التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
| العنوان: |
POSITIVE PAD RETRACTION AND RETENTION DEVICE |
| Document Number: |
20070170018 |
| تاريخ النشر: |
July 26, 2007 |
| Appl. No: |
11/564023 |
| Application Filed: |
November 28, 2006 |
| مستخلص: |
A disc brake assembly is provided that includes a disc, a caliper, and a piston having a rear end slidably mounted in a bore in the caliper, a front end that faces the disc, and an inner axial surface. A brake pad is disposed between the piston and the disc. The brake pad has 1) a back plate having front and rear surfaces and 2) a friction pad mounted on the front surface of the back plate. A structure is situated on the rear surface of the back plate. The assembly also has an improved spring clip for holding the brake pad in the assembly. The spring clip is configured to be connectable to the structure on the rear surface of the back plate and engageable with the inner axial surface of the piston. |
| Inventors: |
Alexander, Derek (Mequon, WI, US) |
| Assignees: |
HB Performance Systems, Inc. (Mequon, WI, US) |
| Claim: |
1. A disc brake assembly comprising: (A) a disc; (B) a caliper; (C) a piston having a rear end slidably mounted in a bore in the caliper, a front end that faces the disc, and an inner axial surface; (D) a brake pad comprising 1) a back plate having front and rear surfaces and 2) a friction pad mounted on the front surface of the back plate, the brake pad disposed between the piston and the disc; and (E) a spring clip that is configured to be connectable to the rear surface of the back plate and that engages the inner axial surface of the piston. |
| Claim: |
2. The disc brake assembly of claim 1, wherein the spring clip comprises a wire form. |
| Claim: |
3. The brake disc assembly of claim 1, wherein the spring clip has 1) a pair of free ends and 2) a loop that is disposed intermediate the free ends and that is configured to be connectable to the rear surface of the back plate. |
| Claim: |
4. The disc brake assembly of claim 2, wherein the spring clip has two piston engaging portions each disposed between the loop and a respective free end, each of the piston engaging portion including two spaced apart piston engaging sections, and each of the piston engaging portions cooperating with an associated side of the piston. |
| Claim: |
5. The disc brake assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein at least part of the piston engaging portions have a radius of curvature that at least generally matches a radius of curvature of the piston. |
| Claim: |
6. The disc brake assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner axial surface of the piston comprises a radial groove that is configured to receive the spring clip. |
| Claim: |
7. The disc brake assembly of claim 1, wherein the back plate comprises a finger situated on the rear surface, and wherein the spring clip includes a loop that is configured to be connectable to the finger. |
| Claim: |
8. The disc brake assembly of claim 1, wherein the back plate comprises a post situated on the rear surface, and wherein the spring clip includes a loop that is configured to be connectable to the post. |
| Claim: |
9. The disc brake assembly of claim 7 wherein the finger comprises a valley that is configured to receive the loop. |
| Claim: |
10. The disc brake assembly of claim 1, wherein the caliper is a floating caliper. |
| Claim: |
11. The disc brake assembly of claim 1, wherein the caliper is a fixed caliper. |
| Claim: |
12. The disc brake assembly of claim 1, wherein the caliper includes a plurality of bores, each of which has a rear end of a piston slidably mounted therein. |
| Claim: |
13. A disc brake assembly comprising: (A) a disc; (B) a caliper; (C) a piston having a rear end slidably mounted in a bore in the caliper, a front end that faces the disc, and an inner axial surface; (D) a brake pad comprising 1) a back plate having front and rear surfaces, the back plate including a structure situated on the rear surface of the back plate and 2) a friction pad mounted on the front surface of the back plate, the brake pad disposed between the piston and the disc; and (E) a spring clip that is configured to be connectable to 1) the structure situated on the rear surface of the back plate and 2) the piston. |
| Claim: |
14. The disc brake assembly of claim 13, wherein the structure situated on the rear surface of the back plate comprises a finger. |
| Claim: |
15. The disc brake assembly of claim 14, wherein the finger comprises a valley, and wherein the spring clip includes free ends and a loop disposed between the free ends, the loop being configured to be connectable to the valley of the finger. |
| Claim: |
16. The disc brake assembly of claim 13, wherein the caliper is a floating caliper. |
| Claim: |
17. The disc brake assembly of claim 13, wherein the caliper is a fixed caliper. |
| Claim: |
18. The disc brake assembly of claim 13, wherein the caliper includes a plurality of bores, each of which has a rear end of a piston slidably mounted therein. |
| Claim: |
19. A method comprising (A) compressing a spring clip; (B) aligning the compressed spring clip with a groove on an inner axial surface of a piston of a brake assembly; (C) releasing compression force on the spring clip such that the spring clip fits into the groove of the piston; and (D) securing a brake pad to the spring clip. |
| Claim: |
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the securing step comprises connecting a structure on the brake pad to the spring clip. |
| Claim: |
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the structure comprises a finger situated on a rear surface of the brake pad, and wherein the spring clip includes a loop that is configured to be connectable to the finger. |
| Claim: |
22. The method of claim 19, wherein the structure comprises a post situated on the rear surface, and wherein the spring clip includes a loop that is configured to be connectable to the post. |
| Claim: |
23. The method of claim 19, wherein during the securing step, the spring clip draws the brake pad tight against the piston so that the brake pad and piston move together as a unit. |
| Claim: |
24. The method of claim 19, wherein the brake assembly includes a caliper, and further comprising removing the pad from the spring clip without detaching the spring clip from the piston, by pulling the brake pad at least generally radially relative to the caliper with a removal force that overcomes a retention force imposed on the brake pad by the spring clip. |
| Claim: |
25. The method of claim 19, wherein the brake assembly includes a disc and a caliper that faces the disc and that supports the brake pad, and further comprising removing the brake pad from the spring clip without removing the caliper or the disc from the brake assembly, by pulling the pad at least generally radially relative to the caliper with a removal force that overcomes a retention force imposed on the pad by the spring clip. |
| Claim: |
26. The method of claim 25, wherein, when the piston extends horizontally, the removing step comprises pulling the pad at least generally vertically downwardly with a force that overcomes a retention force imposed by the spring clip. |
| Claim: |
27. The disc brake assembly of claim 19, further comprising slidably mounting the piston in a floating caliper. |
| Claim: |
28. The disc brake assembly of claim 19, further comprising slidably mounting the piston in a fixed caliper. |
| Claim: |
29. The disc brake assembly of claim 19, wherein the brake assembly includes a caliper having a plurality of bores, each of which has a rear end of a piston slidably mounted therein. |
| Current U.S. Class: |
188072/300 |
| Current International Class: |
16 |
| رقم الانضمام: |
edspap.20070170018 |
| قاعدة البيانات: |
USPTO Patent Applications |