| Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120043175 | High Resolution One-Way Clutch with Graduated Saw-Tooth Engagement for an Automatic Slack Adjuster - An automatic slack adjuster one-way clutch includes a first part, which is rotatable about an axis in both a drive direction and a slip direction opposite to the drive direction, and a second part, which is driven about the axis by the first part only when the first part rotates in the drive direction. The second part is not driven by the first part when the first part rotates in the slip direction. Multiple movable teeth, carried by one of the parts, are displaceable axially relative to both of the parts and engage between teeth immovably fixed on the other of the parts. The first part may be either an input part or an output part of the clutch. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120031716 | VARIABLE POSITION ANCHOR ASSEMBLY FOR ADJUSTING BRAKE SHOES IN A DRUM BRAKE - An anchor assembly is provided that permits adjustment of the brake shoes in a drum brake to account for wear. The assembly includes first and second adjuster shafts each having a plurality of threads and first and second pilot connectors. The pilot connectors each have a plurality of threads in engagement with the threads of a corresponding adjuster shaft. The pilot connectors each engage one end of a corresponding brake shoe. Rotation of each adjuster shaft causes longitudinal movement of a corresponding pilot connector in engagement with a corresponding brake shoe along an axis to adjust a position of the brake shoe. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20110311170 | Snap-In Center Seal Bushing - A bushing adapted to secure an O-ring seal in position relative to an area of a passage permitting reciprocation of a push rod forms a generally circular bushing body with opposed end faces. The end faces are separated by a gap so as to provide the bushing with an approximately C-shaped structure. The bushing includes a plurality of locking elements resistant to axial loads imposed on the bushing by the push rod disposed at least substantially within a corresponding plurality of recesses distributed around a circumferential exterior of the bushing. Solid ribs are interspersed with the locking fingers to resist radial loads imposed on the bushing by the push rod during operation. The O-ring seal is secured in position within the passage area of the passage by an end surface of the bushing. | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110307091 | Air Disk Brake Caliper Pre-Stressing Method and Pre-Stressed Caliper Apparatus - A cast iron brake caliper with improved fatigue life, and a process and process equipment for pre-stressing a cast iron brake caliper to provide improved fatigue life, is provided. In the process, a load is applied to a cast iron caliper, where the load is high enough to locally yield and plastically deform the cast iron material, but not high enough to cause material failure, such as cracking. Upon load removal, residual compressive stresses in the cast iron caliper lower the mid-point of the stress range the plastically-deformed region of the caliper sees during in-service use, and thereby lowers the peak stress seen in this region, increasing fatigue life. The process permits a cast iron brake caliper to be designed to use less material and thus fit within constrained wheel rim envelopes, without the need to resort to high cost materials or other alternative design strategies. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20110303496 | Air Disk Brake Caliper Pre-Stressing Method and Pre-Stressed Caliper Apparatus - A cast iron brake caliper with improved fatigue life, and a process and process equipment for pre-stressing a cast iron brake caliper to provide improved fatigue life, is provided. In the process, a load is applied to a cast iron caliper, where the load is high enough to locally yield and plastically deform the cast iron material, but not high enough to cause material failure, such as cracking. Upon load removal, residual compressive stresses in the cast iron caliper lower the mid-point of the stress range the plastically-deformed region of the caliper sees during in-service use, and thereby lowers the peak stress seen in this region, increasing fatigue life. The process permits a cast iron brake caliper to be designed to use less material and thus fit within constrained wheel rim envelopes, without the need to resort to high cost materials or other alternative design strategies. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20110233013 | Thermal Protection for Disc Brake Components - A disc brake for a motor vehicle is provided. The disc brake includes a brake disc, a brake caliper configured to straddle the brake disc, a tappet carried by the brake caliper and arranged to push a brake pad against the brake disc, and a bellows provided between the brake caliper and the tappet to seal a gap between the brake caliper and the tappet. A layer of flexible thermal insulation material may be provided between the bellows and the tappet. The layer of flexible thermal insulation material is configured to protect an outer surface of the bellows facing the brake pad from exposure to heat. Alternatively, the bellows may include a layer of flexible thermal insulation material on which an elastomer layer is formed. The layer of flexible thermal insulation material is configured to face the brake pad. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110221152 | Integral Light Weight Spring Brake Actuator and Mount - An improved integral spring brake actuator and mount is provided in which a portion of the spring brake actuator is integrally formed with a connecting flange and a brake cam shaft support tube. The improved integral spring brake actuator and mount is significantly lighter than previous multi-part built-up spring brake actuators and mounting brackets, decreasing vehicle weight, eliminating the need for costly high-quality welding and lowering manufacturing costs. The integral spring brake actuator and mount may be formed from cast aluminum. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110219946 | Non-Threaded Method for Assembling a Center Hole Parking Diaphragm and Adapter Push Rod with a Clip and Washer - A brake actuator having a plurality of actuator housing portions includes a diaphragm seal partially delimiting a parking brake de-actuation chamber and retained between adjacent portions of the housing. To produce brake actuation upon depressurization of the parking brake de-actuation chamber, a push rod extends into and out of a service brake actuation chamber upon release of fluid pressure from and supply of fluid pressure to the chamber. A clip or similar element receivable over the end section of the push rod is securable on the end section to compress the diaphragm seal axially relative to the push rod against a seat carried by the push rod while permitting a radial inner edge of the diaphragm seal to remain spaced from an outer surface of the end section. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20100236875 | Air Disk Brake Caliper Pre-Stressing Method and Pre-Stressed Caliper Apparatus - A cast iron brake caliper with improved fatigue life, and a process and process equipment for pre-stressing a cast iron brake caliper to provide improved fatigue life, is provided. In the process, a load is applied to a cast iron caliper, where the load is high enough to locally yield and plastically deform the cast iron material, but not high enough to cause material failure, such as cracking. Upon load removal, residual compressive stresses in the cast iron caliper lower the mid-point of the stress range the plastically-deformed region of the caliper sees during in-service use, and thereby lowers the peak stress seen in this region, increasing fatigue life. The process permits a cast iron brake caliper to be designed to use less material and thus fit within constrained wheel rim envelopes, without the need to resort to high cost materials or other alternative design strategies. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100193303 | BRAKE SPIDER WELDMENT AND ANCHOR PIN ASSEMBLY - An improved brake spider and anchor pin assembly in which weight, cost, manufacture, axle installation and maintenance is improved over prior brake spider designs. The improved brake spider is built up from light weight, relatively inexpensive stampings which are joined together, for example by welding, to form a strong built-up brake spider component. In one embodiment, two steel stampings formed with flanges and stamped strengthening ribs are welded together to form a hollow, structure which has the strength to withstand high brake force loads and large numbers of brake cycles. The built up brake spider may include one or more captured inserts in the form of anchor pin assemblies and a brake actuator rod pass-through support. The anchor pin insert may be in the form of a trunion having a middle section with a greater diameter than corresponding holes in the shell plates to preclude axial motion. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100147636 | Automatic Slack Adjuster with Ball Detent Clutch - An improved self-adjusting automatic slack adjuster for reducing slack in the brake of a vehicle is provided, in which an easily accessible external operating feature actuates a ball detent clutch to permit the automatic slack adjuster's adjustment mechanism to be readily disengaged, so as to allow smooth release and retraction of the brake linings of a vehicle brake without damage to the adjustment mechanism's components. When the torque applied to the external feature exceeds a predetermined torque, the balls of the ball detent clutch move out of their retaining detents, thereby disengaging the slack adjuster's worm shaft from the adjustment mechanism and permitting brake shoe retraction without resistance from the adjustment mechanism. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100122879 | Automatic Slack Adjuster With Clutch Release Cam - An improved self-adjusting automatic slack adjuster for reducing slack in the brake of a vehicle is provided, in which an easily accessible external operating feature permits the automatic slack adjuster's one-way clutch assembly to be readily disengaged to allow smooth release and retraction of the brake shoes of a vehicle brake without damage to the one-way teeth of the clutch assembly. When the external feature is operated in a brake release direction, the motion of the feature is translated into a motion which axially displaces an output part of the one-way clutch away from an input part of the clutch a distance sufficient to disengage the parts' one-way teeth, thereby disengaging the one-way clutch to permit brake shoe retraction without resistance from the one-way clutch. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20100122878 | Self-Setting Automatic Slack Adjuster With Increased Durability - An improved self-adjusting automatic slack adjuster for reducing slack in the brake of a vehicle, in which a one-way clutch assembly is arranged in the housing of the automatic slack adjuster housing such that a thin-wall region of the housing associated with the gear drive of the one-way clutch assembly is located outside of a load path through which brake applications forces are conveyed from a brake actuator to a brake cam shaft upon which the automatic slack adjuster is located. The new positioning of the one-way clutch assembly drive results in unexpectedly lower stress levels in the automatic slack adjuster, resulting a more durable slack adjuster and permitting surprisingly large increases in slack adjuster capacity rating. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20100018812 | Automatic Slack Adjuster Anchor Unit With A One-Way Clutch - An improved automatic slack adjuster for reducing slack in the brake of a vehicle, in which a one-way clutch assembly is arranged at a side of the automatic slack adjuster housing, and one-way motion-inhibiting pawls in the one-way clutch assembly act on one-way gear teeth disposed on an inner radius of a gear wheel within the assembly whose outer circumference drives a slack adjuster unit. The incorporation of the one-way clutch within the anchor unit of the adjuster provides an automatic slack adjuster which can be produced at a reduced cost, manufactured more easily, and provides for improved adjustment performance with much reduced dependence on the lubricity of grease used. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20100012444 | Double Dogleg Wide Stance Brake Shoe Web - A drum brake shoe has first and second webs, with the first web including a first end section to be located adjacent a brake shoe actuation element, a second end section to be located adjacent a brake shoe anchor element, and a central section extending between the first and second end sections. Similarly, the second web includes a first end section to be located adjacent the brake shoe actuation element, a second end section to be located adjacent the brake shoe anchor element, and a central section extending between the first and second end sections of the second web. At least one lining table is disposed at circumferentially outer portions of the first and second webs, and a pin or other return spring mounting is provided by at least the first web. The brake shoe is particularly configured so that a brake shoe return spring, which is connectable to the return spring mounting, is positioned so that a center line of the return spring is offset from an axial center line of the lining table but located axially inboard of an outside edge of the second end section of the first web. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20090243379 | Rear Axle Module with Multiple Modulators - An anti lock braking system for commercial vehicles is described. The system includes a rear axle brake assembly having a rear brake for each rear wheel, a relay valve for controlling rear axle brakes and a plurality of pressure modulator valves operatively connected to the relay valve, each having an outlet connected to one of the rear brakes. Multiple connector cartridges are used to sealingly connect the relay valve to each of the pressure modulator valves. The connector cartridges have a first end defining a non rotation-dependent fitting, such as a cartridge fitting, cooperating with a corresponding port cavity to form the sealed connection. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090000882 | Shrink Fitted Caliper Guidance Pins - A guide pin for a sliding disc brake caliper and a carrier for the caliper are attached together by generating a difference in temperatures between a section of the guide pin and a section of the carrier. The section of the guide pin is then inserted into an aperture defined in the section of the carrier. Upon achieving or restoring thermal equilibrium between the guide pin and carrier sections, contact pressure between the section of the guide pin and a surface of the aperture is produced so as to secure the guide pin to the carrier and resist separation of the guide pin from the carrier. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20080257657 | Wrong Wheel Warning Sensor - A warning system is adapted to indicate disc brake and wheel component incompatibility. The system includes an element having a section that is disposed so as to extend between a non-rotating disc brake component and a rotating contour of the wheel component at a location of minimum clearance between the non-rotating disc brake component and the wheel component. Optionally, the warning system defines part of a brake pad wear indication device. | 10-23-2008 |
