A bearing apparatus includes a lubrication unit and a sensor to sense the temperature of the lubricant in the lubrication unit. The lubrication unit has a pump having a storage portion in which the lubricant is stored and a piezoelectric body that is deformed by an applied voltage, the pump enabling the lubricant in the storage portion to be discharged into the annular space by reducing the volume of the storage portion in conjunction with the deformation of the piezoelectric body, the pump also enabling the lubricant to be sucked into the storage portion to refill the storage portion with the lubricant by increasing the volume of the storage portion, and a control unit that performs control by outputting a control signal allowing the speed of change in the volume of the storage portion to depend on the temperature of the lubricant.

A sensorized supporting device for bearings (1) comprises: • a bearing housing (2), configured for being secured to a mounting structure and defining at least one seat (2c) for a bearing (3); and • a sensorized supporting base (4), having a supporting body (4′) prearranged for being at least partially positioned between the mounting structure (S) and the bearing housing (2). The supporting body (4′) has a detection surface (4c) which extends in a longitudinal direction (L) and a transverse direction (W) and is configured for resting, directly or via interposition of at least one further element, on a corresponding surface of one of the bearing housing (2) and the mounting structure, the supporting base (4) being provided with a mechanical-stress sensor. The mechanical-stress sensor comprises at least one piezoelectric transducer (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, 20) defining at least part of the detection surface (4c), the at least one piezoelectric transducer (10; 20; 10.sub.1, 10.sub.2) being configured for generating an electrical potential difference that is substantially proportional to the magnitude of a mechanical stress (SS) applied to the bearing housing (2).

A bearing detection device comprises: a housing body (2) having a substantially annular shape, prearranged for being fixed to a stationary ring (6a) of a bearing (6); and a detection arrangement on the housing body (2), comprising at least one piezoelectric transducer (10; 20). The detection arrangement further comprises: a floating body (7) having a substantially annular shape, which is mounted within the housing body (2) and is able to amplify mechanically vibrations of the bearing (6); a sensor unit (8) having a substantially annular shape, which is set in a substantially stationary position on the housing body (2), the supporting body (81) having a detection surface (8a) that is configured for receiving thereon, directly or via interposition of at least one further element, a corresponding surface of the floating body (7). The at least one piezoelectric transducer (10; 20) defines at least part of the detection surface (8a) and is configured for generating an electrical potential difference that is substantially proportional to the magnitude of a stress or force exerted by the floating body on the at least one piezoelectric transducer (10; 20).

A bearing assembly may be provided for mounting a rotor which can be rotated about a rotational axis. In particular, for a rotary fluid pump or rotary blood pump comprising: a main body, a bearing element which can be displaced relative to the main body in the direction of the rotational axis for receiving the rotor, and an adjusting device which is connected to the bearing element for displacing the bearing element in the direction of the rotational axis by a predefined distance, wherein the predefined distance is <=500 micrometres.

A sensorized supporting device for bearings (1) comprises: •a bearing housing (2), configured for being secured to a mounting structure and defining at least one seat (2c) for a bearing (3); and •a sensorized supporting base (4), having a supporting body (4′) prearranged for being at least partially positioned between the mounting structure (S) and the bearing housing (2). The supporting body (4′) has a detection surface (4c) which extends in a longitudinal direction (L) and a transverse direction (W) and is configured for resting, directly or via interposition of at least one further element, on a corresponding surface of one of the bearing housing (2) and the mounting structure, the supporting base (4) being provided with a mechanical-stress sensor. The mechanical-stress sensor comprises at least one piezoelectric transducer (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, 20) defining at least part of the detection surface (4c), the at least one piezoelectric transducer (10; 20; 10.sub.1, 10.sub.2) being configured for generating an electrical potential difference that is substantially proportional to the magnitude of a mechanical stress (SS) applied to the bearing housing (2).

An elastomeric bearing assembly has a centrifugal force bearing axially captured relative to a sliding interface. The sliding interface has one or more low friction regions and one or more high friction regions. One or more piezo actuators are configured to force one or more corresponding high friction regions against the centrifugal force bearing when actuated. The sliding interface may have a circular shape, wherein the one or more low friction regions and the one or more high friction regions are alternating concentric segments of the sliding interface. The one or more high friction regions are recessed on the sliding interface relative to the one or more low friction regions.

An implantable blood pump includes a tube including an inner wall, and wherein during operation of the blood pump, the impeller rotates within the tube and a distance between the inner wall of the tube and the thrust bearing decreases as a speed of the impeller increases.

Sensorised wheel hub unit and a method for detecting, in real time, forces and moments applied to an outer ring of the wheel hub unit in which piezoresistive ceramic plates are made of one piece with welded metal plates housed within respective recesses formed in an outer surface of the outer ring over respective races for rolling elements that there is a gap between the plates and a base wall of each recess; the temperature of the outer ring and the amplitude and frequency of first electrical signals (S1) associated with the sensors relating to the same race are analysed to determine a frequency value equal to the frequency of the first signal having the maximum amplitude and as many amplitude values (D1-Dn) as there are sensors associated with that race and each equal to the maximum amplitude of the first signal from each sensor, corrected according to temperature.

There is disclosed a guide carriage for roller-mounted guiding on a guide rail having at least one carriage roller track on which roller members which can be arranged between guide carriages and a guide rail can be rolled, wherein the carriage roller track, in particular in order to establish a load acting on the guide carriage or wear, is associated with a pressure-sensitive sensor device which can be loaded by the roller members and which has sensors which are arranged in a manner distributed in the rolling direction and which in order to evaluate the sensor signals thereof can be connected in terms of signaling to an evaluation device. There are further disclosed a route guide having such a guide carriage and a method for establishing the load on the guide carriage.

A magnetic bearing is disclosed. A group of permanent magnets are physically attached to a group of piezoelectric actuators which push them toward or pull them away from a second group of permanent magnets when the piezoelectric actuators are electrically activated. A control unit energizes the piezoelectric actuators to provide a dynamic magnetic bearing. The second group of permanent magnets may also be pushed and pulled with a second group of piezoelectric actuators. Alternate configurations using electromagnets are also disclosed.

A novel configuration for the groups of electromagnets which maximizes efficiency in a piezoelectrically actuated magnetic bearing is also disclosed.