Multiple disc brake system

[0002] 1. Technical Field

[0003] This invention is concerned with a disc brake system, for example for a wheel of a vehicle.

[0004] 2. Related Art

[0005] A conventional disc brake system comprises a hub mounted on a suspension link for rotation relative thereto, the hub providing a mounting for a wheel, and a disc brake comprising a brake disc mounted for rotation with the hub, friction material pads arranged on opposite sides of the disc, and at least one piston and cylinder assembly operable to urge the pads into engagement with the disc, to brake the hub and hence the wheel. Conventionally, the piston and cylinder assembly is slidably mounted on a slide bolted to the suspension link of the vehicle. The disc is conventionally rigidly fixed to the hub, and wear of the pads and/or the disc is accommodated by the sliding movement of the cylinder.

[0006] Disc brake systems are known in which the disc rotates with the hub as a unit but can perform sliding movement on the hub. For example, see GB 1 396 503. However, such systems are associated with technical problems. For example, since the discs are relatively thin, they tend to tilt on the hub and affect the braking ability. Also, there is a tendency for noise to be produced by rattle of the disc against the hub. At higher disc temperatures, these problems can be particularly severe since, when there is a large temperature differential, such as 600° C., between the braking surface of the disc and the hub, the disc expands considerably, away from the hub, exacerbating the problems of tilting and rattle. These problems are addressed in WO 98/26192 in which the solution proposed is to provide a plurality of resilient force applicators which are mounted between the hub and the disc, the force applicators acting to apply radially-directed forces to the disc to control the movement thereof, the force applicators being distributed circumferentially around the hub. In one of the embodiments proposed in WO 98/26192, the force applicators are leaf springs and each leaf spring may be secured to the outer surface of the hub in a manner such that the spring extends tangentially of the hub when the disc is not mounted on the hub. The spring is resiliently deformed when the disc is mounted on the hub. The central portion of each leaf presses against the hub while the extreme ends thereof press against the disc. Thus, in the case of 3 leaf springs as shown in FIG. 1 of WO 98/26192, the disc is engaged at 6 points by the springs. DE 2039003 A discloses use of springs to apply radially-directed forces between a slidable disc and its hub, the springs being shaped leaf springs with their centres bearing on one of the hub or the disc and their ends bearing on the other.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to improve the control of the movement of a disc on a hub provided by leaf springs similar to those disclosed in WO 98/26192.

[0008] The invention provides a disc brake system comprising a disc, and a hub which is arranged to rotate about an axis thereof, the system also comprising mounting means by which the disc is mounted on the hub so that the hub and the disc rotate as a unit about said axis and the disc can perform axial sliding movement on said hub, the system also comprising a plurality of leaf springs mounted on the hub and engaging the disc so that the springs apply radially-directed forces between the disc and the hub, characterised in that each of said springs comprises at least three abutments which project transversely of the spring and engage the disc so that the abutments apply forces to the disc.

[0009] In a disc brake system according to the invention, the abutments each provide a point of contact with the disc so that the number of points of contact between the disc and each spring is increased, in comparison with the system disclosed in WO 98/26192. This reduces the force acting at each such point of contact. This gives improved control of the disc movement.

[0010] A disc brake system according to the invention may be of the type disclosed in WO 98/25804. That brake system comprises two discs which are slidable on the same hub under the control of leaf springs which act between the hub and the discs. The system also comprises a cylinder which is integrally formed with a suspension link and a caliper also fixed to the suspension link, the caliper having supports for friction pads mounted thereon. In such a system, leaf springs as disclosed herein replace the leaf springs disclosed in WO 98/25804 which act between the hub and the discs.

[0011] In a disc brake system according to the invention, said abutments may be provided by embossed portions of the spring. Such embossments may have a generally semi-cylindrical form. Alternatively, the abutments may be provided by material deposited on the spring and secured thereto.

[0012] Said abutments may be elongated so that each abutment remains in engagement with the disc throughout said movement of the disc on the hub.

[0013] Said abutments may be in the form of ridges extending parallel to the axis about which the hub rotates.

[0014] The leaf springs of a disc brake system according to the invention may be secured to the outer surface of the hub in a manner such that the springs extend tangentially of the hub when the disc is not mounted on the hub.

[0015] In a disc brake system according to the invention, cut-outs may be formed in the leaf springs to control the force applied by the abutments to the disc. Such cut-outs may be in the form of holes through the spring or may be cut into the edges of the spring.

[0016] A disc brake system according to the invention may comprise one or more further discs mounted on the hub. In this case, each leaf spring may have abutments which engage all of the discs. Alternatively, the leaf springs may be arranged in groups, one spring in each group being associated with each disc, at least one spring in each group being retained in position by a connection to another spring in said group.

[0017] Said mounting means of the disc on the hub may comprise axially-extending grooves formed in an external surface of said hub and teeth projecting from said disc into said grooves, the teeth being a sliding fit in said grooves. In this case, said leaf springs may be located within said grooves and engage said teeth.

[0018] There now follows a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a disc brake system which is illustrative of the invention.

[0019] In the drawings:

[0020] FIG. 1 is an end view of the illustrative disc brake system;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view, on a larger scale, taken on the broken line II—II in FIG. 1;

[0022] FIG. 3 is a perspective view, on a greatly enlarged scale, of a leaf spring of the illustrative disc brake system;

[0023] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but of an alternative leaf spring of the illustrative disc brake system; and

[0024] FIG. 5 is a perspective view like FIG. 3, but embodying an alternative leaf spring mounting system.

[0025] The illustrative disc brake system 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is for a wheel (not shown) of a car. The system 10 comprises a disc 12, a further disc 14 and a hub 16, on which the wheel can be mounted. The hub 16 is arranged to rotate about a central axis 18 thereof.

[0026] The hub 16 comprises an internally splined hollow inner cylindrical portion 16awhich is arranged to receive a drive shaft (not shown) which drives the wheel. The hub 16 also comprises an external flange 16bat one end of the portion 16a. This flange 16bhas four bolt holes 16cthrough which the wheel can be bolted to the flange 16bin a conventional manner. The flange 16balso serves to connect the portion 16ato an outer hollow cylindrical portion 16dof the hub 16.

[0027] The discs 12 and 14 are identical to one another, being in the form of generally-annular cast iron or steel plates. The two discs 12 and 14 are mounted by means of mounting means of the system 10 on the cylindrical outer surface of the hub portion 16dso that the hub 16 and the two discs 12 and 14 rotate as a unit about the axis 18 and the discs 12 and 14 can perform axial sliding movement on said hub 16. The mounting means comprises four grooves 20 which are formed in the outer cylindrical surface of the portion 16dof the hub 16 and four teeth 22 which project inwardly from each of the discs 12 and 14. The teeth 22 enter the grooves 20 and are a sliding fit therein. However, the teeth 22 do not extend to the bottom surfaces 20aof the grooves 20, there being a clearance between the bottom surfaces 20aand the inner surfaces 22aof the teeth 22. The grooves 20 are equally-spaced circumferentially about the axis 18 and each occupies an arc of approximately 45° about the axis 18. Between the grooves 20, the outer surface of the hub portion 16dis machined to be accurately cylindrical about the axis 18. The inner surface of each disc 12 and 14, between the teeth. 22, is also machined to be accurately cylindrical about the axis 18 and a close fit over the cylindrical portions of the outer surface of the hub portion 16d. The close fit of the discs 12 and 14 on the hub 16 reduces the possibility of the discs 12 and 14 tipping.

[0028] The system 10 also comprises four friction pads 26 (FIG. 2) for braking the discs 12 and 14 by engaging side surfaces of the discs. The friction pads 26 are secured to three backing plates 28, one backing plate 28abeing between the discs 12 and 14 and the others being on opposite sides of the discs 12 and 14 to the plate 28a. The median plate 28ahas friction pads 26 secured to both of its faces. The brake pads 26 and the backing plates 28 are not shown in FIG. 1. The friction pads 26 are brought into braking contact with the discs 12 and 14 by operating means (not shown) which may be similar to that described in WO 98/25804. When the operating means is operated, it moves one of the outer friction material pads 26 towards the other outer pad 26 which is fixedly-mounted. This causes movement of the pads 26 and discs 12 and 14 until the each disc 12 and 14 is engaged on both sides by a pad 26. The discs 12 and 14 slide axially on the hub 16 and the plate 28aslides axially on a slideway to accommodate this movement.

[0029] The system 10 also comprises four leaf springs 32 mounted on the hub 16 and engaging the discs 12 and 14 so that the springs 32 apply radially-directed forces between each of the discs 12 and 14 and the hub 16 to control movement of the discs on the hub. The leaf springs 32 are equally distributed circumferentially around the hub 16, each being mounted on one of the bottom surfaces 20aof the grooves 20, ie the springs 32 are mounted in the grooves 20 and act between the surface 20aand the inner surface 22aof the tooth 22 which enters the groove 20.

[0030] One of the leaf springs 32 is shown in detail in FIG. 3. Each spring 32 is formed from a generally rectangular piece of spring steel which is 0.25-0.3 mm thick. Each spring 32 is secured in the circumferential centre of one of the surfaces 20aby means of a central screw 36 which passes through a hole 32ain the spring 32 and enters the hub 16. Each spring 32 extends axially on the hub 16 throughout the range of axial movement of both discs 12 and 14 so that both discs 12 and 14 are engaged by all four of the springs 32 continuously. The springs 32 act to control the sliding movement of the discs 12 and 14 on the hub 16 preventing tipping of the discs and compensating for thermal expansion effects.

[0031] Each spring 32 comprises four axially-extending abutments 40 which project transversely of the spring 32. The abutments 40 are arranged with two of the abutments on each side of the hole 32a. Two of the abutments 40 are formed at the extreme ends of the spring 32, thereby preventing the edge of the spring 32 from engaging the tooth 22 and reducing the risk of cracking of the spring 32. Between the two abutments 40 on each side of the hole 32a, a rectangular hole 32bis cut out of the spring 32. The hole 32bserves to control the force applied by the abutments 40 to the discs 12 and 14.

[0032] The abutments 40 are provided by embossed portions of the spring 32 which are in the form of generally semi-circular (in transverse cross-section) ridges extending parallel to the axis 18. The abutments 40 are elongated in the axial direction so that each abutment 40 remains in engagement with both of the discs 12 and 14 throughout the movement of the discs 12 and 14 on the hub 16.

[0033] Each spring 32 is arranged to engage the discs 12 and 14 with its abutments 40 and apply forces to the discs to control the movement thereof on the hub 16. Each spring 32 is arranged so that the spring 32 extends generally tangentially of the hub 16 when the discs 12 and 14 are not mounted on the hub 16. However, the springs 32 are deformed by the presence of the discs 12 and 14 so that each abutment 40 presses resiliently on the discs 12 and 14. The springs 32, thus, act to apply radially-directed forces to the discs 12 and 14.

[0034] In the operation of the disc brake system 10, the springs 32 as aforementioned control the sliding movement of the discs 12 and 14 on the hub 16. Each spring 32 engages each disc at four points of contact, provided by the abutments 40, thereby distributing the forces applied by the spring 32 to each disc more uniformly.

[0035] FIG. 4 shows two leaf springs 42 which are joined together by a narrow tab 44, the springs 42 and the tab 44 being formed from a single sheet of spring steel. The two leaf springs 42 each have a similar form to the spring 32 except that the holes 32bare omitted, each spring 42 having four abutments 46 which are similar to the abutments 40 of the spring 32. However, the springs 42 are narrower than the spring 32 because each spring 42 is intended to engage only one of the discs 12 and 14. The springs 42 are mounted on the surfaces 20aas a unit connected by the tab 44 by means of a screw (not shown) which passes through a hole 42aformed in one of the springs 42. Thus, each of the discs 12 and 14 has four of the leaf springs 42 associated therewith, the springs 42 being arranged in groups of two, one of which is mounted on the hub and the other of which is retained in position by the connection, via the tab 44, to the first-mentioned spring. As the tab 44 is narrow, the springs 42 act substantially independently.

[0036] In modifications of the springs 32 and 42, the holes 32aand 42amay be omitted and the springs provided instead with self-retaining means for retaining them on the hub 16. For example, such self-retaining means may comprise integral tabs 45 extending from the spring over opposite ends of the hub 16 so that the springs can be clipped over the hub. In the case of the spring 32, such tabs extend normally to the general plane of the spring from both the edges of the spring which are perpendicular to the projections 40. In the case of the springs 42, each of the end springs 42 in a group has one of these tabs extending from its opposite edge to the position of the tab 44.

[0037] In a further modification, the springs 32 and 42 can be formed into a non-planar form in order to determine the forces they will apply to the disc. For example, the springs can be formed into an arcuate shape such that, when the spring is mounted on the hub but before the discs are mounted on the hub, the ends of the spring are further from the hub than if the spring were planar.