Exciter ring for a brake rotor

Abstract

Exciter rings, wheel assemblies and methods of assembling. In some aspects, a wheel assembly includes a brake rotor including a barrel section having an interior surface defining a barrel cavity, and a projection extending from the interior surface of the barrel section into the barrel cavity. The wheel assembly also includes an exciter ring formed separately from the brake rotor and engagable with the projection within the barrel cavity to removably connect the exciter ring to the brake rotor. In other aspects, an exciter ring is formed separately from and removably connectable to a brake rotor and includes a body portion having an outer surface, the body portion including a detent protruding outwardly from the outer surface and extending around the outer surface of the body portion. The exciter ring also includes a flange extending radially outwardly from the body portion and having a plurality of apertures.

1 . An exciter ring formed separately from and removably connectable to a brake rotor, the exciter ring comprising: 
 a substantially cylindrical body portion having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining a ring cavity, the body portion including a detent protruding outwardly from the outer surface and extending at least partially around the outer surface of the body portion; and    a flange extending radially outwardly from the body portion and having a plurality of apertures therein.    
     
     
         2 . The exciter ring of  claim 1 , wherein the detent extends completely around the outer surface of the body portion.  
     
     
         3 . The exciter ring of  claim 1 , wherein the flange extends substantially perpendicular from the body portion.  
     
     
         4 . The exciter ring of  claim 1 , wherein the exciter ring is formed by stamping.  
     
     
         5 . The exciter ring of  claim 1 , wherein the exciter ring has a substantially L-shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         6 . The exciter ring of  claim 1 , wherein the body portion has a first end from which the flange extends and a second end, the detent being positioned nearer the second end than the first end and being spaced inwardly from the second end.  
     
     
         7 . The exciter ring of  claim 1 , wherein the detent is one of a plurality of detents, the plurality of detents being spaced from one another and protruding outwardly from the outer surface of the body portion.  
     
     
         8 . A method of assembling a wheel assembly, the method comprising: 
 forming a brake rotor including a barrel section and a brake disc extending radially outwardly from the barrel section, the barrel section having an interior surface defining a barrel cavity and including a projection unitary with and extending from the interior surface of the barrel section into the barrel cavity, the brake disc having a disc cavity;    forming an exciter ring separately from the brake rotor;    inserting the exciter ring through the disc cavity and into the barrel cavity; and    engaging the exciter ring with the projection in the barrel section to removably connect the exciter ring to the brake rotor.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein providing an exciter ring includes providing an exciter ring including a body portion and a ring flange extending radially outwardly from the body portion, the body portion having a detent, and wherein engaging includes engaging the detent of the exciter ring with the projection in the barrel section after inserting to removably connect the exciter ring to the brake rotor.  
     
     
         10 . A wheel assembly comprising: 
 a brake rotor including a barrel section and a brake disc extending radially outward from the barrel section, the brake disk including an inboard braking portion and an outboard braking portion spaced from the inboard braking portion, the inboard braking portion and the outboard braking portion each having an inboard surface, the brake disc defining a disc cavity between the inboard surfaces of the inboard braking portion and the outboard braking portion, the barrel section including an interior surface defining a barrel cavity in an outboard direction from the inboard surface of the outboard braking portion of the brake disc, the brake rotor also including a projection extending from the interior surface of the barrel section into the barrel cavity; and    an exciter ring formed separately from the brake rotor and being engagable with the projection within the barrel cavity to removably connect the exciter ring to the brake rotor.    
     
     
         11 . The wheel assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the barrel section defines a longitudinal axis through a longitudinal center thereof and through a longitudinal center of the barrel cavity, and wherein the projection extends into the barrel cavity substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         12 . The wheel assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the exciter ring includes a body portion and a ring flange extending radially outward from the body portion, and wherein a detent is defined in the body portion and a plurality of apertures are defined in the ring flange, the detent being engagable with the projection within the barrel cavity to removably connect the exciter ring to the brake rotor.  
     
     
         13 . The wheel assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the body portion and the ring flange are substantially perpendicular with respect to one another.  
     
     
         14 . The wheel assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the body portion includes an inner surface and an outer surface, the detent projecting outwardly from the outer surface of the body portion.  
     
     
         15 . The wheel assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the detent extends completely around the outer surface of the body portion.  
     
     
         16 . The wheel assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the detent is one of a plurality of detents, the plurality of detents being spaced from one another and protruding outwardly from the outer surface of the body portion.  
     
     
         17 . The wheel assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the exciter ring includes a body portion and a ring flange extending from the body portion, wherein a detent is defined in the body portion and a plurality of apertures are defined in the ring flange, the detent being engagable with the projection within the barrel cavity to removably connect the exciter ring to the brake rotor, and wherein the ring flange engages the brake disc when the exciter ring is connected to the barrel section.