Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Delphi France Automotive Systems

Craig A Osterday

Timothy Allen Haerr

Donald M Flory

Douglas L Osterfeld

Donald L Parker

William L Van Doren

Neal B Rosenblum

Michele M Fiste

Garry J Hill

Jeffrey A Heinrichs

Donald E Schenk

Philippe Georges Castel

James William Zehnder, Ii

Edward J DeHoff

Robert Lee Phillis

Prakash K Kulkarni

Jon E Miller

Joseph S Kramer

Timothy M Welch

Vivek Jaikamal

Larry C Studebaker

Edward J De Hoff

James D Keaton

David E Staeuble

Omer C Denney

Clark D Moore

Michael P Trego

Thomas R Baumaster

John Dudley Altevers

John Payson Whaite

Bryan Todd Fulmer

Joseph Genaudeau

A disc brake assembly has a hub that is rotatable about an axis and at least a pair of discs supported on the hub for relative axial movement along the axis of the hub with the discs having opposite sides presenting braking surfaces. A non-rotatable support structure supports a plurality of friction elements for relative axial movement into and out of frictional braking engagement with the braking surfaces of the discs. An electric actuator is mounted on the support structure adjacent at least one of the friction elements and is operative when actuated to move the friction elements into frictional braking engagement with the braking surfaces of the discs.

Electrically actuated disc brake assembly

A brake apply system includes a power booster in which, when released and at-rest, a leg of a stop engages a clip and an extension of a valve body engages the clip so that an annular rib of the valve body is axially spaced away from the stop by a distance G. At the same time, a first valve seat is engaged with a first annular valve element closing a pressure supply conduit off from a variable pressure chamber and a second valve seat is spaced away from a second annular valve element by a distance T, opening the variable pressure chamber to an atmospheric pressure chamber. When the power booster is applied, the second valve seat moves the distance T and engages the second annular valve element closing the variable pressure chamber off from the atmospheric pressure chamber and the first valve seat separates from the first annular valve element opening the pressure supply conduit to the variable pressure chamber. The stop moves against the annular rib of the valve body so that when the pushrod is initially released the second annular valve element moves away from the second valve seat a distance equal to G+T. A pressurized air supply communicates with the power booster and includes a compressor and a dryer. When the compressor is turned off a solenoid valve opens and a quantity of dry air contained in a regeneration reservoir passes through the dryer, regenerating the dryer.

Pneumatic assisted brake apply system

A method and device for brake application provides braking pressure augmentation when preferred. A power booster and master cylinder generate a braking pressure in relation to an operator's input on the brake pedal. An optional brake parameter sensor is used to determine when the power booster reaches a run-out condition. At least one control valve and pump are used to apply braking pressure in response to additional increases in brake pedal application by the operator, after the power booster reaches a run-out condition. The pump and control valve are optionally used to generate braking pressure independent of brake pedal inputs.

Method and device for brake application

A power booster includes a housing with a rear housing section and a front housing section defining an internal cavity. A housing wall separates the internal cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber with an opening formed in the housing wall, wherein it is desirable to extend a component through the opening. A tube has an end secured in the opening in the housing wall. The tube's end includes a radially directed wall extending from the end of the tube that extends to an axially extending wall positioned concentrically with the tube and terminating with an outwardly turned segment. The axially extending wall is positioned within the opening in the housing wall with a seal positioned between the axially extending wall and the housing wall wherein the distance between the front housing section and the rear housing section is minimized, by extending the component through the tube.

Power booster sealing mechanism

An integrated master cylinder and vacuum power booster provides a brake apply system wherein the master cylinder and power booster are structurally and functionally combined together to provide a uniquely packaged system. The integral system includes a master cylinder housing having a tubular extension that carries the power booster housing with at least two operating chambers. A power piston is movable by variable pressure levels between the two chambers. The power piston cooperates with a translating element carried within the tubular extension to communicate sliding movement of the power piston to the master cylinder piston.

Integral brake apply system

A guide rod extends longitudinally through the power piston of a vacuum power booster providing lateral support thereto and tying the master cylinder housing to a bracket on the rear of the power booster housing. A guide rod provides a means of positively laterally supporting the power piston, control valve and push rods of the power booster thereby providing the ability to reduce the relative supportive strength of the housing, housing divider and piston bearings.

Power booster with guided power piston

A push rod is connected in pivotal retained relation to a polymeric member such as a power booster air valve polymeric insert having a stiffness less than that of an air valve. In a preferred embodiment, the insert is fitted on the spherical ball end of the push rod, and the insert with the push rod is then inserted into a recess in the member. The insert has a plurality of arms extending from the insert base end at a slight angle outwardly relative to the insert axis. The insert also has an attached metallic end on its base end to better distribute the force input from the push rod to the air valve. The arms and the member recess are provided with various cam surfaces which force the arms inwardly in cantilever fashion during the insertion movement, and the arms have surfaces on their outer ends which fit within an annular groove in the cylindrical side wall of the member recess, locking the insert to the rod spherical ball end and also within the member recess.

Self-locking ball-and-socket mechanism

A vacuum-actuated brake booster which can better utilize a wire elongated member type travel clip is brought forth. The brake booster provides a dual durometer rear bearing having a first soft portion for sealing and supporting the power piston and a second harder portion for cushioning the travel clip upon its engagement with the rear housing.

Brake booster with dual durometer rear bearing

A brake booster is provided having a power piston slidably mounted in a housing. In a preferred embodiment the piston has a generally radial flange. Encircling the power piston is a flexible diaphragm having along its inner periphery a bead encircling the power piston and a sheet-like section radially extending from the bead. A retaining ring has a first section extending radially outward, a second section generally parallel with the piston and a third section with teeth projecting radially inwardly. Pushing the retainer towards the flange causes the bead to be radially compressed and the third section of the retainer to be deformed. The wedging causes the retainer to be retained in place sealably connecting the diaphragm with the power piston.

Vacuum booster diaphragm/support plate retention method

A method of adjusting the length of a vehicle brake booster output rod and assembling the same into the brake booster is provided, the output rod being a thermoplastic or thermoset material that is generally cylindrical in shape with a central longitudinal bore with an axial stop means, and the output rod having an insertable button having a head with an attached stem, the booster having a housing with a central opening surrounding the output rod with a surrounding first formed surface for mounting a master cylinder, the method including piloting a cutting tool by inserting an elongated member into the bore of the output rod, orienting the cutting tool by mating a fixture locationally associated with the cutting tool on the first formed surface of the vacuum booster housing, preloading the output rod with the elongated rod by contacting means with the elongated rod to simulate a spring load of a master cylinder, cutting the output rod with the cutting tool to the correct dimension, removing the elongated member from the output rod bore, and inserting the stem of the button into the output rod with a sheet material juxtaposed between the stem and the bore of the output rod causing an interference fit retaining the button into the output rod bore.

Pneumatic booster output rod adjustment method

A peripheral sealed interlock for a dual diaphragm tandem vacuum booster with front and rear housings is provided. An outer radial peripheral end of a divider of the inventive interlock is greatly simplified and in the preferred embodiment a bead of a secondary diaphragm is allowed to seal on a rear housing member as well as with the periphery of the divider. The interlock provides a simplified design allowing independent compression of primary and secondary diaphragm beads while at the same time providing an interlock which require lower compression for assembly and sealing.

Booster interlock divider and diaphragm concept

A power booster assembly, has a dual-durometer reaction disc instead of the disc having a single durometer value throughout. The disc has an outer annular portion of a higher durometer value than the durometer value of the disc inner center portion. The higher durometer value is preferably on the order of 80 durometer and the lower durometer value is preferably on the order of 45 durometer. The outer annular portion transmit part of the reaction force to the booster power wall, and the inner center portion transmit the remainder of the reaction force to the reaction piston and thence to the booster input member. The disc may be made as a unitary part or may be made in two parts with the inner center portion being later inserted into and mechanically interlocked with the outer center portion.

Vacuum booster with dual durometer reaction disc

The invention provides a brake booster including in a preferred embodiment a housing, first and second annular flexible diaphragms spaced from one another forming a sealed second chamber within the housing and a sealed first chamber between the first diaphragm and the first end of the housing, a generally annular shaped power piston for connection with the master cylinder piston, a chamber valve seat separating the first and second chambers, an inlet valve slidably mounted within the power piston, and a control valve spring biased away from the power piston and connected with the pedal linkage and being slidably and sealably mounted within first end of the housing.

Growing community of inventors

Dayton, OH, United States of America

Craig A Osterday