Abstract: A brake actuator having a stone shield located within the brake actuator housing and surrounding the brake actuator piston which dampens the impact of the brake actuator piston against the end wall surrounding the end wall opening. The damping stone shield includes an annular body portion having a diameter less than the brake actuator end wall opening and opening which receives the reciprocal piston of the brake actuator and an integral radial flange which overlies the inner surface of the brake actuator end wall opening. The annular body portion of the stone shield includes a first end portion extending at least partially through the brake actuator end wall opening having an annular groove surrounding the piston and damping the impact of the piston against the end wall surrounding the end wall opening. In the preferred embodiment, the annular groove extends through the first end portion of the stone shield and is bell-shaped or tapered in cross-section having a rounded end surface.

Abstract: A vehicle brake actuator including an improved piston assembly having a piston plate including an upstanding annular rim portion and a piston rod including a shank portion having a generally cylindrical head portion and an annular rim portion on a free end of the piston rod head portion which is deformed radially into a cylindrical internal surface of the piston plate upstanding rim portion, permanently attaching the piston plate and rod. The method includes piercing and extruding the upstanding rim portion of the piston plate and forming radially projecting teeth on an external surface of the head portion of the piston rod, driving the head portion of the piston rod into the upstanding rim portion of the piston plate, preventing relative rotation of the piston rod and head. The improved piston assembly of this invention eliminates welding, permitting finishing of the piston rod and plate prior to assembly and reduces cost.

Abstract: The brake actuator assembly of this invention significantly reduces accumulation of road debris, reduces the weight of the push rod and yoke assembly and friction between the mating parts. The brake actuator includes a housing defining a chamber having an opening through the end wall, a push rod and yoke assembly reciprocally mounted within the housing chamber and a shield located within the housing closely receiving the exterior surface of the push rod and yoke assembly which has a smooth substantially continuous external surface. In the preferred embodiment, the yoke is secured to the push rod within the housing chamber, surrounding the push rod having an elliptical exterior surface which sheds accumulation of road debris.

Abstract: A one-piece housing holds an image sensing module having a transparent image sensing surface and a document drive roller in close alignment. A cover closely fits around the housing and is positioned in close alignment with respect to the housing. The cover and housing cooperate to define a document entry path in which a plurality of sensors are located: a set of document-skew-detecting sensors and a set of document-insertion-detecting sensors, the sets of sensors acting independently of each other. The number and spacing of the sensors is the set of document-insertion-detecting sensors is such that the narrowest expected document encounters at least one such sensor. The cover and housing also cooperated to define a document scanning path and one or more document exit paths.