The invention concerns a method for installing a wear indicator on a brake, especially a drum brake for a vehicle, with at least one friction lining on a lining support, a wear indicator with a warning conductor being connected to the friction lining.
Such brakes, as well as wear indicators, are known and common in a variety of forms and embodiments. For example, a disk brake and a monitoring device for such a disk brake, especially for its wear, are described in DE 103 56 801. Here, the monitoring device has a measurement element, movable with reference to a brake saddle, which is supported on an end surface of a pressure spindle facing away from the brake disk, which presses against a brake lining. The measurement element measures the relative position of the pressure spindle to the brake lining and can thus establish wear phenomena.
A shortcoming here, however, is that this monitoring device has an intricate design, which hampers handling of the monitoring device, and also replacement of individual components. Contact between the brake lining and pressure spindle, as well as between the pressure spindle and measurement element, must be constantly guaranteed. However, if the nut, into which the pressure spindle is screwed, is tilted, or the spring for biasing the measurement element is damaged, the monitoring device can no longer record the state of wear.
The task of the present invention is to significantly facilitate mounting of a wear indicator, as well as its handling. At the same time, the wear indicator is supposed to take up less space and guarantee accurate recording of the state of wear of the brake.
The fact that a loop is formed in the warning conductor of the wear indicator and this extends through a recess in a lining support next to a friction lining or between two friction linings, whereupon an insulation piece is suspended in the loop and the insulation piece inserted into the recess, especially clipped in, leads to a solution of the task. This mounting is extremely simple and requires very little time. Via the insulation piece and its height, the dimension, up to which the friction linings can be worn before a signal to replace the friction lining is given, is also simultaneously determined.
In a preferred practical example, the warning conductor is supposed to be still enclosed by a flexible tube that acts as force accumulator. After the tube has been positioned around the insulation piece, the tube stands against the insulation piece. The insulation piece is not clipped into the recess and the pressure force acting on the tube is released, so that the tube expands and the tube is then tightened on the insulation piece.
A corresponding brake, in which the warning conductor is passed in a loop around the insulation piece and this is clipped into a recess in the lining support next to the friction lining, is included by the invention. The recess should then be situated in a gap between two friction linings, which is true, especially for drum brakes.
In order for the loop to be held on the insulation piece, this should have a groove, into which the loop is inserted. This groove, in one practical example, can run in a plane around the insulation piece, but it is also possible that the groove runs across this plane.
The insulation piece itself is a very simply designed part. It preferably consists of an arrow-shaped base element protruding from the lining support, this base element having an external dimension greater than the recess. This avoids a situation in which the base element slides through the recess and instead the base element is supported against the lining support and spans the recess.
However, flexible clip feet protrude from the base element, which can be pushed through the recess. These clip feet have additional snap tabs that can engage behind the edges of the recess.
Additional advantages, features and details of the invention are apparent from the following description of preferred practical examples, as well as with reference to the drawings; in the drawing
A wear indicator 1, according to
The loop 4 serves to accommodate an insulation piece 6.1, as shown in
Two clip feet 11.1 and 11.2 extend downward from the base element 7, which are provided with snap tabs 12. The clip feet 11.1, 11.2 form a slit 13 between them, whose slit base 14 is widened, so that the flexibility of the clip feet 11.1, 11.2 is increased.
The method of function of the present invention is further described below and in conjunction with
A lining support 15 of a brake is shown in
To install the wear indicator 1, the loop 4 is passed from the rear through the recess 18 of the lining support 15, tube 3 pushed back and compressed somewhat.
The tube 4 is now suspended in the insulation piece 6.1, tube 4 being suspended in groove 9.1. If the wear indicator 1 is now loosened, the tube 3 presses against the insulation piece 15 and pulls the loop 4 into groove 9.1. In this way, the loop 4 is held in position. The insulation piece 6.1 is then clipped into recess 18, the clip feet 11.1 and 11.2 briefly yielding, so that the snap tabs 12 can snap behind an edge of recess 18.
The height of the base element 7 is chosen, so that during wear of the friction lining 16.1 and 16.2, up to a predetermined dimension, wear of the upper tip of the base element 7, and then wear of the warning conductor 2, occurs, until the warning conductor 2 is interrupted, so that wear of the friction lining 16.1 and 16.2 is indicated.
The insulation piece 6.2 according to
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2005 055 536. | Nov 2005 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2006/011002 | 11/16/2006 | WO | 00 | 4/14/2009 |