Akebono Brake Industry Co., Ltd.

Akebono Brake Corporation

Gang Lou

Brian Lewis Boyle

Michio Suzuki

Waleed Mahmoud Al-Mahshi

Aurelian Bahmata

Eric John Roszman

Galus Chelaidite

Philip Nathanael Jedele

George Ritter

A method of determining the cumulative damage of a brake system, the method comprising: (a) estimating or measuring one or more brake forces based upon one or more parameters; (b) determining a cycle for each of the brake forces and associating each brake force with the determined cycle; and (c) determining a cumulative damage of the brake system based upon the determined cycles and the associated brake forces.

Method of damage prediction for electric park brake and adaptation thereof

A brake system that includes a brake caliper comprising an inboard side and an outboard side, the inboard side of the brake caliper includes one or more brake pistons and the outboard side of the brake caliper comprises one or more brake pistons, and a brake pad comprising a first pad section and a second pad section. During a service brake apply, both of the first pad section and the second pad section are moved against a braking surface to create a clamping force. During a parking brake apply, only one of the first pad section and the second pad section is moved against the braking surface to create a clamping force. The first pad section comprises a friction material having a coefficient of friction that is different than a coefficient of friction of the second pad section.

Disc brake system

A disc brake system that is an opposed piston brake system. The disc brake system includes a brake caliper having an inboard side and an outboard side. The inboard side of the brake caliper is configured to support more brake pistons than the outboard side of the brake caliper.

A floating caliper brake assembly comprising: a caliper housing that is movable between a brake on position and a brake off position; a support bracket at least partially enclosed by the caliper housing and configured to extend around a rotor of a vehicle, the caliper housing being in communication with and movable relative to the support bracket, wherein the caliper housing has one or more fingers that extend radially downward and cover the support bracket so that when the brake assembly is viewed from an outboard side along an axis coaxial with, or substantially parallel to, an axis of rotation of the rotor the support bracket is obscured from view.

Support hidden sliding caliper

A brake system comprising: (a) a rotor; and (b) two or more brake assemblies in communication with the rotor, the two or more brake assemblies each including: (i) a caliper; (ii) a piston assembly located within the caliper; and (iii) a motor gear unit in communication with the caliper and configured to move the piston assembly to create a braking force; wherein one or more both of the piston assemblies are moved during a service brake apply or release; and wherein one or both of the piston assemblies are moved during a parking brake apply or release.

Multi-caliper brake assembly per rotor

A pad clip comprising two or more discrete pieces comprising: one or more clip body sections including a bridge attachment segment located at a bridge end, a spring attachment segment located at a spring end, or both; and one or more bridge sections, one or more retraction springs, or both; wherein the two or more discrete pieces are adapted to be attached together at the bridge attachment segment, spring attachment segment, or both. The teachings also include a method of forming the pad clip, comprising: forming two or more clip body sections, each clip body section including a spring attachment segment; forming one or more retraction springs; attaching the one or more retraction springs to the spring attachment segment of the two or more clip body sections; and installing the pad clip about a support bracket of a brake assembly.

Multiple piece pad clip

A pad clip comprising: two opposing legs separated by a gap, the two opposing legs comprising: (i) a projection arm including: (A) an upper portion, (B) a lower portion, and (C) a face portion connecting the upper portion and the lower portion together; (ii) a connection arm; and (iii) an abutment arm extending between and connecting the projection arm and the connection arm; wherein the lower portion of the projection arm, the connection arm, or both include an arcuate segment that extends the lower portion, the connection arm, or both towards each other so that when the pad clip is installed in a support bracket a space is formed between the arcuate segment and the support bracket.

Pad clip with nonlinear stiffness

A full contact brake comprising: (a) an inboard housing including: an inner and outer seal groove including a seal; (b) an outboard housing including: an inner and outer seal groove including a seal; and (c) a bridge tube between the inboard housing and the outboard housing; wherein the inboard housing, the outboard housing, and the bridge tube form a housing comprising: (i) an inboard piston between the inner and outer seal groove; (ii) an outboard piston between the inner and outer seal groove; and (iii) a rotor between the inboard and outboard piston so that the inboard piston is moved towards an inboard side and the outboard piston is moved towards an outboard side of the rotor; and wherein the seal of the inboard housing forms an interference fit around the respective piston so that rotation of the inboard and outboard piston respectively are substantially prevented during a brake apply.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, MI, United States of America

Gang Lou