阅读说明：本技术 卡钳和支撑组件以及卡钳变形检测方法 (Caliper and support assembly and caliper deformation detection method ) 是由 罗伯托·阿里恩蒂 卡洛·坎托尼 安德烈亚·梅斯基尼 阿尔贝托·科曼杜利 于 2018-07-05 设计创作，主要内容包括：用于盘式制动器的卡钳和支撑组件(1)包括制动卡钳(3)，该制动卡钳包括卡钳本体(5)，该卡钳本体适于跨骑于盘式制动器的可关联的盘(2)；所述卡钳和支撑组件(1)包括与所述卡钳本体(5)连接的支撑元件(4)；其中，所述卡钳本体(5)包括第一部分(7)；所述支撑元件(4)包括第二部分(8)；在制动作用期间，卡钳本体(5)根据至少一个预定方向(T?T)弹性地变形，从而确定卡钳本体(5)的第一部分(7)相对于支撑元件(4)的所述第二部分(8)在至少所述预定方向(T?T)上的位移；所述卡钳和支撑组件(1)包括至少一个检测装置(6)，该检测装置对卡钳本体(5)的所述第一部分(7)与支撑元件(4)的所述第二部分(8)之间的至少沿着所述预定方向(T?T)的距离(d)进行检测。(A caliper and support assembly (1) for a disc brake comprises a brake caliper (3) comprising a caliper body (5) adapted to straddle an associable disc (2) of the disc brake; the caliper and support assembly (1) comprises a support element (4) connected to the caliper body (5); wherein the caliper body (5) comprises a first portion (7); the support element (4) comprises a second portion (8); during a braking action, the caliper body (5) is elastically deformed according to at least one predetermined direction (T-T), determining the displacement of the first portion (7) of the caliper body (5) with respect to said second portion (8) of the support element (4) in at least said predetermined direction (T-T); said caliper and support assembly (1) comprises at least one detection device (6) which detects the distance (d) between said first portion (7) of the caliper body (5) and said second portion (8) of the support element (4) at least along said predetermined direction (T-T).)

1. A caliper and support assembly (1) for a disc brake, wherein an axial direction (X-X) coinciding with or parallel to the rotation axis of a disc (2) of the disc brake, a radial direction (R-R) orthogonal to the axial direction (X-X), and a tangential direction (T-T) or circumferential direction (T-T) orthogonal to both the axial direction (X-X) and the radial direction (R-R) are defined;

-said caliper and support assembly (1) comprises a brake caliper (3) comprising a caliper body (5) adapted to straddle an associable disc (2) of the disc brake;

-said caliper and support assembly (1) comprises a support element (4) connected with said caliper body (5);

wherein the content of the first and second substances,

-said caliper body (5) comprises a first portion (7);

-the support element (4) comprises a second portion (8);

-during the braking action, the caliper body (5) is elastically deformed according to at least one predetermined direction (T-T), determining the displacement of the first portion (7) of the caliper body (5) with respect to the second portion (8) of the support element (4) in at least said predetermined direction (T-T);

-said caliper and support assembly (1) comprises at least one detection device (6) which detects the distance (d) between said first portion (7) of the caliper body (5) and said second portion (8) of the support element (4) along at least said predetermined direction (T-T).

2. Caliper and support assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein said at least one predetermined direction (T-T) is said tangential direction (T-T).

3. Caliper and support assembly (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first portion (7) faces said second portion (8), preferably along said predetermined direction (T-T); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

-said caliper body (5) comprises a connection portion coupled with said support element (4), and wherein said connection portion comprises said first portion (7) of said caliper body (5); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

-said connection portion of said caliper body (5) is coupled with said support element (4) so as to avoid the formation of constraints along said at least one predetermined direction (T-T) between said caliper body (5) and said support element (4); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

-said support element (4) comprises a connection counter-portion coupled with said caliper body (5) and wherein said connection counter-portion comprises said second portion (8) of said support element (4); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

-said connection portion of said caliper body (5) is coupled with said connection counter-portion of said support element (4), avoiding the formation of constraints between said caliper body (5) and said support element (4) along said at least one predetermined direction (T-T).

4. A caliper and support assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said connection portion of the caliper body (5) comprises at least one groove wall (13) which at least partially defines a groove (14); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

-said connection counter-portion of said support element (4) comprises connection means (20) received in said slot (14) of said caliper body (5); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

said at least one groove wall (13) comprising said first portion (7) of the caliper body (5); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

said connection means (20) comprising said second portion (8) of said support element (4); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

-said connection means (20) of said support element (4) and said slot (14) of said caliper body (5) are coupled so as to avoid the formation of constraints between said caliper body (5) and said support element (4) along said at least one predetermined direction (T-T); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

said connecting means (20) comprising at least one stud (13), and/or wherein,

the connection means (20) comprise at least one bushing fitted on the stud (13); and/or wherein

Said connection means (20) cooperating with said at least one groove wall (13) of said caliper body (5) to form a constraint between said caliper body (5) and said support element (4) in an axial direction (X-X).

5. Caliper and support assembly (1) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said detection means (6) comprise at least one sensor (16): and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

the sensor (16) is an eddy current and/or LVDT sensor; and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

said sensor (16) being integral with said caliper body (5); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

said sensor (16) being integral with said first portion (7) of the caliper body (5); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

said sensor (16) comprises said first portion (7) of said caliper body (5); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

the sensor (16) comprises a protruding portion (17) of the sensor that protrudes into the slot (14) overhanging from the slot wall (13) towards the connection means (20); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

the overhanging portion of the sensor (17) extends substantially along the predetermined direction (T-T).

6. Caliper and support assembly (1) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said caliper body (5) comprises a flat surface (23) extending on a plane perpendicular to said predetermined direction (T-T) of said caliper body (5); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

said flat surface (23) extending on a portion of the caliper body (5) opposite to the disc (2) or not suitable to face the disc (2); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

-said flat surface (23) of the caliper body (5) is made by removing material; and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

said connection portion (18) of the caliper body (5) comprises said flat surface (23); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

said detection means (6) being associated with said flat surface (23); and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

the outlet portion (19) of the sensor (16) projects overhangingly from the planar surface (23).

7. Caliper and support assembly (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said support element (4) is a hub carrier (9) suitable for housing a bearing for supporting a hub connectable to the disc (2) and to a wheel of a vehicle; and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

the detection means (6) are associated with a data processing unit adapted to receive information about the tangential distance (d) in order to quantify the braking action and/or to estimate the braking torque and/or to calculate the braking force.

8. Brake calliper and support assembly (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said calliper (3) is a fixed calliper;

and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

said detection means 6 are placed integrally outside the elongated element 24 of the caliper body 5 and face the following second portion 8 of the support element 4: a second portion of the support element, facing the detection means, is provided in the support element 4 and is arranged to project overhangingly towards the caliper body 5 facing the detection means 6;

and/or wherein the at least one processor is,

the detection means 6 are placed integrally on the outside of the support element 4 and face the following first portion 7: the first portion facing the detection means extends from an elongated element 24 of the caliper body 5, is placed overhanging on this elongated element 24 and projects towards the support element 4 facing the detection means 6.

9. A method for detecting the deformation of a caliper body along a predetermined direction (T-T) during braking, said method comprising the steps of:

-providing a caliper and support assembly (1), said caliper and support assembly (1) comprising a brake caliper (3) comprising a caliper body (5) and a support element (4) connected to said caliper body (5);

-identifying a first portion (7) of the caliper body which moves with respect to a second portion (8) of the support element during the braking action;

-detecting a distance (d) between said first portion (7) of the caliper body (5) and said second portion (8) of the support element (4) along at least said predetermined direction (T-T).

10. The method of claim 9, comprising at least one but possibly all of the following further steps:

-detecting said distance (d) between said first portion (7) of the caliper body (5) and said second portion (8) of the support element (4) along at least said direction (T-T); and/or

-detecting said distance (d) during said braking action and in forward driving conditions; and/or

-comparing the detected distance in braking conditions with the detected distance in forward driving conditions.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a caliper and support assembly for a disc brake.

In particular, the present invention relates to a caliper and a support assembly comprising detection means.

The invention also relates to a detection method.

Background

In disc brakes, the brake caliper is typically arranged to straddle an outer peripheral boundary of a brake disc adapted to rotate about an axis of rotation. The brake caliper is constrained to a support structure that remains stationary with respect to the wheel, such as, for example, the stub axle of the vehicle suspension, or the wheel hub, or the front fork or rocker arm of the motor vehicle. The brake caliper includes: a caliper body having two elongated portions arranged to face opposite braking surfaces of the brake disc; and at least one bridge connecting the two elongated portions to each other.

The brake pads typically comprise a pad having a friction material secured thereto, the pad being adapted to press against a facing braking surface of a braking band of the brake disc. In brake calipers for applications in the field of racing, brake pads are used in which the plate is made in a single piece with the friction material. The plate may include an audible wear indicator, sometimes embedded in the friction material, which has the function of sounding by rubbing against the braking band of the disc when the friction material is axially thinned due to prolonged use.

In the floating caliper body associated with the fixed disc, the floating or sliding portion of the caliper body has one or more cylinders suitable for housing thrust means capable of exerting a thrust action on the friction pads facing the thrust means, causing the friction pads to abut against the braking surface of the disc, sliding on the fixed portion of the bracket or caliper, and acting on the second clutch pads which cause the friction pads to abut against the brake disc to exert a braking action.

In the caliper body associated with the fixed disc, there are one or more cylinders on opposite sides of the caliper body to house thrust means capable of exerting a thrust action on the friction pads facing the thrust means, so as to abut the friction pads against the braking surface of the disc.

Conversely, fixed caliper bodies associated with floating discs are also known, in which only one of the elongate portions of the caliper body has one or more cylinders suitable for housing thrust means capable of exerting a thrust action on the facing friction pad, causing it to abut against the braking surface of the disc, which in turn slides axially on its support and abuts against the opposite friction pad to exert a braking action.

In a hydraulically actuated braking system, the pressure applied by the vehicle driver to the brake pedal applies, through a master cylinder, a brake fluid pressure which is applied through a conduit to the brake fluid present in a hydraulic circuit placed inside the caliper body, to reach the cylinder where the pressure is applied to the bottom surface of the piston, forcing them to bear tightly against the pads which in turn abut against the braking surface of the disc.

The pressure action of the brake fluid is also exerted on the bottom wall of the cylinder, causing an action in the caliper body that deforms it away from the disc surface. This phenomenon, known as elastic deformation or "strain" of the caliper, forces the thrust means to be further biased against the pad by moving away from the brake disc to exert the desired braking action.

When the braking action ceases, and therefore when the bias deforming the caliper body away from the brake disc ceases, the caliper body returns to its undeformed rest configuration, again approaching the brake disc, and therefore bringing the pads close to the braking surface. This proximity of the pad to the brake disc is undesirable because it determines the contact between the pad and the disc-although small, which determines a continuously smaller friction and therefore also the braking action when the braking command of the vehicle driver is stopped, also referred to as residual braking torque.

Residual braking torque is generally considered undesirable because it can produce: the noise due to the friction between the pads and the disc braking surface-although small, the undesired wear of the pads and the brake disc-means that they need to be replaced and maintained more frequently, and the minimum fuel consumption, even minimal, required to overcome this residual torque for supplying the drive unit with energy.

During the braking action, the friction pads in abutment with the braking band of the disc are subjected to a feeding acceleration by friction directed in a tangential or circumferential direction under the action of rotation until they abut against a tangential abutment portion of the caliper body, such as, for example, a pin, which supports the pads or projecting walls provided in the caliper body.

This feeding action is transmitted to the caliper body and tends to determine an elastic elongation deformation in the tangential direction of the brake caliper body, in particular of the portion of the caliper body located between the fixing element of the caliper body and the support structure fixed to the vehicle. Such tangential elongations are generally contrasted by providing the caliper body's restraining elements to a support structure, such as fixing pins or bushings, which are generally placed on the laterally opposite sides of the friction pads, and therefore generally produce phenomena of jamming, tangential jamming or "buckling" of the caliper body, which produce elastic instability and lead to flexural and torsional stresses on the caliper body.

Furthermore, due to the constraint between the caliper and the support thereof, which is normally placed only on the caliper side of the hub-side elongated element, further cutting and torsional deformations may occur, which allow the elongated element to move, without being constrained by the support or by the wheel-side elongated element, with respect to the hub-side elongated element, thereby flexing the caliper bridge connecting these elongated elements to each other.

In other respects, in brake systems of the brake-by-wire (brake-by-brake) type, in particular for high performance vehicles in which the brake pedal is not connected to the caliper thrust by a hydraulic circuit, there is a detection system associated with the data processing unit to measure the effect exerted by the vehicle driver on the brake pedal and to calculate the corresponding power to be transmitted to the brake caliper thrust to abut the pads against the opposite braking surfaces of the disc. For the vehicle driver, the brake feel with a brake-by-wire system is fundamentally changed with respect to the brake feel of a hydraulically braked brake, in particular with regard to the mechanical feedback provided by the brake pedal, resulting in a reduced sensitivity of the driver, which may lead to poor brake control.

The need to quantify the braking action is therefore strongly felt.

Several solutions have been proposed for quantifying the braking action in floating calipers based on indirect measurements of the braking torque, i.e. based on detecting quantities associated with the flexural deformation of the braking torque entity, usually part of the brake caliper or of its support.

For example, document DE-102012007118 shows a sensor system suitable for detecting flexural deformations of a dedicated suspension connection bridge of the caliper body of a floating caliper to a support structure. For example, document US-6511135 shows a solution suitable for detecting the flexural deformation of the arms of the support bracket to a floating caliper placed on the side of the caliper body where the disc outlet or disc outlet side can be seen and on which the braking action is released.

These solutions, although advantageous from some points of view, are only suitable for floating calipers and can be complex to manufacture, for example by requiring the manufacture of dedicated mechanical means that project overhangingly from the caliper body adapted to deform by bending. It should also be noted that the measurement of the non-linear quantity used in the solution as a basis for calculating the braking torque, for example the deflection of a portion of the caliper body positioned overhung, introduces a great uncertainty in the quantification of the braking action.

Document US-8146715 shows that a cut is made in the body of the floating caliper by laser cutting so that the overhanging shelf is excluded from the flow of forces generated during the braking action. Proximity sensors are used to measure the change in width of such a cut in the axial direction during braking. Furthermore, document US-2012-0198926 shows a device for detecting displacement in the axial direction between a bracket on which friction pads are mounted and an elongated portion of a floating caliper body.

Such a solution does not solve the problem and the measurement of the axial deformation of the brake caliper is not suitable for providing a reliable estimate of the braking action, since the axial deformation is related to the braking torque in a non-proportional manner, since the unknown and variable friction is determined according to the wear conditions of the friction material, the operating conditions such as the temperature of the disc and the environmental conditions such as rain.

Thus, the need is felt to quantify the braking action of both floating and fixed types of brake calipers in a repeatable and reliable manner.

The need is strongly felt to measure the deformation of the caliper body in a simple and at the same time repeatable and reliable manner.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to solve the drawbacks of the prior art and to provide a solution to the above mentioned need.

These and other objects are achieved by an assembly according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 9.

Some advantageous embodiments are the object of the dependent claims.

Drawings

Further features and advantages of the assembly and method will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the assembly and method, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is an axonometric view of a caliper and support assembly according to an embodiment;

figure 2 is an axonometric view of a portion of a brake disc according to an embodiment;

figure 3 is a schematic plan view of a disc brake comprising a caliper and a support assembly according to an embodiment;

figure 4 shows a detail of figure 3;

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the braking torque on the vertical axis and the detected distance on the horizontal axis;

figure 6 shows a side view of the disc brake according to another embodiment, in which the detection means are placed integrally outside the elongated element of the caliper body and facing a second portion of the support element, provided in the support element, positioned overhanging the support element, projecting towards the caliper body facing the detection means;

figure 7 shows a side view of the disc brake according to a further embodiment, in which the detection means are integrally placed on the outside of the support element and face a first portion extending from the elongated element of the caliper body, placed overhanging on the elongated element and projecting towards the support element facing the detection means.

Detailed Description

According to a general embodiment, a caliper and support assembly 1 for a disc brake 10 comprises a brake caliper 3 and a support element 4.

In said disc brake 10, the axial direction X-X is defined to coincide with or be parallel to the rotation axis of the disc 2 of the disc brake 10, the radial direction R-R is orthogonal to the axial direction X-X, and the tangential direction T-T or circumferential direction T-T is orthogonal to both the axial direction X-X and the radial direction R-R.

Said brake caliper 3 comprises a caliper body 5 adapted to straddle an associable disc 2 of a disc brake 10.

The support element 4 is connected to the caliper body 5.

According to an embodiment, said support element 4 is adapted to be connected to at least one arm of a vehicle suspension. According to an embodiment, said support element 4 is a hub carrier adapted to house a bearing for supporting a hub connectable to said disc 2 and to a vehicle wheel. According to an embodiment, the hub carrier delimits a hub housing 9 and is adapted to house bearings for supporting a hub connectable to the disc 2 and to a vehicle wheel.

The caliper body 5 comprises a first portion 7. According to an embodiment, said caliper body 5 is integral with said first portion 7. According to an embodiment, said caliper body 5 and said first portion 7 are made of separate parts made integrally with each other.

The support element 4 comprises a second portion 8. According to an embodiment, said support element 4 is integral with said second portion 8. According to an embodiment, said caliper body 4 and said second portion 8 are made of separate parts made integrally with each other.

According to a preferred embodiment, said first portion 7 faces said second portion 8. According to a preferred embodiment, said first portion 7 faces said second portion 8 in said predetermined direction T-T.

During a braking action, the caliper body 5 is elastically deformed according to at least one predetermined direction T-T, determining the displacement of the first portion 7 of the caliper body 5 with respect to said second portion 8 of the support element 4 in at least said predetermined direction T-T.

Advantageously, said calliper and support assembly 1 comprises at least one detection means 6 which detects the distance d between said first portion 7 of the calliper body 5 and said second portion 8 of the support element 4, at least along said predetermined direction T-T.

In this way, during the braking action, said detection means 6 detect the deformation of the caliper body 5 along said predetermined direction T-T.

According to a predetermined embodiment, said at least one predetermined direction T-T is a tangential direction T-T.

In this way, the deformation of the caliper body 5 in said predetermined direction T-T caused by the braking action can be detected.

For example, as shown in fig. 5, the analysis carried out by the inventors shows that the deformation of the caliper body 5 detected by the detection means 6 in N loading cycles describes a hysteresis curve according to the braking torque, wherein the curves relating to the respective loading cycles are perfectly superimposed. This makes it possible to ascertain that the measurement of the distance d and the deformation of the caliper body during the braking action is repeatable and therefore reliable. In addition, this makes it possible to perform very accurate calibration of the detection device 6.

By providing said detection means 6, said distance d proportional to the braking action can be detected. In this way, the braking torque can be calculated based on the information acquired by the detection means 6.

By providing such detection means 6, the evaluated distance d in the tangential direction T-T is proportional to the force with which the disc pushes the pad in the tangential direction T-T. In this way, the braking action can be quantified by evaluating the deformation of at least one portion of the caliper body in the tangential direction T-T.

According to an embodiment, said caliper body 5 comprises: a first elongated portion 24 adapted to face, directly or indirectly through at least a first brake pad 31, a first braking surface of the disc 2; and an opposite second elongated portion 25 adapted to face, directly or indirectly through at least a second brake pad 32, a second braking surface of the disc 2 opposite to said first braking surface. According to an embodiment, said first elongated portion 24 is placed on the side of the caliper body 5 associated with said support structure 4. According to an embodiment, said first elongated portion 24 is placed on a side of the caliper body 5 associable with the vehicle through said support structure 4.

According to an embodiment, said caliper body 5 comprises at least one caliper bridge 26 straddling the disc 2 connecting said first elongated portion 24 and said second elongated portion 25.

According to an embodiment, said caliper body 5 comprises an inner caliper portion 27 adapted to face the disc 2 and an opposite outer caliper portion 28. Preferably, said inner caliper portion 27 defines a disc housing 9, which is adapted to receive a portion of the disc 2.

According to an embodiment, at least said first elongated portion 24 or said second elongated portion 25 defines at least one thrust device housing 29 adapted to receive a thrust device 15 adapted to press the back of a brake pad 31, 32, preferably the back of a support plate 30, against a friction material 33 of an associable brake pad 31, 32.

According to an embodiment, said brake caliper 3 comprises thrust means 15, for example a cylinder-piston assembly, adapted to press the brake pads 31, 32 and to abut them against the facing braking surface of the disc 2. According to an embodiment, said brake caliper 3 comprises thrust means 15 associated only with said second elongated portion 25, avoiding the provision of thrust means 15 associated with said first elongated portion 24. According to an embodiment, said brake caliper 3 comprises thrust means 15 associated with said first elongated portion 24 and said second elongated portion 25.

According to an embodiment, said brake caliper 3 comprises at least two opposite brake pads 31, 32, each comprising friction material 33, adapted to be pressed against opposite braking surfaces of the disc 2 during a braking action. According to an embodiment, each brake pad 31, 32 further comprises a support plate 30 adapted to support said friction material 33. According to an embodiment, each brake pad 31, 32 is made in a single piece, for example made of carbon.

According to an embodiment, said caliper body comprises a disc inlet side 11 and a disc outlet side 12 opposite to said disc inlet side 11 in a tangential direction T-T. When in a forward driving condition of the vehicle, the disc 2 rotates in the direction of rotation V, a given portion of the disc enters said disc housing 9 of the caliper body 5 from said disc inlet side 11 and leaves the disc housing 9 from said disc outlet side 12.

According to an embodiment, said caliper and support assembly 1 comprises at least one disc entry side fixing means 34 which constrains said caliper body 5 with respect to said support element 4 along said predetermined direction T-T. Preferably, said disc inlet side 11 of the caliper body 5 is associated with said disc inlet side fixing means 34. Said disc inlet side fixing means 34 are provided to prevent, locally, preferably on the disc inlet side of the caliper body, deformation of the caliper body 5 with respect to the support element 4 along said predetermined direction T-T.

According to an embodiment, said caliper body 5 comprises a connection portion 18 coupled with said support element 4 and wherein said connection portion comprises said first portion 7 of caliper body 5.

According to an embodiment, said connection portion 18 of the caliper body 5 is coupled with said support element 4, so as to avoid the formation of constraints between said caliper body 5 and said support element 4 along said at least one predetermined direction T-T. In this way, the deformation of the caliper body 5 in said predetermined direction T-T is facilitated without portions of elastic instability due to peak loads in the caliper body 5.

According to an embodiment, said support element 4 comprises a connection counter-portion coupled with said caliper body 5 and wherein said connection counter-portion comprises said second portion 8 of the support element 4.

According to an embodiment, said connection portion 18 of the caliper body 5 is coupled with said connection counter-portion of the support element 4, so as to avoid the formation of constraints between said caliper body 5 and said support element 4 along said at least one predetermined direction T-T.

According to an embodiment, said connection portion 18 of the caliper body 5 cooperates with said connection counter-portion of the support element 4 so as to form a constraint between said caliper body 5 and said support element 4 in the axial direction X-X.

According to an embodiment, said connection portion of the caliper body 5 comprises at least one groove wall 13 at least partially defining a groove 14.

According to an embodiment, said slot 14 receives the connection means 20 of the support element 4 and describes a slot edge profile of a shape elongated along said predetermined direction T-T, so as to avoid the formation of constraints between said caliper body 5 and said support element 4 along said predetermined direction T-T. In other words, said connection means 20 avoid abutting on said at least one groove wall 13 by moving along said predetermined direction T-T with respect to the caliper body 5.

Preferably, said groove 14 is arranged on said disc outlet side 12 of the caliper body 5.

The provision of such a slot 14 allows said caliper body 5 to form a constraint which slides between a portion of the caliper body 5 and said support element 4 substantially along said predetermined direction T-T.

According to an embodiment, the slot edge describes a substantially oval profile. According to an embodiment, the groove edge describes a substantially elliptical profile.

According to an embodiment, said connection counter-portion of the support element 4 comprises connection means 20 received in said slot 14 of the caliper body 5.

According to an embodiment, said at least one groove wall 13 comprises said first portion 7 of the caliper body 5.

According to an embodiment, said connection means 20 comprise said second portion 8 of the support element 4.

According to an embodiment, said connection means 20 of the support element 4 are coupled with said slot 14 of the caliper body 5, so as to avoid the formation of constraints between said caliper body 5 and said support element 4 along said at least one predetermined direction T-T.

According to an embodiment, said connection means 20 cooperate with said at least one groove wall 13 of said caliper body 5, forming a constraint between said caliper body 5 and said support element 4 in the axial direction X-X.

According to an embodiment, said connection means 20 comprise at least one stud bolt.

According to an embodiment, the connection means 20 comprise at least one bushing fitted on the stud. In this way, during use in braking, the bushing slides against the at least one groove wall 13, thereby protecting the stud bolt from wear due to friction, for example due to sliding friction. The provision of said bush also serves as a spacer separating the tightening nut of the connection device 20 from the caliper body, avoiding to prevent the friction obstruction exerted by the portion under the head of the tightening nut or to prevent the deformation of the caliper body.

According to an embodiment, said disc outlet side 12 of the caliper body 5 comprises said first portion 7.

According to a preferred embodiment, said disc entry side fixing means 34 are substantially aligned with said connection means 20 along said preferred direction T-T.

During a braking action, the disc 2 exerts a feeding action F on the brake pads 31, 32, which is preferably directed substantially parallel to the direction of rotation V of the disc 2, so that the support plate 30 of at least one of said brake pads 31, 32 abuts on the tangential abutment portion 35 of the caliper body 5. Preferably, said feeding action is directed along said predetermined direction T-T. In this way, the feeding action elastically deforms at least a portion of the caliper body 5 interposed between said disc inlet side fixing means 34 and said abutment portion 35 along said predetermined direction T-T.

According to an embodiment, said detection means 6 comprise at least one sensor 16. Preferably, the sensor 16 is an eddy current sensor.

According to an embodiment, the sensor 16 is an LVDT.

According to an embodiment, said sensor 16 is integral with the caliper body 5.

According to an embodiment, said sensor 16 is integral with said first portion 7 of the caliper body 5.

According to an embodiment, said sensor 16 comprises said first portion 7 of the caliper body 5.

According to an embodiment, the sensor 16 comprises a depending sensor portion 17 which protrudes depending from the tank wall 13 into the tank 14 towards the connection means 20.

According to an embodiment, said overhanging portion of sensor 17 extends substantially along said predetermined direction T-T.

According to an embodiment, said sensor 16 comprises an output portion 19 of the sensor 16 adapted to be connected at least to a data transmission line 21. According to an embodiment, said detection means 6 are associated with a data processing unit adapted to receive information about said tangential distance d, in order to quantify the braking action and/or to estimate the braking torque and/or to calculate the braking force. Preferably, said detection means 6 are associated with a data processing unit through said data transmission line 21.

According to an embodiment, said brake caliper 3 comprises at least one brake fluid supply pipe 22. Preferably, the detection device 6 is located in the vicinity of the brake fluid supply pipe 22. In this way, the data transmission line 21 can advantageously pass through the vehicle beside the brake fluid supply pipe 22, avoiding the provision of an additional path dedicated to the data transmission line 21.

According to an embodiment, said caliper body 5 comprises a flat surface 23 extending on a plane perpendicular to said predetermined direction T-T. Preferably, said flat surface 23 extends on a portion of the caliper body 5 opposite to the disc 2 or not suitable to face the disc 2. According to an embodiment, said outer caliper side 28 comprises said flat surface 23.

According to an embodiment, said flat surface 23 of the caliper body 5 is made by removing material.

According to an embodiment, said connection portion 18 of the caliper body 5 comprises said flat surface 23.

According to an embodiment, said detection means 6, preferably said sensor 16, are associated with said flat surface 23. According to an embodiment, said outlet portion 19 of the sensor 16 protrudes depending from the flat surface 23.

According to an embodiment, said brake caliper 3 is a fixed type caliper.

According to an embodiment, said brake caliper 3 is a floating type caliper.

The method for detecting the deformation of the caliper body during braking will be described below.

The method for detecting the deformation of a caliper body along a predetermined direction T-T during braking comprises the following steps:

-providing a caliper and support assembly 1, said caliper and support assembly 1 comprising a brake caliper 3 comprising a caliper body 5 and a support element 4 connected to said caliper body 5;

identifying a first portion 7 of the caliper body which moves with respect to a second portion of the support element 8 during the actuation;

-detecting the distance d between said first portion 7 of the calliper body 5 and said second portion 8 of the support element 4 along at least said predetermined direction T-T.

The step of detecting the distance d between said first portion 7 of the calliper body 5 and said second portion 8 of the support element 4 along at least said predetermined direction T-T is carried out by detecting said distance d along at least the tangential direction T-T, according to a possible operating mode.

The step of detecting the distance d between said first portion 7 of the calliper body 5 and said second portion 8 of the support element 4 along at least said predetermined direction T-T is carried out during braking use and in a forward-driving condition, according to a possible operating mode.

According to a possible operating mode, the method comprises the additional steps of: the distance detected in the braking condition is compared with the distance detected in the forward driving condition.

According to a general embodiment, a caliper body 5 for a brake caliper 3 of a disc brake 10 is provided, wherein an axial direction X-X coinciding with or parallel to the rotation axis of a disc 2 of the disc brake, a radial direction R-R orthogonal to the axial direction X-X, and a tangential direction T-or direction T-T orthogonal to both the axial direction X-X and the radial direction R-R are defined. Said caliper body 5 comprises a disc inlet side 11 and a disc outlet side 12 opposite to said disc inlet side 11 in a tangential direction T-T, wherein at least said disc inlet side 11 or said disc outlet side 12, preferably said disc outlet side 12, comprises at least one groove wall 13 at least partially defining a groove 14 adapted to receive a connecting means 20 for forming a connection between the caliper body 5 and the associated support element 4. Said slot 14 has an extension in the tangential direction T-T which is greater than the dimension of the connection means 20 in the tangential direction T-T, so as to define a predetermined tangential distance d between at least one of said slot walls 13 and said connection means 20 when said connection means 20 are received in said slot 14, thereby allowing at least a portion of the caliper body 5 to be elastically deformed in the tangential direction T-T during a braking action.

According to an embodiment, at least one of said walls of the slot 13 comprises at least one first portion 7 which can move in a tangential direction T-T during the actuation with respect to the second portion 8 of the support element 4 associable with the caliper body 5.

According to an embodiment, said caliper body 5 is associated with detection means 6, which detection means 6 are adapted to detect the tangential distance d between said groove wall 13 and said connection means 20.

By means of the above features, assemblies and methods can be obtained in particular embodiments independently of each other or jointly, which simultaneously satisfy the above mutually contradictory requirements and the above desired advantages, and in particular:

-making it possible to detect the deformation of the caliper body in a simple and repeatable manner;

making it possible to obtain a method for quantifying the braking action based on the detection of the deformation of the caliper body, which is simple to manufacture, while having improved reliability and repeatability with respect to known solutions, although it is applicable to every type of brake caliper;

-making it possible to detect an amount proportional to the braking torque;

so that the detection means can be placed on a flat surface 23 of the caliper body formed substantially perpendicular to the direction along which the deformation of the caliper body is evaluated;

making it possible to arrange the detection means and the associable data transmission line 21 in the portion of the caliper body that has provided the connection with the brake fluid supply circuit, in order to facilitate the passage of said data transmission line 21 through the vehicle body.

Numerous variations, changes and substitutions may be made by those skilled in the art to the above-described embodiments, or elements may be substituted by other functionally equivalent elements, in order to meet contingent needs, without however departing from the scope of protection of the appended claims.

According to a general embodiment, the caliper and support assembly for a disc brake 1 comprises a brake caliper 3. Said brake caliper 3 comprises a caliper body 5 adapted to straddle an associable disc 2 of the disc brake.

The caliper and support assembly 1 further comprises a support element 4 connected to the caliper body 5.

Said caliper body 5 comprises a first portion 7, for example a portion of an elongated element 24.

Said support element 4 comprises a second portion 8, for example a bracket, projecting overhangingly towards said first elongated portion of the brake caliper body 24.

During a braking action, the caliper body 5 is elastically deformed according to at least one predetermined direction T-T, determining the displacement of the first portion 7 of the caliper body 5 with respect to said second portion 8 of the support element 4 in at least said predetermined direction T-T.

Said calliper and support assembly 1 comprises at least one detection means 6 fixed to said first portion 7 of the elongated element 24, which detects the distance "d" between said first portion 7 of the calliper body 5 and said second portion 8 of the support element 4, at least along said predetermined direction T-T.

According to an embodiment, a disc brake 10 is provided, wherein the detection means 6 are integrally placed outside the elongated element 24 of the brake caliper body 5 and face the following second portion 8 of the support element 4: the second portion of the support element, which the detection means faces, is provided in the support element 4 and is arranged to project overhangingly towards the brake caliper body 5 facing the detection means 6.

According to a general embodiment, the caliper and support assembly for a disc brake 1 comprises a brake caliper 3. Said brake caliper 3 comprises a caliper body 5 adapted to straddle an associable disc 2 of the disc brake.

The caliper and support assembly 1 further comprises a support element 4 connected to the caliper body 5.

The caliper body 5 comprises a first portion 7, for example an elongated element portion 24, for example a bracket, projecting overhangingly towards the support element 4.

The support element 4 comprises a second portion 8.

During a braking action, the caliper body 5 is elastically deformed according to at least one predetermined direction T-T, determining the displacement of the first portion 7 of the caliper body 5 with respect to said second portion 8 of the support element 4 in at least said predetermined direction T-T.

Said calliper and support assembly 1 comprises at least one detection means 6 fixed to said second portion 8 of the support element 4, which detects the distance "d" between said first portion 7 of the calliper body 5 and said second portion 8 of the support element 4, at least along said predetermined direction T-T.

According to another embodiment, a disc brake 10 is provided, in which the detection means 6 are firmly connected to the outside of the support element 4 and face the following first portion 7: the first portion facing the detection means extends from the elongated element 24 of the caliper body 5, is placed overhanging on this elongated element 24 and projects towards the support element 4 facing the detection means 6.

List of reference numerals

1 Caliper and support Assembly

2 disks

3 brake caliper

4 support element

5 Caliper body

6 detection device

7 first part of the caliper body

8 second part of the support element

9 hub carrier

10 disc brake

11 Caliper body disk inlet side

12 caliper body disc outlet side

13 groove wall

14 groove

15 thrust device

16 sensor

17 overhang of sensor

18 connection of a caliper body to a support element

19 sensor outlet section

20 support element connection device

21 data transmission line

22 brake fluid supply pipe

23 flat surface

24 first elongated portion of caliper body

25 second elongated portion of caliper body

26 Caliper bridge

27 inside of caliper

28 Caliper outer side

29 thrust device shell

30 brake pad supporting plate

31 first brake pad

32 second brake pad

33 Friction material

34 fixing device

35 tangent line adjacent part

X-X. axial direction

T-T. tangential direction

R-R radial direction

Direction of rotation of the disk

F. Feeding action