Patents Assigned to Akebono
  • Coiled spreader spring
    Patent number: 9261152
    Abstract: A spreader spring comprising: (a) a locking arm that connects the spreader spring to a brake component; (b) a retraction arm; and (c) a bias device located between the locking arm and the retraction arm; wherein the bias device includes six helical loops or more that store energy during a brake apply and once the brake apply is complete assist in retracting a brake pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenneth Eric Gutelius, Muhammad Farooq
  • Disc brake pad assembly
    Patent number: 9228621
    Abstract: A disc brake pad assembly includes a pad and a shim plate. The shim plate includes locking pieces which are bent from a main body portion towards a pressure plate. The locking pieces are brought into abutment with circumferential edge portions of the pressure plate so as to be displaced in a rotating direction of a rotor. Projecting portions are formed at portions of the circumferential edge portion which are brought into abutment with one surface of each of the locking pieces. A circumferential central portion of a part of each of the projecting portions which faces the one surface projects further than both circumferential end portions thereof. The circumferential edge portion and the one surface of each of the locking pieces are spaced apart from each other at portions of the one surface which lie close to both circumferential end portions thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Kobayashi, Yoshihiro Hirata
  • FRICTION MATERIAL
    Publication number: 20150369320
    Abstract: A friction material includes a fiber base material, a friction modifier and a binder. The friction modifier includes two or more kinds of non-whisker-like titanate compounds. The non-whisker-like titanate compound includes non-whisker-like lithium potassium titanate. The friction material includes no copper component. Alternatively, a friction material includes a fiber base material, a friction modifier and a binder. The friction material includes a non-whisker-like titanate compound and a low-melting-point metal fiber. The friction material includes no copper component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Applicant: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi ONDA, Hiroshi YAMAMOTO, Satoshi KUSAKA, Yoshiyuki SUGAI, Katsuji SEKI
  • Pad clip with nonlinear stiffness
    Patent number: 9206867
    Abstract: A pad clip comprising: two opposing legs separated by a gap, the two opposing legs comprising: (i) a projection arm including: (A) an upper portion, (B) a lower portion, and (C) a face portion connecting the upper portion and the lower portion together; (ii) a connection arm; and (iii) an abutment arm extending between and connecting the projection arm and the connection arm; wherein the lower portion of the projection arm, the connection arm, or both include an arcuate segment that extends the lower portion, the connection arm, or both towards each other so that when the pad clip is installed in a support bracket a space is formed between the arcuate segment and the support bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gang Lou, Brian Lewis Boyle, Eric John Roszman
  • Resin piston and method for molding resin piston
    Patent number: 9186827
    Abstract: In a method for molding a resin piston by charging a preheated resin tablet into a cavity of a molding die, and by carrying out compression molding while heating, at a time point when an internal pressure of the cavity arrives at a determined pressure, by pressurizing a pressurizing margin in the molding die, resin which overflows from the molding die is discharged from a passage which is defined in an area except an outer circumferential surface of the piston, while the internal pressure of the cavity is maintained. After a thermosetting cycle has finished, the molding die 21 is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Isao Sunaga, Daigo Kawabata
  • Protection clip for torque receiving part and method of forming attaching recess thereof
    Patent number: 9188178
    Abstract: There is provided a protection clip for a torque receiving part. The protection clip is fitted into a concave portion of a torque receiving part of a caliper body, into which a lug part of a brake pad of a disc brake is inserted. The protection clip includes first and second separation preventing claws. The first separation preventing claw is bent from an outer periphery-side wall surface of the concave portion toward an upper attaching surface of the torque receiving part, and is configured to be fitted into one of a pair of recesses formed over an opening of the concave portion. The second separation preventing claw is bent from a lower attaching surface of the torque receiving part toward the concave portion, and is configured to be fitted into the other of the pair of recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Isao Ishiguro, Kazunari Wakabayashi, Osamu Yokoyama
  • BRAKE TORQUE ABUTMENT
    Publication number: 20150267763
    Abstract: A brake pad comprising: (a) friction material and (b) a pressure plate comprising: (i) an ear on a trailing side and (ii) an ear on a leading side; wherein the ear on the trailing side and the ear on the leading side are configured for placement in a trailing abutment and a leading abutment of a support bracket respectively so that during a brake apply the ear on the trailing side is moved into contact with the abutment on the trailing side or the ear on the leading side is moved into contact with the abutment on the leading side: and wherein the ear on the trailing side, the ear on the leading side, or both include an arcuate segment forming a concave recess that has a continuous curvature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Applicant: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gang Lou, Larry William Brackmann
  • Disc brake pad assembly
    Patent number: 9140322
    Abstract: A disc brake pad assembly includes a pair of locking bent portions formed at circumferential end portions of an inner shim plate by being bent towards an opposite side to a pressure plate. Locking through holes are formed individually at base end portions of the locking bent portions. A pair of locking projecting pieces are individually formed so as to project circumferentially from an outer main body portion included in an outer shim plate. A distance between distal edges of the locking projecting pieces is larger than a space between the locking bent portions, and a circumferential length defined between radial side portions of the locking projecting pieces is shorter than the space. The inner main body portion and the outer main body portion are superposed on each other in a state that the locking projecting pieces are brought into engagement with the locking through holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Kobayashi, Yoshihiro Hirata
  • DECOUPLING BRAKE COMPONENT
    Publication number: 20150260243
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshitaka Izumihara, Matthew Robere, Masayuki Ueda, Ishiguro Isao, Tadasuke Fujiwara
  • DISK BRAKE DEVICE AND BRAKE PAD FOR DISK BRAKE DEVICE
    Publication number: 20150260244
    Abstract: The disk brake device comprises a caliper body including a cylinder part and a pawl part having a notch section connected together by a center bridge and side bridges with notch sections each interposed between the center bridge and side bridges, a support including guide pin guiding parts each interposed between the cylinder part and pawl part, guide pins respectively slidable to the guide pin guiding parts, and an outer side brake pad threadedly engaged with such surface of the pawl part as is opposed to a rotor on the rotor turn-in and turn-out sides of the notch section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Maehara, Shintaro Izaki
  • Friction material
    Patent number: 9127733
    Abstract: A friction material contains: at least one kind of a titanate compound having a shape having a plurality of convex portions; and a bio-soluble inorganic fiber. In the titanate compound, a three-dimensional shape of a particle thereof has a plurality of convex portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eri Itami, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Takayuki Watanabe, Katsuji Seki
  • PAD CLIP WITH NONLINEAR STIFFNESS
    Publication number: 20150240890
    Abstract: A pad clip comprising: two opposing legs separated by a gap, the two opposing legs comprising: (i) a projection arm including: (A) an upper portion, (B) a lower portion, and (C) a face portion connecting the upper portion and the lower portion together; (ii) a connection arm; and (iii) an abutment arm extending between and connecting the projection arm and the connection arm; wherein the lower portion of the projection arm, the connection arm, or both include an arcuate segment that extends the lower portion, the connection arm, or both towards each other so that when the pad clip is installed in a support bracket a space is formed between the arcuate segment and the support bracket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gang Lou, Brian Lewis Boyle, Eric John Roszman
  • Brake component with an encapsulant and method of applying the encapsulant to a brake component
    Patent number: 9109651
    Abstract: A brake device comprising: a brake component including: a carrier and an encapsulant, wherein the carrier and encapsulant are disposed on and/or within one or more brake components, and the carrier assists in adhering the encapsulant to the brake component and wherein the encapsulant includes one of more lubricants and/or one or more adhesives, or both and the encapsulant, the carrier, or both are dry to the touch after the encapsulant is attached to the brake component and prior to an initial brake apply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert Allen Peters, Orit Baron Milligan, Kenneth Gutelius
  • Compression molding apparatus and molding die
    Patent number: 9108341
    Abstract: Disclosed are a compression molding apparatus and a molding die, whereby efficient hot-molding is performed. The compression molding apparatus performs a molding by providing a raw material into the molding die, and applying heat and pressure to the material. The apparatus is provided with: a first molding die, which forms a molding frame that surrounds a region where the raw material is compression-molded; a second molding die, which compresses the raw material provided into the molding frame; and a heat source section, which supports and heats the second molding die. The second molding die has: a first heat pipe, which has one end positioned on the heat source section side, and the other end positioned on the side of a pressing surface that presses the raw material; and a heat insulating layer, which wraps the first heat pipe along the longitudinal direction of the first heat pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Rie Sugie, Toshihiro Hoshi, Tadahiro Mita, Kunihiro Fukue, Atsushi Koda, Kazuya Ayabe
  • Drum brake type electric parking brake apparatus
    Patent number: 9097300
    Abstract: A drum brake type electric parking brake apparatus includes an electric actuator unit configured to pull a cable so as to expand an expanding mechanism, a pulling pipe into which the cable is loosely inserted and supported so as to move in an axial direction, a feeding nut supported so as to move in only a rotation direction and provided with a female screw which is engaged with a male screw on the pulling pipe, and a connecting unit connecting a base end of the pulling pipe and a base end of the cable so as to pull the cable in a direction away from the expanding mechanism with the pulling pipe. The base end of the cable is projected from the base end of the pulling pipe which is an end opposite to the expanding mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hironori Akada, Hiroyasu Ishikawa, Michio Suzuki
  • Full contact brake
    Patent number: 9091313
    Abstract: A full contact brake comprising: (a) an inboard housing including: an inner and outer seal groove including a seal; (b) an outboard housing including: an inner and outer seal groove including a seal; and (c) a bridge tube between the inboard housing and the outboard housing; wherein the inboard housing, the outboard housing, and the bridge tube form a housing comprising: (i) an inboard piston between the inner and outer seal groove; (ii) an outboard piston between the inner and outer seal groove; and (iii) a rotor between the inboard and outboard piston so that the inboard piston is moved towards an inboard side and the outboard piston is moved towards an outboard side of the rotor; and wherein the seal of the inboard housing forms an interference fit around the respective piston so that rotation of the inboard and outboard piston respectively are substantially prevented during a brake apply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Galus Chelaidite, Gang Lou
  • Multi-plane brake rotor hat holes and method of making the same
    Patent number: 9079241
    Abstract: A rotor comprising: a two sided braking surface, a base portion; a hat portion connected to the two sided braking surface via the base portion, the hat portion including: a mounting face and a hat wall; and wherein the base portion includes holes and the hat wall includes holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric J. Barber, Brian C. Nadeau
  • Pin cap
    Patent number: 9068611
    Abstract: A pin cap comprising: (a) a central portion including one or more through holes; (b) one or more springing arms extending from the central portion; (c) one or more contact regions; and wherein the pin cap is configured to receive a pin from a brake system so that the one or more contact regions of the pin cap contact the pin and connect the pin cap to the pin, and the one or more through holes in the central portion assist the pin cap in expanding to receive a pin so that the central portion of the pin cap creates a gripping force on the pin; and wherein the one or more springing arms bias the pin so that the pin and pin cap are substantially centrally located within a pin bore of the brake system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Brad Robert Lethorn, Scott Alan Dubay
  • Brake pad coupler
    Patent number: 9062729
    Abstract: A device comprising one or more movable links adjacent to and spanning between two opposing brake pads along an axis, wherein the one or more movable links connect the two opposing brake pads so that the brake pads remain in a substantially parallel relationship as the two opposing brake pads move relative to each other along the axis when contacted by a rotor during a free running condition, and wherein dimensions of the one or more movable links remain constant during a brake apply, a brake retract, the free running condition, or a time therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Galus Chelaidite
  • Wearing indicator
    Patent number: 9038784
    Abstract: A wear indicator comprising: (a) a connector that attaches the wear indicator to a brake pad, the brake pad including a friction material having a plane; (b) a scraper; and (c) an indicator portion; wherein the indicator portion forms a cantilever connection with the scraper and extends parallel to the plane of the friction portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Brian Lewis Boyle