Disc brake comprising at least one resilient return spring of a brake pad, resilient return spring, guiding slide and replacement kit

1. A disc brake ( 10 ) for an automotive vehicle which includes:

a brake disc ( 12 ) which extends in a plane transverse to an axially oriented axis (A) of rotation of the disc;

a fixed support ( 14 ) including at least two opposite arms ( 27 ) having a generally vertical orientation (V), the at least two opposite arms ( 27 ) including a first arm ( 27 ) and a second arm ( 27 ), each arm ( 27 ) including a C-shaped cross-section axial housing ( 28 ) horizontally opening towards the opposite arm ( 27 ) and which is delimited by an upper face ( 33 ) and a lower face ( 31 ) with a generally horizontal orientation to thereby define at least a first housing ( 28 ) and a second housing ( 28 );

for each of the first and second arms ( 27 ) of the fixed support ( 14 ), a rail ( 32 ) which closely fits to walls of the housing ( 28 ) of each arm ( 27 ) to thereby provide a first rail ( 32 ) and a second rail ( 32 ), each rail ( 32 ) being attached to the fixed support, each rail ( 32 ) including at least one C-shaped cross-section sliding axial upper part ( 452 ) which is received and locked in the housing ( 28 ) associated with each rail ( 32 ), the upper part ( 452 ) including a horizontal lower wing ( 424 ), a horizontal upper wing ( 425 ), and a bottom vertical wing ( 34 ) which connects both the lower ( 424 ) and upper ( 425 ) wings together;

at least one brake pad ( 18 ) including two mounting opposite lateral lugs ( 26 ) that include a first lateral lug ( 26 ) opposite a second lateral lug ( 26 ), the first lateral lug ( 26 ) being received in the first housing ( 28 ) of the first arm ( 27 ) with said first rail ( 32 ) interposed therebetween and the second lateral lug ( 26 ) being received in the second housing ( 28 ) of the second arm ( 27 ) with said second rail ( 32 ) interposed therebetween;

wherein said at least one brake pad ( 18 ) includes a vertical transverse plate ( 19 ) which carries a friction lining ( 24 ) having a friction transverse face ( 25 ) that cooperates with an associated braking track ( 22 ) of the disc ( 12 ), the brake pad ( 18 ) being axially slidably mounted in the fixed support ( 14 ) between an active front position in which said friction face ( 25 ) bears against the associated braking track ( 22 ) of the disc ( 12 ), and an inactive rear position in which said friction face ( 25 ) is axially spaced apart from said associated braking track of the disc, by a determined operating play (J1); and

at least one elastic spring ( 48 ) for elastically returning the brake pad ( 18 ) to its inactive position including at least one portion ( 50 ) for attaching the elastic return spring ( 48 ) to the fixed support ( 14 ), and including a rigid connection branch (B 4 ), with an axial orientation parallel to the sliding direction of the brake pad, and which rigid connection branch (B 4 ) is connected to the brake pad ( 18 ), the spring ( 48 ) being associated with one of the first and second rails ( 32 ), wherein,

the at least one portion ( 50 ) for attaching the elastic return spring ( 48 ) to the fixed support ( 14 ) includes an attachment tab ( 52 ) which forwardly extends along an axial direction parallel to the sliding direction of the brake pad ( 18 );

at least one wing ( 34 ) of the one of the first and second rails ( 32 ) associated with the spring includes an attachment tongue ( 466 ) which extends axially rearwardly;

the attachment tab ( 52 ) and the attachment tongue ( 466 ) include complementary cooperation connection means having complementary shapes, and

the attachment tongue ( 466 ), which participates in the fixing of the attachment tab ( 52 ) of the spring, protrudes axially rearwardly relative to the rest of the one of the first and second rails.

2. The disc brake according to claim 1 , wherein the complementary cooperation connection means having complementary shapes of the attachment tongue ( 466 ) and the attachment tab ( 52 ) cooperate by elastic socketing when assembled.

3. The disc brake according to claim 1 , wherein:

the attachment tongue ( 466 ) is a strip which extends in an axial plane;

the attachment tab ( 52 ) is a strip which extends in a plane parallel to said axial plane;

the attachment tongue ( 466 ) and the attachment tab ( 52 ) are adjacent, plane on plane.

4. The disc brake according to claim 3 , wherein:

said complementary connection means include at least one finger ( 72 ) with a transverse orientation orthogonal to said axial plane which is carried by the attachment tab ( 52 ) and which is received in a notch ( 468 ) formed in the attachment tongue ( 466 ).

5. The disc brake according to claim 3 , wherein a front free end segment of the rigid connection branch (B 4 ) is a further strip which makes up an active tab ( 62 ) having a main orientation of parallel to the plane of the disc.

6. The disc brake according to claim 3 , wherein the attachment tab ( 52 ) is shaped as a clamp in which the attachment tongue ( 466 ) is received.

7. The disc brake according to claim 5 , wherein the attachment tab ( 52 ) is shaped as a clamp in which the attachment tongue ( 466 ) is received, and wherein said clamp includes said strip and a parallel blade ( 68 ) which carries said finger ( 72 ).

8. The disc brake according to claim 1 , wherein the attachment tab ( 52 ) includes a stabilizing tab ( 212 ) for stabilizing the elastic return spring ( 48 ) which cooperates with a portion of said rail ( 32 ).

9. The disc brake according to claim 8 , wherein said stabilizing tab ( 212 ) extends transversally and horizontally from an axially oriented edge ( 208 ) of the attachment tab ( 52 ) and cooperates with a portion of the horizontal wing ( 425 ) of the rail ( 32 ).

10. The disc brake according to claim 9 , wherein said horizontal wing ( 425 ) of the rail ( 32 ) includes a stabilizing tongue ( 470 ) which extends axially rearwardly in the horizontal plane of the horizontal wing ( 425 ), and wherein the attachment tab ( 52 ) is bearing against an upper face ( 472 ) of the stabilizing tongue ( 470 ).

11. A disc brake according to claim 1 , wherein the attachment tab ( 52 ) of the elastic return spring ( 48 ) includes an abutment tab ( 202 ) which is in contact, axially forwardly, with an opposite abutment face ( 474 ) of the rail ( 32 ).

12. The disc brake according to claim 9 , wherein the attachment tab ( 52 ) of the elastic return spring ( 48 ) includes an abutment tab ( 202 ) which is in contact, axially forwardly, with an opposite abutment face ( 474 ) of the rail ( 32 ), and wherein said abutment tab ( 202 ) extends from said axially oriented edge ( 208 ) of the attachment tab ( 52 ).

13. The disc brake according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one wing ( 34 ) of the rail ( 32 ) which includes the attachment tongue is the bottom vertical wing ( 34 ) of the rail.

14. The disc brake ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic return spring ( 48 ) includes means for taking up a wear play (J2) of the friction lining ( 24 ) of the brake pad ( 18 ), which are plastically deformed when a stroke of the brake pad up to its active braking position is higher than said determined operating play (J1).

15. The disc brake ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic return spring ( 48 ) is made as a single piece by cutting and forming a material sheet.

16. A replacement kit for a disc brake for an automotive vehicle which includes:

a brake disc ( 12 ) which extends in a plane transverse to an axially oriented axis (A) of rotation of the disc;

a fixed support ( 14 ) including at least two opposite arms ( 27 ) having a generally vertical orientation (V), the at least two opposite arms ( 27 ) including a first arm ( 27 ) and a second arm ( 27 ), each arm ( 27 ) including a C-shaped cross-section axial housing ( 28 ) horizontally opening towards the opposite arm ( 27 ) and which is delimited by an upper face ( 33 ) and a lower face ( 31 ) with a generally horizontal orientation to thereby define at least a first housing ( 28 ) and a second housing ( 28 );

for each of the first and second arms ( 27 ) of the fixed support ( 14 ), a rail ( 32 ) which closely fits to walls of the housing ( 28 ) of each arm ( 27 ) to thereby provide a first rail ( 32 ) and a second rail ( 32 ), each rail ( 32 ) being attached to the fixed support, each rail ( 32 ) including at least one C-shaped cross-section sliding axial upper part ( 452 ) which is received and locked in the housing ( 28 ) associated with each rail ( 32 ), the upper part ( 452 ) including a horizontal lower wing ( 424 ), a horizontal upper wing ( 425 ), and a bottom vertical wing ( 34 ) which connects both the lower ( 424 ) and upper ( 425 ) wings together;

at least one brake pad ( 18 ) including two mounting opposite lateral lugs ( 26 ) that include a first lateral lug ( 26 ) opposite a second lateral lug ( 26 ), the first lateral lug ( 26 ) being received in the first housing ( 28 ) of the first arm ( 27 ) with said first rail ( 32 ) interposed therebetween and the second lateral lug ( 26 ) being received in the second housing ( 28 ) of the second arm ( 27 ) with said second rail ( 32 ) interposed therebetween;

wherein said at least one brake pad ( 18 ) includes a vertical transverse plate ( 19 ) which carries a friction lining ( 24 ) having a friction transverse face ( 25 ) that cooperates with an associated braking track ( 22 ) of the disc ( 12 ), the brake pad ( 18 ) being axially slidably mounted in the fixed support ( 14 ) between an active front position in which said friction face ( 25 ) bears against the associated braking track ( 22 ) of the disc ( 12 ), and an inactive rear position in which said friction face ( 25 ) is axially spaced apart from said associated braking track of the disc, by a determined operating play (J1); and

at least one elastic spring ( 48 ) for elastically returning the brake pad ( 18 ) to its inactive position including at least one portion ( 50 ) for attaching the elastic return spring ( 48 ) to the fixed support ( 14 ), and including a rigid connection branch (B 4 ), with an axial orientation parallel to the sliding direction of the brake pad, and which rigid connection branch (B 4 ) is connected to the brake pad ( 18 ), the spring ( 48 ) being associated with one of the first and second rails ( 32 ), wherein,

the at least one portion ( 50 ) for attaching the elastic return spring ( 48 ) to the fixed support ( 14 ) includes an attachment tab ( 52 ) which forwardly extends along an axial direction parallel to the sliding direction of the brake pad ( 18 );

at least one wing ( 34 ) of the one of the first and second rails ( 32 ) associated with the spring includes an attachment tongue ( 466 ) which extends axially rearwardly;

the attachment tab ( 52 ) and the attachment tongue ( 466 ) include complementary cooperation connection means having complementary shapes, and

the attachment tongue ( 466 ), which participates in the fixing of the attachment tab ( 52 ) of the spring, protrudes axially rearwardly relative to the rest of the one of the first and second rails,

wherein the replacement kit includes the at least one brake pad ( 18 ) and two of the at least one elastic return springs ( 48 ) paired with said brake pad ( 18 ).

17. The replacement kit according to claim 16 , further comprising two springs ( 100 ) for mounting the at least one brake pad in the disc brake.