Abstract: A disc brake having an anchor member with first and second grooves that receive first and second ears on a backing plate to align a friction surface of a friction pad with a rotor. A first slipper spring is secured to the anchor and located between the first groove and the first ear. A second slipper spring is secured to the anchor and located between the second groove and the second ear. The first and second ears correspondingly slide on the first and second slipper springs in response to an input force being applied to move the backing plate toward a rotor to bring the friction surface into engagement with the rotor during a brake application. Each of the first and second slipper springs is characterized by a base with parallel top and bottom side walls that extends therefrom. The top side wall has a lip thereon that engages the anchor to position the base in a groove.

Abstract: A brake booster (210) having a valve body (20) for retaining a plunger (238) of a control valve assembly (228). The plunger (238) is being connected by an input rod (230) to a brake pedal through which and operator supplies an input force to effect a brake application. To effect a brake application, the input rod (230) moves the plunger (238) to control communication of a source of pressure between a first chamber and a second chamber (16) and create a pressure differential across a wall (18) for developing an output force. The input rod (230) is characterized by a cylindrical tube (232) having a first end (234) and a second end (236) with an external annular rib (240) located between the first end (234) and the second end (236). A first internal annular groove (242) located between the annular rib (40) and the first end (234) and a second internal groove (244) is located adjacent the first end (236) to define a socket (252).

Abstract: A disc brake having a support member secured to a vehicle with a first guide pin located in a first bore and a second guide pin located in a second bore in support member. The first and second bores are complimentary and define first and second bearing surfaces to align a caliper over a rotor associated with a wheel of the vehicle. A first friction member is connected to the piston retained by the caliper while a second friction member is connected to an arm extending from a bridge member is located on a second side of the rotor. To effect a brake application pressurized fluid acts on the piston to develop a force for moving the first and second friction members into engagement with the rotor to effect a brake application. The caliper is characterized by a first ear that extends from the actuation section while a second ear extends from the arm. The first and second ears being located on opposite sides of the rotor.

Abstract: A parking brake system (10) for a vehicle. The control system (10) includes solenoid valve (30) which controls communicating of pressurized fluid from an inlet port (32) to the actuator assembly (12) of a drum brake and from the actuator assembly (12) to a reservoir (41). Solenoid valve (30) has a coil (50) consisting of a first circuit (52) and a second circuit (54). In response to an operator activating a parking brake switch (80) and after signals corresponding to the operational condition of the vehicle are evaluated by an electronic control unit (100) current may directly flow in the first circuit (52) from a battery (200) to the solenoid valve (30) and may flow in a second circuit (54) after the closure of an ignition switch (201).

Abstract: A master cylinder having a body (10) with a bore (12) therein in which slides at least a primary piston (20). The primary piston (20) has a compensation passage (58), which in a position of rest, places a pressure chamber (24) in communication with a reservoir (14). The communication between interrupted upon actuation of the master cylinder by a control rod (18) acting on a second piston (48) sliding in the bore (12). A first compression spring (28) and a second compression spring (42) urge the primary piston (20) and second spring (16) toward a rear position of rest. The preload force of the first compression spring (28) exceeding that of the second compression spring (16) such that the second piston (48) is the first to move in response to a force applied to the control rod (18). The rear position of rest for the primary piston (200 and second piston (48) is defined by a same stop (36) which is integral with the body (10) of the master cylinder.

Abstract: A boot-seal assembly (38) for sealing an actuation chamber (36) defined by a piston (34) being located in a bore (32) of a caliper (16) of a disc brake (10). The bore (32) has a first diameter (32a) separated from a second diameter (32b) by an annular shoulder (33), a step (37) adjacent the annular shoulder (33) and an annular groove (35) adjacent the step (37). The boot-seal assembly (38) include a square seal (50) and a boot (52), each of which surround the piston (34). The boot (52) has a molded cylindrical rubber body (54) with a metal insert (64). The metal insert (64) creates a radial outward projection (60) that extends from a first end (56) of the boot (52) and a radial inward lip (62) that extends from a second end (58) of the boot (52). The piston (34) is inserted in bore (32) and an initial force is applied to the second end (58) of the cylindrical body (54) to bring the first end (56) into contact with the seal (50) and position the seal (50) on the step (37).

Abstract: A master cylinder (12) for use in a brake system (10). The master cylinder (12) has a housing (22) with a first (42) and second (44) pistons located in a bore (20) by first (46) and second (48) resilient members to define first (50) and second (52) chambers therein. The first (50) and second (52) chambers are respectively connected to a reservoir (32) to receive fluid and maintain a desired fluid level in the brake system (10) and to front (24,24′) and rear (26,26′) wheel brakes to supply pressurized fluid to effect a brake application. Fluid received from the reservoir (32) by [to] the second chamber (52) is controlled by a center port compensation valve (148). The center port compensation valve (148) has a head (126′) connected to a linkage member (98′) that joins a first retainer (94′) with a second retainer (96′) to cage the second resilient member (48).

Abstract: A housing for a brake booster (100) having a first shell (10) joined to a second shell (30) by deforming a first peripheral surface on a flange (24) of the first shell (10) with respect to a second peripheral surface, (204) on the second shell (30) toward an axial center of the second shell (30). The deformation axially compresses a bead (26) on a diaphragm (28) located between the first (10) and second (30) shells to seal an interior of the housing from the surrounding environment. The housing is characterized by the first peripheral surface having a flange (24) that extends from a shoulder (18) to an opened end (16) thereof that receives the second shell (30). The flange (24) has a plurality of slits (36,36′, . . . 36n) that axially extend from the opened end (16) toward the shoulder (18) and a plurality of slots (38,38′, . . . 38n) located in a radial plane perpendicular to the opened end (16). The plurality of slots (38,38′, . . .

Abstract: A brake system for (10) a vehicle having a brake booster (14a) with an output put rod (152a) for providing a primary piston (310) in a master cylinder (12a) with an input force to pressurize fluid which is supplied to wheel brakes (10a) of a vehicle to effect a brake application in response to an operator input force. The master cylinder (12a) has a first housing (202a) with a bore (202a) therein for retaining the primary piston (310) in a first pressure chamber (212a). The bore (202a) has a first compensation passage (206a) connected to a fluid supply (204a) and an outlet port (218) connected to the wheel brakes (10a). The primary piston (310) has a first position of rest whereby the first pressure chamber (212a) is connected to a fluid supply (204a) through the first compensation passage (206a). The brake booster (14a) has a second housing (102,104) with an interior separated by a movable wall (122) into a front chamber (108) and a rear chamber (110).

Abstract: A spring clip located in a rail of an anchor of a disc brake to hold a carrier for a friction pad and provide a surface on which a projection on the carrier slides during movement of a the carrier toward a rotor by an input force to effect a brake application. The spring clip is characterized by a base having a surface thereon that substantially matches and covers the rail. A tab that extends from the base engages the anchor to fix the position of the base in the rail with respect to the rotor. An arm that extends inward from the base in plane perpendicular to the base has a lip on the end thereof that extends in a plane parallel with the rail. The projection on the carrier engages the arm whenever wear reduces a thickness of the friction pad to a predetermined thickness such that the projection thereafter engages the arm to bring the lip into engagement with the rotor whenever the first friction pad engages the rotor during a brake application.

Abstract: A drum brake assembly (10) having first (12) and second (14) brake shoes retained on a backing plate (16). Each of the first (12) and second (14) brake shoes have an end (22,24) aligned on a hydraulic actuator assembly (26) and an end (28,30) aligned on an anchor block (40). An adjustable strut mechanism (32) has a extendable shaft (33) that includes a first end member (34) that engages the first end (22) of said first brake shoe (12), a second end member (36) that engages the first end (24) of the second brake shoe (14) and a rotatable stem (35). A first resilient member (150) urges the first (12) and second (14) brake shoes toward the hydraulic actuator assembly (26) and second resilient member (48) urges the first (12) and second (14) brake shoes toward the anchor block (40). The length of the extendable shaft (33) is adjusted by ratcheting a pawl (65) rotating the stem (35) to establish a predetermined running clearance between the first (42) and second (44) friction members and drum (46).

Abstract: A braking system for a wheeled vehicle includes a pressurized air source (63), an air actuated wheel braking device (51, 59), an operator control (49, 61) for commanding the supply of air to the braking device, an electronic control (19) which responds to vehicle speed and wheel speed to selectively invoking an antilock mode of braking. A control valve (37, 55) responds to the electronic control (19) and the operator control (49, 61) to selectively control the supply of air from the source to the braking device. In the antilock mode, the control valve is initially enabled to release braking pressure and thereafter alternately enabled and disabled to maintain braking pressure at a substantially constant reduced pressure, and subsequently alternately enabled and disabled at a reduced ratio of enabled duration to disabled duration to rebuild braking pressure.

Abstract: A drum-in-hat park brake assembly having a first brake shoe retained on a backing plate by a first pin and a second brake shoe retained by a second pin. The first and second pins permit the first and second brake shoes to be moved in a radial plane and to rotate about an axis of an opening in the backing plate. The first and second brake shoes each have a first engagement end which is aligned on the backing plate by an anchor post and a second engagement end which is selectively spaced apart by an adjuster mechanism. A spring arrangement urges the first and second brake shoes toward the anchor post and into engagement with the adjuster mechanism. An actuator assembly is connected to the first engagement end of the first and second brake shoes and upon receiving an input force moves first and second friction pads associated with the first and second brake shoes into radial engagement with a drum.

Abstract: A braking device for a vehicle having rear and front pressure receivers (21, 22) connected with a mechanical pressure generator (31) and an electrical pressure generators (31, 32) and selectively controlled by solenoid valves (61, 62, 63). An inlet (222) of the front pressure receiver (22) is connected directly to an outlet (324) of the electrically controlled pressure generator (32) while a solenoid valve (61) selectively connects an outlet (313) of the mechanically controlled pressure generator (31) to the inlet (222) of the front pressure receiver (22) to control braking. The fluid pressure communicated from the electrically controlled pressure generator (32) being selectively altered to create a desired braking for the vehicle.