Technical Field

The invention relates to a suction connector housing for a brake dust suction device for a disc brake assembly.

Background Art

WO 2011/160976 A1 discloses a disc brake assembly furnished with a brake dust suction device in order to remove the brake dust produced during a braking event. The brake disc of the disc brake assembly is partially covered by two lateral cover parts of a housing which each delimit a lateral gap. A suction connector housing is connected to the cover parts in such a manner that the gaps communicate with a flow path in the suction connector housing. A suction line in which by means of a suction blower an air flow from the suction connector housing to a fine dust filter is produced is connected to the suction connector housing.

Summary of Invention

It is the object of the invention to effectively discharge with simple measures brake dust which is generated upon actuation of a disc brake assembly in a vehicle.

This object is solved according to the invention with the features of the independent claims. The dependent claims provide expedient further embodiments.

The suction connector housing according to the invention can be used in brake dust suction devices for disc brake assemblies in vehicles. The suction connector housing forms a suction head through which the produced brake dust is discharged from the point of origin at the brake disc of the disc brake assembly. The suction connector housing provides the link between the disc brake assembly and the brake dust suction device. The suction connector housing can be configured separate from the brake dust suction device or can be fixedly connected to the brake dust suction device and form a component of the brake dust suction device. The suction connector housing can be held in a component of the disc brake assembly.

At least one suction opening is provided in the suction connector housing and is configured as a suction slot which, in relation to the brake disc axis of rotation, extends at least partially in radial direction in the mounted state of the suction connector housing and comprises a changing slot width along its length at least in sections thereof. The embodiment as suction slot with a radial extension component makes it possible to areally take up brake dust from the brake disc during the rotation. The open cross section surface of the suction slot through which the brake dust is sucked away changes due to the changing slot width. The changing slot width of the suction slot has the advantage that, in respect to the dust suction output, a flow-optimized contour of the suction slot is provided. It is in particular possible to realize along the suction slot length a constant, or approximately constant, suction output in the suction slot despite the higher tangential speed component of the brake disc in the radially outwardly positioned rim region. Due to the constant suction output along the suction slot, the effectiveness and efficiency as a whole are improved.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the slot width of the suction slot expands along its slot length at least in sections thereof radially from the exterior to the interior. In the radially outwardly positioned section, the slot width of the suction slot is less than in a radially farther inwardly positioned section. The higher tangential speed component of the brake disc in the radially outwardly positioned rim region compensates the smaller slot width of the suction slot in this section. The greater slot width of the suction slot in the radially inwardly positioned section of the suction slot compensates the smaller tangential speed component in this section. Advantageously, the suction slot in the radially outwardly positioned region has the smallest slot width and in the radially inwardly positioned region the greatest slot width.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the suction slot comprises at least along a partial section a continuously expanding slot width, in particular a uniformly continuously expanding slot width, so that the free cross section surface of this partial section in plan view has a triangular shape. According to yet another advantageous embodiment, the suction slot is comprised of at least two partial sections that differ in regard to the slot shape, wherein a partial section, as described above, comprises a continuously expanding slot width along its length and a further partial section, for example, comprises a constant slot width or a slot width which is expanding to a lesser extent, in particular in the radially outwardly positioned region of the suction slot. The suction slot can be comprised of precisely two afore described partial sections.

In a further embodiment, it can also be expedient that the suction slot is comprised of a total of three partial sections which differ respectively in regard to the course of the slot width. A first radially outwardly positioned partial section of the suction slot has a constant or only slightly expanding slot width, a second adjoining partial section has a continuously and more strongly expanding slot width, and a third radially inwardly positioned partial section has a constant or approximately constant slot width, which is greater than the maximum slot width of the second partial section.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment, the suction connector housing comprises at least one suction arm in which the suction slot is provided. The suction arm is connected to a discharge channel which is part of the suction connector housing and to which the suction slot is connected in flow communication. Through the discharge channel, the brake dust which is taken up through the suction slot is further transported in the direction toward the brake dust suction device. The suction arm and the discharge channel are both components of the suction connector housing. The suction arm extends advantageously parallel to the lateral friction surface of the brake disc, wherein also the suction slot in the suction arm comprises a corresponding parallel orientation relative to the lateral friction surface of the brake disc. It can be expedient, as needed, that the suction arm and the suction slot are oriented non-parallel to the lateral friction surface of the brake disc and positioned at an angle of maximally 30° in relation to the lateral friction surface of the brake disc.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the suction connector housing is provided with two separate suction slots which are spaced apart from each other and are arranged at different components of the suction connector housing. The open sides of the suction slots can be facing each other. In the mounted state, the suction slots are advantageously facing the two oppositely positioned lateral friction surfaces of the brake disc. This embodiment makes it possible to take up and discharge brake dust from both lateral friction surfaces of the brake disc by a respective suction slot. In particular, an inflow direction of the suction slots in this context coincides with a direction of a normal of the lateral friction surfaces of the brake disc so that, in other words, the inflow direction is parallel to the axis of rotation of the brake disc. In other embodiments, it is however also possible that at least one of the suction slots in relation to its inflow direction is positioned at an angle relative to the direction of the normal of the lateral friction surfaces of the brake disc. In particular, it can be advantageous when the inflow direction of the suction slot is slanted in or opposite to a rotational direction of the brake disc because thereby particles that are possibly swirled up by the friction surfaces of the brake disc can be separated better.

In an advantageous embodiment, the suction connector housing comprises two suction arms in which a respective suction slot is provided, respectively. Each suction arm with the suction slot provided therein forms a component of the suction connector housing. The two suction arms can differ in respect to their geometry. A first suction arm, for example, is of a straight configuration, the second suction arm is angled with preferably one or two angled sections. The suction slots provided in the suction arms follow the geometry of the suction arms and are correspondingly embodied straight or angled, even with two angled sections, if needed. The suction arm sections between the angles are preferably straight in themselves, wherein the partial sections of the suction slot which are located in each suction arm section differ from each other in respect to their geometry and slot width.

The two suction arms can be arranged at a common tube piece to which the suction slots in the suction arms are connected in flow communication. Alternatively, the two suction arms can also be arranged at their own tube piece, respectively. The brake dust is guided from the suction slots to the common tube piece adjoining the discharge channel and connected thereto so that the brake dust from the tube piece is conveyed farther into the discharge channel. The tube piece can extend parallel to the discharge channel. The suction arms, the tube piece, and the discharge channel are each part of the suction connector housing.

Each suction arm is connected to the discharge channel of the suction connector housing in such a manner that the brake dust from each suction slot is transported in the correlated suction arm to the discharge channel. The discharge channel is located in the mounted state in particular at the radially outwardly positioned brake disc side and engages across the outer edge of the brake disc. The discharge channel comprises a U-shaped basic form, wherein at one U-leg of the discharge channel an outwardly bent end section of the discharge channel is positioned through which the discharge channel can be connected to a further flow-conducting component of the brake dust suction device.

The invention relates also to a brake dust suction device for a disc brake assembly with an afore described suction connector housing and with a filter element for taking up sucked-away brake dust. The brake dust suction device can comprise a suction blower for generating a suction air flow.

The invention relates finally to a disc brake assembly with an afore described brake dust suction device and with a brake disc, wherein the suction connector housing is arranged adjacent to the brake disc in order to discharge brake dust in the direction of a filter element of the brake dust suction device.

Brief Description of Drawings

Further advantages and expedient embodiments can be taken from the further claims, the figure description, and the drawings. It is shown in:

Fig. 1 a perspective view of a disc brake assembly for a vehicle, with a suction connector housing adjacent to the brake disc as part of the brake dust suction device;

Fig. 2 a further perspective view of the disc brake assembly;

Fig. 3 in perspective individual illustration the suction connector housing;

Fig. 4 the suction connector housing from a different perspective;

Fig. 5 the suction connector housing in a view from the front;

Fig. 6 the suction connector housing in a view according to section line

A-A of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 the suction connector housing in a view according to section line B-B of Fig. 5. In the Figures, same components are provided with same reference characters.

Description of Embodiments

In the Figures 1 and 2, a disc brake assembly 1 is illustrated which is used typically in motor vehicles and is formed as a vehicle friction disc. The disc brake assembly 1 comprises a brake disc 2, a brake caliper holder 3, and a brake caliper 4 which is the carrier of brake pads which contact the brake disc 2 in case of a braking event. The brake caliper 4 is floatingly supported at the brake caliper holder 3 which is arranged at a wheel support, for example. In principle, the invention is also usable on so-called fixed caliper brakes that do not have a relatively movable brake caliper component but comprise exclusively movable pistons. During a braking event, brake dust is produced by friction between the brake disc 2 and the brake pads.

The disc brake assembly 1 is provided with a brake dust suction device 5 by means of which the brake dust which is produced at the brake disc 2 is sucked away and collected in a filter element. The brake dust suction device 5 comprises a suction connector housing 6 arranged adjacent to the brake disc 2 as well as a flowconducting component 7 (Fig. 2) that is connected to the suction connector housing 6 and through which the brake dust is supplied to the filter element, not illustrated, which is also part of the brake dust suction device 5. Moreover, a suction blower can belong to the brake dust suction device 5 by means of which an air flow sucking away the brake dust is produced in the suction connector housing 6 and in the flowconducting component 7.

As can be taken from Figs. 3 to 7 in connection with Figs. 1 and 2, the suction connector housing 6 comprises two suction arms 8 and 9 which branch off a common tube piece 10. The first suction arm 8 is straight, the second suction arm 9 is of an angular configuration. The angled suction arm 9 comprises a first suction arm section 9a which is arranged immediately at the tube piece 10, a second suction arm section 9b which extends at an angle of approximately 45° in relation to the first suction arm section 9a, and a short third suction arm section 9c at the end which comprises, in relation to the second suction arm section 9b, an outer slanted edge at an angle of approximately 20°. The two suction arms 8, 9 are spaced apart from each other and engage about the brake disc 2 like a “U” whose bottom is formed by the tube piece 10 extending across the radial outer edge of the brake disc 2 and whose legs are formed by the suction arms 8 and 9, which are however displaced relative to each other by an angle of approximately 60°.

In each suction arms 8, 9, a suction slot 12 or 13 is provided through which the brake dust produced at the brake disc upon a braking event is discharged. The suction slots 12, 13 in the suction arms 8, 9 are facing each other and in the mounted position are oriented toward the respective lateral friction surface of the brake disc 2. The suction slots 12 and 13 extend across a major portion of the length of the suction arms 8, 9 and are connected to the inwardly positioned flow space in the tube piece 10 so that the brake dust can be sucked into the tube piece 10 through the suction slots 12 and 13 and from there father into a discharge channel 1 1 of the brake dust suction device 5 at which the tube piece 10 is arranged and to which the tube piece 10 is connected in flow communication. The discharge channel 11 guides the brake dust via the flow-conducting component 7, to which is connected an outwardly bent end section 1 1 a of the discharge channel 1 1 , father in the direction of the filter element of the brake dust suction device 5. Also, the discharge channel 11 comprises a U-shape and engages in the mounted state about the radial outer edge of the brake disc 2, wherein the end section 11 a is bent outwardly at one leg of the U-shape.

The suction slots 12 and 13 follow substantially the geometry of the suction arms 8, 9 and comprise - in relation to the axis of rotation of the brake disc 2 - an extension component in radial direction. The suction slots 12 and 13 comprise along their length at least in sections thereof a changing slot width which, in relation to the total length, expands radially from the exterior to the interior. The straight suction slot 12 in the first straight suction arm 8 comprises in a first radially outwardly positioned partial section a slot width which expands radially only minimally from the exterior to the interior. It is adjoined by a further partial section of the suction slot 12 in which the slot width expands more strongly. The first suction slot 12 has its greatest width at the radial inwardly positioned end of the first suction arm 8. Corresponding to the suction arm sections 9a to 9c, the angled suction slot 13 comprises also three partial sections which are positioned angularly relative to each other. The first radially outwardly positioned partial section of the suction slot 13 in the suction arm section 9a comprises the smallest slot width which expands only minimally radially from the exterior to the interior. The second central partial section of the suction slot 13 in the suction arm section 9b exhibits a stronger expansion radially from the exterior to the interior. The third radially inwardly positioned partial section of the suction slot 13 in the suction arm section 9c comprises a rectangular cross section opening whose width corresponds to the maximum width in the preceding partial section.

The enlargement of the slot width of the suction slots 12, 13 in the course oriented radially from the exterior to the interior represents a flow-optimized suction slot contour which makes it possible to realize a constant, or approximately constant, suction output in the suction slot along the suction slots 12, 13. The higher tangential speed component of the brake disc 2 in the radially outwardly positioned rim region corresponds to the smaller slot width of the suction slots 12, 13 in this section. In the radially inwardly positioned region of the brake disc 2, the tangential speed component of the brake disc 2 is smaller which is compensated by the greater slot width of the suction slots 12, 13.