Abstract: A hot press assembly is provided that comprises an upper die plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The hot press assembly further includes a punch with an attachment surface that is positioned adjacent to the second surface of the upper die plate and a pressing surface that is positioned opposite the attachment surface. The hot press assembly also includes one or more conductive inserts that extend through the punch from the attachment surface to a predetermined distance away from the pressing surface, where each conductive insert has a thermal conductivity greater than a thermal conductivity of the punch. Methods of manufacturing a brake pad using the hot press assembly are also provided.

Abstract: A thermosetting resin composition includes a lignin derived from a lignocellulose, a lignocellulose fiber derived from the lignocellulose, and a thermosetting resin. In the thermosetting resin composition, the lignin derived from the lignocellulose and the lignocellulose fiber derived from the lignocellulose are dispersed in the thermosetting resin.

Abstract: A brake system comprising: (a) a body assembly comprising: (i) an outboard side, (ii) an inboard side, (iii) a bridge extending between and connecting the inboard side and the outboard side, and (iv) two or more piston assemblies located entirely on the outboard side, entirely on the inboard side, or located both on the inboard side and the outboard side; and (b) an electric brake assembly comprising: (i) one or more differential assemblies in communication with the body assembly and each of the two or more piston assemblies; wherein the one or more differential assemblies provide power equally to each of the two or more piston assemblies so that each of the piston assemblies are moved axially in unison until a resistance of one of the two or more piston assemblies becomes higher than a remainder of the two or more piston assemblies and the one or more differential assemblies transfer power from the piston assembly with the higher resistance to the remainder of piston assemblies with a lower resistance so tha

Abstract: A technique is provided capable of favorably preventing generation of a shrinkage cavity in solidification of molten metal poured into a casting mold, and increasing accuracy of an assembling position of a core to a mold, in casting a caliper. A caliper casting device for casting a caliper for a disc brake including a cylinder into which a piston is fitted, and a rotor housing surface that defines a space for housing a disc rotor, includes: a mold; and a core placed in the mold, the mold having a rotor housing surface forming portion that forms a part of the rotor housing surface after casting, and the core being positioned and held in the rotor housing surface forming portion during casting, and forming a part of the rotor housing surface together with the rotor housing surface forming portion after casting.

Abstract: A brake component comprising: (a) one or more tie bars, and (b) one or more open spaces on each side of the tie bar, wherein during a brake apply the one or more tie bars each allow a brake pad to rotate into the open spaces of the brake component while the tie bar remains an only point of contact of the brake component.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a friction material that applies low load on the environment and exhibits improved friction characteristics, particularly improved fade resistance and wear resistance. The friction material of the invention contains a fibrous base material, a friction modifier, and a binder, wherein the copper content is 0.5% by mass or less in terms of elemental copper, and lithium carbonate is contained.

Abstract: A method of forming a rotor by forming a mold by forming a first mold cake, a second mold cake, and a core that fits between the first and the second mold cake. The method includes a step of locating the core between the first mold cake and the second mold cake. The core includes a body, one or more projections extending from the body for forming one or more holes in a base portion of the rotor, and one or more projections extending from the body for forming one or more holes in a bat wall of the rotor.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor circuit 1 of the invention includes an acceleration sensor 11 having a first capacitor C1 whose capacitance changes according to a position of a first movable electrode and a second capacitor C2 whose capacitance changes as opposed to the first capacitor according to a position of a second movable electrode moved together with the first movable electrode, a first circuit 15A for generating a sinusoidal AC signal of a predetermined frequency, a second circuit 12 for generating a signal according to the positions of the movable electrodes, and an arithmetic circuit 14 for analyzing data in which a signal generated by the second circuit 12 is encoded and outputting data of acceleration.

Abstract: A disc brake apparatus has a support member, slide members each having a guide pin and an anchor pin which are situated on an inner side and outer side of the support member, respectively, and a caliper which is held so that tangential force of an outer pad is transmitted to a claw portion and which is supported on the slide members. The caliper includes outer transmission surfaces which transmit braking torque generated in the outer pad to the anchor pins and inner transmission surfaces which transmit the braking force to the guide pins.

Abstract: A disc brake apparatus structured such that, on receiving a pressing force from an operating spring, a piston arranged within a cylinder formed in a caliper body presses a piston side pad. The disc brake apparatus includes a support part formed in a part of the caliper body, a reaction force receiver provided on and projected from the lateral side of the piston and opposed to the support part, and cam parts interposed between the support part and the reaction force receiver and, on receiving a rotation force, capable of spreading the distance between the support part and the reaction force receiver to thereby release the pressing force.

Abstract: A control device for an electric parking brake controls a motor for driving a friction member of the electric parking brake. The control device includes a processing unit which starts the motor in order to drive the friction member to a direction for placing the electric parking brake in a locked state; measures a current value of the motor in an operating state thereof; determines a cut-off current value from the measured current value of the motor according to a predetermined rule defining a correlation between the cut-off current value of the motor, by which a braking force necessary for the electric parking brake in the locked state is generated, and an increasing rate of the current; and stops the motor when the current value of the motor reaches the determined cut-off current value.

Abstract: A planetary gear assembly comprising: a housing, which contains: a planetary carrier, a sun gear, at least one planetary gear, a ring gear, a coil spring; an input shaft; and an output shaft. The coil spring extends around at least a portion of the planetary carrier. The coil spring includes a first tang in communication with the ring gear and a second tang in communication with the housing. When torque is applied to the input shaft, the planetary carrier rotates within the coil spring in one or more driving directions so that torque is transferred to the output shaft. When no torque is applied to the input shaft and torque is applied to the output shaft, the coil spring constricts and provides sufficient contact force to the planetary carrier and housing to prevent the planetary carrier from moving relative to the housing in at least one of the driving directions.

Abstract: In a disc brake apparatus, a parallelism maintaining control mechanism for pressing lining surfaces of pads against a disc rotor in parallel includes a pressure plate which is brought into abutment with a pad holding member, a link arm having a fixing shaft projecting from a caliper body in parallel to a side surface of a disc rotor, a moving shaft disposed in parallel to the fixing shaft and pivotally supporting the pressure plate, joint members which connect the fixing shaft and the moving shaft in parallel to each other and a connecting shaft for pivotally connecting the joint members to each other, and a spring member for pressing the pressure plate against the pad holding member.

Abstract: A shim assembly for a disk brake includes inside shim locking pieces which are provided in an inside shim main body of the inside shim plate and bent toward the pressure plate so that displacement of the inside shim plate in radial and peripheral directions is restricted and outside shim locking pieces which are provided in an outside shim main body of the outside shim plate and bent toward the pressure plate so that displacement of the outside shim plate in the peripheral direction is allowed and displacement thereof in the radial direction is restricted. Engaging pawls are provided in the inside shim main body and projected from a peripheral edge of the pressure plate. The outside shim locking pieces are respectively engaged with the engaging pawls so as to cover the engaging pawls, to prevent the outside shim plate against separation from the inside shim plate.

Abstract: A friction material includes a fiber base material, a friction modifying material and a binder. The friction modifying material includes alumina particles including, as a main component, ?-alumina particles. The ?-alumina particles are contained in an amount of 1 mass % or more in the friction material.

Abstract: A brake system is disclosed, which comprises a parking brake system and an inboard brake pad. The parking brake system includes a first actuator assembly, a second actuator assembly, a motor, and a clutch. The clutch selectively communicates power from the motor to the first actuator assembly so that a first end of the inboard brake pad is moved relative to a brake rotor. The clutch selectively communicates the power from the motor to the second actuator assembly so that a second end of the inboard brake pad is moved relative to the brake rotor. The clutch selectively communicates the power from the motor to both the first actuator assembly and the second actuator assembly so that both the first and the second ends of the inboard brake pad are moved relative to the brake rotor.

Abstract: In an opposed-piston disc brake caliper, a pair of reinforcement bridge portions, which are inclined relative to an axial direction, are provided on outside of a rotor in a radial direction of the rotor so as to define corner opening portions in an opening portion which is defined by an inner body portion, an outer body portion, and an entry-side connection portion and an exit-side connection portion connecting the inner body portion and the outer body portion. A torque receiving portion of one of the entry-side torque receiving portion and the exit-side torque receiving portion is exposed toward an outside in the radial direction via the corner opening portions.

Abstract: A disk brake includes a floating caliper, a pair of brake pads, a driving piston and a caliper return mechanism. The floating caliper includes a base portion which is slidably supported via a guide pin to a support and a pair of pressing arms which extend from the base portion to pinch a disk rotor. The brake pads are provided in tip portions of the pressing arms so as to face side surfaces of the disk rotor. The driving piston is provided on one of the pressing arms so as to drive one of the brake pads toward one of the side surfaces. The caliper return mechanism is arranged in at least one of both end portions of the guide pin on a side opposite to the driving piston side so as to elastically bias the base portion to the side opposite to the driving piston side.

Abstract: A friction material as a lining for a drum brake includes polytetrafluoroethylene and an acrylic rubber-modified phenol resin. In the friction material, the polytetrafluoroethylene is preferably included in an amount of 0.1% by mass to 5% by mass, and the acrylic rubber-modified phenol resin is preferably included in an amount of 1% by mass to 15% by mass.

Abstract: 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.