Brake pad spreader tool

Abstract

A hand held brake pad spreader tool for use with a brake caliper (90) of the kind having a sliding caliper body supporting an opposed pair of brake pads arranged to sandwich a brake disc and a piston (92) for clamping the brake pads against the brake disc. The tool comprising a body (20); a handle (22) on the body; an abutment on the body for engaging the caliper body; an elongate member (40) supported by the body for longitudinally sliding movement relative thereto, the elongate member having a piston engagement means (50) for engaging the piston; a manually actuable moveable member (30) supported on the body adjacent to the handle; and drive means (60) coupled between the moveable member (30) for moving the elongate member (40) longitudinally from a first retracted position to a second driving position in which the piston engagement means is in driving engagement with the piston when the abutment is in engagement with the caliper body to move the piston to spread the brake pads apart. At least a portion of the elongate member in driving engagement with the piston is mounted in the body for free rotation both clockwise and anti-clockwise. The tool further comprises means for rotating the portion of the elongate member.

Claims

1. A hand operable brake pad spreader tool for use with a brake caliper having a caliper body supporting spaced opposed brake pads arranged to sandwich a brake disc, said caliper body including a caliper piston operable to clasp the brake pads against the brake disc, said tool comprising: a frame including a frame forward end, and an elongate, axial frame throughbore, said frame throughbore having a longitudinal axis and extending through the frame forward end; a manually operable handle pivotally mounted on said frame; a tube slidably mounted in said frame throughbore, said tube including a longitudinal axis, a tube forward end extendable through the frame throughbore of the frame and a rear distal end; a rotatable shaft located in a tube throughbore, said shaft including a shaft forward end and a shaft distal end; a caliper piston engagement member mounted to the shaft forward end and outward of a throughbore forward end, said shaft in said tube capable of independent rotation and longitudinal movement about the axis in said tube; and a tube gripper assembly located in the frame, said gripper assembly positioned for engagement with the tube by pivotal movement of the handle to advance the tube and rotatable shaft simultaneously in the forward direction in the frame throughbore.

2. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the gripper assembly comprises at least one gripping member arranged for frictional contact with the tube.

3. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the piston engagement member is detachably mounted on the shaft.

4. The tool according to claim 3, comprising magnetic means for retaining the piston engagement member on the shaft.

5. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the piston engagement member includes an array of pin bores for receiving driving pins adapted to engage in corresponding bores in the piston.

6. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the piston engagement member comprises a member rotatably mounted on the shaft.

7. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the piston engagement member comprises a portion adapted for driving engagement with a spanner device.

8. The tool according to claim 1, including means for manually rotating the shaft.

9. The tool according to claim 6, comprising means for locking the piston engagement member in a desired position on the shaft.

10. The tool of claim 1 wherein the piston engagement member is detachable from the rotatable shaft.

11. The tool of claim 1 including a frame cross member at the frame forward end.

12. The tool of claim 11 wherein the frame cross member is detachable from the frame.

13. The tool of claim 1 further including a biasing member on said tube intermediate the gripper assembly and the piston engaging member.

14. The tool of claim 1 wherein the piston engagement member is affixed to said shaft and capable of rotation therewith.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appending drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a brake pad spreader tool engaged upon a brake caliper;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the brake pad spreader tool of FIG. 2 in a fully retracted position;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of the brake pad spreader tool of FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 is a side view of the brake pad spreader tool of FIG. 1 in an activated position;

(6) FIG. 5a is a perspective view of the brake pad spreader tool of FIG. 1 with the parts shown dismantled;

(7) FIG. 5b shows components of the brake pad spreader tool of FIG. 5a adapted for a square shaft;

(8) FIG. 6 shows a cross-section of the brake caliper engaged with the brake pad spreader tool of FIG. 2;

(9) FIG. 7 shows a cross-section of the brake caliper engaged with the brake pad spreader tool of FIG. 4;

(10) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a brake pad spreader tool with a detachable outer cylinder;

(11) FIG. 9 is a side view of the brake pad spreader tool of FIG. 8 engaged with a brake caliper, the brake caliper being shown in cross-section;

(12) FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a section of the brake pad spreader tool with the square shaft of FIG. 5b;

(13) FIG. 11 is a side view of an alternative brake pad spreader tool engaged with a brake caliper which is shown in partial cross-section;

(14) FIG. 12a is a perspective view of an alternative brake pad spreader tool with the parts shown dismantled;

(15) FIG. 12b shows adapted components of the brake pad spreader tool of FIG. 12a;

(16) FIG. 13a is a front view of a brake pad spreader tool;

(17) FIG. 13b is a side view of part of the tool of FIG. 13a;

(18) FIG. 14a is a side view of part of a brake pad spreader tool, and

(19) FIG. 14b shows the components of FIG. 14a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(20) FIGS. 1 to 7 show a hand held brake pad spreader tool or brake caliper tool 1 for use with a brake caliper 90. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the brake caliper is of the kind having a sliding caliper body supporting an opposed pair of brake pads (not shown) arranged to sandwich a brake disc (not shown) and a piston 92 for clamping the brake pads against the brake disc.

(21) The brake caliper tool 1 provides a hand held tool for the retraction of the piston 92. The brake caliper tool 1 comprises a body which is in the form of a frame 20 which may be moulded of stamped from sheet metal. The frame comprises a partial through bore 21 for retaining an elongate member or shaft 40 with the frame 20. The shaft is thus supported by the frame for longitudinally sliding movement relative thereto. A pistol type grip handle 22 is preferably incorporated into the frame 20 and a manually actuable moveable member or trigger 30 is pivotally mounted by a pivot pin 31 to the frame 20 adjacent the handle 22.

(22) The tool 1 also comprises a drive mechanism 60 which in this embodiment comprises at least one gripping member in the form of a washer type gripper 61. There are preferably a plurality of said grippers 61 in order to lessen the wear of the shaft 40 whilst providing superior grip when driving the shaft forwards. As shown in FIG. 5a, each gripper 61 has an opening 62 having a diameter which is slightly larger than a diameter of the shaft 40 so that the gripper 61 is freely slidable on the shaft 40 when each gripper 61 is arranged generally perpendicular to the shaft.

(23) The drive mechanism 60 is activated by rotation of the trigger 30 relative to the handle which brings a levered end 32 of the trigger 30 into contact with the grippers 61 at an off centre point of the washer grippers. The trigger thus acts as a lever and as shown in FIG. 4, activation of the trigger 30 causes the grippers 61 to be cantered (i.e. set at an angle to the shaft) which causes the opposed inside edges 63 of the openings 62 to tend to bite into the outer surface of the shaft 40. Thus, the grippers are arranged for frictional contact with the shaft. This provides robust forward action of the shaft 40. The use of cantered grippers means that a larger surface area of the grippers is in contact with the shaft and thus less damage is incurred by the washers on the shaft. The grip ratio of the grippers on the shaft is also improved so the shaft material can be improved and/or hardened. This further enhances the wear characteristics of the shaft prolonging the life cycle of the device.

(24) The tool 1 also comprises a resilient member 70 which in this example is a compression spring and which uncouples the drive mechanism 60 when the trigger 30 is released. A distance piece or spacer 66 is arranged between the resilient member 70 and the gripper 61. The resilient member 70 will also reposition the trigger 30 ready for its next operation. Thus, the trigger and drive mechanism are biased in a retracted position. Through repeated operations of the trigger 30, the shaft 40 can be propelled forward out from a foremost portion 24 of the frame. Cross-members 23 are attached to the foremost portion 24 of the frame.

(25) More detail of the brake caliper is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The brake caliper comprises a caliper housing providing a piston receiving bore 91 in which the piston is reciprocally disposed. The bore 91 is open at one end 93 and closed at its opposite end 94. An outboard brake pad support bracket 95 is spaced axially apart from said open end 93. The support bracket 95 has an opening 96 therethrough generally aligned with the bore 91. The piston 92 is a hollow cylindrical piston with a closed first end 97 adjacent the closed end 93 of the bore and a second open end 98 adjacent the open end 94 of the bore.

(26) When the brake caliper tool is engaged or in use with the brake caliper, the foremost portion of the frame 20 of the brake caliper tool is positioned through the opening 96 between the support bracket 95. The cross members 23 are positioned such as to abut an inner surface 99 of the support bracket 95 of the brake caliper 90. Thus the cross members form an abutment which engages with the caliper body.

(27) The shaft 40 has a ram 50 at one end. The ram may be generally cylindrical as shown in FIG. 2 or the ram 51 may have a stepped configuration as shown in FIG. 4. Both configurations are shown in FIG. 5a. A cylindrical ram may be arranged to fit within an open piston whereas a stepped ram may have a larger diameter than the piston. Activation of the trigger 30 projects the shaft 40 forwards until the ram 50 on the shaft end abuts the piston. In one embodiment, the ram 50 may abut an inside face of the closed end 97 of the piston. Alternatively, for example with the stepped configuration, the ram 51 may engage the open end 98 of the piston. In all embodiments, the brake caliper tool 1, in particular its shaft 40, are in alignment with the piston 92.

(28) Actuation of the trigger 30 projects (i.e. moves longitudinally) the shaft 40 and therefore the ram 50 outwards from the frame as shown for example in FIG. 4. The cross members 23 are robustly attached within the frame 20 and the support bracket 95 solidly forms part of the brake caliper. Accordingly, the piston 92 can be pushed back into its cylinder 91 with considerable force in a robust manner. Accordingly, the shaft is arranged for driving engagement with the piston when the cross member (abutment) is in engagement with the caliper body to move the piston to spread the brake pads apart.

(29) An optional one way frictional locking mechanism 80 may be incorporated in the tool, e.g. as shown in FIG. 3 with the components shown in FIG. 5a. The locking mechanism 80 comprises an elongate gripper washer 81 and a resilient member 71 (in the form of a spring). This locking mechanism 80 serves to prevent any unwanted rearward movement of the shaft (i.e. movement away from the piston) when the grip of the drive mechanism 60 on the shaft is released. When a user wishes to remove the shaft so as to remove the tool 1 from the operated caliper 90, the locking mechanism 80 must be released. The distal end 42 of the shaft 40 preferably has a handle 43 formed or attached thereto. A user may pull on this handle to disengage the ram 50 from the piston to facilitate removal.

(30) As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a further embodiment of the brake caliper tool may be utilised to operate brake calipers having a wind back type of piston 100. Such calipers require the piston to be rotated whilst being pushed back into the piston bore 91. In this embodiment, the ram 50 is mounted within a detachable outer cylinder 120. A similar wind back adaptor 52 is shown schematically in FIG. 5a. Other features of the brake caliper tool are the same as the features described in relation to FIGS. 1 to 7 and are thus not described again in detail. It will be appreciated that the cylinder 120 may be incorporated in all the described embodiments.

(31) The cylinder has an outer circumferential surface 125 which preferably has an array of engagement flats 121 around its periphery for the turning engagement by similar sized wrenches (not shown) or other similar tools. The flats 121 thus provide a portion which is adapted for driving engagement with a spanner or the like whereby the cylinder 120 and hence the piston can be rotated. A low friction thrust type bearing may be used between the abutment surface 124 of the cylinder and the abutment surface of the piston to enhance operation.

(32) The cylinder is adapted so that the tool fits as many different wind back piston type calipers as possible. In use a surface 124 of the outer cylinder abuts a surface 101 of the piston. Thus, the cylinder forms a piston engagement means which is detachably mounted on the shaft. The abutment surface 124 of the cylinder has an array of pin engagement holes 123 into which pins 122 are inserted. Similarly, there are pin engagement holes 102 on the abutment surface 101 of the piston. By correctly positioning the pins in the pin engagement holes 123 on the abutment surface 124 of the cylinder; the pins will correspond to the engagement holes 102 in the piston. The engagement of the pins in the correct pairs of holes gives a means of turning the piston 100 whilst the required inward pressure is applied by the manipulation of the trigger 30.

(33) As shown in FIGS. 5b and 10, in an alternative embodiment of the brake caliper tool, the shaft 44 has a square cross-section. It will be appreciated that the square cross sectional shaft may be incorporated in all the described embodiments. The openings in the gripper washers 65 have a similar but slightly larger square profile. In order to further reduce the inherent scoring, pitting or indenting (not shown) which is prevalent in such a drive mechanism 60, the drive mechanism further comprises at least one clamping member in the form of clamping strips 64. The clamping strips 64 are positioned between the edges of the square shaft 40 and the inner edges 63 of the openings in the gripping washers 65. In use, the gripping washers 65 impart a clamping action on the shaft 44 via the clamping strips 64. The surface of the clamping strips adjoining the shaft surfaces 45 can usefully be made from a friction material 67 in order to enhance the grip imparted without incurring surface damage to the shaft 44.

(34) FIGS. 11 and 12a show a further alternative embodiment of the brake caliper tool of FIGS. 8 and 9 which is used to operate brake calipers having wind back type pistons. In this embodiment, the shaft 40 is mounted within a tube 130 for rotation therein whilst the tube is propelled forward. The tube 130 and shaft 40 are moved longitudinally in the same way as the shaft 40 was operated in FIGS. 1 to 7 and thus the drive mechanism, trigger and abutment are not described again in detail.

(35) As in previous embodiments, the shaft 40 has a ram in the form of an adaptor plate 140 at one end. The adaptor plate 140 is similar to the cylinder shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 and is adapted for use with different sized pistons. In use a surface of the adaptor plate abuts a surface of the piston. Thus, the adaptor plate forms a piston engagement means. The abutment surface of the adaptor plate 140 has an array of pin engagement holes 141 into which pins 122 are inserted. Similarly, there are pin engagement holes 102 on the abutment surface of the piston. By correctly positioning the pins in the pin engagement holes 123 on the abutment surface of the adaptor plate 140; the pins will correspond to the engagement holes 102 in the piston. The engagement of the pins in the correct pairs of holes gives a means of turning the piston 100 whilst the required inward pressure is applied by the manipulation of the trigger 30.

(36) The ram end 41 of the shaft has a flange 56 fitted to and secured to the shaft in various manners, e.g. by interlocking profiles 46, 57 or by welding. The flange 56 has pins or recesses 58 which engage with corresponding recesses or pins in the adaptor plate 140. The ram end 132 of the tube fits into an aperture 55 in a flange 54 which cooperates with the shaft flange 56 in order to purposefully project the ram 140 outwards from the tool 1 when operated as required. In order to minimise the friction imparted by any rotational movement of the shaft flange 56 against the tube flange 54, a low friction material washer 53 or the like is employed between abutting surfaces of the flanges.

(37) The adaptor plate 140 is attached to the shaft flange 56 and hence to the shaft. One method of attachment comprises magnetic means. Retention magnets 59 are preferably fitted to the shaft flange 56.

(38) A distal end 42 of the shaft comprises means for rotating the shaft in the form of a leverage bar 48 which passes through a bore 57 in the distal end 42. Bar ends 49 are fitted on the leverage bar 48. A user may use the leverage bar 48 to rotate the shaft 40 within the tube 130. Rotation of the shaft 40 rotates the shaft flange 56 and attached adaptor plate 140. This rotates the wind back piston 100. The rotation can be done simultaneously with the longitudinal motion.

(39) FIG. 12b shows a further adaptation in which the washer grippers 61 have protrusions 68 on one surface. As an alternative to protrusions 68, spacers 66 can be used. Typically stamped grippers 61 have a slight edge or burr and thus can catch on one another when stacked and then cantered. The protrusions or spacers alleviate this problem. A spacer may have a smaller circumference that the gripper and be a thin shim washer. A self-lubricating or slippy material may also be used to obviate the problem. In the embodiments of FIGS. 12a and 12b, the washer grippers 61 are formed with a projection 69 which forms an anchor for each gripper 61 so that the washer grippers are cantilevered when the trigger is activated.

(40) It will be appreciated that the tube 130, means for rotating the shaft and adaptor plate 140 may be incorporated in all the described embodiments.

(41) FIGS. 13a and 13b show a further adaptation in which the cross-members or abutment 223 is rotatable to a plurality of different positions. The abutment 223 comprises an opposed pair of members and various positions of these members are shown by the dotted lines. The advantage of a rotatable abutment is that it allows the tool to be used in many different orientations. A locking mechanism 224 may be incorporated into the tool to lock the abutment in a desired position. The locking mechanism may be any known mechanism, e.g. a locking ring. The locking mechanism may be incorporated behind the rotatable abutment, i.e. on the opposed side to the adaptor plate 225 which contacts the brake caliper.

(42) FIGS. 14a and 14b illustrate an alternative to the rotatable abutment of FIG. 13a. In this embodiment, the abutment 226 is detachable and comprises a pair of members 227 in the form of reaction plates or shoulders. Each member has a recess which engages the shaft. The shaft may be formed with a recess to hold each member in place. As shown in FIG. 14b, each member is rotatable so that the position may be altered to provide the advantages of the abutment described above. The members 227 are attachable to the shaft so that they projecting in opposed directions from the body. A locking mechanism 228 may be incorporated behind the rotatable abutment, i.e. on the opposed side to the adaptor plate 225.

(43) It will be appreciated that the rotatable abutments of FIG. 13a or 14a may be incorporated in any of the embodiments described above.

REFERENCE NUMBERS USED IN THE DRAWINGS

(44) 1 brake caliper tool 20 frame 21 shaft throughbore 22 pistol grip handle 23 frame cross members 24 frame foremost portion 30 trigger 31 trigger pivot pin 32 levered end 40 shaft 41 shaft ram end 42 distal end 43 handle 44 square section rod 45 flat shaft surface 46 shaft/flange interlocking profile 47 shaft bar bore 48 leverage bar 49 bar ends 50 ram 51 stepped ram 52 wind back adaptor 53 low friction thrust bearing 54 tube flange 55 tube flange inner profile 56 shaft flange 57 shaft to flange inner profile 58 shaft flange engagement holes 59 retention magnets 60 drive mechanism 61 gripping washers 62 gripping washer openings 63 gripping washer edges 64 clamping strips 65 square holed gripping washers (see FIG. 5B) 66 distance niece (see FIG. 5A) 67 friction material 68 protrusions 69 cantilever 70 resilient member 71 lock resilient member 80 locking mechanism 81 elongate gripping washer (see FIG. 8) 90 caliper 91 caliper housing 92 piston 93 caliper housing closed end 94 bore open end 95 caliper pad support bracket 96 support bracket opening 97 piston closed first end 98 piston open second end 99 support bracket inner surface 100 wind back type piston 101 piston/pad abutment surface 102 piston engagement holes 120 detachable ram outer cylinder 121 cylinder engagement flats 122 cylinder engagement pins 123 cylinder engagement pin holes 124 cylinder piston abutment surface 125 cylinder outer circumferential surface 126 piston seal 130 tube 131 tube inner bore 132 flange profile 140 wind back adaptor plate 141 engagement pin holes 142 adaptor plate pins 223 rotatable abutment 224 locking mechanism for 223 225 adaptor 226 rotatable abutment 227 members for 226 228 locking mechanism for 226