# US 9,038,784 B2 · Wearing indicator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,784 B2 - Document ID: US9038784B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/713,067 - Filed: 2012-12-13 - Published: 2014-06-19 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-13 - Assignees: Akebono Brake Corporation - Applicants: Akebono Brake Corporation - Inventors: Brian Lewis Boyle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038784B2 ## CPC - F16D 66/02: Apparatus for indicating wear - B60T 17/22: Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices - F16D 55/225: the braking members being brake pads - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES ## Abstract A wear indicator comprising: (a) a connector that attaches the wear indicator to a brake pad, the brake pad including a friction material having a plane; (b) a scraper; and (c) an indicator portion; wherein the indicator portion forms a cantilever connection with the scraper and extends parallel to the plane of the friction portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wear indicator comprising: a. a connector that attaches the wear indicator to a brake pad, the brake pad including a friction material having a plane; b. a scraper configured to contact a rotor in a brake system; and c. an indicator portion; wherein the indicator portion forms a cantilever connection with the scraper and extends parallel to the plane of the friction material; and wherein the indicator portion includes an indicator body and the indicator body is generally hour glass shaped. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wear indicator of claim 1, wherein at least two indicator ends extend from the indicator body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The wear indicator of claim 2, wherein the at least two indicator ends are substantially discrete from each other and extend substantially parallel to each other. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The wear indicator of claim 1, wherein the scraper includes a scraper body and a scraper indicator, and the scraper indicator extends over the friction material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The wear indicator of claim 4, wherein the scraper indicator is configured so that the scraper indicator is substantially free of any deformation during contact. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The wear indicator of claim 1, wherein the scraper is attached to the connector so that the scraper extends over at least a portion of the brake pad and a gap is formed between at least a portion of the brake pad and the scraper. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The wear indicator of claim 1, wherein the connector includes a connection body and a connection plate on each side of the connection body that attach the wear indicator to the brake pad. ### Claim 8 A wear indicator comprising: a. a connector that attaches the wear indicator to a brake pad, the brake pad including a friction material having a plane; b. a scraper configured to contract a rotor in a brake system; and c. an indicator portion; wherein the indicator portion forms a cantilever connection with the scraper and extends parallel to the plane of the friction material; and wherein the indicator portion includes an indicator body and an indicator end having a tuning fork shape that extends from the indicator body. ### Claim 9 A wear indicator comprising: a. a connector that attaches the wear indicator to a pressure plate of a brake member; b. a scraper configured to contact a rotor in a brake system that extends from the pressure plate of the brake member over a friction material so that when a predetermined amount of the friction material is removed the scraper assists in creating an indication; and c. an indicator portion that works in conjunction with the scraper to create the indication; wherein the scraper is located between the connector and the indicator portion; and wherein the indicator portion is generally planar and is free of any bends having an angle of 45 degrees or more. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The wear indicator of claim 9, wherein the indicator portion and the scraper form an angle of less than about 30 degrees. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The wear indicator of claim 9, wherein the indicator portion is substantially aligned with the pressure plate of the brake member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The wear indicator of claim 9, wherein the indicator portion is at least 8 mm in length and has a fixed end that is connected to the scraper and a free end that extends over the pressure plate of the brake member so that the indicator portion is free to move to create the indication. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The wear indicator of claim 9, wherein the indicator portion includes an indicator body that has a narrow neck region. ### Claim 14 A brake system comprising: a. a rotor having a pair of opposing faces defining a plane; b. one or more brake members comprising: i. a pressure plate and ii. a friction material having a plane that extends along a longitudinal axis; wherein one of the one or more brake members extends on each side of the rotor; c. one or more wear indicators comprising: i. a connector for attaching the one or more wear indicators to the pressure plate of the one or more brake members; ii. a scraper configured to contact the rotor that extends over the friction material so that when an amount of friction material is removed the scraper extends beyond the friction material creating a sound; and iii. an indicator portion that extends along the pressure plate; wherein the indicator portion forms a cantilever connection with the scraper and extends parallel to the plane of the friction material; and wherein the shape of the wear indicator substantially follows one or more contours of the pressure plate; and wherein the indicator portion includes an indicator body attached to and extending from the scraper and the indicator body extends from the scraper in a direction of rotation of the rotor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The brake system of claim 14, wherein the indicator portion is entirely located within an area determined by the size of the pressure plate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The brake system of claim 14, wherein the indicator portion does not extend beyond a width of the pressure plate on a side of the brake member proximate to the friction material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The brake system of claim 14, wherein the indicator portion is free of extension over a side of the pressure plate proximate to the friction material and over a side of the pressure plate opposite the friction material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The brake system of claim 14, wherein the indicator portion includes indicator ends extending from the indicator body, and the indicator and form a cantilever connection with the indicator body so that the indicator ends extend over the pressure plate without contacting the pressure plate.