This application provides for flexible load bearing connectors (FLBCs) systems and methods and for monitoring, reporting, and responding to the performance and/or health of the FLBC. The system provided is an instrumented FLBC that can at least one of sense, record, report, react to and/or otherwise make use of performance and/or health information of the FLBC. The performance and/or health information can include any information related to movement (such as displacements and/or relative motions) of the FLBC and/or the system components the FLBC joins together and/or loads, vibrations, shocks, and environmental exposures the FLBC receives, transmits, supports, and/or experiences.

A sensorized roller for a rolling bearing includes a roller body having an axial length and a bore that extends axial through the roller body and a housing in the roller bore. The housing includes a central sensing module having an axial length and at least one sensor in the central sensing module configured to measure at least one parameter related to a condition of the sensorized roller, an antenna module having an axial length that is secured to a first axial end of the central sensing module and a power module having an axial length that is secured to a second axial end of the central sensing module.

A flywheel energy storage system incorporates various embodiments in design and processing to achieve a very high ratio of energy stored per unit cost. The system uses a high-strength steel rotor rotating in a vacuum envelope. The rotor has a geometry that ensures high yield strength throughout its cross-section using various low-cost quenched and tempered alloy steels. Low-cost is also achieved by forging the rotor in a single piece with integral shafts. A high energy density is achieved with adequate safety margins through a pre-conditioning treatment. The bearing and suspension system utilizes an electromagnet that off-loads the rotor allowing for the use of low-cost, conventional rolling contact bearings over an operating lifetime of several years.

A flywheel energy storage system incorporates various embodiments in design and processing to achieve a very high ratio of energy stored per unit cost. The system uses a high-strength steel rotor rotating in a vacuum envelope. The rotor has a geometry that ensures high yield strength throughout its cross-section using various low-cost quenched and tempered alloy steels. Low-cost is also achieved by forging the rotor in a single piece with integral shafts. A high energy density is achieved with adequate safety margins through a pre-conditioning treatment. The bearing and suspension system utilizes an electromagnet that off-loads the rotor allowing for the use of low-cost, conventional rolling contact bearings over an operating lifetime of several years.

An actuator including a pair of load sensors arranged in the load path through the actuator. The load sensors are antagonistically preloaded and their outputs electrically connected to a processor for calculating a load in the actuator from the difference in loads measured by the respective load sensors.

A hoist lifting system having planning and monitoring of components. The system monitors one or more components and may have a processing structure and memory storing instructions to configure the processing structure to: receive hoist machine data; determine a rotation speed of a bearing, a travel speed of a rope, a load on the bearing, a friction in the at least one bearing based on the hoist machine data; and store the rotation speed, the travel speed, the load, and the friction in a maintenance database in memory. The hoist lifting system may have the processing structure determine a wear of one or more components.

A linear actuator especially for adjustable furniture comprises a spindle (16) with a spindle nut (16a) for bringing about the adjustment of the article of furniture. At the end of the spindle (16) there is a bearing (17) for mounting of this in the actuator. The spindle/spindle nut (16,16a) is driven by an electric motor (27) through a transmission (28). For preventing accidents and/or damage during the adjustment of the article of furniture the actuator is equipped with a squeeze protection based on a piezo element (22). This piezo element (22) is arranged in connection with the bearing (17) for registering the forces or deflections of the forces affecting the spindle (16). In that the piezo element (22) has a through-going hole for the spindle the mounting of the piezo element (22) is simplified and further it has turned out that a particularly good signal/noise ratio is obtained.

A foot presence sensor system for an active article of footwear can include a sensor housing configured to be disposed at or in an insole of the article, and a controller circuit, disposed within the sensor housing, configured to trigger one or more automated functions of the footwear based on a foot presence indication. A capacitive sensor, such as disposed within or upon the sensor housing, can be configured to provide the foot presence indication. In an example, foot presence can be detected using time-varying characteristics of a signal from the capacitive sensor.

An article of footwear can include a ferromagnetic body disposed in the article, and a magnetometer to measure a strength or direction of a magnetic field that is influenced by a position of the ferromagnetic body. One of the ferromagnetic body and the magnetometer can be configured to move relative to the other one of the ferromagnetic body and the magnetometer, for example according to movement of a foot in the article. In an example, the ferromagnetic body is disposed in a compressible insole and the ferromagnetic body moves in response to compression or relaxation of the insole. The magnetometer can be disposed in a platform or sole portion of the article that is relatively stationary compared to the ferromagnetic body. Rate of change information about the magnetic field can be used to control article functions or to provide information about a foot strike or step rate.

A foot presence sensor system for an active article of footwear can include a sensor housing configured to be disposed at or in an insole of the article, and a controller circuit, disposed within the sensor housing, configured to trigger one or more automated functions of the footwear based on a foot presence indication. In an example, the sensor system includes a capacitive sensor configured to sense changes in a capacitance signal in response to proximity of a body. A dielectric member can be provided between the capacitive sensor and the body to enhance an output signal from the sensor.