Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC

Honeywell International Inc.

Fred W Berwanger

Daniel E Banks

Ronald S Plantan

Manouchehr Sabeti

Milind Jayadev Sabarad

An assembly method is provided for a vehicle having an axle assembly. The assembly method comprises fastening a drum brake assembly having a brake spider to a brake flange of an axle assembly and routing electrical lines through the brake spider and the brake flange of the axle assembly. The assembly method further comprises coupling an electric drive motor to an axle of the axle assembly, attaching the electrical lines to the electric drive motor and coupling a wheel hub to the axle assembly. The assembly method further comprises disposing the drum brake assembly inside a chamber of a brake drum portion, the brake drum portion located coaxial to the axle and disposing the electric drive motor inside a chamber of a brake adapter portion, the brake adapter portion located coaxial to the axle.

Drum brake apparatus for a vehicle air braking system and method of assembling the same

A drum brake apparatus is provided for a vehicle air braking system. The drum brake apparatus comprises a wheel drum having a first interior chamber. The drum brake apparatus also comprises a drum brake assembly disposed in the first interior chamber of the wheel drum and mounted on inboard side of the wheel drum. The drum apparatus further comprises a brake drum adapter mounted on outboard side of the wheel drum and providing a second interior chamber in which an electric drive motor can be disposed. The drum brake apparatus also comprises a wheel hub disposed in the second interior chamber of the brake drum adapter and to which a wheel rim can be mounted.

Drum brake concept for use with an electric wheel end drive motor

A disc brake, a wear adjuster for a disc brake and a method for operating a disc brake are provided. The wear adjuster includes a pawl biased by a spring against, and actuated by, a rotary lever, a shaft with the ratchet wheel arranged to be rotated by the pawl when the rotary lever rotates in a brake release direction, and a tappet wheel threaded on a brake application tappet supported on a movable bridge in the disc brake caliper. During brake release the pawl rotates the ratchet wheel and the shaft. The shaft and the tappet wheel have gearing which rotates the tappet wheel with the shaft. Due to the threaded engagement of the tappet wheel and the non-rotating tappet, the rotating tappet wheel causes the tappet to advance relative to the bridge to compensate for brake pad wear.

Disc brake wear adjuster

A hybrid structural apparatus is provided for a vehicle air braking system. The hybrid structural apparatus comprises a member including a non-pressure plate of a brake actuator and an arm portion that extends from the non-pressure plate. The member is made of a first material. The hybrid structural apparatus further comprises a first flange made of a second material fastened to the arm portion of the member. The second material is different from the first material. The hybrid structural apparatus also includes a second flange for fastening to a brake spider, and a camshaft support tube interconnecting the first and second flanges.

Hybrid structural apparatus for a vehicle air braking system

A bracket assembly for a brake assembly and a brake actuator includes a tube configured to receive a camshaft of the brake assembly. A brake spider mounting flange and actuator mounting arm are disposed proximate opposite ends of the tube and configured for coupling to a brake spider and the actuator. The arm has inboard and outboard members&#x2014;each with a body having one end affixed to the tube and an actuator mounting flange extending from another end of the body. The mounting flanges define aligned bores configured to receive a fastener of the actuator. A centerline of a gusset joining the body and flange of the inboard member is angled relative to at least one of a plane containing a longitudinal axis of the tube and a plane containing a load path line joining the center points of a tube bore and pushrod notch formed in the inboard member.

Rigid bracket assembly for mounting a brake assembly and brake actuator

An improved bracket assembly for receiving a brake assembly and a brake actuator is provided. The bracket assembly includes a tube configured to receive a camshaft of the brake assembly. A brake spider mounting flange is disposed proximate a first end of the tube, defines an aperture configured to allow the tube to extend therethrough, and is configured to receive a brake spider of the brake assembly. An actuator mounting arm is disposed proximate a second end of the tube, is configured for coupling to the brake actuator, and has inboard and outboard members. Each of the inboard and outboard members has a body having a first end affixed to the tube and an actuator mounting flange extending from a second end of the body. The actuator mounting flanges define aligned bores configured to receive a fastener extending from the brake actuator.

A brake shoe for a drum brake is provided that improves the direction of the brake actuating forces to reduce stress, improve efficiency and permit thicker brake linings. The brake shoe has a web having first and second ends with the first end configured for pivotally coupling to an associated brake spider. A brake table is supported on the web. The second end of the web is configured to engage an associated cam follower that causes the brake shoe to move between positions of engagement and disengagement with an associated braking surface at either of first and second radially offset positions on the second end of the web such that the cam followers can engage two brake shoes in the brake at offset positions and improve the direction of the force vectors.

Brake shoe for drum brake having offset cam followers

A drum brake is provided that improves the direction of the actuating forces to reduce stress, improve efficiency and permit thicker brake linings. First and second brake shoes each have a first end pivotally coupled to a brake spider. First and second cam followers are disposed at corresponding second ends of the brake shoes. A cam engages the cam followers with movement of the cam causing the brake shoes to move between positions of engagement and disengagement with a braking surface. The cam followers are offset such that a center of the first cam follower is disposed at a first distance from a center axis of the brake and a center of the second cam follower is disposed at a second distance from the center axis with the first distance different from the second distance so as to improve the direction of the cam force vector.

Drum brake S-cam having offset cam followers

A drum brake is provided that improves the direction of the actuating forces to reduce stress, improve efficiency and permit thicker brake linings. First and second brake shoes each have a first end pivotally coupled to the same or different anchor pins on a brake spider. First and second cam followers are disposed at corresponding second ends of the brake shoes. A cam engages the cam followers with movement of the cam causing the brake shoes to move between positions of engagement and disengagement with a braking surface. The cam followers are offset such that distances between the centers of the first cam followers and the anchor pin or pins supporting the brake shoes differ so as to improve the direction of the cam force vector.

A brake drum is provided having an inner drum defining an outboard, radially inwardly extending flange. The flange defines a first plurality of apertures configured to receive fasteners for coupling the inner drum to a wheel. The inner drum further defines a braking surface. The brake drum further includes an outer drum configured to receive the inner drum therein. The outer drum defines an outboard, radially inwardly extending flange defining a second plurality of apertures aligned with the first plurality of apertures and configured to receive the fasteners for coupling the outer drum to the wheel. The inner drum is comprised of a first material such as iron while the outer drum is comprised of a second material such as aluminum.

Nested composite brake drum

An axially asymmetrical vibration-reducing torque tube radially surrounds an axle and axially spans brake disks with intervening ones of the brake disks angularly fixed to a torque tube. The torque tube is a hollow generally annular member having an axis, a radially outwardly flared portion near one end to facilitate axially fixing end one of the disks, a flange near the other end thereof adapted to fix the torque tube to the stationary member, and a radially inwardly extending annular support flange intermediate the one and other end for augmenting the support of the tube on the stationary member. Cut-outs in support flange impart dynamic asymmetry to the torque tube and displace its elastic center off-axis of the brake discs, reducing the brake vibration amplitudes. A brake actuating mechanism is operable upon command to axially force the pressure plate toward the end plate compressing the brake disks therebetween.

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Edwardsburg, MI, United States of America

Fred W Berwanger