Electrical wear sensor for disc brake

An apparatus for sensing lining wear in a disc brake, the apparatus comprising:

• a rotor disc that is rotatable about an axis of rotation;
• a mounting bracket adapted for floating attachment of a brake caliper;
• a brake caliper adapted to receive the lining and adapted for floating attachment to the mounting bracket in a manner providing limited movement of the caliper with respect to the bracket, in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, as the lining wears away;
• a first housing adapted for attachment to the mounting bracket, and a second housing adapted for attachment to the caliper, the first and second housings each including a bore, the bores being aligned with respect to one another along a common translational axis;
• a plunger disposed in the bores and movable along the translational axis within the bores in proportion to lining wear;
• and
• means for determining a position of the plunger along the translational axis within the bores.

An apparatus for sensing lining wear in a disc brake, the apparatus comprising:

• a rotor disc that is rotatable about an axis of rotation;
• a mounting bracket adapted for floating attachment of a brake caliper;
• a brake caliper adapted to receive the lining and adapted for floating attachment to the mounting bracket in a manner providing limited movement of the caliper with respect to the bracket in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, as the lining wears away;
• a first housing adapted for attachment to the mounting bracket and a second housing adapted for attachment to the caliper, the first and second housing each including a bore, the bores being aligned with respect to one another along a common translational axis;
• the mounting bracket and caliper including means for aligning the bores in the first and second housing respectively along the translational axis
• a plunger disposed in the bores and movable along the translational axis within the bores in proportion to lining wear;
• means for determining a position of the plunger along the translational axis within the bores;
• and
• sensing means for electrically determining the position of the plunger within the bores and adapted for electrical connection to an external electrical circuit.

A method for sensing lining wear in a disc brake assembly having a rotor disc that is rotatable about an axis and a brake caliper adapted for floating attachment to a mounting bracket in a manner providing limited axial movement of the caliper with respect to the bracket as the lining wears away, the method comprising determining a relative axial of the caliper from the bracket by:

• attaching a first housing to the mounting bracket, and attaching a second housing to the caliper, the first and second housings each including a bore, and aligning the bores with respect to one another along a common translational axis;
• inserting a plunger in the bores for movement along the translational axis within the bores in proportion to lining wear;
• and
• determining a position of the plunger along the translational axis within the bores.

A method for sensing lining wear in a disc brake assembly having a rotor disc that is rotatable about an axis and a brake caliper adapted for floating attachment to a mounting bracket in a manner providing limited axial movement of the caliper with respect to the bracket as the lining wears away, the method comprising determining a relative axial distance of the caliper from the bracket by:

• attaching a first housing to the mounting bracket, and attaching a second housing to the caliper, the first and second housings each include a bore, and aligning the bores with respect to one another along a common translational axis;
• inserting a plunger in the bores for movement along the translational axis within the bores in proportion to lining wear;
• determining a position of the plunger along the translational axis within the bores;
• electrically sensing the position of the plunger within the bores;
• and
• initiating a change in electrical state of an electrical circuit indicative of the relative axial distance of the caliper from the bracket.