BRAKE CALIPER WITH A COVER

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a brake caliper for a disk brake, comprising a support structure having a bridge and at least one bridge finger. The at least one bridge finger has a brake lining side, an outer side, and a bore introduced into the outer side. The bore has a bore wall, a bore groove let into the bore wall. A cover having a pin projects into the bore and a pin groove extending into the pin circumferential surface, A sleeve is arranged between the bore wall and the pin circumferential surface and has a sleeve body

The sleeve has a spring arm which is bent outward in the radial direction away from the sleeve body and/or a spring arm which is bent inward in the radial direction away from the sleeve body. The outwardly bent spring arm engages into the bore groove and/or the inwardly bent spring arm engages into the pin groove.

Claims

1. A brake caliper for a disk brake, comprising: a support structure having a bridge and at least one bridge finger which has a brake lining side, an outer side, and a bore introduced into the outer side and having a bore wall, a bore groove extending into the bore wall, a cover having a pin which projects into the bore and a pin groove extending into the pin circumferential surface, and a sleeve which is arranged between the bore wall and the pin circumferential surface and which has a sleeve body, wherein the sleeve has a spring arm which is bent outward in a radial direction away from the sleeve body and/or a spring arm which is bent inward in the radial direction away from the sleeve body, wherein the outwardly bent spring arm engages into the bore groove and/or the inwardly bent spring arm engages into the pin groove.

2. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bore groove and/or the pin groove is in the form of a circumferential annular groove.

3. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve has a sleeve longitudinal axis AH and wherein, in an unloaded state, a bending angle α1 of the outwardly bent spring arm and/or a bending angle α2 of the inwardly bent spring arm relative to the sleeve longitudinal axis AH is less than 90°.

4. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bending angle α2 of the inwardly bent spring arm decreases when the pin is inserted into the sleeve and/or wherein the bending angle α1 of the outwardly bent spring arm decreases when the sleeve is inserted into the bore.

5. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radially outwardly bent spring arm presses with its spring force into the bore groove and/or wherein the radially inwardly bent spring arm presses with its spring force into the pin groove.

6. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 1, wherein a groove width of the pin groove is greater than a groove width of the bore groove.

7. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bore groove has a groove base which is inclined relative to the bore wall that a radial distance between the bore wall and the groove base decreases in a direction toward the outer side of the at least one bridge finger.

8. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 7, wherein a width of the bore groove increases from the groove base toward the bore wall in that a side wall of the bore groove or a portion thereof, or both side walls of the bore groove or portions thereof, is/are not oriented at a right angle to the bore wall.

9. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spring arm prolongation adjoins the inwardly bent spring arm and/or the outwardly bent spring arm, the spring arm prolongation being integrally connected to the respective spring arm, and forming a bending angle with the respective spring arm and increasing the projection of the respective spring arm a radial direction.

10. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve has on one of its end faces a lip which is directed inward in a radial direction and on which an end face of the pin rests.

11. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover has a visible side and a contact side, wherein the pin is arranged on the contact side, and wherein the cover rests with its contact side on the outer side of the bridge finger.

12. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve with its sleeve body is fitted into the pin groove and is fixed by the pin groove in thew axial direction, based on a longitudinal axis of the pin AZ.

13. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sleeve has on one of its end faces at least two incisions which do not cut through the sleeve and which are arranged spaced apart from one another along the sleeve circumference, wherein a sleeve portion located between the at least two incisions forms the outwardly bent spring arm and wherein a further sleeve portion located between the at least two incisions is part of the sleeve body fitted into the pin groove.

14. A mounting method for producing a brake caliper as claimed in claim 11, comprising the steps: fitting the sleeve onto the pin in such a manner that the inwardly bent spring arm engages into the pin groove and/or the radially inwardly directed lip comes to rest on the end face of the pin, mounting the cover on the brake caliper by inserting the pin provided with the sleeve into the bore in such a manner that the outwardly bent spring arm engages into the bore groove and the cover rests with its contact side on the outer side of the bridge finger.

15. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sleeve has a sleeve longitudinal axis AH and wherein, in an unloaded state, a bending angle α1 of the outwardly bent spring arm and/or a bending angle α2 of the inwardly bent spring arm relative to the sleeve longitudinal axis AH is less than 60°.

16. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pin groove is arranged offset with respect to the bore groove in the axial direction, based on a longitudinal axis of the pin, toward an end face of the pin.

17. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pin groove has a groove base which is inclined relative to the pin circumferential surface that a radial distance between the pin circumferential surface and the groove base decreases in a direction toward an end face of the pin.

18. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 7, wherein the width of the pin groove increases from a groove base toward the pin circumferential surface in that a side wall of the pin groove or portions thereof, or both side walls of the pin groove or portions thereof, is/are not oriented at a right angle to the pin circumferential surface.

19. The brake caliper as claimed in claim 10, wherein the lip is formed along its bending edge by a plurality of folded-over portions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0041] Various exemplary arrangements of the brake caliper according to the disclosure and an example of the mounting method according to the disclosure will be explained hereinbelow with reference to the schematic illustrations of FIGS. 1 to 8:

[0042] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary arrangement of the brake caliper according to the disclosure with a cover, in the manner of an exploded view;

[0043] FIG. 2 is a partial view of an exemplary arrangement of the disclosure, in a sectional view;

[0044] FIG. 3 shows, on an enlarged scale, a partial region of an exemplary arrangement, in the form of a section;

[0045] FIGS. 4a to 4b show various exemplary arrangements of the sleeve according to the disclosure;

[0046] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an exemplary arrangement of the sleeve according to the disclosure;

[0047] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary arrangement of the sleeve according to the disclosure;

[0048] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an exemplary arrangement of the sleeve in a mounting arrangement, according to the disclosure;

[0049] FIG. 8a shows an embodiment of the disclosure, in a sectional view;

[0050] FIG. 8b is a detail view of the bore groove according to one exemplary arrangement of the disclosure;

[0051] FIG. 8c is a detail view of the pin groove according to one exemplary arrangement of the disclosure; and

[0052] FIGS. 9a, 9b, 9c illustrate by way of example the mounting method according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] In an exemplary arrangement of the disclosure, a cover 20 is mounted on a brake caliper 1, as is shown, for example, in FIG. 1. The brake caliper is in the form of a cast metal part. In order better to illustrate the corresponding construction, the parts are shown in an exploded view. The brake caliper 1 comprises a support structure 2 with an actuator holder 3 for holding a brake actuator, a brake caliper fastening 4 and a bridge 5. Adjoining the bridge are two bridge fingers 6, which are arranged spaced apart from one another. The bridge fingers 6 have a brake lining side 7 and an outer side 8, which serves as a support for the cover 20. In the final mounted state on a vehicle, the brake piston, the brake linings and the brake disk (not shown) are arranged between the actuator holder 3 and the brake lining side 7.

[0054] A bore 10 is introduced into the outer side 8 of each of the bridge fingers 6. The size of the cover 20 is such that it covers the bridge fingers 6 and the space 9 between the bridge fingers 6. The cover 20 has a visible side 25 and a contact side 26 and two pins 21, which are arranged corresponding to the bores 10. The visible side 25 is remote from the brake caliper 1, while the contact side 26 rests on the outer side 8 of the bridge fingers 6. This arrangement is also shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. A sleeve 30 made of metal is fitted to each of the pins 21, and the pins 21 with the sleeves 30 are inserted into the bores 10.

[0055] As is shown in FIG. 2, the pin 21 has a pin groove 23 in the form of an annular groove and the bore 10 has a bore groove 12 in the form of an annular groove, The sleeve 30 has at its end face 40 a radially inwardly bent lip 34 which rests with its inner side on the end face 24 of the pin 21 and thus orients the sleeve 30 precisely on the pin 21 The lip 34 is also shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b. The sleeve 30 further has on its opposite end face projections which are arranged distributed over the sleeve circumference and form radially outwardly bent spring arms 32. The ends of the spring arms 32 engage into the bore groove 12. Axially spaced apart from the outwardly bent spring arms 32, the sleeve 30 has sleeve webs which are arranged distributed over the sleeve circumference and are partially isolated and which form radially inwardly bent spring arms 33. The ends of the spring arms 33 engage into the pin groove 23. By virtue of the lip 34 and the positioning of the grooves 12, 23 and of the spring arms 32, 33, the cover is held precisely and securely on the brake caliper. The spring arms 32, 33 hold the pins 21 together with the sleeves 30 and thus the cover 20 in the bores 10 by positive engagement. In the exemplary arrangement, the spring arms 32, 33 are each bent at approximately 45°, measured from the sleeve longitudinal axis AH. For the purpose of greater clarity, the angles α1 and α2 are each marked in FIG. 3 on a line offset parallel to a sleeve longitudinal axis AH. Owing to the inclined position of the spring arms 32, 33, which is the result of the bend, the insertion of the pin 21 into the sleeve 30 and of the sleeve 30 into the bore 10 is ideally possible. Furthermore, the spring arms 32, 33 effect vibration-free and secure holding, since they are applied to the sleeve body 31 to a certain extent as a result of the mounting of the components. In the end position, the spring arms 32, 33, owing to their spring force, are pressed into the respective groove 12, 23 and lock the corresponding components together.

[0056] The sleeves 30 are split by a slit 36 which extends parallel to the sleeve longitudinal axis AH.

[0057] FIG. 4b shows an alternative configuration of the lip 34. The lip 34 is here broken by incisions, whereby a plurality of folded-over portions 35 are formed. The incisions reach approximately as far as the bending edge 41 of the lip 34,

[0058] FIGS. 3 and 5 show an alternative exemplary arrangement of the sleeve 30. The sleeve 30 here does not have an end lip 34. However, it does have the above-described radially outwardly and radially inwardly bent spring arms 32, 33.

[0059] In the exemplary arrangement of the disclosure shown in FIG. 6, the sleeve 30 has outwardly bent spring arms 32 adjoining each of which there is a spring arm prolongation 39, which is integrally connected to the respective spring arm 32. The spring arm prolongations 39 are bent up with respect to the respective spring arms 32 and form a bending angle α3 relative thereto. When seen together with the sleeve body 31, a Z-shaped projection is thus obtained, which points radially outward away from the sleeve body. This configuration allows the spring path in the radial direction to be increased and the holding function is enhanced,

[0060] FIG. 7 shows a further exemplary arrangement of the disclosure, in which the sleeve 30 with its sleeve body 31 is inserted into the pin groove 23. The pin groove 23 fixes the sleeve 30 axially. On the end face that faces the cover, the sleeve 30 has incisions 37, which are arranged spaced apart from one another along the sleeve circumference. The incisions 37 have a limited incision depth and do not cut through the sleeve 30. The sleeve webs located between the incisions 37 form, in an alternating sequence, radially outwardly bent spring arms 32 or sleeve portions 38, which are each part of the sleeve body 31. On mounting of the pin 21 into the bore 10, the spring arms 32 engage into the bore groove 12. In this exemplary arrangement too, there is a similarly advantageous force path between the pin 21 and the bore 10, or the brake caliper 1, as a result of axially offset force transmission points, which results in the corresponding parts being well supported against one another and the cover being securely held.

[0061] FIG. 8a shows an exemplary arrangement of the disclosure in which the bore groove 12 and the pin groove 23 have a modified form.

[0062] The groove base 13 of the bore groove 12 is inclined relative to the bore wall 11 in such a manner that the radial distance between the bore wall 11 and the groove base 12 decreases in the direction toward the outer side 8 of the bridge finger 6. The groove base 13 thus forms an angle γ1 with the bore wall 11, or with the bore axis AB. The groove base 27 of the pin groove 23 is inclined relative to the pin circumferential surface 22 in such a manner that the radial distance between the pin circumferential surface 22 and the groove base 27 decreases in the direction toward the end face 24 of the pin 21. The groove base 27 thus forms an angle γ2 with the pin circumferential surface 22, or with the pin longitudinal axis AZ. In this exemplary arrangement, the angles γ1 and γ2 are each approximately 15°. The angles γ1 and γ2 are shown in the detail views of FIGS. 8b and 8c.

[0063] The side wall 28 of the bore groove 12 which is arranged in the direction of the bore depth of the bore 10 has an inclined position relative to a perpendicular to the bore axis AB. As a result of this inclined position, the groove width increases from the groove base 13 toward the bore wall 11, that is to say toward the opening side of the bore groove 12. The opposite side wall 29 of the bore groove 12, that is to say the side wall that is arranged in the direction of the outer side 8, likewise has an inclined position relative to a perpendicular to the bore axis AB. As a result of this inclined position, the groove width likewise increases from the groove base 13 toward the opening side of the bore groove 12.

[0064] The side wall 14 of the pin groove 23 which is arranged in the direction of the contact side 26 of the cover 20 has an inclined position relative to a perpendicular to the pin longitudinal axis AZ. As a result of this inclined position, the groove width increases from the groove base 27 toward the pin circumferential surface 22, that is to say toward the opening side of the pin groove 23. The opposite side wall 15 of the pin groove 23, that is to say the side wall that is arranged in the direction of the end face 24 of the pin 21, likewise has an inclined position relative to a perpendicular to the pin longitudinal axis AZ. As a result of this inclined position, the groove width likewise increases from the groove base 27 toward the opening side of the pin groove 23.

[0065] FIGS. 8b and 8c show how spring arms which, for example as a result of manufacturing tolerances, have different lengths or which, for example for reasons related to their manufacture, may be arranged differently on the sleeve 30 can have correspondingly different contact points BP with the inclined groove bases 13, 27. The inclined profile of the groove bases 13, 27 in each case ensures that the joined components are held relative to one another reliably and without play. The inclined side walls promote secure seating of the sleeve 30 on the pin 21 and in the bore 10.

[0066] FIGS. 9a to 9c show the mounting process according to the disclosure. The components, in particular the cover and the brake caliper, or the bridge finger, are shown in highly schematic form. In FIG. 9a, the components have not yet been joined together. In FIG. 9b, the sleeve 30 has been fitted onto the pin 21 as far as it will go. That is to say, the lip 34 rests on the end face 24 of the pin 21 and the inwardly bent spring arms 33 engage into the pin groove 23. In FIG. 9c, the pin 21 has been inserted together with the sleeve 30 into the bore 10 and the cover rests with its contact side 26 on the outer side 8 of the bridge finger a Furthermore, the outwardly bent spring arms 32 engage into the bore groove 12.