Method for fabricating monoblock brake caliper for vehicle

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a monoblock brake caliper in which brake hydraulic lines, which are pipes, are provided inside a caliper body and a brake hose fixing device is provided on the outside the caliper body, and a plurality of cylinders are cast by sand casting. Prior to the casting process for forming the caliper body, the brake hydraulic lines are pressed into a sand cast, and then the caliper body is formed by the casting process. The brake hose fixing device comprises: a brake hose fixing omnidirectional bolt which fixes by rotating into a thread on the caliper body; the brake hose seated on the brake hose fixing omnidirectional bolt; and a fixing nut which fixes the brake hose fixing omnidirectional bolt and brake hose by rotating same from the center thereof.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a brake caliper, the method comprising: forming a sand core having at least one cylinder core corresponding to at least one cylinder of a caliper body; preparing a plurality of brake hydraulic lines, including: forming a cutting groove on a boundary, of each brake hydraulic line, between a first portion configured to be planted into the caliper body during a casting process and a second portion configured to be cut away from the caliper body after the casting process; and blocking an end of the second portion such that casting material is prevented from flowing into each brake hydraulic line during the casting process; press-inserting the second portion of each brake hydraulic line into the at least one cylinder core of the sand core prior to the casting process; forming the caliper body, in which the plurality of brake hydraulic lines are planted and which has a threaded hole formed thereon, using the casting process; removing the sand core from the caliper body after the casting process; cutting away, from the caliper body in which the plurality of brake hydraulic lines are planted, the second portion of each brake hydraulic line at the cutting groove; and fastening a brake hose fixing device into the threaded hole formed in the caliper body.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fastening the brake hose fixing device includes: fastening a brake hose fixing omnidirectional bolt, which has a plurality of grooves arranged with regular intervals on a top circumferential portion thereof along a circumferential direction thereof, into the threaded hole formed on the caliper body; resting a brake hose on the brake hose fixing omnidirectional bolt via one of the plurality of grooves; and fixing the brake hose to the brake hose fixing omnidirectional bolt using a fixing nut.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the fastening the brake hose fixing device further includes: fastening a first copper washer between the fixing nut and the brake hose; and fastening a second copper washer between the brake hose and the brake hose fixing omnidirectional bolt.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a monoblock brake caliper according to the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a sand core of a cylinder for manufacturing a monoblock brake caliper and brake hydraulic lines according to the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a brake hydraulic line according to the present invention.

(4) FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which brake hydraulic lines are press-fitted into a sand core of a cylinder according to the present invention,

(5) FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a molded monoblock brake caliper according to the present invention using a sand core.

(6) FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a state after removing the sand core according to the present invention.

(7) FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a brake hose fixing device of a monoblock brake caliper according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(9) Although the monoblock brake caliper for a motor vehicle according to the present invention is manufactured through various steps, only details directly related to the key idea of the present invention will be described in detail for the sake of clarity

(10) Referring to FIG. 1, in a monoblock brake caliper 10, brake hydraulic lines are press-inserted into a sand core before casting a caliper body 11 so that brake hydraulic lines are disposed inside the caliper body. As a result, the pipe-type hydraulic brake lines are planted.

(11) That is, after first to third brake hydraulic lines 31, 32 and 33 are press-inserted into the sand core 20 as shown in FIG. 2, the caliper body 11 may formed through a casting process.

(12) Therefore, since the brake hydraulic lines are not required to be formed by using the sand core, the brake hydraulic lines can be formed to have a thin thickness, and, thus, the brake caliper response ability can be generally improved.

(13) In FIG. 2, reference numerals 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26 denote the first to sixth cylinder cores, which are sand cores used for forming the cylinders of the brake caliper.

(14) The detailed appearance of the first brake hydraulic line described above is shown in FIG. 3.

(15) Referring to FIG. 3, a cut portion 35 of the first brake hydraulic line 31 is cut and discarded based on the reference line 34 after the casting process to mold the brake caliper. To this end, a concave groove is formed in a portion of the first brake hydraulic line 31 corresponding to the reference line 34.

(16) As shown in FIG. 4, prior to the casting process of forming the caliper body 11, the brake hydraulic lines 31 32 and 33 are press-inserted into the sand core, and then, the caliper body 11 is formed through the casting process.

(17) That is, the brake hydraulic lines 31 32 and 33 are press-inserted into the sand core 20, and then the casting process of the caliper body 11 is performed. In this casting process, the end portions of the brake hydraulic lines 31 32 and 33 are bent so that casting metal does not enter the brake hydraulic lines 31 32 and 33.

(18) Each of the brake hydraulic lines is divided into a portion to be planted, and a portion to be cut away, based on the reference line. The end of the cut portion of each of the brake hydraulic lines is blocked prior to the casting process so that so that casting material does not enter the brake hydraulic lines.

(19) This is useful because the ends of the brake hydraulic lines 31 32 and 33 are very difficult to machine even with a tool, with considering the structural characteristics of the monoblock brake caliper that are monolithically cast.

(20) When the casting process of the caliper body is performed, a product as shown in FIG. 5 may be produced.

(21) Referring to FIG. 5, the sand core 20 is configured to allow formation of six cylinders. The first to third brake hydraulic lines 31 32 and 33 press-inserted into the sand core 20 are planted and molded.

(22) The sand core is separated and removed by the vibration force from the brake caliper which has undergone the casting process, whereby the brake caliper as shown in FIG. 6 is formed.

(23) On the other hand, a brake hose fixing device 40 as shown in FIG. 7 is provided on an outer face of the caliper body. The caliper body has a threaded hole (not shown) defined therein such that the brake hose fixing device 40 is mounted on the caliper body using bolts.

(24) Referring to FIG. 7, the brake hose fixing device 40 includes: a brake hose fixing omnidirectional bolt 41 fastened into the threaded hole formed in the caliper body 11, a brake hose 42 resting on the brake hose fixing omnidirectional bolt 41, and a fixing nut 43 for fixation between the brake hose fixing omnidirectional bolt 41 and the brake hose 42

(25) In this connection, the top circumferential portion of the brake hose fixing omnidirectional bolt 41 fastened to the threaded hole formed in the caliper body 11 has a plurality of grooves defined therein. These grooves are arranged along a circumferential direction at regular intervals, and may be at least three or more. The brake hose 42 is inserted into one of the grooves of the brake hose fixing omnidirectional bolt 41. Thus, the brake hose can be oriented in all directions, i.e. all directions.

(26) Further, a first copper washer 44 is fastened between the fixing nut 43 and the brake hose 42, while a second copper washer 45 is fastened between the brake hose 42 and the brake hose fixing omnidirectional bolt 41.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(27) TABLE-US-00001 10; monoblock brake caliper 11; caliper body 20; sand core 21; first cylinder core 22; second cylinder core 23; third cylinder core 24; fourth cylinder core 25; fifth cylinder core 26; sixth cylinder core 31; first brake hydraulic line 32; second brake hydraulic line 33; third brake hydraulic line 34; reference line 35; cut portion 40; brake hose fixing device 41; brake hose fixing omnidirectional bolt 42; brake hose 43; fixing nut 44; first copper washer 45; second copper washer