Vehicle brake pad and method of production thereof

A vehicle brake pad comprising:

• a support plate;
• a friction pad;
• at least a shear force sensing device;
• and
• an electrical circuit configured to collect signals from said at least a shear force sensing device;
• wherein said shear force sensing device comprises:
• a piezoelectric material comprising a first face and a second face opposite said first face, said first and second faces extending parallel to each other along a shear stress axis;
• a first reading electrode positioned on said first face and comprising a first reading digit;
• a second reading electrode positioned on said second face and comprising a second reading digit;
• a first polarizing electrode positioned on said first face, said first polarizing electrode comprising a first polarizing digit;
• and
• a second polarizing electrode positioned on said second face, said second polarizing electrode comprising a second polarizing digit;
• wherein, along said shear stress axis, said first reading digit and said second reading digit are positioned between said first polarizing digit and said second polarizing digit,
• and wherein said first and second reading digits are larger than digits of said first and second polarizing electrodes.

A method of manufacturing a vehicle brake pad, the method comprising:

• mating an electrical circuit on a support plate;
• mating a piezoelectric assembly on said electrical circuit, wherein obtaining said piezoelectric assembly comprises:
• mating a first reading electrode to a first face of a piezoelectric material, said first reading electrode comprising a first reading digit;
• mating a first polarizing electrode comprising a first polarizing digit to said first face of said piezoelectric material;
• mating a second reading electrode to a second face of said piezoelectric material, said second reading electrode comprising a second reading digit;
• and
• mating a second polarizing electrode comprising a second polarizing digit to said second face said piezoelectric material;
• wherein said first and second polarizing electrodes are offset along said shear stress direction;
• and
• wherein said first and second digits being aligned along a reading direction that is orthogonal to said stress shear direction;
• wherein said first and second reading digits are larger than digits of said first and second polarizing electrodes;
• mating a friction pad on said support plate;
• and
• polarizing said piezoelectric assembly, wherein polarizing said piezoelectric assembly comprises:
• supplying electric power to said first and second polarizing electrodes;
• and
• generating a vector field that is substantially parallel to said shear stress direction in a region between said first and second digits,
• and wherein polarizing said piezoelectric assembly further comprises maintaining said first and second reading electrodes at a floating potential.