A friction material composition that enables a friction material, which contains no copper or contains not more than 0.5 mass % of copper, to maintain sufficient friction coefficient in fade conditions at high speed such that brake temperature rises abnormally by repeated rapid braking at deceleration of 0.8 G from a vehicle speed of 200 km/h, is provided. A friction material obtained by molding the friction material composition is also provided. The friction material composition contains a binder, an organic filler, an inorganic filler, and a fibrous base material, and the friction material composition contains no copper as an element or contains not more than 0.5 mass % of copper, and also contains 2 to 5 mass % of steel fibers that have fiber lengths of 800 μm or more.

The present invention provides a friction material and a brake pad having excellent wear resistance while exhibiting a high friction coefficient under high-temperature and high-speed conditions. A friction material containing: 40 mass % or more and 80 mass % or less of a matrix containing at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Ni and Fe; 10 mass % or more and 30 mass % or less of inorganic particles containing zircon particles, titania particles, and mullite particles; and 10 mass % or more and 30 mass % or less of a lubricant containing at least one kind selected from the group consisting of graphite, molybdenum disulfide, boron nitride and calcium fluoride, wherein a content of the zircon particles is 30 vol % or more and 36 vol % or less, a content of the titania particles is 30 vol % or more and 36 vol % or less, and a content of the mullite particles is 30 vol % or more and 36 vol % or less with respect to a total content of 100 vol % of the zircon particles, the titania particles, and the mullite particles.

The present invention provides a sintered metal friction material that has excellent wear resistance, heat resistance even at high load and has a higher friction coefficient while maintaining a friction coefficient and wear resistance that are hard to decrease, and has a reduced content of copper of less than 5 mass %. There is provided a sintered metal friction material characterized in that the sintered metal friction material comprises a sintered material of a friction material composition, the friction material composition comprises matrix metals and a friction modifier, the matrix metals comprise following 20 to 40 mass % of iron powder, 20 to 40 mass % of nickel powder, 0.5 to 10 mass % of zinc powder, 0.5 to 5 mass, of tin powder, 0.5 to 4 mass % of copper powder and 0.5 to 5 mass % of sintering assist powder.

A brake pad has a brake lining with a first section and a second section. The first section includes a plurality of first layers having a first material and a plurality of second layers having a second material. The first material is different from the second material. The plurality of first layers and the plurality of second layers are alternatingly arranged between one another. The second section includes a plurality of third layers having the second material and a plurality of fourth layers having the first material. The plurality of third layers and the plurality of fourth layers are alternatingly arranged between one another. The plurality of first layers are adjacent to corresponding ones of the plurality of third layers are co-planar with one another. Further, the plurality of second layers are adjacent to corresponding ones of the plurality of fourth layers are co-planar with one another.

A brake shoe having brake linings for a brake apparatus includes a carrier element, and a first brake lining segment configured to be mounted on the carrier element, and a second brake lining segment configured to be mounted on the carrier element, the first brake lining segment and the second brake lining segment being spaced apart from one another in a mounted state, and the first brake lining segment and the second brake lining segment differing from one another with regard to material composition, force loading and/or shape to configure a friction profile.

A pressure plate for a friction coupling such as a clutch or brake system is disclosed in the present application. The pressure plate includes one or more pockets with a phase change material disposed therein. The phase change material operates to absorb and release heat when the friction coupling cycles between activation and deactivation so as to minimize a maximum temperature of the pressure plate.

Using a friction material composition comprising: a fiber; a friction adjusting material; a binding material; and an uncrosslinked rubber being solid at normal temperature (25° C.), a friction material is obtained, wherein an ambient compressibility in a piston-pressing direction is 2% or less at normal temperature (25° C.) and at 4 MPa, and a tan δ value in a sliding direction at −20° C. to 50° C. is 0.05 or larger. Thereby, a friction material which has high damping properties and acceptable brake noise, which can prevent a decrease in responsiveness when brakes are applied, and prevent a decrease in the feeling of effectiveness associated therewith, and which can suppress a decrease in the fuel efficiency and an increase in abrasion caused by the dragging occurring when the friction material is brought into contact with a brake rotor; and a method for producing the friction material, can be provided.

The invention relates to a wet-running multi-plate clutch (1) comprising a number of inner plates (2) and a number of outer plates (3), and a first friction lining (6) is disposed on either side of every inner plate (2) respectively and a second friction lining (8) is disposed on either side of every outer plate (3) respectively, and the first friction linings (6) are located entirely underneath the second friction linings (8) in the radial direction so that the first friction linings (6) move into frictional contact with the outer plate main bodies (7) when the multi-plate clutch (1) is engaged and the second friction linings (8) move into frictional contact with the inner plate main bodies (5) when the multi-plate clutch (1) is engaged. The first friction linings (6) respectively have at least one first groove (13) with a groove depth of up to 100% of a friction lining thickness of the first friction linings (6) and the second friction linings (8) have no or respectively have at least one second groove (16) which has a smaller cross-sectional surface area, as viewed in the longitudinal extension of the second grooves (16), than the first grooves (13) as viewed in the same direction.

A disc brake for railway vehicles comprising a pad and a disk on which the pad acts is provided. The pad comprises a base plate and a plurality of friction elements fixed to the base plate. The friction elements comprise first friction elements made of a first material and second friction elements made of a second material. The second material has a compressibility modulus (e.g., the pressure needed to compress the material by 1 mm) that is at least 5 MPa less smaller than the compressibility modulus of the first material. There may be more of the first friction elements than the second friction elements.

Expanded graphite and/or vermiculite are introduced into the friction lining mixture to eliminate or substantially reduce the amount of binder present therein. The friction lining at most contains from 2.5% by weight of binder. By omitting/reducing binder, the production is very stable and the friction linings can be easily reproduced. The process steps of hardening (including the hardening furnace) and scorching (including the necessary equipment) can be omitted when making such friction linings.