A flywheel energy storage system comprises a rotor having a rotational axis about which the rotor spins in operation and comprising a ferrous material and a housing enclosing the rotor and having an interior subject to a vacuum. The system further comprises a vacuum pump configured to provide the vacuum of the interior of the housing, an electromagnet configured to apply a magnetic field and lift the rotor vertically along the rotational axis of the rotor, and at least one bearing provided between the rotor and the housing, and a controller in operative communication with the electromagnet and the vacuum pump. The rotor applies a force against the at least one bearing.

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.

A roller bearing includes an outer ring, an inner ring, at least one row of rollers arranged between the outer ring and the inner ring, and at least one optical fiber cable mounted to the outer ring or the inner ring, the optical fiber cable including at least one Bragg grating. The optical fiber cable is configured such that a signal in the optical fiber cable is usable to determine a preload or load on the roller bearing.

The invention relates to a load measuring device including a deformable component configured to be deformed under a load to be measured and a sensor assembly attached to a first portion of the deformable component and to a method for determining load using such a sensor assembly. It is proposed that the sensor assembly includes at least one acceleration sensor configured to detect a change in an orientation of the first portion with regard to the direction of gravity and that the deformable component is formed as a seal configured to be in sliding contact with a component configured to rotate in relation to the seal.

A rotating field machine, in particular an electric motor with a stator and a rotor, is configured with a motor control for controlling the rotation and the rotational speed n of the rotor of the rotating field machine, wherein the motor control integrally includes an oscillation sensor system in order to acquire actual measurement values of oscillations of the rotating field machine depending on the rotational speed n.

A sensorized roller of a bearing, the sensorized roller having a sensor module located within an axially extending hollow cylindrical bore. The sensor module is equipped with one or more deformation sensors for detecting deformation of the roller bore due to a radial load acting on the roller. The sensor module comprises a rigid housing that is shaped to fit inside the roller bore and is mounted to the roller bore with a small radial clearance between an outer cylindrical surface of the housing an inner cylindrical surface of the bore. Each of the one or more deformation sensors is formed by a proximity sensor that is accommodated at the outer cylindrical surface of the housing. A sensing element of the proximity sensor faces the inner cylindrical surface of the roller bore and measures a radial gap therebetween; the radial gap being indicative of bore deformation.

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.

A detecting apparatus for detecting displacement of a bearing unit sandwiched between a spindle extending in an axial direction and a spindle seat is provided. The detecting apparatus includes a detector unit and a control unit. The detector unit includes a pair of sensing devices with each sensing device including a sensor that abuts against an end surface of an outer ring of the bearing unit and outputting, based on a sensing of the sensor thereof, a detected signal associated with a displacement of the end surface in the axial direction. The control unit is configured to determine whether the bearing unit is abnormal based on the detected signals.

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.

A bearing, such as a roller bearing, linear bearing, or a slide bearing, is used to support a first machine element relative to a second machine element. A distance measurement module is integrated within the bearing or near the bearing. The distance measurement module is used for measuring a spatial distance and possibly other physical variables during operation of the mechanical bearing. The distance to be measured is preferably specified between an inner ring and an outer ring of the bearing. The distance to be measured can also represent another physical variable, such as a force derived from the distance.