Brake caliper with brake pad timing and retraction controller

Abstract

A brake caliper is provided with a timing and retraction controller that that adjusts brake timing, eliminates parasitic brake losses and dampens out-of-plane vibration between the brake pad and rotor. The brake caliper includes a housing disposed over a brake rotor; first and second opposing brake pads extendably and retractably mounted on opposite sides of the caliper housing, brake pistons that extend and retract the brake pads into and out of frictional engagement with the rotor, and brake pad timing and retraction controllers disposed on opposite sides of the caliper housing. Each controller includes a Belleville spring or other resilient member with a short compression travel limited to between about 1.50 mm and 0.025 mm. The short stroke Belleville spring of each controller applies a hold-off force against the extension force of the brake pistons that slightly delays brake pad extension and slightly reduces brake pad clamping force against the rotor, thereby advantageously providing a front wheel braking bias when applied to the rear wheels of a vehicle. The restorative force applied by the short stroke Belleville forcefully and uniformly retracts the brake pad from the rotor, eliminating parasitic brake losses, and dampening out-of-plane vibration between the brake pad and rotor.