Abstract: A detection device is described for detecting a force acting in a detection portion of a brake caliper and representative of a braking torque acting on the brake caliper when braking. The device is adapted to being mounted between the brake caliper detection portion and a corresponding hub holder by means of fixing and clamping means. When mounted and in the absence of forces acting on it, the detection device is shaped as a washer or plate extending mainly along a reference plane. The device may have a first functional element, a second functional element, a positioning element, and a sensing element.

Abstract: A method for detecting and measuring a braking force and/or a braking torque deriving from actuation of a vehicle braking system includes incorporating a fiber-optic strain sensor of fiber Bragg grating type in a respective position in a portion of material of the body of the brake caliper susceptible to deformation, detecting, by the fiber-optic strain sensor local deformation and/or strain acting in the respective position, generating a respective first photonic signal representative of the detected deformation and/or strain, receiving the first photonic signal, by an optical reading/interrogation unit optically connected to the fiber-optic strain sensor, generating, by the optical reading/interrogation unit, a first electrical signal representative of the local detected deformation and/or strain, based on the received first photonic signal, and processing the first electrical signal to obtain a measurement of the braking force and/or braking torque.

Abstract: A method for determining a braking torque at at least one fixing interface between a brake caliper body and a brake caliper support includes inserting at least one washer device at the at least one fixing interface, the washer device having at least one fiber-optic strain sensor of fiber Bragg grating type, detecting, by the at least one fiber-optic strain sensor, local deformation and/or strain acting in a respective detecting position, and generating at least one respective photonic signal representative of the detected deformation and/or strain, receiving the at least one first photonic signal, by an optical reading/interrogation unit optically connected to the at least one fiber-optic strain sensor, generating at least one electric signal representative of the detected local deformation and/or strain, based on the received first photonic signal, and determining the braking torque based on the at least one electrical signal.