IP Library Granted Patent US 12,359,701
Granted Patent B2
US 12,359,701 · App. 17/986,120 · Granted Jul 15, 2025

Mechanical wear gauge

Inventors: Jannis Hecker (Heidelberg, DE); Bernward Redemann (Hockenheim, DE); Vitalij Scherer (Leimen, DE)
Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
F16D66/02B60T17/221
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,359,701
App. No.
17/986,120
Granted
Jul 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A mechanical wear gauge for detecting a brake liner wear and a brake disc wear of a disc brake for vehicles, in particular for utility vehicles, includes a brake liner wear detection mechanism and a brake disc wear detection mechanism. Brake liners and brake discs are subjected to a wear so that the brake liner thickness and the brake disc thickness decrease with an increasing period of use. A base member includes an arm member having a pincer leg. A first sliding member having a pincer leg is slidable relative to the base member and arm member to detect brake disc wear. A second sliding member, extending parallel to the first sliding member, is slidable relative to the base member to detect brake liner wear.

Claims (29)

1. A mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) for detecting a wear (W) on a disc brake ( 20 ) of a wheel ( 30 ), wherein the wheel ( 30 ) is arranged on a vehicle axle ( 40 ) of a vehicle ( 50 ), wherein the disc brake ( 20 ) has two brake liners ( 21 , 21 a ) and a brake disc ( 22 ) which is arranged between the brake liners ( 21 , 21 a ), the mechanical wear gauge comprising:

a brake liner wear (PW) detection mechanism ( 4 , 8 , 8 a , 10 , 11 ) that detects a brake liner wear (PW) and a brake disc wear detection mechanism ( 3 , 3 a , 5 , 5 a , 6 , 7 , 7 a ) that detects a brake disc wear (DW).

2. Mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) carries out, on the wheel ( 30 ) which is securely connected to the vehicle axle ( 40 ), a brake liner wear measurement of the brake liner wear (PW) and a brake disc wear measurement of the brake disc wear (DW).

3. Mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) comprises:

a base member ( 2 ) and first and second sliding members ( 5 , 4 ) which are arranged in parallel on the base member ( 2 ) and which move axially along a longitudinal axis (A) of the base member ( 2 ).

4. Mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the base member ( 2 ) includes a measuring arm ( 3 ).

5. Mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the first sliding member ( 5 ) is arranged in an overlap region (OV) of the measuring arm ( 3 ).

6. Mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the measuring arm ( 3 ) has a first pincer leg ( 3 ) which is arranged at the end of the measuring arm ( 3 ) opposite the base member ( 2 ), and the first sliding member ( 5 ) has a second pincer leg ( 5 a ) which is arranged parallel with the first pincer leg ( 3 a ), and wherein the pincer legs ( 3 a , 5 a ) receive the brake disc ( 12 ) therebetween during a brake disc wear measurement.

7. Mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the first sliding member ( 5 ) is lockable on the base member ( 2 ) against sliding movement via two fixing screws ( 6 , 6 a ).

8. Mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the base member ( 2 ) includes a brake disc wear indicator ( 7 ) having a brake disc wear scale ( 7 a ) for reading a brake disc wear (DW) measurement based on a position of the sliding member ( 5 ) relative to the base member ( 2 ).

9. Mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the base member ( 2 ) includes a brake liner wear indicator ( 8 ) having a brake liner wear scale ( 8 a ) for reading a brake liner wear (PW) wear measurement based on a position of the second sliding member ( 4 ) relative to the base member ( 2 ).

10. Mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein an end of the second sliding member ( 4 ) opposite the base member ( 2 ) is in the form of a hook ( 10 ).

11. Mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) according to claim 10 , wherein the hook ( 10 ) has a contact face ( 11 ) for bringing the second sliding member ( 4 ) into contact with a bolt cover ( 23 ) of the disc brake.

12. Mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the base member ( 2 ) includes a resilient connection ( 12 ) at a side opposite the measuring arm ( 3 ), and the second sliding member ( 4 ) is attached to the base member ( 2 ) via the resilient connection ( 12 ).

13. Mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) is produced from metal or plastics material.

14. Mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) has an overall thickness between 5 mm and 15 mm.

15. The mechanical wear gauge of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical wear gauge is arranged on a vehicle ( 50 ) having a vehicle axle ( 40 ) and a wheel which is arranged on the vehicle axle ( 40 ), wherein the wheel ( 30 ) has a disc brake ( 20 ), two brake liners ( 21 , 21 a ) and a brake disc ( 22 ) which is arranged between the brake liners ( 21 , 21 a ).

16. The mechanical wear gauge of claim 3 , wherein the measuring arm ( 3 ) and the first sliding member ( 5 ) each have a curvature for extending around a brake caliper that remains installed during measurement of the brake disc wear.

17. The mechanical wear gauge of claim 3 , wherein the first sliding member ( 5 ) includes a first auxiliary sliding member ( 14 ) extending laterally from the first sliding member ( 5 ), and the measuring arm ( 3 ) includes a second auxiliary sliding member ( 13 ) extending laterally therefrom, wherein the first auxiliary sliding member applies a force on the first sliding member 5 toward a face of the brake disc, and the second auxiliary sliding member counteracts the force to clamp the brake disc between the first sliding member ( 5 ) and the measuring arm ( 3 ).

18. A method of detecting and measuring brake disc wear and brake liner wear of a wheel brake installed on a wheel installed on a vehicle axle, the method comprising:

providing a mechanical wear gauge ( 1 ) having a base member ( 2 ) with a measuring arm ( 3 ) extending longitudinally therefrom, a first sliding member ( 5 ) that overlaps the measuring arm ( 3 ) and being slidable relative to the base member ( 2 ) and the measuring arm ( 3 ), and a second sliding member ( 4 ) connected to the base member ( 2 ) and slidable relative thereto;

positioning a first pincer leg ( 3 a ) of the measuring arm on a first side of the brake disc;

positioning a second pincer leg ( 5 a ) of the first sliding member on a second side of the brake disc;

clamping the brake disc between the first and second pincer legs via sliding movement of the first sliding member ( 5 ) relative to the base member and the measuring arm; and

sliding the second sliding member ( 4 ) into contact with a bolt cover;

visibly detecting a brake disc wear measurement at the base member ( 2 ) based on a positioning of the first sliding member ( 5 ) relative to the base member ( 2 );

visibly detecting a brake liner wear measurement at the base member ( 2 ) based on a position of the second sliding member ( 4 ) relative to the base member ( 2 ).

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising locking the first sliding member ( 5 ) to the base member ( 2 ) after clamping the brake disc, wherein the first sliding member ( 5 ) is locked against sliding movement relative to the base member ( 2 ).

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising, after locking the first sliding member ( 5 ) to the base member ( 2 ), sliding the second sliding member ( 4 ) relative to a resilient connection ( 12 ) formed on the base member ( 2 ), wherein the resilient connection ( 12 ) holds the second sliding member ( 4 ) in place relative to the base member ( 2 ).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2022
From: HECKER, JANNIS; REDEMANN, BERNWARD; SCHERER, VITALIJ
To: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
Reel/Frame 061756/0748 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2021 129 799.0 · Nov 16, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230151866A1 · May 18, 2023
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Cited By (1)
US 12,442,629