Abstract: A brake rotor assembly for use with an anti-lock braking system. The brake rotor assembly includes a brake rotor having a pair of braking surfaces; a tone ring having a first end having a plurality of spaced sensing formations disposed thereon and a second end for circumferentially contacting a surface of the brake rotor assembly, the first end thermally insulated from the brake rotor; and a snap ring for connecting the tone ring to the brake rotor assembly. A method of forming a brake rotor assembly is also provided.

Abstract: A sliding caliper parking brake that positively retracts of both the outer and the inner brake pads upon de-actuation of the parking brake is provided. The parking brake includes a caliper body, a mounting assembly that slidably mounts the caliper body on the suspension of the vehicle so that is movable with respect to a brake rotor, and at least one piston assembly movably mounted in a bore in the caliper body and having an end connected to an inner brake pad. An outer brake pad is fixedly connected to the caliper body and is moved into engagement with an outer side of the brake rotor when the caliper body is moved along the mounting assembly as a result of the inner brake pad extending into engagement with the inner side of the brake rotor.

Abstract: A disc brake assembly includes a rotor with an ABS tone ring insert assembly that functions as a rotation indicator in an anti-lock braking system. The insert is positioned in the hat of a rotor disc in a spaced relationship and is mounted to the mounting flange of the rotor disc. Forming the ring insert separately from the rotor disc also allows different coating materials to be used on the tone ring that may be more heat resistant. The ring insert assembly can be made of powder metal or made as a cast iron cylinder with a toothed cap made of powder metal having a corrosion resistant coating. Cost savings can be realized along with high performance when only a portion of the assembly if made of powder metal and coated.

Abstract: A disc brake assembly includes a rotor with an ABS tone ring insert assembly that functions as a rotation indicator in an anti-lock braking system. The insert is positioned in the hat of a rotor disc in a spaced relationship and is mounted to the mounting flange of the rotor disc. Forming the ring insert separately from the rotor disc also allows different coating materials to be used on the tone ring that may be more heat resistant. The ring insert assembly can be made of powder metal or made as a cast iron cylinder with a toothed cap made of powder metal having a corrosion resistant coating. Cost savings can be realized along with high performance when only a portion of the assembly if made of powder metal and coated.

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.

Abstract: A disc brake assembly includes a rotor with an ABS tone ring insert assembly that functions as a rotation indicator in an anti-lock braking system. The insert is positioned in the hat of a rotor disc in a spaced relationship and is mounted to the mounting flange of the rotor disc. Forming the ring insert separately from the rotor disc also allows different coating materials to be used on the tone ring that may be more heat resistant. The ring insert assembly can be made of powder metal or made as a cast iron cylinder with a toothed cap made of powder metal having a corrosion resistant coating. Cost savings can be realized along with high performance when only a portion of the assembly if made of powder metal and coated.

Abstract: A brake assembly for use on vehicles includes a rotor and a wheel mount, formed as a hat portion, fastened to the rotor with a bobbin assembly. The rotor has a flange formed as a series of spaced tabs, and the bobbin assembly is bolted to the hat portion with the rotor flange clamped therebetween. A spring clip can be used with the bobbin to accommodate thermal expansion of the rotor and eliminate rotor rattling. The bobbin has a binocular shape that receives a pair of bolts. A crush zone can be provided between the rotor and the bobbin yields to accommodate machining tolerances of the rotor and promote uniform torque transfer distribution to the hub. Torque is transferred from the brake rotor to the hat portion in a common plane to prevent twisting in the fastener connection.

Abstract: A brake assembly for use on vehicles includes a rotor and a wheel mount, formed as a hat portion, fastened to the rotor with a bobbin assembly. The rotor has a flange formed as a series of spaced tabs, and the bobbin assembly is bolted to the hat portion with the rotor flange clamped therebetween. A spring clip can be used with the bobbin to accommodate thermal expansion of the rotor and eliminate rotor rattling. The bobbin has a binocular shape that receives a pair of bolts. A crush zone between the rotor and the bobbin yields to accommodate machining tolerances of the rotor and promote uniform torque transfer distribution to the hub. Torque is transferred from the brake rotor to the hat portion in a common plane to prevent twisting in the fastener connection.

Abstract: A brake assembly for use on vehicles includes a rotor and a wheel mount, formed as a hat portion, fastened to the rotor with a bobbin assembly. The rotor has a flange formed as a series of spaced tabs, and the bobbin assembly is bolted to the hat portion with the rotor flange clamped therebetween. A spring clip can be used with the bobbin to accommodate thermal expansion of the rotor and eliminate rotor rattling. The bobbin has a binocular shape that receives a pair of bolts. A crush zone between the rotor and the bobbin yields to accommodate machining tolerances of the rotor and promote uniform torque transfer distribution to the hub. Torque is transferred from the brake rotor to the hat portion in a common plane to prevent twisting in the fastener connection.

Abstract: A hub rotor assembly includes a hub, a rotor supported by the hub and a plurality of fasteners that connect the rotor to the hub. The hub includes a wheel mounting flange and rotor mounting flange to which a flange of the rotor is attached. The rotor mounting flange has a larger diameter than the wheel mounting flange, or other hub elements outboard of the rotor mounting flange, so that the rotor can be easily removed from the hub. Features of the invention also include floatation elements associated with a fastener to fasten the rotor to the hub while allowing the rotor to move or float relative to the hub. A spring clip may be used with the floatation elements to prevent the rotor from rattling. The assembly is particularly suited for commercial highway vehicles and high performance vehicles.

Abstract: A rotor has an array of grooves formed on the brake pad contact surface. The array is preferably formed as a repeating pattern of regularly spaced grooves. The repeating pattern of grooves creates a plurality of radially and circumferentially offset rings of grooves. The rings can radially overlap. The rotor is preferably ventilated having two brake pad contact surfaces separated by a plurality of vanes. The grooves are preferably arranged on the brake pad contact surfaces between the vanes. The grooves can have various configurations and shapes. The array of grooves increases friction between a brake rotor and brake pads, and decreases the thermal gradient and thermal distortion on the brake pad contact surfaces.

Abstract: A hub rotor assembly includes a hub, a rotor supported by the hub and a plurality of fasteners that connect the rotor to the hub. The hub includes a wheel mounting flange and rotor mounting flange to which a flange of the rotor is attached. The rotor mounting flange has a larger diameter than the wheel mounting flange, or other hub elements outboard of the rotor mounting flange, so that the rotor can be easily removed from the hub. Features of the invention also include floatation elements associated with a fastener to fasten the rotor to the hub while allowing the rotor to move or float relative to the hub. A spring clip may be used with the floatation elements to prevent the rotor from rattling. The assembly is particularly suited for commercial highway vehicles and high performance vehicles.

Abstract: A rotor has an array of grooves formed on the brake pad contact surface. The array is preferably formed as a repeating pattern of regularly spaced grooves. The repeating pattern of grooves creates a plurality of radially and circumferentially offset rings of grooves. The rings can radially overlap. The rotor is preferably ventilated having two brake pad contact surfaces separated by a plurality of vanes. The grooves are preferably arranged on the brake pad contact surfaces between the vanes. The grooves can have various configurations and shapes. The array of grooves increases friction between a brake rotor and brake pads, and decreases the thermal gradient and thermal distortion on the brake pad contact surfaces.

Abstract: A rotor has an array of grooves formed on the brake pad contact surface. The array is preferably formed as a repeating pattern of regularly spaced grooves. The repeating pattern of grooves creates a plurality of radially and circumferentially offset rings of grooves. The rings can radially overlap. The rotor is preferably ventilated having two brake pad contact surfaces separated by a plurality of vanes. The grooves are preferably arranged on the brake pad contact surfaces between the vanes. The grooves can have various configurations and shapes. The array of grooves increases friction between a brake rotor and brake pads, and decreases the thermal gradient and thermal distortion on the brake pad contact surfaces.

Abstract: A hub rotor assembly includes a hub, a rotor supported by the hub and a plurality of fasteners that connect the rotor to the hub and allow relative movement between the rotor and the hub. The hub rotor assembly of the invention focuses on a brake hub and rotor assembly that uses a floatation element associated with a fastener to fasten the rotor to the hub while allowing the rotor to move or float relative to the hub. The rotor thus fastened is permitted to move or float in a limited manner with respect to the hub. This reduces the need for precise balancing due to float self-balancing. Such floatation reduces first and second order thermal distortion by allowing the rotor to thermally expand and also accommodates and significantly reduces the temperature variation and thermal distortion across the rotor surface during braking. The assembly is particularly suited for commercial highway vehicles.

Abstract: Provided is a fast and efficient method of burnishing a brake pad. The brake pad is contacted with a heat source having a power density greater than about 270 Mw/m.sup.2. Also provided is pre-burnished brake pad having an increased coefficient of friction.

Abstract: A coating for reducing brake pad noise is provided that includes about 40 to about 90% by weight of a phenolic thermal setting resin, about 1 to about 40% by weight of graphite, about 1 to about 40% by weight of molybdenum disulfide, and, 0 to about 40% by weight of fillers and pigments. The coating is applied to a brake pad and cured. A method for reducing brake noise is also provided which includes the steps of coating a brake pad surface with a coating including about 40 to about 90% by weight of a phenolic thermal setting resin, about 1 to about 40% by weight of graphite, about 1 to about 40% by weight of molybdenum disulfide, and 0 to about 40% by weight of fillers and pigments, and curing the coating.

Abstract: Provided is a pre-burnished brake pad that has been contacted with a heat source having a power in the range of 250 Mw/m.sup.2 to about 500 Mw/m.sup.2.

Abstract: A coating for reducing brake pad noise is provided that includes about 40 to about 90% by weight of a phenolic thermosetting resin, about 1 to about 40% by weight of graphite, about 1 to about 40% by weight of molybdenum disulfide, and, 0 to about 40% by weight of fillers and pigments. The coating is applied to a brake pad and cured. A method for reducing brake noise is also provided which includes the steps of coating a brake pad surface with a coating including about 40 to about 90% by weight of a phenolic thermosetting resin, about 1 to about 40% by weight of graphite, about 1 to about 40% by weight of molybdenum disulfide, and 0 to about 40% by weight of fillers and pigments, and curing the coating.

Abstract: A pad assembly for a disc braking system, including a backing plate having protrusions extending upwardly therefrom and with irregular surfaces and a composite brake pad molded in situ onto the braking plate, the composite material of the pad encapsulating the protrusions so that upon thermal expansion during use, the pad will not separate from the backing plate.