Brake piston system

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to brake pad spreaders and more particularly pertains to a new brake pad spreader for pushing a brake piston into a brake caliper.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] The use of brake pad spreaders is known in the prior art. While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a system that has certain improved features that allows for a rod of the system to rotate to drive a brake piston into a brake caliper and inhibit the brake piston inadvertently forcing the rod back. Additionally, the system should include an abutment plate that is pivotally coupled to a rod to allow the rod to rotate without rotating the abutment plate against the brake piston.

[0005] The present invention meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a housing including a handle section and a main section is coupled to the handle section. The handle section is graspable by a person. The main section is positioned approximately perpendicular to the handle section. A backing plate is coupled to a front end of the housing. The backing plate is abutted against a front plate of the brake caliper. A ram assembly is mounted to the housing and extends through the backing plate. The ram assembly is abuttable against the brake piston of the brake caliper when the backing plate is abutted against the front plate. The ram assembly is actuated to push against the brake piston and force the brake piston into the brake caliper. An actuation assembly is coupled to the housing. The actuation assembly is actuated to actuate the ram assembly to advance the brake piston into the brake caliper. The actuation assembly is coupled to the handle section of the housing.

[0006] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

[0007] The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

[0019] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 10 thereof, a new brake pad spreader embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0020] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 10, the brake piston system 10 generally comprises a housing 12 including a handle section 14 and a main section 16 is coupled to the handle section 14. The handle section 14 is graspable by a person. The main section 16 is positioned approximately perpendicular to the handle section 14. A backing plate 18 is coupled to a front end 20 of the housing 12. The backing plate 18 is abutted against a front plate 1 of a brake caliper 2.

[0021] A ram assembly 22 is mounted to the housing 12 and extends through the backing plate 18. The ram assembly 22 is abuttable against a brake piston 3 of the brake caliper 2 when the backing plate 18 is abutted against the backing plate 18. The ram assembly 22 is actuated to push against the brake piston 3 and force the brake piston 3 into the brake caliper 2. The ram assembly 22 includes a rod 24 that extends through the main section 16 of the housing 12.

[0022] The rod 24 includes a threaded section 26 and a toothed section 27. The threaded section 26 is threaded through the backing plate 18 and the front end 20 of the housing 12. The toothed section 27 extends through a rear end 28 of the housing 12. The toothed section 27 includes a plurality of drive teeth 30 radiating outwardly from the rod 24. Each of the drive teeth 30 includes a flat surface 32 and an angled surface 34. The flat surface 32 extends approximately perpendicular to an outer surface of the rod 24. The angled surface 34 extends at an angle between approximately 35 degrees and 50 degrees.

[0023] The ram assembly 22 also includes an abutment plate 36 pivotally coupled to a forward end 38 of the rod 24. The abutment plate 36 is abutted against the brake piston 3 when the backing plate 18 is abutted against the front plate 1 of the brake caliper 2. The abutment plate 36 is advanced away from the backing plate 18 to force the brake piston 3 into the brake caliper 2 when the rod 24 is rotated in a first direction. The abutment plate 36 is retracted towards the backing plate 18 when the rod 24 is rotated in a second direction. A grip 40 is coupled to a rearward end 42 of the rod 24 opposite the abutment plate 36. The grip 40 is rotated to rotate the rod 24 in the second direction when the abutment plate 36 is to be retracted from the brake piston 3.

[0024] An actuation assembly 44 is coupled to the housing 12. The actuation assembly 44 is actuated to actuate the ram assembly 22 to advance the brake piston 3 into the brake caliper 2. The actuation assembly 44 is coupled to the handle section 14 of the housing 12. The actuation assembly 44 includes an advancing bar 46 slidably coupled to the housing 12. The advancing bar 46 includes a plurality of pawl teeth 48. The pawl teeth 48 mesh with the toothed section 27 of the rod 24 to rotate the rod 24 in the first direction when the advancing bar 46 is slid towards the rod 24. The pawl teeth 48 slide over the toothed section 27 when the advancing bar 46 is slid away from the rod 24.

[0025] Each of the pawl teeth 48 has a flat face 50 and an angled face 52. The flat face 50 of each of the pawl teeth 48 faces a bottom end 54 of the advancing bar 46. The angled face 52 is positioned at an angle between approximately 40 degrees and 50 degrees. The flat face 50 abuts the flat surface 32 of the drive teeth 30 of the toothed section 27 to rotate the rod 24 in the first direction. The angled face 52 of each of the pawl teeth 48 are slid over the angled surface 34 of the drive teeth 30 to permit the pawl teeth 48 to slide over the drive teeth 30 of the toothed section 27.

[0026] The actuation assembly 44 also includes a trigger 56 pivotally coupled to the housing 12. The trigger 56 is pivotally coupled to and extends through the handle section 14. The trigger 56 abuts against a flange 58 of the advancing bar 46. The trigger 56 slides the advancing bar 46 toward the rod 24 when the trigger 56 is actuated. An urging member 60 is coupled to the advancing bar 46 and extends between the flange 58 of the advancing bar 46 and the housing 12. The urging member 60 urges the advancing bar 46 away from the rod 24 when the trigger 56 is released. A stop collar 62 is coupled to the advancing bar 46 and is positioned adjacent an exterior end 64 of the advancing bar 46. The stop collar 62 abuts against the housing 12 to restrict the movement of the advancing bar 46 away from the rod 24 when the trigger 56 is released.

[0027] A restricting assembly 66 is coupled to the housing 12. The restricting assembly 66 inhibits retraction of the ram assembly 22 from the brake piston 3. The restricting assembly 66 is actuated to permit the ram assembly 22 to be retracted from the brake piston 3. The restricting assembly 66 includes a pawl 68 slidably coupled to the housing 12. The pawl 68 abuts against the flat surface 32 of one of the drive teeth 30 of the toothed section 27 of the rod 24 to inhibit rotation of the rod 24 in the second direction. A retraction bar 70 is coupled to the pawl 68 and extends from the housing 12. The retraction bar 70 slides the pawl 68 away from the rod 24 to permit rotation of the rod 24 in the second direction when retraction bar 70 is actuated.

[0028] The restricting assembly 66 additionally includes a biasing member 72 coupled to the pawl 68 and that extends between the pawl 68 and the housing 12. The biasing member 72 biases the pawl 68 against the toothed section 27 of the rod 24 when the retraction bar 70 is released. The restricting assembly 66 is positioned adjacent the rod 24 to allow the restricting assembly 66 to be actuated while the rod 24 is rotated in the second direction. The restricting assembly 66 is positioned in the rear end 28 of the housing 12.

[0029] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a plurality of indexing tabs 74 is coupled to and outwardly extends from the abutment plate 36. The indexing tabs 74 are positioned in grooves in the brake piston 3 to maintain positioning of the abutment plate 36 with respect to the brake piston 3 when the abutment plate 36 abuts the brake piston 3.

[0030] In use, the brake piston 3 is placed in the brake caliper 2. The baking plate is positioned against the front plate 1 of the brake caliper 2 and the abutment plate 36 is positioned against the brake piston 3. As the trigger 56 is actuated the rod 24 is advanced to drive the abutment plate 36 away from the backing plate 18 and to drive the brake piston 3 into the brake caliper 2. The restricting assembly 66 is actuated to allow the grip 40 to be grasped and rotate the rod 24 in the second direction to retract the abutment plate 36 from the brake piston 3 and allow the backing plate 18 to be removed from the front plate 1.

[0031] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

[0032] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.