Hironobu Saka

Vibration damper for a drum brake

In order to effectively damp the vibration of the drum of a drum brake, which is a main cause of brake squeals, a vibration detector and a vibrator are provided and operated separately from each other. The vibration damping control is carried out directly mechanically, or in a non-contact manner to improve durability of the device. A piezoelectric element, magnetic sensor or acceleration sensor is used to detect the vibration of the drum. The detected vibration is converted to an electric signal. After adjusting its phase and amplitude, the electric signal is converted to vibration force and outputted through a piezoelectric element or magnetic actuator as the vibrator to suppress brake squeals.