Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Douglas L Osterfeld

Craig A Osterday

Donald M Flory

Timothy M Welch

William L Van Doren

David E Staeuble

Omer C Denney

James D Keaton

Larry C Studebaker

Michael P Trego

Thomas R Baumaster

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

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Dayton, OH, United States of America

Douglas L Osterfeld