Abstract
A discharge device for a rolling bearing as well as a method for discharging electrostatic loads to a rolling bearing including a flexurally elastic conductor. The conductor includes a first conductor section and a second conductor section for forming a contact arrangement at a rolling bearing. The first conductor section electrically engages a first bearing ring and the second conductor section electrically engages a second bearing ring of the rolling bearing to form an electrically conductive connection between the first bearing ring and the second bearing ring.
Claims
1. A discharge device for a rolling bearing, said discharge device comprising: a flexurally elastic conductor including a first conductor section and a second conductor section for forming a contact arrangement at a rolling bearing, said first conductor section being formed for contacting a first bearing ring and said second conductor section being formed for contacting a second bearing ring of the rolling bearing, an electrically conductive connection being formed between the first bearing ring and the second bearing ring by the conductor.
2. The discharge device according to claim 1, in which the first conductor section and the second conductor section are connected to each other so as to form one piece via a connecting section.
3. The discharge device according to claim 1, in which an initial load formed in the conductor urges said conductor arranged between the first bearing ring and the second bearing ring into engagement with said first bearing ring ad said second bearing ring.
4. The discharge device according to claim 1, in which the rolling bearing is a thrust bearing.
5. The discharge device according to claim 1, in which the rolling bearing is a radial bearing and that the conductor includes an external conductor section and an internal conductor section forming the contact arrangement at the radial bearing, said external conductor section being formed to contact an outer ring and the internal conductor section being formed to contact an inner ring of the radial bearing, the electrically conductive connection between the outer ring and the inner ring being formed by the conductor.
6. The discharge device according to claim 5, in which the conductor is arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring, said external conductor section contacting an inner circumference of the outer ring and the internal conductor section contacting an outer circumference of the inner ring.
7. The discharge device according to claim 5, in which the conductor is formed for contacting contact areas of the inner ring and the outer ring, said contacting areas being arranged in a bearing contact plane.
8. The discharge device according to claim 5 to 7, in which at least one conductor section is movably received in a radial groove formed in the outer ring or in the inner ring.
9. The discharge device according to claim 5, in which the conductor includes a conductor section formed at least arcuately, which rests on the inner circumference and/or the outer circumference.
10. The discharge device according to claim 5 to 9, in which the conductor is U-shaped or V-shaped.
11. The discharge device according to claim 5, in which the conductor is symmetrical having two external conductor sections and an internal conductor section or having one external conductor section and two internal conductor sections.
12. The discharge device according to claims 5, in which the internal conductor section is tangentially at the outer circumference.
13. The discharge device according to claim 5, in which the conductor is helical.
14. The discharge device according to claim 5, in which the conductor is wave shaped.
15. The discharge device according to claim 1, in which at least two, conductor sections are formed for contacting contact areas, each of said conducting sections being spaced relative to each other in a circumferential direction.
16. The discharge device according to claim 1, in which at least one conductor section is extracted from the rolling bearing in such a manner that the conductor section can be contacted to another conductor.
17. The discharge device according to claim 1, in which the conductor is made of a carbon fiber arrangement, said carbon fiber arrangement of the conductor including a fiber braid, a fiber felt and/or a fiber mat, which is provided with a coating of pyrolytically deposited carbon.
18. The discharge device according to claim 17, in which the carbon fiber arrangement is formed as a casing of a unidirectional fiber strand extending in the longitudinal direction of the conductor.
19. The discharge device according to claim 17, in which the carbon fiber arrangement has a rectangular, a polygonal or an elliptic cross section, said carbon fiber arrangement being made of a tube-like braid, a tube-like band or formed as a cutting of a form-stable fabric panel.
20. The discharge device according to claim 17, in which the carbon fiber arrangement includes a resin matrix.
21. The discharge device according to claim 17, in which the carbon fiber arrangement is includes a coating for reducing a coefficient of friction.
22. A rolling bearing comprising a discharge device according to claim 1.
23. A method for discharging electrostatic charges at a rolling bearing having and a flexurally elastic conductor said conductor being formed having a first conductor section and a second conductor section, which form a contact arrangement at a rolling bearing, said first conductor section being arranged at a first bearing ring and the second conductor section being arranged at a second bearing ring of the rolling bearing in such a manner that an electrically conductive connection can be formed between the first bearing ring and the second bearing ring by means of the conductor, said method comprising: discharging an electrostatic charge through said conductor.
24. A usage of a discharge device according to claim 1 arranged in a rolling bearing having a first bearing ring, a second bearing ring and rolling elements-arranged between the bearing rings, an electrically conductive connection being formed between the first bearing ring and the second bearing ring by the conductor.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] In the figures,
[0037] FIG. 1 shows a rolling bearing having a first embodiment of a discharge device;
[0038] FIG. 2 shows a rolling bearing having a second embodiment of a discharge device;
[0039] FIG. 3 shows a rolling bearing having a third embodiment of a discharge device;
[0040] FIG. 4 shows a rolling bearing having a fourth embodiment of a discharge device;
[0041] FIG. 5 shows a rolling bearing having a fifth embodiment of a discharge device;
[0042] FIG. 6 shows a rolling bearing having a sixth embodiment of a discharge device;
[0043] FIG. 7 shows a rolling bearing having a seventh embodiment of a discharge device;
[0044] FIG. 8 shows a rolling bearing having an eighth embodiment of a discharge device;
[0045] FIG. 9 shows a rolling bearing having a ninth embodiment of a discharge device;
[0046] FIG. 10 shows a rolling bearing having a tenth embodiment of a discharge device;
[0047] FIG. 11 shows a rolling bearing having an eleventh embodiment of a discharge device;
[0048] FIG. 12 shows a radial deep groove ball bearing having a twelfth embodiment of a discharge device in a perspective view;
[0049] FIG. 13 shows a thirteenth embodiment of a discharge device in a top view;
[0050] FIG. 14 shows a sectional view of the discharge device from FIG. 13 along a line XIV-XIV;
[0051] FIG. 15 shows a radial deep groove ball bearing having a fabric panel in a perspective view;
[0052] FIG. 16 shows the radial deep groove ball bearing having a fourteenth embodiment of a discharge device in a perspective view,
[0053] FIG. 17 shows the radial deep groove ball bearing having a fifteenth embodiment of a discharge device in a perspective view; and
[0054] FIG. 18 shows the radial deep groove ball bearing having a sixteenth embodiment of a discharge device in a perspective view.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS
[0055] FIGS. 1 to 9 each show different embodiments of discharge devices in a schematically simplified manner. In each instance, a rolling bearing 10 is formed as a radial bearing and is shown having solely, an inner circumference 12 of an outer ring 13 as well as an outer circumference 14 of an inner ring 15 without balls being indicated.
[0056] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a discharge device 16 formed from a conductor 17. The conductor 17 is made of a carbon fiber arrangement, which is not further shown and comprises a fiber braid coated with pyrolytically deposited carbon. The conductor 17 is therefore formed flexurally elastic. In particular, the conductor 17 has an external conductor section 18 and an internal conductor section 19. The external conductor section 18 and the internal conductor section 19 are connected to each other via a connecting section 20 so as to form one piece. The external conductor section 18 rests on the inner circumference 12 of the outer ring 13 and forms a contact area 21 at the outer ring 13. The internal conductor section 19 rests on the outer circumference 14 of the inner ring 15 and forms a contact area 22 of the inner ring. The external conductor section 18 and an internal conductor section 19 are each formed arcuately and are connected to each other via the connecting section 20, which is also formed arcuately and bridges a bearing gap 23 between the outer ring 13 and the inner ring 15. The connecting section 20 is formed in such a manner that an initial load can be formed between the external conductor section 18 and the internal conductor section 19 and a pressing force consequently acts on each of the contact areas 21 and 22. The conductor can thus form an electrically conductive connection between the outer ring 13 and the inner ring 15, said connection being nearly wear-free and cost-efficient.
[0057] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a discharge device 24 having a conductor 25, which comprises two external conductor sections 26, an internal conductor section 27 and two connecting sections 28. The external conductor section 26 are each formed at ends 29 of the conductor 25, the internal conductor section 27 being arranged between the connecting sections 28. The connecting section 28 in particular is formed arcuately and rests entirely on the outer circumference 14 of the inner ring 15.
[0058] A third embodiment of a discharge device 30 is shown in FIG. 3, with there being straight connecting sections 31 as compared to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.
[0059] A fourth embodiment of a discharge device 32 is shown in FIG. 4, with there being an internal conductor section 33 of a conductor 34 in conjunction with connecting sections 35, all straight in form and tangentially resting on the outer circumference 14.
[0060] FIG. 5 shows a fifth embodiment of a discharge device 36 having a conductor 37 shaped helical. An external conductor section 38 is essentially adjusted to the outer circumference 14 and to the inner circumference 12 at the internal conductor section 39, a connecting section 40 connecting the external conductor section 38 to the internal conductor section 39 in a helical shape.
[0061] FIG. 6 shows a sixth embodiment of a discharge device, though in comparison to the embodiment of the discharge device shown in FIG. 2, an internal conductor section 42 surrounds the outer circumference 40 to a large extent.
[0062] FIG. 7 shows a seventh embodiment of a discharge device 43 having a conductor 44, which comprises a centrally positioned external conductor section 45 and two internal conductor sections 46 at each end 48 of the conductor 44. The internal conductor sections 46 are each connected to the external conductor section 45 via a connecting section 47. The external conductor section 45 is formed essentially arcuately and rests on the inner circumference 12, which is covered by the external conductor section 45 to a large extent. The ends 48 or the internal conductor sections 46, respectively, are formed cranked and rest on contact points 49 at the outer circumference 14. The discharge device 43 is formed symmetrical.
[0063] FIG. 8 shows an eighth embodiment of a discharge device 50 having a conductor 51, which comprises an external conductor section 52 as well as two further external conductor sections 53. Two internal conductor sections 54 are each connected to the external conductor sections 52 and 53, respectively, via connecting sections 55. The external conductor sections 53 in particular are each formed at ends 56 of the conductor 51. The external conductor sections 52 and 53 in particular are each formed arcuately and rest on the inner circumference 12. The internal conductor sections 54 rest tangential on the outer circumference 14.
[0064] A ninth embodiment of a discharge device 57 is shown in FIG. 9, a conductor 58 being formed essentially like a wave in this instance. The conductor 58 alternatingly forms external conductor sections 59, internal conductor sections 60 and connecting sections 61 connecting the external and internal conductor sections to each other. The external conductor sections 59 and the internal conductor sections 60 are in turn shaped arcuately and essentially adjusted to the inner circumference 12 and the outer circumference 14.
[0065] FIGS. 10 and 11 show a rolling bearing 62 formed as a thrust bearing. The thrust bearing 63 is shown having a first bearing ring 64 and a second bearing ring 65 without balls in a schematically simplified manner in this instance.
[0066] FIG. 10 shows a tenth embodiment of a discharge device 66 having a conductor 67 shaped like a wave, each conductor 67 comprising first conductor sections 68 due to the wave-shaped arrangement of the conductor 67, second conductor sections 69 following the first conductor sections, which are connected to the second conductor sections 69 via connecting sections 70. The conductor 67 is formed continuously.
[0067] FIG. 11 shows an eleventh embodiment of the discharge device 71 comprising a helically shaped conductor 72. The helically shaped conductor 72 is formed in the manner of a coiled spring and is arranged between the bearing rings 64 and 65.
[0068] FIG. 12 shows a rolling bearing 73 realized as a deep groove ball bearing 74. Balls 77 are arranged between an outer ring 75 and an inner ring 76. A groove 78 is formed in the outer ring 75, a discharge device 80 formed as a conductor 79 inserted into the groove 78. The discharge device 80 is formed essentially similar to the discharge device shown in FIG. 7.
[0069] A synopsis of FIGS. 13 and 14 shows a discharge device 81 in different views. A cross section of a conductor 82 of the discharge device 81 is formed circular.
[0070] A synopsis of FIGS. 15 and 16 shows a rolling bearing 83 having a discharge device 84. The discharge device 84 is made of the form-stable fabric panel 85 made of carbon fibers shown in FIG. 15, said discharge device 84 being, separated from the fabric panel 85, after the fabric panel 85 was stabilized in form, by being coated with pyrolytically deposited carbon in the plane 86 indicated in this instance. FIG. 17 shows the rolling bearing 83 having a discharge device 87, an external conductor section 88 of a conductor 89 of the discharge device 87 being extracted from the rolling bearing 83 in this instance. The external conductor section 88 can thus be contacted to another grounding conductor not further shown.
[0071] FIG. 18 shows the rolling bearing 83 having a discharge device 90, a conductor 91 made of a metallic material being formed in this instance and forming an external conductor section 92, which is also extracted from the rolling bearing 83.
