Cable disk brake with brake pad clearance adjustment mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9751586-B2
Application number	US-201113088729-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2011
Priority date	Apr 18, 2011
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A cable disk brake apparatus comprises a caliper housing structured to be attached to a bicycle, a first brake pad coupled to the caliper housing for movement between a release position and a braking position, and a second brake pad coupled to the caliper housing and arranged facing the first brake pad. A drive shaft is coupled to the caliper housing, wherein the drive shaft rotates around a drive shaft axis to move the first brake pad in an axial direction from the release position towards the braking position. An actuating member rotates to communicate rotational force to the drive shaft to cause the drive shaft to move the first brake pad from the release position towards the braking position, and a drive coupling member is coupled to the drive shaft to communicate rotational force from the actuating member to the drive shaft. An adjusting member adjusts a position of the drive coupling member relative to the actuating member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A disk brake apparatus for a bicycle comprising:
a caliper housing structured to be attached to a bicycle;
a first brake pad coupled to the caliper housing for movement between a release position and a braking position;
a second brake pad coupled to the caliper housing and arranged facing the first brake pad;
a drive shaft coupled to the caliper housing, wherein the drive shaft rotates around a drive shaft axis to move the first brake pad in an axial direction from the release position towards the braking position;
an actuating member that rotates to communicate rotational force to the drive shaft to cause the drive shaft to move the first brake pad from the release position towards the braking position;
a drive coupling member coupled to the drive shaft to communicate rotational force from the actuating member to the drive shaft;
an adjusting member that adjusts a position of the drive coupling member relative to the actuating member; and
a biasing mechanism that biases the actuating member relative to the caliper housing;
wherein the actuating member, the drive coupling member, and the adjusting member move together when the actuating member rotates to communicate rotational force to the drive shaft;
wherein the actuating member can remain stationary when the adjusting member adjusts the position of the drive coupling member relative to the actuating member;
wherein the actuating member can be removed from the drive shaft while leaving the drive coupling member connected to the drive shaft; and
wherein the adjusting member is unconstrained in the direction of the drive shaft axis by the drive coupling member when the drive coupling member is in its adjusted position.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the drive coupling member is nonrotatably coupled to the drive shaft.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the drive coupling member extends radially outwardly from the drive shaft.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the actuating member engages a circumferential side of the drive coupling member to communicate rotational force to the drive coupling member.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the adjusting member is carried by the actuating member.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the adjusting member is disposed on a circumferential side of the actuating member.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the adjusting member adjusts the position of the drive coupling member relative to the actuating member in a continuous manner.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the adjusting member comprises an adjusting screw.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the adjusting member rotates around an adjusting axis that is non-parallel to the drive shaft axis.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the adjusting member includes a manually operable knob so that the adjusting screw can be manually rotated without tools.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the adjusting member rotates around an adjusting axis.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the adjusting axis is non-parallel to the drive shaft axis.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the adjusting axis is substantially perpendicular to the drive shaft axis.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the actuating member rotates around the drive shaft axis.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the actuating member rotates coaxially around the drive shaft axis.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising:
a first cam member rotated by the drive shaft; and
a second cam member;
wherein at least one of the first cam member or the second cam member moves axially in response to rotation of the first cam member to move the first brake pad in the axial direction.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the drive shaft is nonrotatably fixed to the first cam member.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the drive coupling member extends radially outwardly from the drive shaft, and wherein the actuating member engages a circumferential side of the drive coupling member to communicate rotational force to the drive coupling member.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the adjusting axis is non-parallel to the drive shaft axis.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the adjusting member adjusts the position of the drive coupling member relative to the actuating member in a continuous manner.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the drive coupling member is not clamped to the adjusting member.

22. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the biasing mechanism does not clamp the drive coupling member to the adjusting member.

23. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the drive coupling member and the adjusting member are not fastened together.

24. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the adjusting member does not extend through the drive coupling member.

25. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the actuating arm is unconstrained in the direction of the drive shaft axis by the drive coupling member when the drive coupling member is in its adjusted position.

26. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the adjusting member is mounted to the actuating member.

27. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the drive coupling member is movable away from the adjusting member while the actuating arm is stationary.

28. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the adjusting member is mounted to the actuating member so that the actuating member and the adjusting member can be removed together as a unit from the drive shaft while leaving the drive coupling member connected to the drive shaft.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28 wherein the adjusting member comprises a screw fastened to the actuating member.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the adjusting member remains fastened to the actuating member when the actuating member and the adjusting member are removed from the drive shaft.

31. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the adjusting member is unconstrained in the direction of the drive shaft axis by the drive coupling member when the drive coupling member is in its adjusted position and the drive coupling member is connected to the drive shaft.

Assignees

• Nakakura Masahiro
• Shimano Kk

Inventors

• Nakakura Masahiro

Classifications

• F16D2125/36

  Helical cams, Ball-rotating ramps · CPC title

• F16D2121/14

  Mechanical · CPC title

• F16D65/50

  for angular adjustment of two concentric parts of the brake control system · CPC title

• F16D65/42

  non-automatic · CPC title

• F16D55/224

  with a common actuating member for the braking members · CPC title