Abstract: A pair of engaging protrusions provided in a support member and a pair of engaging grooves provided in a back plate of a pad are engaged with each other, and the pad is capable of being displaced only in the axial direction of a rotor. Each engaging protrusion is composed of a rising section and a bent section which is bent at the tip end of the rising section at a right angle. The rising section composes a brake torque bearing section, and the bent section composes a rotation preventing section of the pad. The pad is prevented from rattling with respect to the support member by first and second pad clips.

Abstract: To improve a response rate and an impact detection precision of an auxiliary acceleration sensor device for an air bag system, an auxiliary acceleration sensor device includes a longitudinal G sensor for sensing a longitudinal acceleration G of a vehicle, and lateral G sensor for sensing a lateral acceleration G of the vehicle. The longitudinal G sensor includes a constant current source circuit, a detector portion for outputting an electrical signal representative of a longitudinal acceleration G, and an amplifier portion for amplifying the signal received from the detecting portion. The comparator includes comparing elements that compare the voltage values corresponding to longitudinal threshold values Tf1 to Tf4 of the longitudinal acceleration G with an output signal of the amplifier portion.

Abstract: A brake hold down assembly for brake mechanisms has a hold down spring designed to ease spring installation and removal as well as reduce spring overstressing. Each leg of the spring has an open-ended slot therein, and the assembly also includes a retaining pin, which interfaces with the open-ended slot in each leg to lock the spring in place after installation. The spring is preferably p-shaped with a pair of opposing legs connected by an arcuate portion.

Abstract: A friction material comprises a fibrous reinforcement, a friction modifier and a binder. At least potassium hexatitanate fiber and potassium octatitanate fiber are used together as the fibrous reinforcement and mixed at a ratio in a range between 2 wt % and 40 wt % of the whole of the friction material as total amount. It is preferable that a mixing ratio of the potassium hexatitanate fiber to the potassium octatitanate fiber is in a range between 1:4 and 4:1 by weight percentage.

Abstract: A support member of a disc brake and a backing plate of a drum brake are formed integrally, and a pair of pin supporting portions for respectively supporting a pair of caliper slide pins are provided in the support member so that the pair of caliper slide pins supporting a caliper are passed through on a radially outward side of a rotor portion.

Abstract: A drum brake device produces a stable braking force at a predetermined boosting ratio in response to a brake operation force input thereto, even if the friction characteristics of the interface of the brake drum and the brake shoe varies, without increasing the size of the wheel cylinder.

Abstract: A shoe driving mechanism for a drum brake for pressing brake shoes against a drum is formed as an assembly in which the following are assembled to base plates which are rotatably fitted to an anchor pin for a primary shoe: an anchor pin for the secondary shoe; first and second lever supporting pins; a balance lever which is swingably supported by the first and second lever supporting pins whose distal-end side outer periphery is brought into contact with one end of the primary shoe; and an input lever for transmitting to the balance lever and the secondary shoe a shoe operating force inputted from an operating-force generating mechanism.

Abstract: An antilock control method wherein during the running of an automotive vehicle on a road surface (&mgr;-split surface) having a different coefficient of friction where one of the right and left wheels of the same axle is on a road surface of the higher coefficient of friction and the other one of the wheels is on a road surface of the lower coefficient of friction, when the brake is operated and an antilock control starts, the wheel that runs on the road surface having the lower coefficient of friction excessively slips in a first cycle of the antilock control, and a predetermined condition is satisfied, 1) a hydraulic braking pressure to the wheel that runs on the road surface having the higher coefficient of friction is progressively decreased during progressively decreasing periods of time, and 2) after the pressure decreasing, another predetermined condition is satisfied, a gentle increasing of the hydraulic braking pressure to the wheel that runs on the road surface having the higher coefficient of frict

Abstract: A drum brake device including, a pair of brake shoes, a wheel cylinder, anchor pins, and a control lever. The control lever is disposed between a wheel cylinder and a secondary shoe and has a structure that the flanges and are raised from both ends of a plate-like lever body. The first flange is formed at one end of the plate-like lever body and includes a piston contact portion. The second flange is formed at the other end thereof. The surface of the second flange, which faces an anchor pin, is used as an anchor contact portion, and the surface of the second flange, which faces the secondary shoe, is used as a shoe contact portion.

Abstract: A parking brake mechanism in the duo-servo type drum brake includes a link type shoe drive mechanism for expanding a pair of brake shoes and an operating force generator for inputting a shoe operating force into an input lever of the shoe drive mechanism according to the brake operation. The parking brake mechanism also includes a parking brake lever pivotally supported by one brake shoe, wherein a shoe operating force is inputted into the input lever by swing of the parking brake lever, and the brake shoes are expanded via the shoe drive mechanism.

Abstract: A disc brake comprises pads, a support member, elastic members, and a caliper. The pads include first engaging portions having first slanted surfaces with a first distance therebetween. The support member straddles the rotor and is supported on a body. The support member includes a pair of second engaging portions having second slanted surfaces. The second slanted surfaces have a second distance therebetween. The elastic member, disposed on the pads, presses the pads in a direction which shortens a third width defined by an adjacent pair of the first and second slanted surfaces, respectively. The first and second distances change gradually along the first and second slanted surfaces. Engaging protrusions are provided to one of the pairs of the first and second engaging portions, each including a first width. Engaging grooves are provided to the other of the pairs of the first and second engaging portions, each including a second width.

Abstract: A parking brake mechanism in the duo-servo type drum brake includes a link type shoe drive mechanism for expanding a pair of brake shoes and an operating force generator for inputting a shoe operating force into an input lever of the shoe drive mechanism according to the brake operation. The parking brake mechanism also includes a parking brake lever pivotally supported by one brake shoe, wherein a shoe operating force is inputted into the input lever by swing of the parking brake lever, and the brake shoes are expanded via the shoe drive mechanism.

Abstract: A non-asbestos friction material is disclosed, which comprises a non-asbestos fibrous reinforcement, a thermosetting resin binder, and a filler as the main components, wherein the fibrous reinforcement is a combination of plural kinds of non-asbestos fibers and contains sepiolite fibers, cellulose fibers, and an acryl pulp as the fibrous reinforcement. The friction material of the present invention is excellent in fade characteristics, stability of effectiveness, etc., and low in cost.

Abstract: A force transmitting and converting mechanism for an electric braking device comprising a gear, a nut, a rotating body, a ramp mechanism, a screw member, and a brake element. The gear is rotated by the electric motor, and the nut disposed being opposed to the gear. The rotating body is disposed between the gear and the nut. The ramp mechanism is operated so that the gear and the nut can be separated from each other by a relative rotation of the gear with the nut. The screw member is screwed to the nut, and the brake element is capable of coming into contact with the screw member.

Abstract: A pad clip for a disc brake including at least one friction pad and a support member. The pad clip comprises a first U-shaped portion, a second U-shaped portion, and a third side portion. The first U-shaped portion includes a first base portion and first side portions, and is disposed between side edge portions of the friction pad and anchor portions of the support member. The second U-shaped portion includes a second base portion, second side portions and a second opening portion, and is connected to one of the first side portions of the first U-shaped portion. The third side portion is connected to the second U-shaped portion, and is disposed substantially rectangularly to one of second side portions of the second U-shaped portion and parallel to the first base portion of the first U-shaped portion. The third side portion is positioned closer to the friction pad than the first base portion of the first U-shaped portion.

Abstract: A method of controlling a brake force in a brake system including a front wheel system and a rear wheel system, includes the steps of: operating a brake in the front wheel system by using a hydraulic pressure corresponding to an amount of brake pedal operation; and controlling a wheel speed of the rear wheel system via a feedback mechanism to match a wheel speed of the front wheel system.

Abstract: Starting material containing raw material fiber, raw material powder and binder for manufacturing friction material is granulated, so that primary granules are made, and then the primary granules are crushed so as to obtain granules of raw material for manufacturing friction material.

Abstract: An opposed piston type disc brake comprising an outer body, an inner body, cylinders, pistons, and pads. A rotor rotates together with a wheel being interposed between the outer and inner bodies. The cylinders are opposed to each other and arranged in both outer and inner bodies. The pistons are fluid-tightly arranged in the cylinders and capable of being freely displaced in the axial direction of the rotor. The pads are supported by the inner and outer bodies and capable of being freely displaced in the axial direction of the rotor. The outer and inner bodies are made separately from each other. The outer body includes a main body, a connecting portion, and an attaching portion. The main body is provided with the cylinders. The connecting portion extends from both end portions of the main body in the axial direction of the rotor and straddles the rotor.

Abstract: A friction material contains a fibrous reinforcement, a binder, and a fricton modifier. The binder content of the friction material on the back plate side is made to be larger than the binder content of the friction material on the friction surface side. The fibrous reinforcement content of the friction material on the back plate side is made to be smaller than the fibrous reinforcement content of the friction material on the friction surface side.

Abstract: A valve opening and closing mechanism comprising a cylinder, a control piston, a valve guide, and a valve assembly. The cylinder includes an inlet for supplying fluid. The control piston is slidably fitted to the cylinder and includes a first fluid passageway for flowing the fluid supplied into the cylinder. The valve guide is supported in a fluid chamber defined by the cylinder and the control piston. The valve guide includes a shaft portion and a valve support portion. The shaft portion is inserted into the first fluid passageway with defining a first clearance, and the valve support portion is formed into a collar at a base end of the shaft portion and faced an end surface of the control piston. The shaft portion of the valve guide have a conical surface portion for reducing a first sectional area of flowing the fluid when the control piston is displaced toward the fluid chamber.