Abstract: A multi-part piston for a brake saddle of a hydraulically and/or mechanically and/or electromechanically actuated disk brake is described herein. The piston is a pot open on one side and including a base and a wall attached thereto in one piece. The base can be impinged by brake pressure coming from the inside of the pot so that an outward-facing abutting surface of the base can be pressed against a brake lining. The inside of the pot receives at least one pressure piece associated with a parking brake mechanism. For simplified manufacture in the form of a modular piston system for use in various applications, it is proposed that the pressure piece and the base comprise conical surfaces facing one another for transferring braking pressure.

Abstract: A thermoplastic endless belt has a smooth outer surface substantially free of discontinuities and an inner surface with a plurality of teeth at a given belt pitch. The teeth are adapted to engage a pulley with circumferentially spaced sheaves at a pulley pitch greater than the belt pitch. The belt is slightly stretchable so that the pulley can drive the endless belt when engaging the teeth within a range of load on the belt. Means are provided to minimize friction between the belt and the drive pulley. Also, a position limiter ensures that the driven tooth stays engaged optimally with the drive sheave.

Abstract: An electric brake system is proposed which includes an electric linear motion actuator and can generate the required braking force with high accuracy. A load sensor (30) is provided in a motion converting mechanism of the actuator which converts the rotary motion of a rotary shaft (4) to which the rotation of an electric motor (2) is transmitted to linear motion of an outer ring member (5) as an output member. The load sensor (30) detects the pushing force with which the outer ring member (5) linearly drives a driven member. With this arrangement, if the driven member is a braking member of an electric brake system, it is possible to directly detect the braking force applied by the driven member and thus to accurately generate the required braking force.

Abstract: The Vented Brake Drum has a pattern of through holes arranged around it circumferentially, the holes intersecting the inside cylindrical braking surface radially of the inner surface as well as intersecting the outside surface of the drum. The holes may be drilled into the finished drum or cast into the drum prior to machining the inner braking surface of the drum, to present a smooth albeit perforated internal circumferential surface (ID) to the arcuate brake lining.

Abstract: A parking brake actuator for a disc brake caliper having at least one service piston. The parking brake actuator includes a tapered collet having an axial bore for receiving the service piston; a release piston, said release piston in axially alignment with the service piston and said tapered collet, said release piston having an internally disposed taper for co-acting with the taper of said tapered collet; and a biasing means, said biasing means structured and arranged to apply a force to said release piston sufficient to place the parking brake actuator in an actuated condition.

Abstract: A brake spider for a drum brake is provided. The brake spider includes a mounting portion configured for mounting the spider to a vehicle frame and an anchor pin support portion extending from the mounting portion. The mounting portion defines an aperture centered about a first axis and configured to receive a vehicle axle extending therethrough along the first axis. The anchor pin support portion includes a pin receiving section defining a bore centered about a second axis and configured to receive an anchor pin extending therethrough along the second axis. The pin support portion further includes bracket support sections extending axially from opposite sides of the pin receiving section. The bracket support sections face one another and diverge from one another approaching the mounting portion of the spider.

Abstract: The invention essentially relates to an energy-absorbing element (1?) comprising: an absorbing portion (2), a first (3) and second anchoring point (4), a first (2?) and second (2?) distal ends of said absorbing portion (2) being respectively secured to the first and second anchoring points (3, 4), characterized in that it also comprises: a pretensioning flange (12) installed between the first (2?) and second (2?) distal ends, the length (L) of said flange (12) exceeding the gap (E) between the two distal ends (2?, 2?) in order to pretension said absorbing element.

Abstract: A safety device on a rope, comprising a first flange-plate and a movable second flange-plate, a roller mounted on a first spindle integral to the first flange-plate, which presents clearance in the heightwise direction. The movable second flange-plate is equipped: with a securing notch operating in conjunction with the first spindle to block the device in the closed position when the roller is under load, and with a latch actuated by control means to perform unlatching of the latter enabling opening of the second flange-plate when the device is no longer under load.

Abstract: Provided is a shock absorber that includes a disk support section protruding between an intermediate seat and an inner seat, having a tip height position in a protruding direction higher than that of the inner seat and lower than that of the intermediate seat, and continuously or discontinuously disposed in an annular shape. In a state in which a first disk is pressed against the inner seat and placed on an outer seat, the intermediate seat and the disk support section, in the first disk, a first bending section bent in a convex shape toward a valve main body side is formed between the inner seat and the disk support section, and a second bending section bent in a convex shape toward a side spaced apart from the valve main body is formed between the disk support section and the outer seat.

Abstract: A foot brake valve apparatus is provided for a heavy vehicle braking system. The foot brake valve apparatus comprises a valve body having a first side face and a second side face opposite the first side face. The apparatus further comprises a primary supply pressure port associated with a primary braking circuit and adjoining the first side face, and a primary delivery pressure port associated with the primary braking circuit and adjoining the first side face. The apparatus also comprises a secondary supply pressure port associated with a secondary braking circuit and adjoining the first side face, and a secondary delivery pressure port associated with the secondary braking circuit and adjoining the first side face.

Abstract: A compact and failsafe magnetorheological energy absorber design including both a light weight piston (LWP) embodiment in which linear motion is subjected to a linear damping force, and a light weight rotary vane (LWRV) embodiment in which linear motion is converted into rotary motion and is subjected to a rotary damping force. Both embodiments allow increased damper stroke within a compact mechanical profile. A new lightweight Magnetorheological energy attenuation system (LMEAS) for a vehicle seat is also disclosed using the new LMRW MREA.

Abstract: A cover opening-and-closing support mechanism is provided that reliably locks a gas spring, and in which a rod section of a gas spring is not damaged by a stopper portion. The cover opening-and-closing support mechanism includes: a gas spring equipped with pivot points at both end portions and including a cylinder section and a rod section; a stopper portion rotatably provided at the pivot point at a first of the end portions, the stopper portion making contact with the cylinder section when the gas spring has been extended so as to lock the gas spring; a gas spring stopper including a limiter portion that makes contact with the cylinder section before the stopper portion makes contact with the rod section; and a release handle portion for releasing the locking, provided at the gas spring stopper on substantially an opposite side to the stopper portion, such that the gas spring stopper swings towards substantially the opposite side to the stopper portion due to a weight of the release handle portion.

Abstract: Damper including a housing enclosing a working chamber and a compensating chamber, a damping fluid located at least partially in the working chamber, a guide and sealing unit, which terminates the housing at a first housing end, a piston rod sealed by the guide and sealing unit, and guided out of the housing, and a piston fastened to the piston rod and guided in the housing along the center longitudinal axis of the damper. The piston divides the working chamber into first and second part working chambers. Arranged at the end of the first and second working chambers, respectively, is a first and second closing element, with respective compensating channels, which form a through-flow connection between the respective working chamber and the compensating chamber. The piston device has at least one through-flow channel connecting the two part working chambers and having an adjustable effective flow cross-section.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for retaining brake pads in disc brakes, such as air-operated disc brakes utilized on commercial vehicles, and for installing and removing brake pads, without the need to employ brake pad retaining devices which radially over-top the brake pads. A preferred embodiment includes a retaining element, preferably a spring steel clip, having protrusions which face in opposite directions to engage corresponding slots in a brake pad lateral edge and in a brake pad carrier brake pad-facing surface. When installed in a radially-inward direction, the brake pad carrier side protrusion engages the brake pad carrier slot, and cooperates with the brake pad lateral side protrusion to resist brake pad movement in the radially-outward direction. The brake pad carrier side protrusion may be manually pressed toward the brake pad to disengage the protrusion from the carrier slot to permit withdrawal of the brake paid from the carrier.

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.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hydraulic shock absorber. A solid main piston is designed to slide in a damping cylinder parallel to the movement generated when the shock absorber is subjected to a compression or a rebound stroke, the main piston dividing the damping cylinder into a first damping chamber containing the piston rod and a second damping chamber which does not contain the piston rod. A pressurization reservoir is pressurized by a force acting on a moving piston. The pressurization reservoir is arranged outside the damping cylinder and oriented at an angle relative to the damping cylinder. Two separate, adjustable valves generate a damping force acting in opposition to the stroke movement by restricting a damping medium flow between the damping chambers. A fourth defined chamber is hydraulically connected via separate flow paths to both the first and the second damping chamber and the pressurization reservoir.

Abstract: A safety brake device for moving machine elements to prevent injury to the extremities of the operator of a machine if the distance of said operator from the moving machine element is less than a defined safety area. The device is characterized by an arrangement for detecting the operator position, in order to permit operation of the machine only if the operator remains within the defined working area, an arrangement for detecting the position of the extremities of the operator within a predefined safety zone, which enables the required work activities to be performed, and a brake device, by means of which the moving machine element can be immediately stopped if the extremities of the operator go beyond the safety area.

Abstract: An assembly includes a fluid reservoir and a master cylinder for a motor vehicle hydraulic brake system, the fluid reservoir being fastened to the master cylinder by a releasable connection and including at least one connection fitting, which is received in a corresponding connection aperture of the master cylinder. The fluid reservoir includes one or more components, which under a defined force applied to the fluid reservoir, allow a movement of at least one part of the fluid reservoir in the direction of the master cylinder.

Abstract: Methods and systems for preventing vacuums within a snubber during a predetermined condition are disclosed. The snubber includes a body at least partially filled with fluid, a piston capable of sliding within the fluid in the body, a lockup valve that allows the piston to move freely under operating conditions and limits the motion of the piston under a predetermined set of conditions, and a reservoir positioned within the piston rod containing a reserve of fluid.

Abstract: A piston assembly of a shock absorber is provided. A compression retainer and a rebound retainer are disposed above and under a piston body. A blow-off reducing unit is disposed between the compression retainer and an auxiliary valve and on a bottom surface of the auxiliary valve to form a plurality of blow-off points, so that a rapid variation in a damping force can be considerably reduced even in a low-speed and middle-speed transition period.