Disk brake provided with an improved device for measuring the normal applied force

A disk brake for motor vehicles, comprising:

• a rotatable brake disk;
• a brake caliper having first and second arms for covering the brake disk;
• an actuator for applying an actuation force and friction linings applicable to the brake disk via the actuation force;
• and
• a structure allowing for measuring the actual braking force, the structure uses an elastic expansion of the brake caliper due to actuation of the disk brake as a measured variable, and the structure comprises an element extending from a first end secured to the brake caliper to a free end not secured to the brake caliper, the element extending towards but not secured to the first arm of the brake caliper,
• wherein a gap is formed between the brake caliper and the element such that the element is not subjected to braking forces and thus does not experience elastic expansion due to braking forces, and such that actuation of the disk brake causes a displacement of the free end of the non-elastically-expanding element relative to the first arm of the elastically expanding brake caliper, and
• a measuring device that measures the displacement of the free end of the non-elastically-expanding element relative to the first arm of the elastically expanding brake caliper.