Return spring of a brake shoe including wear play compensation means, disk brake and replacement kit

1. A spring ( 48 ) for elastically returning a brake shoe ( 18 ) of a disk brake ( 12 ) axially to an inactive position, said spring ( 48 ) including means for compensating wear play (J 2 ) of a friction lining ( 24 ) of the brake shoe ( 18 ) that are deformed plastically when a travel of the brake shoe in an axial direction of movement as far as an active braking position is greater than a particular operating clearance (J 1 ),

the return spring ( 48 ) successively including:

a portion ( 50 ) for fixing the return spring ( 48 ) to a fixed support ( 14 ) of the disk brake ( 12 ), the portion ( 50 ) comprising a blade ( 52 ) that is a strip that extends, in the axial direction of movement of the brake shoe ( 18 ) from a bend ( 54 ) forming an elastic hinge to a free end and comprising a first rigid branch (B 1 ) that is a strip that lies in a plane parallel to the blade ( 52 ) a proximal end (B 1 p ) of which is connected to the blade ( 52 ) by the bend ( 54 ), the bend being elastically deformable about a deformation axis orthogonal to the axial direction (A) of movement of the brake shoe ( 18 ) and parallel to the plane in which the second rigid branch (B 2 ) lies;

a second rigid branch (B 2 ) a proximal end (B 2 p ) of which is connected to a distal end (B 1 d ) of the first rigid branch (B 1 ) by a first bend (P 1 ) plastically deformable about a first deformation axis (A 1 ) parallel to the deformation axis of the bend ( 54 ); and

a third rigid branch (B 3 ) a proximal end (B 3 p ) of which is connected to a distal end (B 2 d ) of the second rigid branch (B 2 ) by a second bend (P 2 ) plastically deformable about a second deformation axis (A 2 ) parallel to the first deformation axis (A 1 ); and

a fourth rigid branch (B 4 ) a proximal end (B 4 p ) of which is connected to a distal end (B 3 d ) of the third rigid branch (B 3 ) by a third bend (P 3 ) plastically deformable about a third deformation axis (A 3 ) parallel to the first deformation axis (A 1 ) that cooperates directly or indirectly with an associated portion of the brake shoe ( 18 );

each rigid branch (B 1 , B 2 , B 3 , B 4 ) is a strip that lies globally in a plane parallel to the first deformation axis (A 1 ); and

the fourth rigid branch (B 4 ) is transversely spaced (D) relative to the fixing portion ( 50 )

wherein each rigid branch (B 1 , B 2 , B 3 , B 4 ) includes stiffening means (Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 3 , Z 4 ).

2. The spring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each rigid branch (B 1 , B 2 , B 3 , B 4 ) is straight.

3. The spring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each plastically deformable bend (P 1 , P 2 , P 3 ) includes an area (F 1 , F 2 , F 3 ) of weakened mechanical properties.

4. The spring as claimed in claim 3 , wherein each plastically deformable bend (P 1 , P 2 , P 3 ) is a bent portion of a strip wherein the area of weakened mechanical properties in the form of a window oriented parallel to the first deformation axis (A 1 ).

5. The spring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the spring is produced in one piece by cutting and shaping a sheet of material.

6. The spring as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the spring is produced in one piece by cutting, pressing and bending a sheet of metal.

7. The spring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rigid branches (B 1 , B 2 , B 3 , B 4 ) and the bends (P 1 , P 2 , P 3 ) are produced in one piece by cutting, pressing and bending a strip of constant width.

8. The spring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second rigid branch (B 2 ) and the third rigid branch (B 3 ) are of substantially equal length.

9. The spring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in a state preceding any plastic deformation of the bends (P 1 , P 2 , P 3 ), the first rigid branch (B 1 ) and the second rigid branch (B 2 ) form an angle (α 1 ) equal to approximately 166 degrees.

10. The spring as claimed in claim 9 , wherein, in a state preceding any plastic deformation of the bends, the third rigid branch (B 3 ) and the fourth rigid branch (B 4 ) form an angle (□ 3 ) equal to approximately 161 degrees.

11. The spring as claimed in claim 9 , wherein, in the state of maximum plastic deformation of the bends (P 1 , P 2 , P 3 ), the first rigid branch (B 1 ) and the second rigid branch (B 2 ) form an angle (α 1 ) that is substantially a right angle.

12. The spring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in the state of maximum plastic deformation of the bends (P 1 , P 2 , P 3 ), the third rigid branch (B 3 ) and the fourth rigid branch (B 4 ) are substantially aligned.

13. The spring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in the state of maximum plastic deformation of the bends (P 1 , P 2 , P 3 ), the second rigid branch (B 2 ) and the third rigid branch (B 3 ) form an angle (α 2 ) that is substantially a right angle.

14. The spring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the spring is made from a material selected from a group including stainless steel, X2CrNbCu21 steel, 304L steel, gold, lead, a synthetic material, a synthetic material with a polymer matrix reinforced by natural or synthetic fibers.

15. The spring as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the spring is made from a material the breaking strain of which is between 30% and 60%, the tensile strength of which is between 400 MPa and 1,000 MPa, and the 0.2% strain of which is between 0 and 500 MPa.

16. The spring as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the spring is made from a material the breaking strain of which is between 40 and 60%, the tensile strength of which is between 400 Mpa and 700 MPa and the 0.2% strain of which is between 150 and 400 MPa.

17. The spring as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the spring is made from a material the breaking strain of which is between 50 and 60%, the tensile strength of which is between 400 MPa and 600 MPa, and the 0.2% strain of which is between 200 and 300 MPa.

18. A motor vehicle disk brake ( 10 ) that includes:

a brake disk ( 12 ) that lies in a plane transverse to an axially oriented axis (A) of rotation of the disk;

a support ( 14 ) fixed relative to a chassis of the vehicle,

at least one brake shoe ( 18 ) that includes a friction lining ( 24 ) a transverse friction face ( 25 ) of which cooperates with an associated annular braking track ( 22 ) of the disk ( 12 ), the brake shoe ( 18 ) being mounted to slide axially in the fixed support ( 14 ) between an active front position in which said friction face ( 25 ) bears against the associated annular braking track ( 22 ) of the disk ( 12 ) and an inactive rear position in which said friction face ( 25 ) is spaced axially from said associated annular braking track ( 22 ) of the disk by a particular operating clearance (J 1 ), wherein the disk brake includes at least one spring ( 48 ) as claimed in claim 1 for elastically returning the brake shoe ( 18 ) to its inactive position.

19. The disk brake as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the return spring ( 48 ) is disposed between the brake shoe ( 18 ) and the fixed support ( 14 ).

20. The disk brake ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the portion ( 50 ) for fixing the return spring ( 48 ) to the disk brake is fixed by axial insertion in an axially oriented slide ( 28 ) of the fixed support ( 14 ).

21. The disk brake ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the first rigid branch (B 1 ) of the return spring ( 48 ) on the disk brake ( 12 ) includes a stop ( 60 ) that is in contact with a facing face of the fixed support ( 14 ) to block the axial sliding of the return spring ( 48 ) in the direction corresponding to the axial movement of the brake shoe ( 18 ) to its active braking position.

22. The disk brake ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the fixing portion ( 50 ) includes a first rigid branch (B 1 ) that is a strip that lies in a plane parallel to the first deformation axis (A 1 ), the proximal end (B 2 p ) of the secondary rigid branch (B 2 ) is connected to a distal end (B 1 d ) of the first rigid branch (B 1 ) by the first plastically deformable bend (P 1 ), and the first rigid branch (B 1 ) of the return spring ( 48 ) is fixed by axial insertion in an axially oriented fixing notch ( 30 ) of the fixed support ( 14 ).

23. The disk brake ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 22 , wherein said at least one brake shoe ( 18 ) includes at least one lateral lug ( 26 ) for guiding sliding thereof that is received in an axial slide ( 28 ) of the fixed support ( 14 ) and said axially oriented fixing notch ( 30 ) is formed in a back of the slide ( 28 ).

24. The disk brake ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the brake shoe ( 18 ) includes at least one lateral lug ( 26 ) for guiding sliding thereof that is received in an axial slide ( 28 ) of the support and said notch ( 30 ) is formed by the slide ( 28 ).

25. The disk brake ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 18 , further including a slider ( 32 ) that espouses the walls of an axially oriented slide ( 28 ) of the fixed support ( 14 ) and is fixed to the fixed support ( 14 ).

26. A replacement kit for a motor vehicle disk brake as claimed in claim 18 , including at least one brake shoe ( 18 ) and two return springs ( 48 ) matched to said brake shoe ( 18 ).

27. The replacement kit as claimed in claim 26 , further including two springs ( 100 ) for mounting the brake shoe in the disk brake.