Claims
1. A brake actuator (50) comprising a housing (54, 56), a push rod (64), a
push rod plate (70,110), and a diaphragm (58,118), wherein
the push rod plate (70,110) comprises a central hole (76, 112) and the diaphragm (58,118) comprises a central elevation (74,120), which fits into the central hole (76,112) of the push rod plate (70,110), characterized in that
the central hole (76,112) comprises an annular groove (94,114) and the central elevation (74,120) comprises a rim (92,126), which fits into the annular groove (94,114), providing a snap-fit connection between the diaphragm (58, 118) and the push rod plate (70,110).
2. The brake actuator (50) of claim 1, wherein the snap-fit connection is an annular snap-fit connection utilizing a hoop-strain to hold the central elevation (74,120) of the diaphragm (58,118) within the central hole (76,112) of the push rod plate (70,110).
3. The brake actuator (50) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the central elevation (74, 120) has a shape of a circular pin, a circular butte, or a circular plateau.
4. The brake actuator (50) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the snap-fit connection is a detachable connection.
5. The brake actuator (50) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the diaphragm (58,118) is manufactured from an elastic material, and wherein the push rod plate (70,110) is manufactured from a metal.
6. The brake actuator (50) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the central elevation (74,120) has a height (88,122) equal to or less than a thickness (90,124) of the push rod plate (70,110), and wherein the rim (92, 126) of the central elevation (74,120) has a diameter (86,128) larger than a diameter (82,130) of the central hole (76,112) of the push rod plate (70,110).

7. The brake actuator (50) of claim 6, wherein the central elevation (74, 120) comprises an inner part (78) having a first diameter (80) smaller than a diameter (82,130) of the central hole (76,112) and comprises an outer part (84) having a second diameter (86) that corresponds with the diameter (86, 128) the rim (92,126).
8. The brake actuator (50) of claim 7, wherein the annular groove (94,114) has a first diameter (96) larger than the second diameter (86) of the outer part (84) and has a second diameter (98) corresponding with the diameter (82,130) of the central hole (76,112), and wherein the annular groove (94* 114) has a width (100) larger than a width (102) of the rim (92,126) of the central elevation (74 120), so that the rim (92,126) fits into the annular groove (94,114) for providing the snap-fit connection.
9. The brake actuator (50) of one of the preceding claims, wherein the central elevation (120) has a height (122) that is equal to or corresponds with a thickness (124) of the push rod plate (110).
10. The brake actuator (50) of claim 9, wherein the annular groove (114) extends up to a surface (116) of the push rod plate (110), which surface (116) is opposite to the diaphragm (118).
11. The brake actuator (50) of one of the preceding claims 1 to 10, wherein the brake actuator (50) is a service brake actuator, a service brake chamber, or a UNISTOP™ brake actuator providing a service brake function.
12. The brake actuator (50) of one of the preceding claims 1 to 10, wherein the brake actuator (50) is a spring brake actuator, in particular a TRISTOP™ brake actuator, providing a service brake function and a parking brake function.
13. A commercial vehicle comprising a brake actuator (50) according to one
of the preceding claims.