Title of Invention

CALIPER BODY SUPPORTING CONSTRUCTION FOR VEHICLE DISC BRAKE

Abstract

A torque receiving surface lOk is provided on a slide pin attaching portion 5 on a disc exit-side. A slide pin 8 has a slide pin main body 8a and a hexagonal head bolt 8b for attaching the slide pin main body 8a to the slide pin attaching portion 5, and first and second flange portions 8d, 8h provided respectively on the slide pin main body 8a and the hexagonal head bolt 8b so as to hold the slide pin attaching portion 5 to connect the slide pin main body 8a with the hexagonal head bolt 8b. The slide pin attaching portion 5 is provided integrally on a front fork so as to project therefrom via supporting legs, and the supporting legs have at least a first supporting leg 4a extending from the slide pin attaching portion 5 in a brake toque application direction.

Full Text

CALIPER BODY SUPPORTING CONSTRUCTION FOR VEHICLE DISC BRAKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a caliper body supporting construction for a vehicle disc mounted on a motorcycle and more particularly to a supporting construction for supporting a caliper body of a slide pin type disc brake directly on a vehicle suspension device such as a front fork. Description of Related Art [0002] In a slide pin type disc brake for a motorcycle, a caliper bracket is provided integrally on a bottom case which constitutes a vehicle suspension device so as to project therefrom, and a caliper body disposed so as to straddle an outer circumferential side of a disc rotor is attached to the caliper bracket via slide pins so as to allow sliding movement of the caliper body in an axial direction o the disc rotor (disc axial direction) . In the caliper body, a pair of friction pads are disposed so as to oppose to each other via the disc rotor between an acting portion and a reacting portion of the caliper body, and a torque receiving surface for receiving a braking torque from the friction pads is provided on the caliper bracket (for example, refer to JP-B~60-14937). [0003] In the slide pin type disc brake described above, however, since the torque receiving surface is provided on the caliper bracket, the supporting rigidity can be increased without increasing the number of parts involved. However, the shape of the caliper bracket which is formed integrally with the bottom case becomes complex, and this increasing the number of processing steps and assembling steps, leading to a fear that the production costs may be increased. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a caliper body supporting construction for a vehicle disc brake which is simple in construction and which can receive properly a braking torque from friction pads and ensure a mounting rigidity of a caliper body. [0005] With a view to attaining the object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a caliper body supporting construction for a vehicle disc brake, including: a disc rotor; a caliper body having an acting portion and a reacting portion which are disposed so as to across an outer circumference of the disc rotor, the acting portion having a pair of slide pm supporting portions having guide holes; a pair of fricrion pads disposed between the action and reaction portions of the caliper body; a suspension device including a pair of slide pin attaching portions; and a pair of slide pins inserted into the slide pin supporting portions and attached to the slide pin attaching portions to allow an sliding movement of the caliper body in an axial direction of the disc rotor, wherein a torque receiving surface which receives braking torque from the friction pad is provided on a surface of the slide pin supporting portion at a disc exit-side on which the disc rotor appears from the caliper body when a vehicle moves forward, the slide pin includes: a slide pin main body which slides within the guide hole and has a first flange abutting with a first side surface of the slide pin attaching portion positioned near to the disc rotor; a fixing member which attaches the slide pin main body to the slide pin attaching portion and includes a second flange abutting with a second side surface of the slide pin attaching portion positioned far from the disc rotor, wherein the slide pin main body is fixedly connected to the fixing member while holding the slide pin artaching portion between the first and second flanges, -he slide pin attaching portions are provided integrally on the suspension device so as to project therefrom via supporting legs, and the supporting legs each have at least a first supporting leg extending in a braking torque application direction from the slide pin attaching portion. [0006] According to a second aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the slide pin main body includes a female screw hole which opens to the first flange portion, the fixing member is a bolt member including a male screw portion at a distal end and the second flange portion, the slide pin attaching portion is held by the first flange portion and the second flange portion, and the male screw portion is screwed into the female screw portion so as to fixedly connect together the slide pin main body and the fixing member. [0007] According to a third aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the female screw hole and the male screw portion are screwed together at a position near to the disc rotor relative to the first flange portion. [0008] According to the fourth aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the supporting legs have second supporting legs, respectively, which project in a direction perpendicular to the first supporting legs from the slide pin attaching portions. [0009] In the invention configured as has been described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, since the slide pin attaching portions are each held by the first flange portion and the second flange portion so as to fixedly connect together the slide pin main body and the fixing member, the slide pin can be attached to the slide pin attaching portion simply and in an ensured fashion. In addition, the braking torque is transmitted from the torque receiving surface to the slide pin supporting portion^ the fixing member, the slide pin attaching portion, the supporting legs and the vehicle suspension device. Thus, the braking torque can be received properly by the vehicle suspension device. By this configuration, the supporting rigidity of the caliper body can be ensured without increasing the number of parts involved. In particular, the first supporting legs are provided so as to extend in the braking zorque application direccion, the braking torque can be received by the vehicle suspension device via the first supporting legs in an ensured fashion. In addition, since the slide pins are each prevented from falling by both the flange portions, even through the braking torque is applied thereto, the sliding property of the caliper body can be ensured. lOOlO} Further, according to the invention, since the male screw portion is screwed into the female screw hole so as to fixedly connect together the slide pin main body and the fixing member, the slide pin can be attached to the slide pin attaching portion in an ensured fashion in a simple construction. [0011] Furthermore, according to the invention, since the female screw hole and the male screw portion are screwed together at a position near to the rotor disc relative to the first flange portion, a shank portion of the fixing member which is not threaded is disposed in the vicinity of a connecting portion between the first flange portion to which a shearing force is applied when the brake is applied and the slide pin attaching portion to thereby ensure the connecting strength between the slide pin and the slide pin attaching portion. [0012] In addition, according to the invention, since the supporting legs have -he second supporting legs, respectively, which project in the direction perpendicular to the first supporting legs, the braking rorque can be received by the vehicle suspension device in a more ensured fashion, thereby making it possible to increase further the attaching rigidity of the caliper body. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] Fig. 1 is a sectional side view of a main part which shows a state in which a disc brake showing a first mode of the invention is attached to a vehicle suspension device; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front view showing the state in which the same disc brake is attached to the vehicle suspension device; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a sectional side view of a main part which shows a state in which a disc brake showing a second mode of the invention is attached to a vehicle suspension device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0014] Figs. 1 to 4 are drawings which show a first mode of a caliper body supporting construction for a vehicle disc brake Df the invention. Note that an arrow A in the drawings denotes a rotational direction of a disc rotor when a vehicle travels foiwards, and when used in the following description, a disc entrance-side and a disc exit-side are those resulting when the vehicle travels forwards. [0015] A slide pin type disc brake 1 is a brake system for a vehicle with a handle bar such as a motorcycle. The slide pin type disc brake 1 includes a disc rotor 2 rotating together with a road wheel (not shown), a slide pin attaching portion 5 formed integrally on a front fork 3 via a first supporting leg 4a, a second supporting leg 4b and a third supporting leg Ac at one side of the disc rotor 2, a slide pin attaching portion 7 formed integrally on the front fork 3 via a first supporting leg 6a and a second supporting leg 6b at one side of the disc rotor 2, a caliper body 10 supported slidably in a disc axial direction (axial direction of the disc rotor 2) on the slide pin attaching portions 5, 7 via a pair of slide pins 8, 9, and a pair of friction pads 11, 11 disposed so as to oppose to each other across the disc rotor 2 between an acting portion 10a and a reacting portion 10b of the caliper body 10. [0016} The caliper body 10 has the acting portion 10a and the reacting portion 10b which are disposed on both side portions of the disc rotcr 2 so as to oppose to each other across the disc rouor 2 and a bridge portion 10c which spans the acting and reacting portions 10a, 10b for connection while straddling an external side of the disc rotor 2. The acting portion 10a includes a cylinder bore 12 and a pair of slide pin supporting portions lOd, lOe, and the reacting portion 10b includes a reaction claw lOf provided thereon. A rectangular ceiling opening lOg is formed substantially in a center of the bridge portion 10c so as to establish a communication between an inside and an outside of the bridge portion 10c, Torque receiving stepped portions lOh, lOi are disposed on a disc exit-side and a disc entrance-side of the ceiling opening lOg, respectively. A torque receiving surface lOk is formed along a caliper center side surface of the slide pin supporting portion lOd on the disc exit-side at the torque receiving stepped portion lOh on the disc exit-side. Here, the disc exit-side is a side on which the disc rotor 2 appears from the caliper body 10, and the disc entrance-side is a side on which the disc rotor 2 enters to the caliper body 10, when the vehicle moves frontward. In other words, when assuming that the road wheel is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a front side is the disc entrance-side and a rear side is the disc exit-side when the vehicle moves frontward. [0017] In each friction pad 11, a lining 11a sliding contact with a side surface cf the disc rotor 2 is formed so as zo be joined to a metallic back plate lib. A hanger pin insertion portion lid having a hanger pin insertion hole lie is provided in a vertically central and radially outvjard position on the back plate lib so as to project therefrom, and lug pieces lie, lie are provided on both side portions of the same back plate lib. A hanger pin 14, which penetrates the ceiling opening lOg and spans the acting portion 10a and the reacting portion 10b, is inserted in the hanger pin insertion hole lie, and the lug pieces lie, lie are hooked to the torque receiving portion lOh, lOi to thereby suspend the friction pads 11, 11 on both sides of the disc rotor 2 while allowing sliding movement of the friction pads 11, 11 in the axial direction of the disc rotor 2. Further, the friction pads 11, 11 are resiliently urged toward radially inner side of the disc rotor 2 due to a pad spring 15 disposed contractedly between the hanger pins 14 and the metallic back plates lie. The cylinder bore 12 is provided in substantially a center of the acting portion 10a so as open towards the disc rotor 2 side, and a cup-shaped piston 13 is inserted into the cylinder bore 12 fluid tightly, to thereby define a hydraulic pressure chamber 15 between bottom portions of the piston 13 and the cylinder bore 12. [0016] The slide pin supporting portions lOd, lOe are provided so as to project from the acting portion lOa along one side of the disc rotor 2 towards the disc exit-side and a radially inward side of the disc rotor 2. The slide pin supporting portion lOd on the disc exit-side is provided so as to extend in the axial direction of the disc rotor 2 from an acting portion side to a reacting portion side, and a long box-shaped guide hole 10m which opens to the acting portion side is formed therein. A caliper center side surface of the slide pin supporting portion lOd constitutes the aforementioned torque receiving surface 10k. A guide hole lOn is formed in the slide pin supporting portion lOe on the radially-inward side of the disc rotor so as to penetrate in the axial direction of the disc rotor 2. The length of the guide hole lOn is made shorter than the guide hole 10m of the disc exit-side. [0019] One of the slide pin attaching portion 5, which is provided on the front fork 3, includes an attaching hole 5a of the slide pin 8 and projects to the disc exit-side and a disc outer circumferential side via the first supporting leg 4a, the second supporting leg 4b and the third supporting leg 4c. In addition, the first supporting leg 4a is provided so as to extend from the slide pin attaching portion 5 in an acting direction of the brake torque, the second supporting leg 4b projects in a direction perpendicular to the first supporting leg 4a, and the third suppor-ing leg 4c projects ro an intermediate portion between the first supporting leg 4a and the second supporting leg 4b. The other slide pin attaching portion 7 includes an attaching hole 7a of the slide pin 9 and projects to the disc entrance-side and a disc inner circumferential side via the first supporting leg 6a and the second supporting leg 6b. In addition, both the slide pin attaching portions 5, 7 are provided so as to be offset closer to the non-disc rotor side than a center axis of the front fork 3. [0020] The slide pin 8 on the disc exit-side has a slide pin main body 8a which slides within the guide hole 10m formed in the slide pin supporting portion lOd, and a flanged hexagonal head bolt 8b (the fixing member) which attaches the slide pin main body 8a to the slide pin attaching portion 5. The slide pin main body 8a includes a slide shank portion 8c which slides within the guide hole 10m, a first flange portion 8d which is brought into abutment with a disc rotor side surface (first side surface) of the slide pin attaching portion 5 and a female screw hole 8e which opens to the first flange portion 8d. The hexagonal head bolt 8b includes a second flange portion 8h which is brought into abutment with a non-disc rotor side surface (side surface far from the disc rotor 2; second side surface) of the slide pin attaching portion 5 between a hexagonal head portion 6f and a shank portion 3g, and a male screw portion Si is formed at a distal end of the shank portion 8g. [0021] The slide pin 9 on the disc inner circumferential side has the same construction as that of the slide pin 8 and has a slide pin main body 9a and a hexagonal head bolt 9b. The slide pin main body 9a includes a slide shank portion 9c, a first flange portion 9d and a female screw hole 9e, and the hexagonal head bolt 9b includes a hexagonal head portion 9f, a shank portion 9g, a second flange portion 9h and a male screw portion 9i . [0022] The slide pins 8, 9 hold the slide pin attaching portions 5, 7, respectively, by the hexagonal bolts 8b, 9b and the slide pin main bodies 8a, 9a by inserting the hexagonal bolts 8b, 9b from the non-disc rotor sides of the slide pin attaching portions 5, 7 and causing the male screw portions 8i, 9i which project, respectively, from the slide pin attaching portions to be screwed into the female screw holes 8e, 9e in the slide pin main bodies 8a, 9a. Thus, the hexagonal bolts 8b, 9b and the sliding main bodies 8a, 9a are fixedly connected together. [0023] In this way, the slide pin 8 which is attached to the slide pin attaching portion 5 on the disc exit-side is inserted into the guide hole 10m in the slide pin supporting portion lOd on the disc exit-side. Further, the slide pin 9 which is attached to the slide pin attaching portion 7 on the disc inner circumferential side is inserted into the slide pin supporting portion lOe on the disc inner circumferential side of the caliper body 10 via an elastic bush 17. Thus, the caliper body 10 is supported so as be slide in the axial direction of the disc rotor 2 . [0024] In the disc brake 1 which is configured as has been described heretofore, when the brake is applied by the driver, a hydraulic fluid whose pressure is increased by a separate hydraulic master cylinder (not shown) is supplied into the hydraulic pressure chamber 16 in the caliper body 10. The hydraulic fluid so supplied into the hydraulic pressure chamber 16 presses the piston 13 in the direction of the disc rotor 2, so as to bring the friction pad 11 on the acting portion side into sliding contact with one side surface of the disc rotor 2. Following this, the caliper body 10 is shifted in the direction of the acting portion, whereby the reaction claw lOf brings the friction pad 11 on the reacting portion side into sliding contact with the other side surface of the disc rotor 2, whereby the brake is applied. [0025] As this occurs, each pad 11 is dragged to the disc exit-side, whereby a disc rotation side surface llf of the back plate lib and the torque receiving surface 10k of rhe slide pin supporting portion lOd are brought into abutment with each other. Accordingly, the brake torque is transmitted from the torque receiving surface 10k to the slide pin supporting portion lOd, the slide pin main body 8a, the hexagonal head bolt 8b, the slide pin attaching portion 5, and finally, the front fork 3 via the first supporting leg 4a, the second supporting leg 4b and the third supporting leg 4c. Thus, the brake torque can be received properly by the front fork 3 without increasing the number of parts involved, thereby making it possible to ensure the supporting rigidity of the caliper body 10. In particular, since the first supporting leg 4a is provided so as to extend in the direction in which the brake torque is applied and the second supporting leg 4b is provided in the direction perpendicular to the first supporting leg 4a, the brake torque can be received by the front fork 3 in a more ensured fashion. In addition, since the slide pin 8 fixedly connects together the slide pin main body 8a and the hexagonal head bolt 8b by holding the slide pin attaching portion 7 by the first flange portion 8d and the second flange portion 8h, the fall of the slide pin is prevented by both the flange portions 8d, 8h, thereby making iz possible to ensure the sliding property of the caliper body 10 even though the brake torque is applied thereto. [0026] Furthermore, the slide pin attaching portions 5, 7 are provided respectively so as to project closer to the non-disc rotor side than the central axis of the front fork 3 via the respective supporting legs 4a, 4b, 4c, 6a, 6b. Thus, the size of the caliper body 10 can be ensured within a range where the caliper body 10 is prevented from being brought into abutment with the road wheel, thereby making it possible to obtain a sufficient braking force. In addition, the joining area between the first supporting leg 4a, the second supporting leg 4b and the third supporting leg 4c which function to transmit the torque and the front fork 3 can be made large, thereby making it possible to transmit the brake torque properly to the front fork via the first supporting leg 4a, the second supporting leg 4b and the third supporting leg 4c. Furthermore, since the slide pin attaching portions 5, 7 are connected to the front fork 3 via the supporting legs, compared with a conventional plate-shaped bracket, the weight of the caliper body 10 can be reduced. In addition, the respective slide pins 8, 9 can be attached to the slide pin attaching portions 5, 7, respectively, only by causing the male screw portions 8i, 91 of the hexagonal head bolts 8b, 9b to be screwed into the female screw holes 8e, 9e in the slide pin main bodies 8a, 9a, thereby m.aking it possible to attaching the slide pins 8, 9 to the corresponding attaching portions in the ensured fashion in the simple construction. [0027] Fig. 5 shows a second embodiment of the invention, and like reference numerals will be imparted to like constituent elements to those described in the first mode that has been described above, so as to omit the detailed description thereof. A male screw portion 8k of a hexagonal head bolt 8b of this embodiment is made shorter with respect to its axial length dimension and is provided only a distal end portion of the hexagonal head bolt 8b. The hexagonal head bolt 8b is inserted from a non-disc rotor side of a slide pin attaching portion, and the male screw portion 8k which projects from the slide pin attaching portion 5 is screwed into a female screw hole 8e. When the slide pin attaching portion is held by a first flange portion 8d and a second flange portion 8h, the female screw hole 8e and the male screw portion 8k are screwed together on a deeper side of a slide pin main body 8a than the first flange portion 8d. [0028] By this configuration, since a shank portion 8g of the hexagonal head bolt 8b which does not have male screw is disposed in the vicinity of a connecting portion between the firsr flange portion 8d and the siding pin attaching portion 5 to which a shearing fores is applied when the brake is applied, the connecting strength between the slide pin 8 and the slide pin attaching portion 5 can be ensured. [0029] While the embodiment has been described as the embodiment being applied only to the construction of the slide pin 8 on the disc exit-side, a slide pin 9 on the disc inner circmnferential side can be made to have the same construction. [0030] In addition, Ehe invention is not limited to the embodiment in which the tree supporting legs are provided on the slide pin attaching portion on the disc exit-side, and hence, any number of supporting legs can be provided, and a configuration may be adopted in which a single plate-shaped supporting leg is provided which expands into a substantially triangular shape. In addition, a slide pin may be adopted which has a configuration in which a male screw portion is provided on a slide pin main body, the slide pin main body is inserted from a disc rotor side of a slide pin attaching portion, the male screw portion is made to project to a non-disc rotor side of the slide pin attaching portion, a sleeve nut having a second flange portion is used as the fixing member, and the sleeve nut is screwed on to the male screw portion, so that the slide pin attaching portion is fixedly connected by being held by a first flange portion of the slide pin main body and the second flange portion of the sleeve nu". [0031] While the invention has been described in connection with the exemplary embodiments, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the present invention, and it is aimed, therefore, to cover in the appended claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. What is claimed is: 1. A caliper body supporting construction for a vehicle disc brake, comprising: a disc rotor; a caliper body having an acting portion and a reacting portion which are disposed so as to across an outer circumference of the disc rotor, the acting portion having a pair of slide pin supporting portions having guide holes; a pair of friction pads disposed between the action and reaction portions of the caliper body; a suspension device comprising a pair of slide pin attaching portions; and a pair of slide pins inserted into the slide pin supporting portions and attached to the slide pin attaching portions to allow a sliding movement of the caliper body in an axial direction of the disc rotor, wherein a torque receiving surface which receives braking torque from the friction pad is provided on a surface of the slide pin supporting portion at a disc exit-side on which the disc rotor appears from the caliper body when a vehicle moves forward, the slide pin comprises: a slide pin main body which slides within the guide hole and has a first flange abutting with a first side surface of the slide pin attaching portion positioned near to the disc rotor; a fixing member which attaches the slide pin main body to the slide pin attaching portion and comprises a second flange abutting with a second side surface of the slide pin attaching portion positioned far from the disc rotor, wherein the slide pin main body is fixedly connected to the fixing member while holding the slide pin attaching portion between the first and second flanges, the slide pin attaching portions are provided integrally on the suspension device so as to project therefrom via supporting legs, and the supporting legs each have at least a first supporting leg extending in a braking torque application direction from the slide pin attaching portion. 2. The caliper body supporting construction as set forth in Claim 1, wherein the slide pin main body comprises a female screw hole which opens to the first flange portion, the fixing member is a bolt member comprising a male screw portion at a distal end and the second flange portion, the slide pin attaching portion is held by the first flange portion and the second flange portion, and the male screw portion is screwed into the female screw portion so as to fixedly connect together "he slide pin main body and the fixing member. 3. The caliper body supporting construction as set forth in Claim 2, wherein the female screw hole and the male screw portion are screwed together at a position near to the disc rotor relative to the first flange portion. 4. The caliper body supporting construction as set forth in Claim 1, wherein the supporting legs have second supporting legs, respectively, which project in a direction perpendicular to the first supporting legs from the slide pin attaching portions.

Documents:

2961-CHE-2008 AMENDED CLAIMS 11-04-2014.pdf

2961-CHE-2008 AMENDED PAGES OF SPECIFICATION 11-04-2014.pdf

2961-CHE-2008 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 11-11-2013.pdf

2961-CHE-2008 EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY RECEIVED 11-04-2014.pdf

2961-CHE-2008 FORM-3 11-04-2014.pdf

2961-CHE-2008 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 01-05-2014.pdf

2961-CHE-2008 FORM-1 01-05-2014.pdf

2961-che-2008 abstract.pdf

2961-che-2008 claims.pdf

2961-che-2008 correspondence-others.pdf

2961-che-2008 description (complete).pdf

2961-che-2008 drawings.pdf

2961-che-2008 form-1.pdf

2961-che-2008 form-18.pdf

2961-che-2008 form-3.pdf

2961-che-2008 form-5.pdf

2961-CHE-2008_Petition.pdf