Disclosed is a bearing assembly for an electric motor for a vehicle, providing at least one main bearing configured to support a rotational element of the electric motor, and a sacrificial bearing. The main bearing includes at least one inner ring, at least one outer ring and at least one plurality of rolling elements. The sacrificial bearing provides an outer ring, an inner ring, and a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the outer ring and the inner ring. A value of a breakdown voltage for the sacrificial bearing is less than a value of the breakdown voltage for the at least one main bearing.

A method of providing electrical insulation for at least one portion of a bearing element is disclosed herein. The method includes electrostatically spraying a polymer coating to the at least one portion of the bearing element, and the polymer coating comprises a thermoset epoxy coating or a self-adhering nylon powder coating. The bearing element can be grounded during the electrostatic spraying. The method includes heating the polymer coating in an oven at a temperature less than or equal to 220° C. for a predetermined time, such that after removal from the oven, the polymer coating has a porosity of less than 10%. The coated bearing element has a resistance of at least 50 MΩ resistance under dry conditions and 10 MΩ resistance under wet conditions.

Sealing element for producing an electrically conductive connection between a first machine element and a second machine element, comprising at least one disc-shaped conducting element and a support ring, the support ring comprising an axial flange and a radial flanged, the conducting element being formed from an electrically conductive foil, and the conducting element being secured at least in sections along the axial flange between the support ring and the second machine element.

A combined insulator and conductor assembly is for a bearing disposable between a shaft and a housing and includes an annular insulator disposeable about the bearing outer ring. The insulator is configured to prevent electric current flow between the outer ring and the housing and includes one or more axial mounting tabs. An electrical conductor has an outer radial end, an inner radial end and at least one retainer, the at least one retainer being engageable with the at least one mounting tab to releasably couple the conductor with the insulator. Each retainer includes a radially-extending prong engageable with a separate tab. The conductor outer radial end or/and a portion of the conductor between the outer and inner ends is conductively engageable with the housing and the conductor inner radial end being conductively engageable with the shaft so as to provide a conductive path between the shaft and the housing.

A device for assembling a sliding bearing, in particular a spherical bearing, which has an inner ring and a divided outer ring, the device including a clamping ring provided for receiving the outer ring, the inner diameter of the clamping ring corresponding at most to the outer diameter of the outer ring in the maximally compressed state thereof. To shrink the clamping ring onto the outer ring and to detach the clamping ring from the outer ring, a temperature control device, in particular in the form of an induction-heating device, which heats the clamping ring, is provided.

A plastic sliding component for mounting without lubricant in a sliding bearing is proposed, having a moulded part which is manufactured from plastic and has a sliding face for movably guiding two bearing parts relative to one another. An electric function circuit with a sensor function for acquiring an operating parameter is arranged on the moulded part. The invention proposes that the function circuit comprises at least one conductor track structure which is formed on the moulded part as a carrier of the conductor track structure. The function circuit can preferably be applied to the prefabricated moulded part, which is made of plastic, by means of an additive fabrication method (AM method).

A combined electrical insulator and conductor assembly for a bearing disposable between a shaft and a housing includes an annular insulator disposable about the bearing outer ring and configured to prevent electric current flow between the outer ring and the housing and including a plurality of projections extending axially along and spaced circumferentially about a centerline. A conductor includes a conductive disk with an outer radial end engageable with the housing inner surface, an inner radial end defining a central opening for receiving the shaft and openings each receiving a separate one of the plurality of projections of the insulator such that the disk is axially displaceable relative to the insulator. An annular conductive brush subassembly is coupled with the conductive disk and includes a plurality of electrically conductive fibers contactable with the shaft outer surface so as to provide a conductive path between the shaft and the disk.

A bearing rolling element with a lattice internal structure provides several advantages over a solid bearing. It is lighter than a solid bearing, reducing centrifugal forces. For ceramic bearings, less material is required, and sintering times are reduced because bonding material can flow easily to near the surface. Elements with an internal lattice also offer advantages over hollow rolling elements. The shell can be thinner without sacrificing load capacity. The thinner shell reduces the time required for bonding material to be removed during sintering. The blank can be formed using various additive manufacturing processes.

An elastic roller is capable of elastic deformation at low load, lightweight and low-cost, and the surface speed of the roller has been made stable. At a drawing showing the view from the side of pipe 2 and flange 3 which make up roller 1, roller 1 which has pipe 2 and flange 3 is supported by shaft 8 which is inserted therein along axis 8a of shaft 8, the situation being such that elastic deformation occurs upon being pressed downward by pressure P from pressure-applying body 11 above pipe. None of the four outermost ribs 7a disposed in outermost gap 6a between outermost ring 4a of flange 3 and middle ring 4b which is mutually adjacent thereto and toward the interior therefrom is present in the upper portion of pipe 2.

A combined electrical insulator and conductor assembly for a bearing disposable between a shaft and a housing includes an annular insulator disposable about the bearing outer ring and configured to prevent electric current flow between the outer ring and the housing and including projections extending axially along and spaced circumferentially about a centerline. A conductor preferably includes a conductive disk with an outer radial end engageable with the housing inner surface, an inner radial end defining a central opening for receiving the shaft and openings each receiving a separate one of the plurality of projections of the insulator such that the disk is axially fixed relative to the insulator. An annular conductive brush subassembly is coupled with the conductive disk and includes a plurality of electrically conductive fibers contactable with the shaft outer surface so as to provide a conductive path between the shaft and the disk.