The invention is developed for use with brakes for trucks, lorries, busses, trailers or the like, but a person skilled in the art realises that it may be used for any kind of ve- hicle.

Prior Art For disc brakes having a fixed caliper it is common to have one or more brake disc (s) rotatably fixed but axi- ally moveable on a hub or the like. To achieve this some type of connection is arranged between the hub and brake disc (s). In the prior art it is known to have a kind of teeth or splines connection, on which a brake disc may move axially at the same time as it is rotatably fixed to the hub.

The Invention During braking a substantial amount of heat is pro- duced in the brake discs. It is important to protect the parts of the disc brake against overheating in as large ex- tent as possible. Preferably, this is done by reducing the amount of heat transferred from each brake disc to the hub or the like.

Furthermore, the connection between the brake disc (s) and the hub must withstand rather large braking forces. The largest forces between the hub and each brake disc are in the tangential direction of the hub and thus the connection has to be designed to withstand these tangential forces.

One object of the present invention is to arrange a connection between one or more brake discs and a hub or the

like of a disc brake. The connection should benefit cooling of the connection and withstand large braking forces.

The above object is met by a connection between a hub and one or more brake discs of a disc brake, where a number of pins are arranged in the hub. The pins will give a ro- tatably fixed connection between the hub and each brake disc. However, each brake disc is axially moveable on the pins of the hub.

Further objects and advantages of the present inven- tion will be obvious for a person skilled in the art when reading the detailed description below of preferred embodi- ments.

Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will be described more closely below with reference to preferred embodiments, by way of example, and with reference to the drawings below. In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hub furnished with pins according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a pin having an al- ternative form, and Figs 3a, 3b show the inner periphery of a brake disc adapted to the form of the pins of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, re- spectively.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments In the shown embodiments a hub 1 is to receive and support one or more brake discs 7.

The hub 1 is divided into two parts in the axial di- rection having different diameters, a first part 20 having smaller diameter than a second part 21 having a larger di- ameter. The two parts 20, 21 of the hub 1 are integrated and the hub 1 is preferably formed as one single unit. The hub 1 is to be placed on a wheel axle (not shown). Normally

some kind of bearing means is arranged between the inner periphery of the hub 1 and the wheel axle.

A number of pins 2 are received in the hub 1. In the shown embodiment there are twelve pins 2, but a person skilled in the art realises that any number of pins giving a satisfactory fixation of the disc may be used.

The pins 2 are received placed in the second, larger part 21 of the hub 1 at a distance from the first, smaller part 20 of the hub 1. By the placement of the pins 2 the connection between the hub 1 and the brake disc (s) 7 is ventilated. Hereby the risk of overheating is reduced.

A through hole is furnished for each pin in the sec- ond part 21 of the hub 1 having the large diameter. The holes and the pins 2 are orientated to be parallel with the wheel axle. Each pin 2 has an extended part 5 to be re- ceived in one of the through holes. To hinder the pin 2 from going through the hole it has a part 4 with enlarged diameter. The diameter. of the enlarged part 4 is larger than the diameter of the through holes of the hub 1, and thus, the enlarged part 4 will abut the hub 1 around the through hole.

The extended part 5 of each pin 2 is threaded and ex- tends a distance from the hub 1. The extended parts 5 are to support a wheel flange (not shown). The wheel flange will have a number of openings corresponding to the number and placement of the pins 2. After the wheel flange has been placed on the extended parts 5 of the pins 2, a nut (not shown) is screwed onto the threaded, extended part 5 of each pin 2. Hereby the wheel flange will be fixed to the hub 1. At the same time the pins 2 are fixed to the hub 1 by means of the nuts and the enlarged parts 4 of the pins 2.

The upper ends 6 of the pins 2 are received in open- ings of a ring 3 at the outer end of the first part 20 of the hub 1 having the smaller diameter. The function of the

ring 3 is mainly to support the pins 2. In the shown em- bodiment the ring 3 is rotatable in relation to the hub 1.

The ring 3 is to be axially fixed. In some embodiments the ring 3 is fixed to the hub 1, e. g. by means of a geometri- cal connection such as splines or the like. In the embodi- ments where the ring 3 is not fixed to the hub 1, it is fixed to the pins 2. The pins 2 are fixed to the ring 1 by means of a pin received in an opening in one embodiment. In other embodiments the pins 2 are fixed to the ring 1 in other ways such as by means of gluing, force fit etc.

The pins 2 and thus the through holes of the hub 1 are evenly spaced in the circumferential direction.

The brake disc or brake discs 7 to be received on the pins 2 of the hub 1 have a number of circular grooves 9 evenly spread along an inner periphery 8. The number and position of the circular grooves 9 of the brake disc (s) 7 correspond to the number and position of the pins 2.

In an alternative embodiment the pins of Fig. 1, hav- ing a generally round cross-section are replaced by pins 12 having a generally rectangular cross-section. The rectangu- lar cross-section of each pin 12 is restricted to the part, which is to co-operate with the one or more brake discs 17.

Thus, seen in cross-section each pin 12 has a long side 22 and a short side 23. A person skilled in the art realises that pins having other cross-section forms may also be used.

The same hub 1 is used for both the shown embodi- ments, having different general cross-sections.

Each rectangular pin 12 has an extended part 15 and an enlarged part 14 corresponding to the extended part 5 and enlarged part 4, respectively of a pin 2 according to the first embodiment. The extended part 15 of each rectan- gular pin 12 is received in a through hole in the hub 1.

The enlarged part 14 of the pin 12 will abut the hub 1 in the area around the through hole.

The upper end 16 of each pin 12 is received in a ring (not shown) having rectangular openings. The ring is placed at the outer end of the first part 20 of the hub 1 and will support the pins 12. The extended parts 15 of the pins ex- tend a distance from the hub 1 to support a wheel flange.

Furthermore, each extended part 15 is threaded to receive nuts to fix the wheel flange and thus, the pins 12 to the hub 1. As for the embodiment described above the ring is to be axially fixed. The ring is fixed to the hub 1 and/or the pins 12 in the same way as described above for the round pins 2.

The inner periphery 8, 18 of each brake disc 7, 17 is adapted to the form of the pins 2, 12. Thus, for the pins 12 of the second embodiment the brake discs 17 will have rectangular grooves 19.

By using pins 12 having a rectangular cross-section for co-operation with the brake disc (s) 17, it is possible to take up relatively large braking forces. The largest forces are in the tangential direction of the hub 1 and thus, the pins 12 are placed with the long sides 22 in the tangential direction. The rectangular cross-section will give an area contact. When pins 2 having a circular cross- section are used it will be a line of contact.

A person skilled in the art realises that the pins and thus the grooves of the inner periphery of the brake disc (s) may have many different cross-sectional forms, such as oval, square, triangular, polygon etc. Cross-sectional forms allowing a relatively long part being placed in the tangential direction are preferred.