# US 10,309,474 B2 · Automated finishing station for a brake pad > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,474 B2 - Document ID: US10309474B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/323,160 - Filed: 2016-03-25 - Published: 2017-05-18 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-25 - Assignees: ITT Italian S.r.l. - Applicants: ITT Italia S.r.l. - Inventors: Carlo Radice; Augusto Carusi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309474B2 ## CPC - F16D 69/02: Composition of linings {; Methods of manufacturing} - B23B 5/00: Turning-machines or devices specially adapted for particular work; Accessories specially adapted therefor - B23B 5/02: for turning hubs or brake drums (B23B5/04 takes precedence) - B23Q 7/047: {the gripper supporting the workpiece during machining} - B24B 7/16: for grinding end-faces, e.g. of gauges, rollers, nuts, piston rings (for combined grinding of surfaces of revolution and adjacent plane surfaces on work B24B5/01; for grinding edges of bevels on work B24B9/00) - B24B 19/28: for grinding shoes or linings of drum brakes (of brake drum hubs B24B5/06, of brake discs B24B7/17) - B25J 11/0065: {Polishing or grinding} - F16D 65/092: for axially-engaging brakes, e.g. disc brakes - F16D 2069/004: {Profiled friction surfaces, e.g. grooves, dimples} - F16D 2200/0008: Ferro - F16D 2250/0092: Tools or machines for producing linings - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES - B23B: TURNING; BORING (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - B23Q: DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING (tools of the kind used in lathes or boring machines B23B27/00); MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT - B24B: MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING (grinding of gear teeth B23F, of screw-threads B23G1/36; by electro-erosion B23H; abrasive or related blasting B24C; tools for grinding, buffing or sharpening B24D; polishing compositions C09G1/00; abrasives C09K3/14; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F3/00; grinding arrangements for use on assembled railway tracks E01B31/17); DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) ## Abstract An automated station (1) for the finishing of brake pads (4) comprises at least one rotary finishing tool (2) for finishing a friction layer (22) of the brake pad (4), a workhead (3) to pick, retain and release the brake pad (4), a handling unit (6) to move the workhead (3) along a programmable path comprising a pass over the rotary finishing tool (2) and a guide (5) having a mouth (27) which is passed through by the workhead (3) in order to start the finishing pass along the length of the programmable route, the guide (5) contacting the workhead (3) to define, along at least one direction (A; C), the relative position between the workhead (3) and the brake pad (4) during the finishing carried out by the rotary finishing tool (2). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An automated station, comprising: at least one rotary finishing tool sized and shaped to engage a friction layer of a brake pad; a workhead having a structure configured to support the brake pad; a handling unit configured to move the workhead along a programmable path over the at least one rotary finishing tool, the handling unit comprising an articulated arm that engages and moves the workhead along the programmable path; and a guide comprising at least one pair of tracks having a defined spacing therebetween, which is passed through by the workhead in order to start a finishing pass along the programmable path, the guide contacting the workhead to define, in at least one direction, the relative position between the workhead and the at least one rotary finishing tool during a finishing operation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The automated station according to claim 1, wherein the guide includes an exit opening and a mouth, the at least one rotary finishing tool protruding from the exit opening of the guide to define a zone in which the workhead is disengaged from the guide along the programmable path and in which the handling unit orients the workhead with respect to the at least one rotary finishing tool to a finishing position that is different than a finishing position defined by the guide. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The automated station according to claim 1, in which the workhead comprises one of a trolley or a slide in contact with the guide during finishing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The automated station according to claim 1, in which one of the workhead or the guide defines at least one restriction in order to prevent twisting of the workhead within the tracks while the workhead is engaged with the guide. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The automated station according to claim 1, further comprising an adjustment device to adjust the distance between the guide and the at least one rotary finishing tool. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The automated station according to claim 1, in which the position of a rotation axis (A) of the at least one rotary finishing tool is fixed while the friction layer is in contact with the at least one rotary finishing tool. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The automated station according to claim 1, in which the at least one rotary finishing tool is flat and in which the at least one direction is parallel to an axis of rotation of the at least one rotary finishing tool. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The automated station according to claim 1, wherein the articulated arm tilts the workhead to enable the at least one rotary finishing tool to chamfer the friction material of a supported brake pad. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A control method for an automated station according to claim 1, the control method comprising the sequential steps of: passing the workhead over the at least one rotary finishing tool along a first direction while the workhead is engaged with the guide; carrying out an additional finishing operation in which the workhead is disengaged from the guide; and passing the workhead over the at least one rotary finishing tool along a second direction opposite to the first direction while the workhead is engaged with the guide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The control method according to claim 9, in which the additional finishing operation comprises the manufacturing of at least a chamfer of the friction layer by the at least one rotary finishing tool.