Flanged shim for brake squeal attenuation

Abstract

A brake pad assembly provided for a disc brake apparatus. The brake pad assembly comprises a backing plate having a flat inner face and a flat outer face oriented opposite to the inner face, a friction member fixed to the inner face of the backing plate, and an anti-squeal shim attached to the outer face of the backing plate. The anti-squeal shim includes a flat support plate attached to the outer face of the backing plate and a straight flat flange plate. The support plate of the anti-squeal shim has a peripheral edge including opposite outer and inner edges and opposite side edges. The flange plate is in the form of a flexible cantilever formed integrally with the support plate of the anti-squeal shim and extends away from one of the outer, inner and opposite side edges of the support plate of the anti-squeal shim.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A brake pad assembly for a disc brake apparatus, said brake pad assembly comprising:
 a backing plate having an inner face and an outer face oriented opposite to said inner face;   a friction member fixed to said inner face of said backing plate; and   an anti-squeal shim attached to said outer face of said backing plate;   said anti-squeal shim including a support plate attached to said outer face of said backing plate and a straight flat flange plate;   said support plate of said anti-squeal shim having a peripheral edge including opposite outer and inner edges and opposite side edges;   said flange plate being in the form of a flexible cantilever formed integrally with said support plate of said anti-squeal shim and extending away from one of said outer, inner and opposite side edges of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim.   
     
     
         2 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said flange plate extends outwardly from one of said outer, inner and opposite side edges of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim in the direction away from said backing plate. 
     
     
         3 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein both said support plate and said flange plate are formed integrally from a single blank of a shim material. 
     
     
         4 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said shim material is a multi-layer composite material. 
     
     
         5 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said multi-layer composite material includes a stainless steel plate coated with a layer of adhesive on one face thereof and with a layer of paint on the other face thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein one of said upper, lower and opposite side edges of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim from which said flange plate extends is formed as a straight line. 
     
     
         7 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said flange plate of said anti-squeal shim extends along an entire length of one of said outer, inner and opposite side edges of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim. 
     
     
         8 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said flange portion extends along said inner peripheral edge of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim. 
     
     
         9 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said flange portion extends along said outer peripheral edge of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim. 
     
     
         10 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said flange portion extends along one of said opposite side edges of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim. 
     
     
         11 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 2 , wherein vertices of said peripheral edge of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim are located on said outer face of said backing plate within a peripheral edge thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A disc brake apparatus comprising:
 a brake support member;   a brake rotor;   a brake pad assembly slidably supported by said brake support member so as to be movable over a predetermined distance in the axial direction of said brake rotor;   a caliper straddling said brake rotor and slidably mounted to said brake support member to allow sliding in the axial direction of the brake rotor, said caliper having a cylinder formed therein; and   a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder of said caliper to allow sliding in the axial direction of said brake rotor, said piston facing said brake pad assembly at a side thereof remote from said brake rotor;   said brake pad assembly comprising:
 a backing plate having a flat inner face facing said brake rotor and a flat outer face oriented opposite to said inner face and facing said piston; 
 a friction member fixed to said inner face of said backing plate; and 
 an anti-squeal shim attached to said outer face of said backing plate; 
 said anti-squeal shim including a flat support plate attached to said outer face of said backing plate and a straight flat flange plate; 
 said support plate of said anti-squeal shim having a peripheral edge including opposite outer and inner edges and opposite side edges; 
 said flange plate being in the form of a flexible cantilever formed integrally with said support plate of said anti-squeal shim and extending away from one of said outer, inner and opposite side edges of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim; 
 said flange portion of said anti-squeal shim spaced from said brake support member, said caliper and said piston. 
   
     
     
         13 . The disc brake apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said flange plate extends outwardly from one of said outer, inner and opposite side edges of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim in the direction away from said backing plate. 
     
     
         14 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 13 , wherein both said support plate and said flange plate are formed integrally from a single blank of a shim material. 
     
     
         15 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 12 , wherein one of said upper, lower and opposite side edges of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim from which said flange plate extends is formed as a straight line. 
     
     
         16 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 15 , wherein said flange plate of said anti-squeal shim extends along an entire length of one of said outer, inner and opposite side edges of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim. 
     
     
         17 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 15 , wherein said flange portion extends along said inner peripheral edge of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim. 
     
     
         18 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 15 , wherein said flange portion extends along said outer peripheral edge of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim. 
     
     
         19 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 15 , wherein said flange portion extends along one of said opposite side edges of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim. 
     
     
         20 . The brake pad assembly as defined in  claim 12 , wherein vertices of said peripheral edge of said support plate of said anti-squeal shim are located on said outer face of said backing plate within a peripheral edge thereof.