Abstract: An electrically controlled suspension includes a first spring with a first end and a second end, where the first end of the first spring is connectable to a forward frame bracket of a frame of a vehicle and where the second end of the first spring is connectable to a rear frame bracket of the frame of the vehicle via a rear spring support. The suspension includes a second spring with a first end and a second end, where the second end of the second spring is connected to the second end of the first spring. An electrically operated suspension control actuator is provided where the first end of the second spring is connected to the electrically operated suspension control actuator.

Abstract: An assembly method is provided for a vehicle having an axle assembly. The assembly method comprises fastening a drum brake assembly having a brake spider to a brake flange of an axle assembly and routing electrical lines through the brake spider and the brake flange of the axle assembly. The assembly method further comprises coupling an electric drive motor to an axle of the axle assembly, attaching the electrical lines to the electric drive motor and coupling a wheel hub to the axle assembly. The assembly method further comprises disposing the drum brake assembly inside a chamber of a brake drum portion, the brake drum portion located coaxial to the axle and disposing the electric drive motor inside a chamber of a brake adapter portion, the brake adapter portion located coaxial to the axle.

Abstract: A drum brake apparatus is provided for a vehicle air braking system. The drum brake apparatus comprises a wheel drum having a first interior chamber. The drum brake apparatus also comprises a drum brake assembly disposed in the first interior chamber of the wheel drum and mounted on inboard side of the wheel drum. The drum apparatus further comprises a brake drum adapter mounted on outboard side of the wheel drum and providing a second interior chamber in which an electric drive motor can be disposed. The drum brake apparatus also comprises a wheel hub disposed in the second interior chamber of the brake drum adapter and to which a wheel rim can be mounted.

Abstract: An electrically controlled suspension includes a first spring with a first end and a second end, where the first end of the first spring is connectable to a forward frame bracket of a frame of a vehicle and where the second end of the first spring is connectable to a rear frame bracket of the frame of the vehicle via a rear spring support. The suspension includes a second spring with a first end and a second end, where the second end of the second spring is connected to the second end of the first spring. An electrically operated suspension control actuator is provided where the first end of the second spring is connected to the electrically operated suspension control actuator.

Abstract: A drum brake apparatus is provided for a vehicle air braking system. The drum brake apparatus comprises a wheel drum having a first interior chamber. The drum brake apparatus also comprises a drum brake assembly disposed in the first interior chamber of the wheel drum and mounted on inboard side of the wheel drum. The drum apparatus further comprises a brake drum adapter mounted on outboard side of the wheel drum and providing a second interior chamber in which an electric drive motor can be disposed. The drum brake apparatus also comprises a wheel hub disposed in the second interior chamber of the brake drum adapter and to which a wheel rim can be mounted.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for protecting an intact portion of a service brake system from a failed wheel end of a vehicle is provided. A failure in a wheel end is detected by determining an operation state of each of the wheel ends by monitoring parameters including the pressure in a parking brake air supply line. When it is determined that a failed wheel end is present in the service brake system, a service brake isolation valve is switched to a state in which the failed wheel end is isolated from the rest of the brake system. The service brake of the failed wheel end is disabled, while the service brakes of the other wheel ends are enabled for normal operation. The parking brake of the failed wheel end is enabled, while the parking brakes of the other wheel ends are disabled to prevent immobilization of the vehicle.

Abstract: A brake actuator comprises a housing having an end wall and a pushrod projecting through an opening in the end wall and terminating at a movable plate in the housing. A spring is enclosed in the housing and surrounds the pushrod. At least one unitary resilient member is disposed on the push rod proximate to the end wall and partially extends through the opening for centering the spring around an axis of the pushrod and restricting contamination into the housing. The unitary resilient member comprises a central aperture and an annular flange surrounding the central aperture. At least one section of a collar radially outward from the annular flange has a thickness less than half of the annular flange thickness for constraining movement of the spring and the push rod in a radial direction.

Abstract: A brake actuator comprises a housing having an end wall and a pushrod projecting through an opening in the end wall and terminating at a movable plate in the housing. A spring is enclosed in the housing and surrounds the pushrod. At least one unitary resilient member is disposed on the push rod proximate to the end wall and partially extends through the opening for centering the spring around an axis of the pushrod and restricting contamination into the housing. The unitary resilient member comprises a central aperture and an annular flange surrounding the central aperture. At least one section of a collar radially outward from the annular flange has a thickness less than half of the annular flange thickness for constraining movement of the spring and the push rod in a radial direction.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for mounting, removing and retaining brake pads in disc brakes, such as air-operated disc brakes utilized on commercial vehicles, in a manner which does not require the use of separate brake pad retaining devices while providing positive retention of the brake pad. A preferred embodiment includes a brake caliper mount having brake pad abutment surfaces having radially-oriented and lateral grooves which permit a brake pad with corresponding projections on is lateral sides to be inserted through an opening of the brake caliper into the radially-oriented grooves until the backing plate projections are aligned with the lateral groove, and advancing the brake actuator behind the brake pad to place the brake pad in an operating position in which the actuator prevents the brake pad from realigning with the radially-oriented grooves until the actuator is retracted to permit brake pad extraction.

Abstract: In a brake actuator including a plurality of actuator housing portions, a diaphragm seal, partially delimiting a parking brake de-actuation chamber, is retained between adjacent actuator housing portions, and an elastic element disposed between the diaphragm seal and one of the housing portions opposes expansion of the parking brake de-actuation chamber. A push rod extends into and out of a service brake actuation chamber upon respective release of fluid pressure from the parking brake de-actuation chamber and supply of fluid pressure to the parking brake de-actuation chamber. In order to constrain a central portion of the diaphragm seal for movement together with both the push rod and a piston, a clamping arrangement is used to axially clamp the central diaphragm seal portion between an end of the push rod and a surface of the piston.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for mounting, removing and retaining brake pads in disc brakes, such as air-operated disc brakes utilized on commercial vehicles, in a manner which does not require the use of separate brake pad retaining devices while providing positive retention of the brake pad. A preferred embodiment includes a brake caliper mount having brake pad abutment surfaces having radially-oriented and lateral grooves which permit a brake pad with corresponding projections on is lateral sides to be inserted through an opening of the brake caliper into the radially-oriented grooves until the backing plate projections are aligned with the lateral groove, and advancing the brake actuator behind the brake pad to place the brake pad in an operating position in which the actuator prevents the brake pad from realigning with the radially-oriented grooves until the actuator is retracted to permit brake pad extraction.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for mounting, removing and retaining brake pads in disc brakes, such as air-operated disc brakes utilized on commercial vehicles, in a manner which does not require the use of separate brake pad retaining devices while providing positive retention of the brake pad. A preferred embodiment includes a brake caliper mount having brake pad abutment surfaces having radially-oriented and lateral grooves which permit a brake pad with corresponding projections on is lateral sides to be inserted through an opening of the brake caliper into the radially-oriented grooves until the backing plate projections are aligned with the lateral groove, and advancing the brake actuator behind the brake pad to place the brake pad in an operating position in which the actuator prevents the brake pad from realigning with the radially-oriented grooves until the actuator is retracted to permit brake pad extraction.

Abstract: A brake actuator is provided, in which a diaphragm, used in conjunction with a piston which compresses a parking brake-actuating spring, is arranged such that its outer peripheral region is captured between opposing housing flange portions such that a seal between the interior and exterior of the brake actuator housing is provided in a radially-oriented region of the diaphragm and the housing flange portions away from housing portion jointing components such as a clamp ring or individual fasteners. The diaphragm may also be provided with a wedge-shaped portion at its outer periphery which is axially oriented and configured to reside in a corresponding annular gap between the opposing housing flange portions.

Abstract: A mounting arrangement for a disc brake is provided, in which a torque plate affixed to a vehicle axle and a brake caliper mounting frame affixed to the torque plate have corresponding opposing projections and recesses provided to laterally and circumferentially limit relative motion between the torque plate and the mounting frame. A wedge element with at least one angled face is located between correspondingly-angled faces of the mounting frame and/or the torque plate to generate lateral and/or circumferential loading in response to tightening of vertically-oriented fasteners. The use of the angled components substantially reduces the amount of loading required to be applied by the vertical fasteners to resist relative motion between the torque plate and the mounting frame.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for protecting an intact portion of a service brake system from a failed wheel end of a vehicle is provided. A failure in a wheel end is detected by determining an operation state of each of the wheel ends by monitoring parameters including the pressure in a parking brake air supply line. When it is determined that a failed wheel end is present in the service brake system, a service brake isolation valve is switched to a state in which the failed wheel end is isolated from the rest of the brake system. The service brake of the failed wheel end is disabled, while the service brakes of the other wheel ends are enabled for normal operation. The parking brake of the failed wheel end is enabled, while the parking brakes of the other wheel ends are disabled to prevent immobilization of the vehicle.

Abstract: A bushing adapted to secure an O-ring seal in position relative to an area of a passage permitting reciprocation of a push rod forms a generally circular bushing body with opposed end faces. The end faces are separated by a gap so as to provide the bushing with an approximately C-shaped structure. The bushing includes a plurality of locking elements resistant to axial loads imposed on the bushing by the push rod disposed at least substantially within a corresponding plurality of recesses distributed around a circumferential exterior of the bushing. Solid ribs are interspersed with the locking fingers to resist radial loads imposed on the bushing by the push rod during operation. The O-ring seal is secured in position within the passage area of the passage by an end surface of the bushing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for protecting an intact portion of a service brake system from a failed wheel end of a vehicle is provided. A failure in a wheel end is detected by determining an operation state of each of the wheel ends by monitoring parameters including the pressure in a parking brake air supply line. When it is determined that a failed wheel end is present in the service brake system, an antilock braking modulator or a service brake isolation valve is switched to a state in which the failed wheel end is isolated from the rest of the brake system. The service brake of the failed wheel end is disabled, while the service brakes of the other wheel ends are enabled for normal operation including antilock braking. And the parking brake of the failed wheel end is enabled, while the parking brakes of the other wheel ends are disabled to prevent immobilization of the vehicle.

Abstract: A brake pad retaining device is provided for holding a brake pad within a brake caliper of an air disc brake system. The device may be formed as a spring which provides at least four retention forces at longitudinal ends of the brake pad in order to suppress brake pad kick motion and vibration, while applying a biasing force that pre-loads a caliper to its mounting pins. The device may include a mounting section that is coupled to a brake carrier, a first projection and a second projection. The first projection extends from one region of the mounting section to a region near a longitudinal end of the brake pad to thereby exert a radially inward force against the brake pad. The second projection extends from another region of the mounting section to an inner surface of the brake caliper to thereby exert a biasing force against the brake caliper.

Abstract: A drum brake assembly and a drum having an annular drum wall with an open end and an attachment end. The drum wall further includes an outer drum surface and an inner braking surface, each of which extends between the open end and the attachment end. The drum includes a hub attachment section which is attachable to an associated wheel hub. The drum also has a drum wall connection section extending between the attachment end of the drum wall and the hub attachment section, where the drum wall connection section comprises a plurality of radially angled vanes interspersed with a corresponding plurality of air openings.