Abstract:
A shield assembly is employed for a friction brake used to decelerate a road wheel of a vehicle. The vehicle has a body with a first body end configured to face an incident ambient airflow, a second body end opposite of the first body end, and an underbody section spanning a distance between the first and second ends. The shield assembly includes a first shield component arranged proximate the brake and rotationally fixed relative to the vehicle body. The shield assembly also includes a second shield component operatively connected to the first shield component for shifting relative thereto. The shield assembly additionally includes an actuator employing a shape memory alloy element to shift the second shield component relative to the first shield component in response to a temperature of the brake to thereby direct at least a portion of the airflow to the brake and control temperature thereof.
Abstract:
A brake rotor comprising a brake pad wear surface; a hat surface; and a decorative insert comprising an insert material, the decorative insert disposed on the brake pad wear surface, the hat surface, or both; wherein at least one of a friction coefficient between the decorative insert and a brake pad is substantially the same as a friction coefficient between the brake pad wear surface and the brake pad, a wear rate of the decorative insert is substantially the same as or greater than a wear rate of the brake pad wear surface, or a wear rate of the decorative insert is substantially the same as or greater than a wear rate of the hat surface; and at least a portion of the decorative insert is visible on the brake pad wear surface, the hat surface, or both.
Abstract:
Technical solutions are described to for determining thickness of a vehicle brake rotor. An example method includes providing vehicle parameters that identify operating conditions of a vehicle, and using the vehicle parameters to determine work done by a brake of the vehicle as brake-work. Further, the method includes using the brake work to determine brake rotor temperature, and using the brake rotor temperature to determine brake rotor wear. The method further includes accumulating the brake rotor wear to provide an estimation of the thickness of the vehicle brake rotor.
Abstract:
A brake temperature monitoring system configured to monitor at least one of a rotor and hydraulic fluid of a brake mechanism for a vehicle. The system including a controller including a processor and an electronic storage medium, a vehicle velocity sensor, an ambient temperature sensor, and a pre-programmed module. The vehicle velocity sensor is configured to output a velocity signal to the processor. The ambient temperature sensor is configured to output an ambient temperature signal to the processor. The model is pre-programmed into the electronic storage medium, and is adapted to estimate the temperature of at least one of the rotor and the hydraulic fluid. The estimation is based on an ambient air temperature, and a pre-established relationship between a conductive heat transfer factor and a convective heat transfer factor. The convective heat transfer factor is a function of vehicle velocity.
Abstract:
One variation includes a friction material and method of manufacture thereof wherein the friction material includes a transfer layer on a ferritically nitrocarburized component, wherein the transfer layer may be fabricated from glass, rubber, carbon, aramid fiber, filler material, abrasive, or a high-temperature resin.
Abstract:
One variation includes a friction material and method of manufacture thereof wherein the friction material includes a transfer layer on a ferritically nitrocarburized component, wherein the transfer layer may be fabricated from glass, rubber, carbon, aramid fiber, filler material, abrasive, or a high-temperature resin.
Abstract:
A method of estimating brake pad wear includes determining required braking energy to be dissipated by a braking system as a fraction of total kinetic energy according to an energy partitioning model. The required braking energy is distributed to vehicle braking mechanisms according to a vehicle dynamics model. Rotor temperature of each brake rotor may be determined according to a rotor temperature model that utilizes the required braking energy and the distribution of the required braking energy, and determining brake pad wear of each brake pad according to a brake pad wear model that utilizes the rotor temperature and the distributed required braking energy. A first brake pad wear model is implemented under first operating conditions, and a second brake pad wear model under second operating conditions. The brake pad wear is indicated via a brake pad wear indicator output device. A vehicle has a controller that implements the method.
Abstract:
A number of variations may include a brake disc may include a hub portion and a cheek portion. The hub portion may include a receiving flange for mechanically engaging the cheek portion. The cheek portion may include an upper cheek and a lower cheek connected and separated by a web, and an inner flange extending radially inward from the upper cheek to mechanically engage and communicate with the receiving flange of the hub portion such that the hub portion and the cheek portion form a single brake disc. The inner flange may include a at least one spline tooth circumferentially arranged around the inner flange and constructed and arranged to facilitate the mechanical engagement of the receiving flange and the inner flange.
Abstract:
Systems and methods of making an enhanced brake rotor having enhanced wear resistance are provided. The systems and methods provide a vehicular rotor comprising a base comprising iron (Fe). The base comprises an outer surface having a laser-hardened portion thereon. The laser-hardened portion comprises martensite and having a thickness of between 10 and 100 microns of the outer surface to define the enhanced brake rotor with enhanced wear resistance.
Abstract:
A method for manufacturing a ferrous rotational member including the steps of turning a first portion of the friction surface at a sufficient feed rate to provide a first deformed layer on the first portion of the friction surface; fine turning a second portion of the friction surface at a sufficient feed rate to provide a second deformed layer on the second portion of the friction surface; burnishing the first and second portions of the friction surface to achieve a predetermined roughness; and nitrocarburizing the rotational member at a time and temperature sufficient for the diffusion of nitrogen atoms and carbon atoms through the deformed layer to form hardened casings having variable thickness. The ferrous rotational member may be that of a brake rotor having a hub surface and a friction surface, where the hub surface and friction surface have a variable thickness hardened casing.