Abstract: A brake pad assembly provided for a disc brake apparatus. The brake pad assembly comprises a backing plate having a flat inner face and a flat outer face oriented opposite to the inner face, a friction member fixed to the inner face of the backing plate, and an anti-squeal shim attached to the outer face of the backing plate. The anti-squeal shim includes a flat support plate attached to the outer face of the backing plate and a straight flat flange plate. The support plate of the anti-squeal shim has a peripheral edge including opposite outer and inner edges and opposite side edges. The flange plate is in the form of a flexible cantilever formed integrally with the support plate of the anti-squeal shim and extends away from one of the outer, inner and opposite side edges of the support plate of the anti-squeal shim.

Abstract: Provided is a shim structure adapted to be interposed between a friction member and a forcing member configured to urge the friction member against a rotating member of a brake system. The shim structure includes a sheet member having opposing first and second surfaces defining a substantially uniform thickness of sufficient magnitude to not deform during urging of the friction member. There is no viscoelastic layer on the first or second surfaces. The first and second surfaces also define a waveform cross-section having an amplitude and a wavelength extending substantially the entire length of the sheet member; the amplitude and wavelength are of sufficient ratio to provide selective noise and vibration damping, isolation, and thermal dissipation for the brake system. Additionally, the amplitude and wavelength are configured to be variably tunable, providing different predetermined levels of noise and vibration absorption and attenuation. The wave-form cross-section is preferably sinusoidal.

Abstract: A brake pad assembly provided for a disc brake apparatus. The brake pad assembly comprises a backing plate having a flat inner face and a flat outer face oriented opposite to the inner face, a friction member fixed to the inner face of the backing plate, and an anti-squeal shim attached to the outer face of the backing plate. The anti-squeal shim includes a flat support plate attached to the outer face of the backing plate and a straight flat flange plate. The support plate of the anti-squeal shim has a peripheral edge including opposite outer and inner edges and opposite side edges. The flange plate is in the form of a flexible cantilever formed integrally with the support plate of the anti-squeal shim and extends away from one of the outer, inner and opposite side edges of the support plate of the anti-squeal shim.

Abstract: A shim structure is provided for damping vibration and attenuating noise in a brake system. The brake system includes a forcing member operable to urge a friction member against a rotating member to slow or stop the same. The shim structure includes a shim body that is adapted to be interposed within the brake system. The shim body includes one or more tabs that are configured to oscillate out-of-phase with vibrations generated by the brake system during urging of the friction member against the rotating member to thereby dissipate vibrational energy generated by the brake system. The dimensions, orientation, and/or location of each tab are selected or engineered to provide predetermined levels of vibration and noise attenuation. A mass may be attached to each tab. The geometry, location, and/or size of each mass may be selectively modified to provide predetermined levels of vibration and noise attenuation.

Abstract: An insulator is provided having opposing first and second sides and adapted for placement between a brake pad and one of a piston and caliper of a disc brake system. The insulator includes first and second metal layers. A viscoelastic layer is disposed between, and spans substantially the entirety of the first and second metal layers. A friction enhancing coating is disposed on at least one of the first and second sides. The friction enhancing coating preferably includes a plurality of particles, such as generally spherical glass beads.

Abstract: A shim structure is provided for damping vibration and attenuating noise in a brake system. The brake system includes a forcing member operable to urge a friction member against a rotating member to slow or stop the same. The shim structure includes a shim body that is adapted to be interposed within the brake system. The shim body includes one or more tabs that are configured to oscillate out-of-phase with vibrations generated by the brake system during urging of the friction member against the rotating member to thereby dissipate vibrational energy generated by the brake system. The dimensions, orientation, and/or location of each tab are selected or engineered to provide predetermined levels of vibration and noise attenuation. A mass may be attached to each tab. The geometry, location, and/or size of each mass may be selectively modified to provide predetermined levels of vibration and noise attenuation.

Abstract: A brake pad assembly provided for a disc brake apparatus. The brake pad assembly comprises a backing plate having a flat inner face and a flat outer face oriented opposite to the inner face, a friction member fixed to the inner face of the backing plate, and an anti-squeal shim attached to the outer face of the backing plate. The anti-squeal shim includes a flat support plate attached to the outer face of the backing plate and a straight flat flange plate. The support plate of the anti-squeal shim has a peripheral edge including opposite outer and inner edges and opposite side edges. The flange plate is in the form of a flexible cantilever formed integrally with the support plate of the anti-squeal shim and extends away from one of the outer, inner and opposite side edges of the support plate of the anti-squeal shim.

Abstract: Provided is a shim structure adapted to be interposed between a friction member and a forcing member configured to urge the friction member against a rotating member of a brake system. The shim structure includes a sheet member having opposing first and second surfaces defining a substantially uniform thickness of sufficient magnitude to not deform during urging of the friction member. There is no viscoelastic layer on the first or second surfaces. The first and second surfaces also define a waveform cross-section having an amplitude and a wavelength extending substantially the entire length of the sheet member; the amplitude and wavelength are of sufficient ratio to provide selective noise and vibration damping, isolation, and thermal dissipation for the brake system. Additionally, the amplitude and wavelength are configured to be variably tunable, providing different predetermined levels of noise and vibration absorption and attenuation. The wave-form cross-section is preferably sinusoidal.

Abstract: The invention seeks to minimize the vibration and noise in a clutch plate system, by damping either or both the clutch plate and pressure plate with the use of various engineered viscoelastic materials. A clutch plate assembly is provided, comprising a plate body having a first surface and a second surface. In a first embodiment of the invention, the plate body is formed from a laminated sheet structure including two layers of steel having a viscoelastic core between the two layers and coextensive with the two layers. The viscoelastic core may be tunable to damp at different temperatures. In a second embodiment of the invention, an engineered viscoelastic material is used as a layer of bonding material for the first and second surface of the plate body. A method for damping a clutch plate assembly is provided.

Abstract: A test apparatus for measuring surface friction of a damping material such as brake pad insulator material includes a rotor configured to support the damping material for rotation therewith, an actuator pressurizable to apply axially-inward force to the damping material and a stator configured to support the actuator. A sensor determines the force applied to the actuator and a torque cell is axially aligned with the rotor for measuring torque of the rotor in relation to force applied to the damping material. The calculation of surface friction of the damping material is possible based on the measured load and torque. A method of measuring surface friction of a brake pad insulator material as well as a method using a brake dynamometer is also presented.

Abstract: An insulator is provided having opposing first and second sides and adapted for placement between a brake pad and one of a piston and caliper of a disc brake system. The insulator includes first and second metal layers. A viscoelastic layer is disposed between, and spans substantially the entirety of the first and second metal layers. A friction enhancing coating is disposed on at least one of the first and second sides. The friction enhancing coating preferably includes a plurality of particles, such as generally spherical glass beads.

Abstract: A test apparatus for measuring surface friction of a damping material such as brake pad insulator material includes a rotor configured to support the damping material for rotation therewith, an actuator pressurizable to apply axially-inward force to the damping material and a stator configured to support the actuator. A sensor determines the force applied to the actuator and a torque cell is axially aligned with the rotor for measuring torque of the rotor in relation to force applied to the damping material. The calculation of surface friction of the damping material is possible based on the measured load and torque. A method of measuring surface friction of a brake pad insulator material as well as a method using a brake dynamometer is also presented.

Abstract: The invention seeks to minimize the vibration and noise in a clutch plate system, by damping either or both the clutch plate and pressure plate with the use of various engineered viscoelastic materials. A clutch plate assembly is provided, comprising a plate body having a first surface and a second surface. In a first embodiment of the invention, the plate body is formed from a laminated sheet structure including two layers of steel having a viscoelastic core between the two layers and coextensive with the two layers. The viscoelastic core may be tunable to damp at different temperatures. In a second embodiment of the invention, an engineered viscoelastic material is used as a layer of bonding material for the first and second surface of the plate body. A method for damping a clutch plate assembly is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a panel providing improved noise and vibration attenuation. The panel is formed from a constrained layer viscoelastic laminate material having at least two constraining layers and at least one viscoelastic layer therebetween spanning the entirety of the constraining layers. Included within the viscoelastic layer is an effective amount of filler material operable to increase the static stiffness of the panel. A method of increasing the static stiffness of constrained layer viscoelastic materials is also provided.

Abstract: This invention relates to the braking system of a vehicle and a method to attenuate noise-producing vibrations of components of the braking system by the use of tuned mass dampers of various designs mounted with respect to the brake pads and/or damper plate of a disc brake system. In another embodiment, the tuned mass dampers are attached to the brake shoes and/or drum brake backplate of a drum brake system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a drum brake shoe assembly with exceptional vibration an noise damping characteristics. In one embodiment both the web and the rim of the brake shoe are constructed of constrained layer viscoelastic laminate material. Another embodiment of the invention provides a drum brake backplate made from a constrained layer viscoelastic laminate material with exceptional damping characteristics.