Modular brake pad

Abstract

A modular brake pad is provided. The pad is made up of a brake backing plate and at least one pre-molded friction element. The friction element is releasably attached to the backing plate using an arrangement of guide rails. The friction element may also be locked to the plate by means of a releasable locking pin that extends through the plate into the friction element. An optional intermediary shim portion can also be provided on the friction element.

1 . A brake backing plate for a modular brake pad with pre-molded detachable friction elements, each friction element having an at least partially metallic shim portion and a friction material portion, the shim portion being shaped to wrap around the friction material portion and extend partway up the sides of the friction material portion, such that each friction element presents a pair of opposing side edges, the brake backing plate comprising:
 a substantially solid metallic body having a friction surface and an opposing piston surface, the plate having at least one pair of integral raised guide rails on the friction surface,   each guide rail having a raised central portion with at least one outwardly extending overhanging lip, the lip being configured to receive a side edge of one of the friction elements so that the friction element is removable from the modular brake pad backing plate by slidably disengaging the friction element from the guide rails.   
     
     
         2 . The brake backing plate of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pair of guide rails is configured to receive a friction element where opposing side edges of the friction element are not parallel to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The brake backing plate of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pair of guide rails is configured to receive a friction element that has a trapezoidal shape. 
     
     
         4 . The brake backing plate of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pair of guide rails is configured to receive a friction element where opposing side edges of the friction element are at an angle to each other. 
     
     
         5 . The brake backing plate of  claim 1 , having exactly two pairs of guide rails configured to receive two friction elements. 
     
     
         6 . The brake backing plate of  claim 5 , having exactly three guide rails, including a central guide rail that is part of both pairs of guide rails and grips a side edge of both friction elements, and two outer guide rails that each grip a side edge of one of the friction elements. 
     
     
         7 . The brake backing plate of  claim 5 , wherein the two pairs of guide rails are configured to receive two friction elements having different shapes. 
     
     
         8 . The brake backing plate of  claim 5 , wherein the two pairs of guide rails are configured to receive two friction elements that are right and left friction elements. 
     
     
         9 . The brake backing plate of  claim 5 , wherein the two pairs of guide rails are configured to receive two friction elements that are mirror image shapes of each other. 
     
     
         10 . The brake backing plate of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one friction element is disengageable from the plate by sliding the friction element to disengage the side edges of the shim portion from the guide rails. 
     
     
         11 . The brake backing plate of  claim 1 , wherein the guide rails are punched out from the plate. 
     
     
         12 . The brake backing plate of  claim 1 , wherein the backing plate is a steel backing plate. 
     
     
         13 . The brake backing plate of  claim 1 , wherein the piston surface of the plate is substantially flat. 
     
     
         14 . The brake backing plate of  claim 1 , further comprising at least on feature for receiving locking hardware for enabling locking at least one of the friction elements to the body of the backing plate, the locking hardware being removable from the plate to unlock the at least one friction element prior to slidably disengaging the friction element from the guide rails.