Patent Application
20070029148
The present invention relates to brake caliper assemblies and, more particularly, to brake pad clips to retain brake pads in position on a support bracket of the brake caliper assembly.
Various designs of caliper brake pad clips are stamped from a flat metal sheet of material and bent into various configurations. The brake pad clips provide a friction abutment surface, as well as a barrier to prevent corrosion between the brake pad and the caliper assembly. Certain requirements thus certain designs may be relatively complicated and difficult to manufacture. Improper manufacturing of the clips may increase sliding resistance associated with the brake pad. The increased resistance may reduce a life of the brake pad lining and may increase disc thickness variation, which may cause vibration.
Accordingly, designers strive to improve the art and provide better brake pad clips. Brake pad clips which are easier to manufacture and maintain may reduce costs, which is beneficial in the industry. Thus, it would be desirable to produce a brake pad clip that provides the necessary features while reducing costs and providing ease of manufacturability.
The present invention provides the art with a pad clip which reduces the amount of material needed to manufacture it. The present invention provides a pad clip which requires less bending of the material to provide the inventive pad clip.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, a brake pad clip for a caliper assembly comprises a first portion to retain and abut the brake pad in a guide channel of the caliper support bracket. The first portion has a first wall which is continuous with a second wall. The second wall is continuous along a lateral edge of the first wall. The second wall is substantially perpendicular to the first wall. A third wall is continuous with the second wall along the lateral edge of the second wall. The third wall is parallel to the first wall. The first wall, second wall and/or third wall act as an abutment for a brake pad.
A second portion provides an abutment surface for the brake pad. The second portion includes a fourth wall parallel to the third wall. The fourth wall is continuous with the third wall along a longitudinal edge of the third wall. A fifth wall is continuous with the fourth wall along the lateral edge of the fourth wall. The fifth wall is substantially perpendicular to the fourth wall. The fourth wall and/or the fifth wall act as an abutment for the brake pad.
The first wall may include a P-shaped spring mechanism. A connecting member extends from the longitudinal edge of the third and fourth walls and joins the walls. The connecting member has a desired length such that as it is bent, a gap is formed between the third and fourth walls enabling a guide mechanism of a support bracket to be positioned in the gap. The connecting member is arcuate. Also, the second and fifth wall members include guide tabs that extend therefrom. The first wall includes positioning tabs that extend therefrom.
According to a second embodiment of the present invention, a caliper assembly comprises a caliper body and a support bracket. A pair of brake pads is slidably coupled with the support bracket and the caliper body to brake a rotor. A pair of pad clips is positioned on the support bracket between the support bracket and the brake pads. The pad clips each comprise a first portion and a second portion to abut the brake pad. The first portion also retains the brake pad in a guide channel of the caliper support bracket. The first portion has a first wall which is continuous with a second wall. The second wall is continuous along a lateral edge of the first wall. The second wall is substantially perpendicular to the first wall. A third wall is continuous with the second wall along the lateral edge of the second wall. The third wall is parallel to the first wall. The first wall, the second wall and/or the third wall acts as an abutment for the pair of brake pads.
The second portion includes a fourth wall parallel to the third wall acting as a second abutment. The fourth wall is continuous with the third wall along a longitudinal edge of the third wall. A fifth wall is continuous with the fourth wall along the lateral edge of the fourth wall. The fifth wall is substantially perpendicular to the fourth wall. The first wall may include a P-shaped spring mechanism. A connecting member is on the longitudinal edge of the third and fourth wall. The connecting member has a desired length such that as it bent, a gap is formed between the third and fourth walls enabling a guide mechanism of the support bracket to be positioned in the gap. The connecting member is arcuate. Also, the second and fifth wall members include positioning tabs.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description of the various embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
With reference to
A brake pad clip 30 is positioned on the support bracket 14 to provide a friction and abutment surface for the brake pads 16 and 18. The pad clip 30 also provides corrosion resistant between the brake pads 16 and 18 and the caliper support 14 and body 12.
With reference to
The first portion 32 includes a first wall 42. The first wall 42 may include a P-shaped spring 44 that provides additional biasing force to load the brake pads 16 or 18 within the channel 36. A second wall 46 extends from a side or lateral edge 48 of the first wall 42. The second wall 46 is continuous with the first wall 42. Also, the second wall 46 is substantially perpendicular to the first wall 42. A third wall 50 is continuous with the second wall 46 along its side or its lateral edge 52. The third wall 50 is bent with respect to the second wall 46 such that it extends over the first wall 42. The third wall 50 is substantially parallel to the first wall 42. The first wall 42, the second wall, 46 and/or the third wall 50 provide an abutment surface 54 for the brake pads 16 and 18. The third wall 50 includes a connecting member 56 at its longitudinal end 58. The second wall 46 may be formed at other angles acute or obtuse (i.e., not perpendicular) to the first wall 42 and/or the third wall 50.
The connecting member 56 has a desired arcuate shape as well as length to provide a gap 60 between the third wall 50 and a fourth wall 62. The connecting member 56 is continuous with the longitudinal end 58 of the third wall 50, as well as with a longitudinal end 64 of the fourth wall 62. The connecting member 56 may be stamped such that it is substantially perpendicular to the third wall 50; however, an arcuate bend is preferred.
The fourth wall 62 is substantially parallel with the third wall 50. A fifth wall 66 is continuous along a side or a lateral edge 68 of the fourth wall 62. The fifth wall 66 is substantially perpendicular to the fourth wall 62. The fourth wall 62 and/or the fifth wall 66 provide an abutment surface 70 for the brake pads 16 or 18. The connecting member 56 enables the third and fourth walls 50 and 62 to be substantially parallel and provides tighter tolerance controls during manufacturing to provide the desired parallelism along the abutment surfaces 54, 70. The fifth wall 66 may be formed at other angles acute or obtuse (i.e., not perpendicular) to the fourth wall 62.
The gap 60 formed between the third wall and fourth wall 50 and 62 provides an area for a guide finger 72 of the support bracket 14 to project into the gap 60. The guide finger 72 provides a stationary surface for the walls 50 and 62, which, in turn, provide the abutment surfaces 54 and 70. Thus, the guide finger 72 enables the first portion 32 or the retaining portion 32 to have a spring-like bias between a base 74 of the channel 36 and the guide finger 72 to retain the brake pad clip 30 within the channel 36. The guide finger 72 also provides a shelf for the third and fourth walls 50, 62 to enable the abutment surfaces 54, 70 to be stationary and fixed relative to the guide finger 72.
Guide tabs 76 and 78 project from the second and fifth walls 46 and 66. The guide tabs 76 and 78 and the connecting member 56 may provide a mechanism to make installation of the brake pads 16 and 18 easier. Position tangs 80 and 82 project from the first wall 42 and may hold and/or position the pad clip 30 with the support bracket 14.
The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.
