TITLE: COUNTER ROTATING BRAKE SYSTEM

DESCRIPTION

Technical Statement:

The invention relates to a counter rotating brake system for a disc brake as well as any brake disc which works with a fixed, floating, or otherwise caliper. In particular, the invention relates to such disc brakes, generally known to persons skilled in the art, which incorporate a wheel axle or wheel hub.

Prior Art:

In the automotive industry, safety measures are becoming increasingly popular, as required by regulations of the intended countries of sale and the demand by the consumer for safer motor vehicles.

In current disc brake systems, calipers are fixed or floating in a known manner such that by way of a pedal or some other instruction, the caliper(s) applies pressure to the disc and in doing so increases friction which slows the rotational movement of the disc and brings about the braking operation. The axle is connected to the disc which is in turn connected to the wheel. This invention is concerned with improving the efficiency of this braking operation.

In the prior art, the caliper consists of a "shoe" which houses a pad which is then applied to the surface of the disc. The caliper is generally positioned over (in the case of a floating calliper) or in front of the disc in a fixed position.

A caliper known to the prior art is fixed by fastening to the brake anchor plate and then to the vehicle. In the prior art, the caliper is guided on bolt guides of the brake anchor plate so as to move in the same direction in which the axis of the disc moves.

The caliper housing is typically a single piece casting which houses a piston within a cylinder. Inner and outer brake shoes are fitted to the caliper. When the brake pedal is applied, brake fluid is displaced into the cylinder under hydraulic pressure, moving the piston outwards. This action forces the inner and outer shoes and their linings (brake pads) against the rotor (brake disc), where the frictional forces result in the vehicle slowing down.

Various methods of discs and caliper pads have been designed to decrease the weight of the object, whilst maintaining integrity and effectiveness. These different designs can, in principle, be used with the counter rotating brake system.

Brief description:

There now follows a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings. The drawings are schematic representations only and show:

FIG. 1 : a side perspective view of the caliper connected to an axle.

FIG. 2: a plan view of the caliper and gear system according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. FIG. 3: a three dimensional perspective view of the caliper and gear system Detailed description:

The counter rotating caliper (1) is illustrated in the drawings where details of the caliper pad, disc, and connecting axle are known to the prior art and have been omitted to provide clarity over the substance of the invention, which is the gear system.

The axle (3), whether it is connected to a wheel hub or steering axle of the vehicle, is positioned axially and attached through the bore of the sun gear (2.1) so that the sun gear is fixed and moves in the direction of the axle. The sun gear then drives the connecting planetary gears (2.2) in a direction counter to that of the sun gear. There may be as few or as many planetary gears as is necessary so as to provide the reduction ratio desired and necessary structural integrity required by the safety regulations of any country intending to market the invention.

The sun gear and planetary gears are housed within a carrier gear (2.3).The gear assembly (2) is kept in place by the backing plate (2.4). The planetary gears drive the directional force of the carrier gear, which is the same as that of the planetary gear, being counter to that of the sun gear and axle.

The caliper (1) is connected to the carrier gear by a connecting arm (5). The combination of the gears, connecting arm and calliper form the counter rotating brake system. As the caliper is not fixed to anything other than, vicariously through the gear system, the axle, the calliper is free to move around the disc without obstruction.