BEARING RING

Abstract

A bearing ring having an elongated sensor element that runs along at least a part of a surface of the bearing ring. The connection between the sensor element and the bearing ring is established by a metallic metal material connected by material bonding with the bearing ring as well as with the sensor element. To improve the life of the bearing a sensor element is arranged in a groove that is machined in the bearing ring. The groove extends from the surface of the bearing ring. The metallic material includes or is connected with a flat metallic strip. The flat metallic strip is arranged at or in the surface of the bearing ring and covers the groove.

Claims

1. A bearing ring, comprising: an elongated sensor element that runs along at least a part of a surface of the bearing ring, wherein the connection between the sensor element and the bearing ring is established by a metallic metal material that is connected by material bonding with the bearing ring as well as with the sensor element, wherein the sensor element is arranged in a groove that is machined in the bearing ring, the groove extends from the surface of the bearing ring, wherein the metallic material or is connected with a flat metallic strip, and wherein the flat metallic strip is arranged at or in the surface of the bearing ring and covers the groove.

2. The bearing ring according to claim 1, wherein the sensor element is arranged at or in an outer cylindrical surface of the bearing ring.

3. The bearing ring according to claim 1, wherein the sensor element is a or comprises a glass fiber.

4. The bearing ring according to claim 1, wherein the metallic material for connecting the sensor element with the bearing ring and the flat metallic strip are made as one piece.

5. The bearing ring according to claim 1, wherein the metallic material is arranged circular around the sensor element.

6. A bearing ring according to claim 1, wherein the metallic material that encases the sensor element consists of at least two different layers.

7. A bearing ring according to claim 6, further comprises an outer layer consists of stainless steel.

8. A bearing ring according to claim 6 further comprises an inner layer that consists of nickel.

9. A bearing ring according to claim 1, wherein the metallic material is fixed in the groove by means of an adhesive.

10. A bearing ring according to claim 9, wherein the adhesive is a ceramic glue or a high temperature glue.

11. A bearing ring according to claim 1, wherein the metallic material is fixed in the groove by means of a vacuum brazing material.

12. A bearing ring according to claim 1, wherein the flat metallic strip has a surface that is flush with the surface of the bearing ring.

13. A bearing ring according to claim 1, wherein the flat metallic strip projects from the surface of the bearing ring by a predetermined height.

14. A bearing ring according to claim 1, wherein the flat metallic strip is connected with the bearing ring by material bonding.

15. A bearing ring according to claim 14, claim 1, wherein the flat metallic strip is connected with the bearing ring by spot welding.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0034] The drawings show an embodiment of the invention.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a radial cross sectional view through a roller bearing and

[0036] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the region “X” according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] In the figures a roller bearing 9 being a deep groove ball bearing in the present embodiment (of course other kinds of bearings are also possible) is depicted which has an outer bearing ring 1, an inner bearing ring 7 and roller elements 8 which are arranged between the bearing rings 1 and 7.

[0038] In the outer bearing ring 1 and more specifically in its radial outer surface 3 a sensor element 2 is mounted. The sensor element 2 is a glass fiber and allows the measurement of strains in the bearing ring 1. The survey of those strains is carried out by the Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) method or by the Chemical Composition Grating (CCG) method which are known as such. Reference is made e. g. to U.S. Pat. No. 6,923,048 B2 where this technology is explained in more detail.

[0039] For the fixation of the glass fiber 2 in or at the bearing ring 1 a small groove 5 is machined into the outer surface 3 of the bearing ring 1 which runs around the whole circumference of the bearing ring 1. The sensor element 2 together with its encasing (see FIG. 2) is then laid into the groove and is fixed in the same by use of a adhesive or brazing material. The adhesive or brazing material is denoted with reference numeral 12 in FIG. 2.

[0040] The sensor element 2 with its encasing is shown in detail in FIG. 2. The optical glass fiber 2 as such is encased at first by a fiber cladding 10. Then, the cladding 10 is encased by a metallic material 4. This metallic material 4 consist of two different layers of metal. The first outer layer 4′ is made of steel, the second inner layer 4″ is encased by the first layer 4′ and is made of nickel.

[0041] As an important aspect, the material of the first layer 4′ is designed to form a metallic strip 6. As can be seen in FIG. 2 the whole sensor arrangement fits to the groove 5, including the metallic strip 6. The metallic strip 6 itself is covered by a steel foil 11 in the depicted embodiment.

[0042] In the shown embodiment a flushing surface is given, i. e. the top side of the metallic strip 6 and more specifically of the steel foil 11 flushed with the surface 3 of the bearing ring 1.

[0043] Thus, the sensor element 2 is firmly fixed in the groove of the bearing ring 1 and can be mounted in a regular manner e. g. in a housing. If this is done with a press fit the fixation of the sensor arrangement is further improved.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0044] 1 Bearing ring (outer bearing ring)

[0045] 2 Sensor element (glass fiber; fiber core)

[0046] 3 Surface of the bearing ring

[0047] 4 Metallic material

[0048] 4′ First layer of metallic material

[0049] 4″ Second layer of metallic material

[0050] 5 Groove

[0051] 6 Metallic strip

[0052] 7 Bearing ring (inner bearing ring)

[0053] 8 Roller elements

[0054] 9 Roller bearing

[0055] 10 Fiber cladding

[0056] 11 Steel foil

[0057] 12 Adhesive/brazing