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US 5,513,726 AGranted
Brake lining wear indicator assembly
AssigneeLucas Industries public limited company
InventorsRichard E. Thompson, Anthony J. Williams, Kieron B. O. Brooks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A brake lining wear indicator assembly includes a cable (9) having a wear sensor (8) adjacent one end thereof for attachment to a friction lining (7) of a vehicle brake, and a connector (11) at its other end for connecting the sensor, in use, to a wear sensing and indicating circuit. A cable support device (10) extends between the sensor and connector and carries at least a part of the cable, being adapted for cooperation with part of the brake body to support the assembly in an operative position relative to the brake. The support device serves to protect the cable carried thereby from deleterious conditions arising during braking, the assembly forming a self-contained unit for attachment to the brake.
Claims21
A brake lining wear indicator assembly for a vehicle brake having a brake body and friction element mounted on said brake body, comprising:
- cable means having a pair of wear sensors operatively connected to and in relative spaced relationship along said cable means, said sensors being attachable to respective friction elements of said brake;
- an electrical connector operatively connected to said cable means for connecting said sensors to a brake wear sensing and indicating circuit;
- a cable means support device supporting at least the part of said cable means having said sensors thereon for protecting said cable means from deleterious conditions arising during operation of said brake;
- and
- support means on said brake body for supporting said support device so that said cable means is supported in an operating position relative to said brake with each sensor disposed to be readily attachable to an associated friction element, said assembly being a self-contained unit attachable to said brake wherein:
- said cable means support device comprises an elongate member predominately tubular shaped in cross-section;
- said cable means comprises at least one cable at least partly housed in said elongate member;
- said support means comprises hollow lug means on said brake body;
- and
- said elongate member has at least one portion thereon adapted to engage within said hollow lug means.
7 more elements
A brake lining wear indicator assembly for a vehicle brake having a brake body and friction elements mounted on said brake body, comprising:
- cable means having a pair of wear sensors operatively connected to and in relative spaced relationship along said cable means, said sensors being attachable to respective friction elements of said brake;
- an electrical connector operatively connected to said cable means for connecting said sensors to a brake wear sensing and indicating circuit;
- a cable means support device supporting at least the part of said cable means having said sensors thereon for protecting said cable means form deleterious conditions arising during operation of said brake;
- support means on said brake body for supporting said support device so that said cable means is supported in an operating position relative to said brake with each sensor disposed to be readily attachable to an associated friction element, said assembly being a self-contained unit attachable to said brake;
- at least one opening in said brake body;
- and
- at least one resilient attaching means on said cable means support device for snap-engagement in said at least one opening in said brake body for retaining said assembly on said brake body.
4 more elements
A brake lining wear indicator assembly for a vehicle brake having a brake body and friction elements mounted on said brake body, comprising:
- cable means having a pair of wear sensors operatively connected to and in relative spaced relationship along said cable means, said sensors being attachable to respective friction elements of said brake;
- an electrical connector operatively connected to said cable means for connecting said sensors to a brake wear sensing and indicating circuit;
- a cable means support device supporting at least the part of said cable means having said sensors thereon for protecting said cable means for deleterious conditions arising during operation of said brake;
- support means on said brake body for supporting said support device so that said cable means is supported in an operating position relative to said brake with each sensor disposed to be readily attachable to an associated friction element, said assembly being a self-contained unit attachable to said brake, wherein said cable means support device comprises:
- an elongate core member containing said cable means and having a predominately tubular cross-section;
- and
- a protective sheath at least partly enclosing said core member.
4 more elements
A vehicle brake comprising:
- a brake body;
- friction elements mounted on said brake body;
- and
- a brake lining wear indicator assembly, comprising:
- cable means having a pair of wear sensors operatively connected to and in relative spaced relationship along said cable means, said sensors being attachable to respective friction elements of said brake;
- an electrical connector operatively connected to said cable means for connecting said sensors to a brake wear sensing and indicating circuit;
- a cable means support device supporting at least the part of said cable means having said sensors thereon for protecting said cable means form deleterious conditions arising during operation of said brake said cable means support device having a predominately tubular cross-section;
- support means on said brake body for supporting said support device so that said cable means is supported in an operating position relative to said brake with each sensor disposed to be readily attachable to an associated friction element, said assembly being a self-contained unit attachable to said brake,
- wherein said wear sensors are attached to said friction elements.
6 more elements
A brake lining wear indicator assembly for a vehicle brake having a brake body and friction elements mounted on said brake body, comprising:
- cable means having a pair of cable end portions and a separate wear sensor operatively connected to each one of said pair of cable end portions in relative spaced relationship along said cable means, each of said sensors being attachable to a respective one of said friction elements of said brake;
- an electrical connector operatively connected to said cable means for connecting said sensors to a brake wear sensing and indicating circuit;
- a cable means support device supporting at least the part of said cable means having said sensors thereon for protecting said cable means from deleterious conditions arising during operation of said brake;
- a longitudinal slot extending over at least a major part of the length of said cable means support device;
- a plurality of cable retainers mounted in spaced relationship along said longitudinal slot, said cable end portions extending outwardly through said slot at positions determined by said spaced cable retainers to facilitate engagement of a respective sensor on each cable end portion with a respective brake friction element;
- and
- support means on said brake body for supporting said support device so that said cable means is supported in an operating position relative to said brake with each sensor disposed to be readily attachable to an associated friction element, said assembly being a self-contained unit attachable to said brake.
4 more elements
A brake lining wear indicator assembly for a vehicle brake having a brake body and friction elements mounted on said brake body, comprising:
- cable means having a pair of cable end portions and a separate wear sensor operatively connected to each one of said pair of cable end portions in relative spaced relationship along said cable means, each of said sensors being attachable to a respective one of said friction elements of said brake;
- an electrical connector operatively connected to said cable means for connecting said sensors to a brake wear sensing and indicating circuit;
- a cable means support device supporting at least the part of said cable means having said sensors thereon for protecting said cable means for deleterious conditions arising during operation of said brake;
- spaced openings in said cable means support device, each one of said pair of cable end portions extending outwardly through a respective one of said spaced openings to facilitate engagement of a respective sensor on each cable end portion with a respective friction element;
- support means on said brake body for supporting said support device so that said cable means is supported in an operating position relative to said brake with each sensor disposed to be readily attachable to an associated friction element, said assembly being a self-contained unit attachable to said brake;
- at least one opening in said brake body;
- and
- at least one resilient attaching means on said cable means support device for snap-engagement in said at east one opening in said brake body for retaining said assembly on said brake body.
5 more elements
A brake lining wear indicator assembly for a vehicle brake having a brake body and friction elements mounted on said brake body, the body also having support means for attaching the assembly to the brake, said assembly comprising:
- cable means including a pair of cable portions, each cable portion carrying and being operatively connected to a respective wear sensor, each wear sensor being relatively space along said cable means and attachable to respective friction elements of the brake;
- an electrical connector operatively connected to said cable means for connecting said sensors to a brake wear sensing and indicating circuit;
- an elongate cable means support device having a hollow portion housing therein at least substantial part of said cable portions having said sensors thereon in order to protect said cable portions from deleterious conditions arising during operation of the brake, said assembly formed by the cable means, electrical connector and cable means support device being a permanently mutually inseparable self-contained unit attachable to said support means of the brake body so as to be supported relative to the brake in an operating position in which said assembly bridges across the friction element with the cable portions disposed so that the sensors are positioned to be readily attachable respectively to the friction elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.