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US 11,635,115 B2Granted
Brake pad with thermoelectric energy harvester
AssigneeITT Italia S.r.l.
InventorsStefano Serra, Paolo Truccone, Umberto Vignolo, Ali Asghar Enkeshafi, Lasse Aistrup Rosendahl, Paw Vestergard Mortensen, Agustin Sin Xicola
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various brake pads with thermoelectric energy harvesters are disclosed. In some embodiments, the brake pad comprising a backplate, a pad of friction material, and a TEG module. The backplate can comprise a through-hole in which elements of the TEG module are positioned.
Claims20
A brake pad, comprising:
- a backplate;
- a friction pad made of a friction material and supported by the backplate, an exterior surface of the friction pad facing away from the backplate and an interior surface of the friction pad facing the backplate;
- an underlayer between the backplate and the friction pad,
- wherein a passageway extends through the backplate and the underlayer;
- a thermoelectric generator (TEG) module comprising p-doped and n-doped semiconductor elements;
- a first heat exchanger positioned in the passageway and in thermal contact with a first surface of the TEG module and with the interior surface of the friction pad;
- and
- a second heat exchanger in the passageway and in thermal contact with a second surface of the TEG module, the second surface being opposite the first surface, the TEG module positioned between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger in an axial direction of the passageway.
5 more elements
A method of modifying an existing brake pad to include a TEG module, comprising:
- obtaining a brake pad, the brake pad comprising a backplate with a spigot hole, a friction pad including friction material, and an underlayer between the backplate and the friction pad;
- forming a first cylindrical end section having a first diameter within the backplate, wherein the first cylindrical end section comprises an original diameter of the spigot hole;
- forming an intermediate cylindrical section having a second diameter within the backplate, the second diameter being greater than the first diameter, the intermediate cylindrical section being axially aligned with the spigot hole;
- forming a second cylindrical end section having a third diameter within the backplate, the third diameter being greater than the second diameter, the second cylindrical end section being axially aligned with the spigot hole;
- wherein a passageway in the brake pad comprises the first cylindrical section, the intermediate cylindrical section, and the second cylindrical section;
- inserting a first heat exchanger within the passageway;
- inserting the TEG module within the passageway;
- and
- inserting a second heat exchanger within the passageway, the first and second heat exchangers thermally contacting the TEG module, and
- wherein the TEG module is positioned between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger in an axial direction of the passageway.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.