Abstract: A brake pad assembly including a molded material affixed to a backing plate which has opposing faces, at least one non-circular opening through its thickness, and tab-like extensions or some other structure for locating and supporting the backing plate in a vehicle brake system. The molded material extends over both opposed faces of the backing plate by extrusion through the openings to provide a unitary structure wherein molded material at one side of the backing plate functions as a friction-generating pad material and the molded material at the opposite side functions as a shim-like noise attenuating element. The number, configuration, and placement of the openings through the thickness of the backing plate is varied to alter the noise attenuating properties of the assembly, further reducing the tendency for modal locking of brake components.

Abstract: A brake pad assembly (10) comprising a molded material (26) affixed to a backing plate (12) having opposed faces (14, 16), one or more non-circular extrusion openings (24, 38) through its thickness, and tab-like extensions (22) or other integral attachment for incorporating the assembly (10) by location and support into a vehicle brake system. The molded material (26) extends over both opposed faces (14, 16) of the backing plate (12) by being extruded through the extrusion openings (24, 38) to provide a unitary structure wherein molded material (26) at one side of the backing plate (12) functions as a friction-generating pad material (28) and the portion of the molded material (26) at the opposite side of the backing plate (12) functions as the assembly shim-like noise attenuating element (32) due to vibration damping properties.

Abstract: A vehicle brake shoe assembly (10) having a rigid backing plate (12) incorporating a plurality of extensions (100) which project through the brake friction material matrix (22) to the outer friction surface (24) of the brake shoe assembly (10). Each extension (100) is configured to cooperate with the brake friction material matrix (22) to engage a surface of an opposing friction element (28) simultaneously with the friction material (22), increasing the static and dynamic friction performance of the assembly (10) during initial use beyond that achieved from the application of either the brake friction material (22) or the projections (100) alone.

Abstract: A novel brake friction pad assembly is provided with a backing plate element, and with one or more integrally joined different friction-generating pad, noise-damping pad, and backing pad elements carried by the backing plate element, such friction-generating pad, noise-damping pad, and backing pad elements being molded using specified particulate mixture molding compositions and preferred molding method steps.