Inner brake pad 16 includes a friction material or lining 20
• outer brake pad 18 includes a lining 21.
• Disc brake 10 includes a caliper 22 housing a piston 24 in cavity 26, caliper 22 including an arch 28
• Inner brake pad 16 includes an inwardly and peripherally projecting portion 17 and caliper 22 includes an inwardly and peripherally projecting caliper portion 23.
• the brake lining wear sensor is indicated
• Sensor 40 comprises a support bracket 42 which is attached by means of a screw 44 to the support member 12, an axially extending longitudinal mid-portion 46 which extends into two oppositely disposed, axially extending end portions 48
• the body of sensor 40 comprises a plastic encapsulating material. Encapsulated within the plastic material is a metal conductor 55 which is connected with a wire 56 that is part of a warning circuit. Metal conductor 55 is disposed adjacent the radially outward surfaces of sensor 40.
• Axially inner end portion 48 includes a sloped or ramp surface 52 which extends from mid-portion 46 in a radially outwardly direction, and likewise axially outer end portion 50 includes a sloped or ramp surface 54 which extends in a radially outwardly direction.
• Disc brake 10 and lining wear sensor 40 operate as follows in order to provide a warning to the vehicle operator when either one or both of the brake pads 16 and 18 have experienced sufficient wear to require their replacement.
• the piston 24 displaces pad 16 closer to the surface of rotor 14 and peripherally projecting portion 17 advances to, contacts and erodes or wears away surface 54.
• the projecting portion 17 will have worn away sufficient plastic material of sloped surface 54 so that portion 17 engages metal conductor 55 at end part 57 and causes the electric circuit to be grounded, thereby effecting the transmission of a signal to the vehicle operator that the brake pads should be serviced.
• lining 21 of outer brake pad 18 may also wear.
• caliper 22 will be displaced further axially inwardly so that the peripherally projecting caliper portion 23 approaches, engages, and wears away the plastic material at ramp surface 52.
• projecting caliper portion 23 will have worn away sufficient plastic material at ramp surface 52 so that portion 23 engages metal conductor 55 at axially inner part 58 to cause completion of the electrical circuit and the transmission of a warning signal to the vehicle operator.
• the warning sensor provides the independent indication of the wear of the lining material of either one of the brake pads, and also the simultaneous indication of the wear of both brake pad linings.
• the sensor 40 may provide the vehicle operator with an appropriate warning that the brake pads need to be serviced, whether it be either one of the brake pads that needs to be replaced or both of the brake pads.
• the disc brake and lining wear sensor provide a warning mechanism that may be simply and inexpensively manufactured, which does not require the placement of probes within the linings of the brake pads, does not require electrical wires and probes to be placed on the axially outer brake pad, does not require wiring to be extended above and over the rotor whereby such wiring is exposed to damage, and provides a reliable and inexpensive mechanism for sensing independently and simultaneously the wear of each of the brake pads.
• sensor 40 may also comprise the main body portion thereof being made of a rigid, hard material such as plastic or a phenolic while the end areas about ramp surfaces 52 and 54 comprise a softer material or plastic that erodes easily so that parts 57 and 58 may be engaged by the respective portions 17 and 23.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Braking Arrangements (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=22847840

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (31)

Citations (8)

Family Cites Families (9)

• 1988
  • 1988-07-29 US US07/226,167 patent/US4850454A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1989
  • 1989-06-14 EP EP89908362A patent/EP0426715B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1989-06-14 DE DE89908362T patent/DE68909049T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1989-06-14 AU AU38766/89A patent/AU621013B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1989-06-14 KR KR1019900700633A patent/KR930007000B1/ko not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1989-06-14 BR BR898907578A patent/BR8907578A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1989-06-14 JP JP1507990A patent/JPH03502231A/ja active Granted
  • 1989-06-14 WO PCT/US1989/002607 patent/WO1990001644A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1989-07-28 ES ES8902683A patent/ES2014827A6/es not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (8)

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