Friction device with reduced volume

A friction device for use on a vehicle, the friction device comprising:

• a backing plate adapted to interface with a brake head of the vehicle;
• a friction material operably coupled with the backing plate to form a brake surface that engages a wheel of the vehicle, the friction material having a rim side and an opposite flange side that is contoured to compliment a flange of the wheel;
• a conditioning insert disposed at least partially within the friction material, the conditioning insert including a conditioning surface configured to face and engage the wheel, the conditioning surface comprising a material that is different than the friction material;
• and
• a void disposed within the friction material and extending from the brake surface a distance into the friction material, the void forming an opening of the brake surface of the friction material, wherein at least a portion of the void is configured to be filled with a filler material that has a composition that is different than a composition of the friction material, the filler material comprising a metallic alloy that is present in the filler material in an amount from about 5 percent to about 25 percent by weight, the friction material extending from the void between a first end and a second end and between the rim side and the opposite flange side, the friction material extending from the void between the void and the backing plate, wherein the conditioning insert is disposed between the opposite flange side of the friction material and the void, the conditioning insert being spaced apart from the void.

A method comprising:

• engaging a brake surface of a friction material having a conditioning insert in the friction material with a wheel surface of a wheel to slow or stop movement of the wheel, the friction material extending between a first end and a second end along a central longitudinal axis, the friction material having a rim side and an opposite flange side that is contoured to compliment a flange of the wheel;
• and
• disengaging the brake surface of the friction material with the wheel surface at a void disposed within the friction material and extending from the brake surface a distance into the friction material, the void forming an opening of the brake surface of the friction material with the conditioning insert disposed between and spaced apart from the void and the rim side of the friction material, at least a portion of the void configured to be filled with a filler material that has a composition that is different than a composition of the friction material, the filler material comprising a metallic alloy that is present in the filler material in an amount from about 5 percent to about 25 percent by weight, the friction material extending from the void between the first end and the second end and between the rim side and the opposite flange side, the friction material extending from the void between the void and a backing plate, the backing plate positioned opposite the brake surface.