US 2012/0073913 A1 · BRAKE ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A disc brake assembly includes a brake pad having a first pad abutment spaced from a second pad abutment and a third pad abutment positioned between the first pad abutment and the second pad abutment. An actuator is operable to apply a force to the brake pad to apply the brake. The disc brake assembly has a first reaction abutment facing the first pad abutment, a second reaction abutment facing the second pad abutment, and a third reaction abutment facing the third pad abutment. The first, second and third pad abutments are operable to transfer brake pad drag torque to the first, second and third reaction abutments respectively. The disc brake is configured such that under no load conditions with the third pad abutment engaging the third reaction abutment, the first pad abutment is spaced from the first reaction abutment.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A disc brake assembly including:

a brake pad having a first pad abutment spaced from a second pad abutment, and a third pad abutment positioned between the first pad abutment and the second pad abutment;
an actuator operable to apply a force to the brake pad to apply a brake;
a first reaction abutment facing the first pad abutment, a second reaction abutment facing the second pad abutment, and a third reaction abutment facing the third pad abutment;
and
said first, second, and third pad abutments being operable to transfer brake pad drag torque to the first, second and third reaction abutments respectively, the disc brake assembly being configured such that under no load conditions with the third pad abutment engaging the third reaction abutment, the first pad abutment is spaced from the first reaction abutment.

2 more elements

A method of operating a disc brake assembly including the steps of:

providing a disc brake assembly including a brake pad having a first pad abutment spaced from a second pad abutment, and a third pad abutment positioned between the first pad abutment and the second pad abutment, an actuator operable to apply a force to the brake pad to apply a brake, a first reaction abutment facing the first pad abutment, a second reaction abutment facing the second pad abutment, and a third reaction abutment facing the third pad abutment;
operating the brake such that the force is relatively low, thereby generating a relatively low circumferential drag force on the brake pad, reacting said relatively low circumferential drag force substantially entirely at the third reaction abutment alone;
and
operating the brake such that said force is relatively high, thereby generating a relatively high circumferential drag force on the brake pad, reacting said relatively high circumferential drag force substantially entirely at the third reaction abutment and at the first reaction abutment.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Brake assembly

Life of this patent

Brake assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15