This invention relates to vehicular disc brakes of the sliding caliper type and, more particularly, to a novel torque plate for use with a sliding caliper disc brake.
In a typical sliding caliper disc brake, the caliper embraces the rotor and is slidably supported at its opposite ends by a torque plate fixedly secured to a non-rotating portion of the axle assembly of the associated vehicle. As the brake is applied by the actuator assembly, the brake pad driven directly by the actuator assembly, typically the inboard pad, is pressed against the inboard face of the rotor, whereafter, with continued driving input from the actuator assembly, the caliper slides inboard on the torque plate to bring the outboard pad, carried by the caliper, into frictional engagement with the outboard face of the rotor. The torque plate is a critical element in this combination. In addition to allowing smooth sliding movement of the caliper on the torque plate, the torque plate, particularly in heavy-duty applications, must efficiently absorb large magnitudes of braking torque and transmit this torque efficiently to the fixed vehicle assembly, typically the axle housing. The torque plate must also be configured and installed in such a manner as to not significantly interfere with the flow of cooling air over the rotor. Prior art torque plates have either sacrificed brake cooling effectiveness to maximize torque absorbing capacity, or have limited torque absorbing capacity to maximize brake cooling efficiency.