Securing device for securing a signal cable

Abstract

A securing device secures at least one signal cable to a pad retainer bracket of a disc brake, wherein the disc brake has a pad retainer bracket that is secured to a brake caliper of the disc brake spanning a brake disc. The securing device has a retainer that can be arranged on the pad retainer bracket. The signal cable is retained in the retainer, wherein the retainer is also interlockingly and/or frictionally retained on one side in a lateral region of the pad retainer bracket. The signal cable is guided between the retainer and the associated side of the pad retainer bracket.

Claims

1. A combination for securing at least one signal cable to a disc brake, comprising: a pad retainer bracket of the disc brake; and a securing device including a retainer in which the at least one signal cable is guided, wherein when in an installed position in the disc brake, the pad retainer bracket spans a least a portion of an opening of a caliper of the disc brake in a region at the opening which is radially outward of a brake disc and brake pads of the disc brake, the pad retainer bracket includes a radially outer surface facing away from a rotation axis of the brake disc, and includes at least one groove parallel to a pad retainer bracket lateral side facing in a circumferential direction of the brake disc, the retainer is configured to be arranged at the pad retainer bracket lateral side facing in the circumferential direction of the brake disc, and to support the at least one signal cable positioned laterally between a circumferential side of the retainer and the pad retainer bracket lateral side in the region radially outward of the brake disc and the brake pads, when in the installed position, no portion of the brake pad retainer bracket either in or radially outward from the opening in the caliper is farther in the circumferential direction from a circumferential center of the pad retainer bracket than the retainer is from the circumferential center of the pad retainer bracket in the same circumferential direction, the retainer is configured to be retained on the pad retainer bracket by positive locking and/or friction locking at the pad retainer bracket lateral side facing in a circumferential direction of the brake disc by at least one clamping leg of the retainer extending in the circumferential direction and engaging the at least one groove of the pad retainer bracket.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retainer runs substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the pad retainer bracket and has areas which are U-shaped or C-shaped in cross section, forming an upper side leg and, running parallel to the upper leg at a distance therefrom, a lower side leg, which rest against the pad retainer bracket.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pad retainer bracket has a web at least at one side associated with the upper side leg or lower side leg, which web is grasped by the at least one clamping leg.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one clamping leg is configured as an insertion taper in its free edge region.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein locking tabs bent at an angle toward each other are provided on the upper and/or lower side leg, forming a side displacement barrier for the at least one signal cable.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 2, wherein clamping clips are formed on the upper and/or lower side leg, for fixing the at least one signal cable.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retainer and the at least one signal cable are pre-assembled as a structural unit prior to installation on the caliper.

8. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retainer is formed as a shaped sheet metal part.

9. The combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pad retainer bracket has a substantially flattened shape in cross section perpendicular to its longitudinal direction, with two short sides and two long sides, the longitudinal direction of the pad retainer bracket lies parallel with an axis of rotation of the brake disc, and the at least one signal cable is led and secured between the retainer and an associated short side of the pad retainer bracket in cross section.

10. The combination as claimed in claim 9, wherein the pad retainer bracket has a flat, rectangular shape.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIGS. 1 and 2 are different perspective top views of a portion of a disc brake illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a securing according to the invention.

(2) FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the portion of FIG. 1 in a preassembled position of the retainer.

(3) FIGS. 4 and 5 are respective exemplary embodiments of a retainer in a cross section.

(4) FIG. 6 is another exemplary embodiment of a retainer in the mounted position in a sectioned side view.

(5) FIG. 7 is a perspective top view of the variant embodiment of FIG. 6.

(6) FIG. 8 is another exemplary embodiment of the retainer, likewise in a perspective top view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(7) FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively show in a cutout view a disc brake—especially one intended for use in a commercial vehicle.

(8) The disc brake comprises a brake caliper 1. The caliper engages across a brake disc 2 arranged rotatably on the vehicle side. In the brake caliper 1 are arranged two brake pads 3, each having a pad support plate 4 and a friction pad 5 connected thereto, being positioned on either side of the brake disc 2. During a braking event, the friction pads 5 and the rotatable brake disc 2 come into frictional contact with each other, so that the brake disc 2 and thus the vehicle are braked.

(9) Especially for the mounting or dismounting of the brake pads 3, the brake caliper 1 has a preferably circumferentially closed mounting opening 10.

(10) This mounting opening 10 is spanned or bridged by a pad retainer bracket 7 held directly or indirectly on the brake caliper 1, against which pad retaining springs 6 press here, these being arranged on the pad support plates 4, carrying the friction pads 5, of the brake pads 3.

(11) The pad retainer bracket 7 may completely span the mounting opening 10, especially in parallel with the axis of rotation of the brake disc. Alternatively, it may also not completely span the mounting opening 10, but instead only be secured on one side on the brake caliper 1 (not shown). It then also lies preferably parallel to the axis of rotation of the brake disc. It then acts preferably radially on only the one of the two brake pads 3 in a securing manner. The invention may also be implemented on such a pad retainer bracket 7. The other brake pad is then otherwise secured radially. The brake pads 3 are held preferably in pad shafts of a brake carrier. The brake caliper 1 is preferably a sliding caliper. The brake pads can preferably be inserted through the mounting opening into the brake carrier 1.

(12) In order to identify the wear on the friction pads 5 resulting from braking events, a wear sensor (not shown here) is integrated in each of the brake pads. A signal cable 9 is connected to each wear sensor. At least one of the signal cables 9 is laid across the mounting opening 10 and led to a brake pad wear detecting and indicating device (not shown here) of the disc brake.

(13) The signal cable 9 is led through a retainer 8, which is held at one side in the spanning direction X of the pad retainer bracket 7 in positive locking and/or friction locking fashion on the bracket. The pad retainer bracket 7 has substantially a flattened shape, especially the shape of a (flat) rectangle, in cross section perpendicular to its longitudinal direction or perpendicular to the spanning direction X. The spanning direction X and the longitudinal direction of the pad retainer bracket 7 lie parallel to the axis of rotation of the brake disc 2.

(14) The retainer 8 is accordingly arranged on one side at a lateral region of the pad retainer bracket 7 and is held thereon by positive locking and/or friction locking. The signal cable 9 is led between the retainer 8 and an associated side of the pad retainer bracket 7. “Lateral” or “side” means here the short sides of the rectangular cross section of the pad retainer bracket 7.

(15) Such a retainer 8 is shown enlarged in FIGS. 3-5.

(16) It may be noticed here that the retainer 8 in the example has a U-shaped cross section, with two side legs 12, 15 running parallel and spaced apart from each other, one upper side leg 12 resting against the side of the pad retainer bracket 7 facing away from the pad retaining spring 6, while the lower side leg 15 is braced against the opposite situated, i.e., the lower side of the pad retainer bracket 7.

(17) In the example, a clamping leg 11 is molded on a partial region of the upper side leg 12, which in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 engages across a web 13 of the pad retainer bracket 7, so that a displacement lock for the retainer 8 is produced transversely to the longitudinal extension of the pad retainer bracket 7.

(18) The at least one web 13 extends in the direction of longitudinal extension of the pad retainer bracket 7 at least across a portion of the length of the pad retainer bracket 7 and protrudes beyond it. The direction of the longitudinal extension corresponds to the spanning direction X. This preferably lies parallel with the axis of rotation of the brake disc 2.

(19) A free edge region of the clamping leg 11 of the retainer 8 is fashioned as an insertion taper, so that the clamping leg 11 can easily slide across the web 13 when mounting the retainer 8. When dismounting the retainer 8, the insertion taper of the clamping leg 11 serves for applying a suitable tool, such as a screwdriver.

(20) FIG. 5 shows another variant for the clamping of the retainer 8 on the pad retainer bracket 7. The retainer 8 once again is arranged at one side on a side region of the pad retainer bracket 7 and held thereon by positive locking and/or friction locking, the signal cable 9 being led between the retainer 8 and an associated side of the pad retainer bracket 7.

(21) Here, the clamping leg 11 is inserted in a groove 19 of the pad retainer bracket 7, so that likewise a positive locking and, in addition, a friction locking due to the insertion tapers of the clamping leg 11 is produced transversely to the longitudinal extension of the pad retainer bracket 7.

(22) For the fixation of the signal cable 9 in the retainer 8, angled locking tabs 14 are provided on the lower side leg, which cooperate with clamping clips 20 especially evident in FIG. 8 to provide a permanent positioning of the signal cable 9 in the retainer 8.

(23) FIG. 6 shows an enlarged cut-out in a sectional side view of the installed retainer 8. It may be noticed here that the signal cable 9 is held in a flexible sheath 16, which is led in the interior space formed between the pad retainer bracket 7 and the retainer 8 and which forms a protection against damage for the signal cable 9.

(24) Like FIG. 3, FIGS. 7 and 8 likewise show the retainer 8 prior to installation, i.e., prior to being pressed onto the pad retainer bracket 7.

(25) In FIGS. 7 and 8, the retainer 8 may be recognized as a preassembled structural unit, wherein the retainer 8 has been fitted out with the signal cable 9 at the factory, so that this structural unit can be arranged functionally on the mounted pad retainer bracket 7.

(26) As a further possibility for a positive locking of the retainer 8 with the pad retainer bracket 7, FIG. 8 shows that one of the side legs 12, 15, in the example the upper side leg 12, is provided with a hole 17, which engages with a pin 18 of the pad retainer bracket 7. The aforementioned insertion taper of the clamping leg 11 is provided for the pin 18 to travel over it during the installing of the retainer 8.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(27) 1 Brake caliper 2 Brake disc 3 Brake pad 4 Pad support plate 5 Friction pad 6 Pad retaining spring 7 Pad retainer bracket 8 Retainer 9 Signal cable 10 Mounting opening 11 Clamping leg 12 Upper side leg 13 Web 14 Locking tab 15 Lower side leg 16 Sheath 17 Hole 18 Pin 19 Furrow 20 Clamping clip

(28) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.