WO2012121698A1

WO2012121698A1 - Reinforcement plate for brake torque plate

Info

Publication number: WO2012121698A1
Application number: PCT/US2011/027366
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniel E FAYLOR
Original assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Company, Llc
Priority date: 2011-03-07
Filing date: 2011-03-07
Publication date: 2012-09-13

Abstract

A reinforcement bracket (22) is provided for a disc brake assembly (10) mounted to an axle flange (18), where the disc brake assembly includes a brake caliper (12) and a brake torque plate (14) having at least one brake caliper hole (34) and at least one brake caliper bolt (28). The reinforcement bracket includes a plate (24) having a first surface (38) and a second surface (40) opposite of the first surface, at least one distal bolt hole (26) extending from the first surface to the second surface and configured to be aligned with the at least one brake caliper hole on the brake torque plate to receive the brake caliper bolt. The reinforcement plate also includes a spacer (30) extending generally perpendicularly from the plate, the spacer configured for attachment to the axle flange to space the plate a distance away from the brake torque plate.

Description

REINFORCEMENT PLATE FOR BRAKE TORQUE PLATE

BACKGROUND

[0001] Embodiments described herein relate generally to a method and apparatus for mounting a disc brake assembly on a vehicle, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for mounting a brake caliper to a brake torque plate.

[0002] In conventional disc brake assemblies, brake calipers are bolted to a brake torque plate. The brake torque plate is attached to an axle beam, typically at an axle flange located at the end of the axle beam. The brake torque plate has a plurality of bolt holes, and the brake caliper has a plurality of corresponding bolt holes that are sized, spaced and arranged to receive bolts through the brake torque plate and the brake caliper. The bolts attach the brake caliper to the brake torque plate.

[0003] If the brake torque plate does not have sufficient stiffness and mass to support the brake caliper, a resonant condition of the brake torque plate can occur. The resonant condition can manifest itself as in irritating audible sound. Changing the speed of the vehicle and the amount of pressure applied by the brake does not alleviate the audible sound, but instead only changes the volume of the audible sound because the resonant condition is controlled by the stiffness and mass of the brake torque plate.

SUMMARY

[0004] A reinforcement bracket is provided for a disc brake assembly mounted to an axle flange, where the disc brake assembly includes a brake caliper and a brake torque plate having at least one brake caliper hole and at least one brake caliper bolt. The reinforcement bracket includes a plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite of the first surface, at least one distal bolt hole extending from the first surface to the second surface and configured to be aligned with the at least one brake caliper hole on the brake torque plate to receive the brake caliper bolt. The reinforcement plate also includes a spacer extending generally perpendicularly from the plate, the spacer configured for attachment to the axle flange to space the plate a distance away from the brake torque plate.

[0005] Another reinforcement bracket is provided for a disc brake assembly mounted to an axle flange having at least one axle flange hole and at least one axle flange bolt. The disc brake assembly includes a brake caliper and a brake torque plate having brake caliper holes and brake caliper bolts. The reinforcement bracket includes a plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite of the first surface, where the second surface is configured to engage the brake caliper. The reinforcement bracket also includes a plurality of distal bolt holes extending from the first surface to the second surface of the plate and configured to be aligned with the brake caliper holes on the brake torque plate to receive the brake caliper bolts. The reinforcement bracket includes a spacer extending generally perpendicularly from the plate, where the spacer has at least one bolt hole extending from a first surface configured for attachment to the axle flange to the first surface of the plate. The bolt holes are configured to be aligned with the at least one axle flange hole and to receive the at least one axle flange bolt.

[0006] A method of mounting a brake caliper to a brake torque plate in a disc brake assembly having an axle flange includes the steps of attaching a reinforcement bracket to the axle flange, and locating the brake caliper between the brake torque plate and the reinforcement bracket. The method also includes the step of attaching the reinforcement bracket to the brake caliper. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. 1 is side perspective view of a disc brake assembly having reinforcement brackets attaching a brake caliper to a brake torque plate.

[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of four reinforcement brackets used on a vehicle, including a left-side-upper bracket, a left-side-lower bracket, a right-side- upper bracket, and a right-side-lower bracket.

[0009] FIG. 3 is the disc brake assembly having the reinforcement brackets attached to an axle flange and with the brake caliper removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] Referring to FIGs. 1-3, a disc brake assembly is indicated generally at 10 and includes a brake caliper 12 attached to a brake torque plate 14. The brake torque plate 14 is bolted, welded or otherwise mounted to an axle beam 16 having a generally circular cross-section, however other cross-sectional shapes are possible. The axle beam 16 has a generally annular axle flange 18 at an end of the axle, however other shapes are possible. Typically, the brake torque plate 14 is attached to the axle beam 16 at the axle flange 18, and the disc brake assembly 10 is bolted to the torque plate.

[0011] The axle beam 16 defines an axis of rotation A about which a hub assembly 20 rotates. When the brake caliper 12 is actuated, a clamping force is created by the brake caliper as it clamps down on a brake rotor 19, resulting in braking of the hub assembly 20.

[0012] Each end of the axle beam 16 has a disc brake assembly 10 including a brake torque plate 14 and a brake caliper 12. Each disc brake assembly 10 also includes at least one reinforcement bracket 22 to reinforce and increase the stiffness of the torque plate 14 at the location of attachment of the brake caliper 12 to the brake torque plate 14, however other locations are possible. The reinforcement bracket 22 is disposed on the disc brake assembly 10 to have a generally radial position with respect to the axle beam 16 and the axle flange 18, with a proximal end 21 located near the axle flange 18, and a distal end 23 located at the brake caliper 12.

[0013] In the disc brake assembly 10, there is an upper reinforcement bracket

22 A, and a lower reinforcement bracket 22B. Further, while only a single disc brake assembly 10 is shown in FIG, 1, for each axle beam 16 there may be right-side and left-side disc brake assemblies that are generally similar to each other, so that each axle beam may have a left-side-upper reinforcement bracket 22A, a left-side-lower reinforcement bracket 22B, a right-side-upper reinforcement bracket 22C, and a right- side-lower reinforcement bracket 22D (shown in FIG. 2). It is also possible that a single reinforcement bracket 22 can be used for each of the right-side and the left-side disc brake assemblies 10, or that more than two reinforcement brackets can be used for each of the right-side and the left-side brake assemblies.

[0014] Referring to FIGs. 1 and 2, the reinforcement bracket 22 includes a plate

24 having a generally rectangular shape, although other shapes are possible. For example, the plate 24 may have non-parallel sides, may have radiussed corners, and may have one or more corners of the rectangle that are replaced with a slanted edge 25 (see FIG. 2). The plate 24 is generally 86mm x 148mm, however other size plates are possible. The plate 24 has distal plate holes 26 configured to receive caliper bolts 28. The shape of the plate 24 may be any shape that is configured to be bolted to the brake caliper 12 with caliper bolts 28. The shape of the plate 24 may also be dictated by the presence of other components in the disc brake assembly 10, such as hard brake lines.

[0015] As seen in FIG. 2, the plates 24 of left-side-lower reinforcement bracket

22B and the right-side-lower reinforcement bracket 22D may have a generally different shape from the plates 24 on the left-side-upper reinforcement bracket 22A and the right-side-upper reinforcement bracket 22C. The plates 24 may be generally rectangular, trapezoidal, pentagonal or irregular shapes, and the plates 24 may have generally the same or different configurations.

[0016] The distal plate holes 26 are sized, shaped and arranged to be aligned with existing brake caliper holes 35 (seen in phantom in FIG. 1) on the brake caliper 12 and with existing brake caliper holes 36 (seen in FIG. 3 and seen in phantom in FIG. 1) on the brake torque plate 14. There may be one or more existing brake caliper holes 36 on the brake torque plate 14. Further, the distal plate holes 26 extend from a first surface 38 of the plate 24 to a second surface 40 of the plate, where the first surface and the second surface are the major surfaces of the plate and may be generally parallel. The existing caliper bolts 28 are received by the distal plate holes 26, the brake caliper holes, and the brake caliper holes 36. While the distal plate holes 26 have a generally radial and angled location on the plate 24, it is possible that the holes 26, 36 can have any aligned arrangement.

[0017] A spacer 30 having spacer holes 44 is configured to receive axle flange bolts 34. The spacer 30 is located at or near the proximal end 21 of the plate 24, and extends generally perpendicularly from the plate. Together, the plate 24 and the spacer 30 form a generally "L"-shaped body 41. It is possible that the plate 24 and the spacer 30 may be integrally formed or may be attached components. Further, the plate 24 and the spacer 30 may be formed of steel, however other materials are possible. It is also possible that the plate 24 and the spacer 30 may not be formed of the same materials.

[0018] The spacer 30 has a first surface 31 that is attached to the axle flange 18, and may have a second surface 33 opposite of the first surface that is engaged with the second surface 40 of the plate 24. A third surface 37 may be perpendicular to the first surface 31 and the second surface 33. The third surface 37 may engage the axle beam 16 or may be spaced from the axle beam. A fourth surface 39 may be opposite of the third surface 37. The proximal end 21 of the plate 24 may be generally flush with the third surface 37.

[0019] The spacer 30 has a thickness of about 38 mm, however other thicknesses are possible, and is configured for attachment to the axle flange 18 to space the plate 24 a distance away from the brake torque plate 14, which permits the brake caliper 12 to be located between a first surface 42 of the brake torque plate and the second surface 40 of the plate. The second surface 40 of the plate 24 is configured to engage the brake caliper 12. Spacer holes 44 (seen in FIG. 2 and seen in phantom in FIG. 1) extend from the first surface 31 to the second surface 33 of the spacer 30, and are aligned with at least one axle flange hole 45 (seen in phantom in FIG. 1).

[0020] The plate 24 is bolted with existing axle flange bolts 46 that are received in proximal plate holes 48 (seen in phantom in FIG. 1) in the plate 24, through the spacer holes 44, and into the axle flange 18. The spacer 30 may be generally rectangular prismatic in shape, however other shapes that provide the thickness and space for the brake caliper 14 to be received between the brake torque plate 14 and the plate 24 are possible.

[0021] The brake caliper 12 is mounted to the brake torque plate 14 with the reinforcement bracket 22. The reinforcement bracket 22 is attached to the axle flange 18, and the brake caliper 12 is located between the brake torque plate 14 and the reinforcement bracket. The reinforcement bracket 22 is attached to the brake caliper 14. The brake caliper 12 may be put in place and the reinforcement bracket 22 may be laid over the top of the brake caliper 12, or the brake caliper 12 may be inserted between the brake torque plate 14 and the reinforcement bracket 22. Further, for existing disc brake assemblies, the one or more reinforcement brackets 22 can be installed by removing the hub assembly 20 and the brake caliper 12, and bolting the reinforcement bracket to the existing axle flange 18. Then, the hub assembly 20 and the brake caliper 12 can be reinstalled with the caliper bolts 28 being received by the distal plate holes 26 of the reinforcement bracket 14.

[0022] With one or more reinforcement brackets on the disc brake assembly 10, the stiffness of the torque plate 14 is increased from about 200 Hz to about 240 Hz. In this range, the torque plate 14 may not exhibit a resonant condition.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A reinforcement bracket for a disc brake assembly mounted to an axle flange, the disc brake assembly including a brake caliper and a brake torque plate having at least one brake caliper hole and at least one brake caliper bolt, the reinforcement bracket comprising: a plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite of the first surface, at least one distal bolt hole extending from the first surface to the second surface and configured to be aligned with the at least one brake caliper hole on the brake torque plate to receive the brake caliper bolt; and a spacer extending generally perpendicularly from the plate, the spacer configured for attachment to the axle flange to space the plate a distance away from the brake torque plate.

2. The reinforcement bracket of claim 1 wherein the plate and the spacer form a generally "L"-shaped body.

3. The reinforcement bracket of claim 1 wherein the spacer has bolt holes aligned with proximal plate holes through the plate.

4. The reinforcement bracket of claim 1 wherein the spacer has spacer holes from a first surface that is configured for attachment to the axle flange, to a second surface that is engaged with the second surface of the plate.

5. The reinforcement bracket of claim 1 wherein the spacer has spacer holes from a first surface that is configured for attachment to the axle flange, to a first surface of the plate.

6. The reinforcement bracket of claim 1 wherein the plate is generally rectangular.

7. The reinforcement bracket of claim 1 wherein the at least one distal bolt hole comprises a plurality of distal bolt holes that are configured to be aligned with the at least one brake caliper hole on the torque plate

8. The reinforcement bracket of claim 1 wherein the second surface of the plate is configured to engage the brake caliper.

9. The reinforcement bracket of claim 1 wherein the plate and the spacer are formed of steel.

10. A reinforcement bracket for a disc brake assembly mounted to an axle flange having at least one axle flange hole and at least one axle flange bolt, the disc brake assembly including a brake caliper and a brake torque plate having brake caliper holes and brake caliper bolts, the reinforcement bracket comprising: a plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite of the first surface, wherein the second surface is configured to engage the brake caliper; a plurality of distal bolt holes extending from the first surface to the second surface of the plate and configured to be aligned with the brake caliper holes on the brake torque plate to receive the brake caliper bolts; and

a spacer extending generally perpendicularly from the plate, the spacer having at least one bolt hole extending from a first surface configured for attachment to the axle flange to the first surface of the plate, wherein the bolt holes are configured to be aligned with the at least one axle flange hole and to receive the at least one axle flange bolt.

11. The reinforcement bracket of claim 10 further comprising at least one proximal plate hole extending from the first surface to the second surface of the plate and aligned with the at least one bolt hole on the spacer.

12. The reinforcement bracket of claim 10 wherein the at least one bolt hole on the spacer comprises two bolt holes, and wherein the plurality of distal bolt holes on the plate comprises three bolt holes.

13. The reinforcement bracket of claim 10 wherein the spacer is generally rectangular prismatic.

14. The reinforcement bracket of claim 10 wherein the plate and the spacer form a generally "L"-shaped body.

15. The reinforcement bracket of claim 10 wherein the plate is configured to be generally radially disposed with respect to the axle flange.

16. A method of mounting a brake caliper to a brake torque plate in a disc brake assembly having an axle flange, the method comprising the steps of:

attaching a reinforcement bracket to the axle flange; locating the brake caliper between the brake torque plate and the reinforcement bracket; and attaching the reinforcement bracket to the brake caliper.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of aligning at least one proximal plate hole in a plate of the reinforcement bracket with at least one axle flange hole on the axle flange.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of attaching the reinforcement bracket to the axle flange further comprises the step of bolting the reinforcement bracket to the axle flange with axle flange bolts.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of aligning distal plate holes in a plate of the reinforcement bracket with brake caliper holes on the brake torque plate.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of aligning the distal plate holes with brake caliper holes on the brake caliper.