ROLLING BEARING COMPRISING AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT FOR A ROLLING BEARING

Abstract

A rolling bearing including an electric circuit is disclosed. According to the invention, a first electrically insulating layer is applied directly to at least one surface portion of the rolling bearing. A first electrically conductive layer which includes a plurality of conductor paths with contact points for electrically contacting electrical components is provided on top of the first electrically insulating layer.

Claims

1. A rolling bearing with an electrical circuit, comprising: a first electrically insulating layer applied directly on at least one surface section of the rolling bearing, a first electrically conductive layer provided over the first electrically insulating layer, and multiple conductor paths with contact positions constructed for electrical contacting of electrical components.

2. The rolling bearing according to claim 1, wherein the electrical components are at least one of passive electrical components or electronic components.

3. The rolling bearing according to claim 1, wherein the first electrically insulating layer is structured in at least one position up to the at least one surface section of the rolling bearing and an electrical contacting element is formed on the at least one position, so that the electrically conductive layer is connected in an electrically conductive way to the rolling bearing.

4. The rolling bearing according to claim 1, further comprising at least one second electrically insulating layer deposited directly on the at least one surface section of the rolling bearing that supports at least one second electrically conductive and structured layer on which the first electrically insulating layer and the first electrically conductive layer are deposited with the conductor paths and the contact positions.

5. The rolling bearing according to claim 4, wherein the first electrically insulating layer is structured in at least one position up to a surface section of the at least second electrically conductive layer and at least one electrical contacting is provided that connects the at least second electrically conductive layer to at least one of the electrical conductor paths or one of the contact positions of the first conductive layer.

6. A production method for an electrical circuit on at least one surface section of a rolling bearing, comprising the following steps: forming a first electrically insulating layer on the at least one surface section of the rolling bearing; forming a first electrically conductive layer on the first electrically insulating layer; structuring the first electrically conductive layer, so that conductor paths are formed in the first electrically conductive layer; and forming contact positions on the conductor paths.

7. The production method according to claim 6, wherein the first electrically insulating layer and the first electrically conductive layer are deposited by an electrostatic powder coating.

8. The production method according to claim 6, wherein before the forming of the first electrically insulating layer and the first electrically conductive layer on at least one surface section of the rolling bearing, depositing at least one second electrically insulating layer on which an at least second electrically conductive and structured layer is provided.

9. The production method according to claim 8, wherein the first electrically insulating layer is structured in at least one position up to a surface section of the at least second electrically conductive layer, so that at least one electrical contacting is provided, through which the at least second electrically conductive layer is connected to at least one of the electrical conductor paths or one of the contact positions of the first conductive layer.

10. The production method according to claim 6, further comprising mounting at least one of passive electrical components or electronic components over the contact positions of the conductor paths of the first conductive layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Below, embodiments of the invention and their advantages with respect to the accompanying figures will be explained in more detail. The size relationships in the figures do not always correspond to the real size relationships, because some shapes are simplified and other shapes are shown enlarged with respect to other elements for better clarity. Shown herein are:

[0021] FIG. 1 a schematic side view of a part of a first embodiment of the roller bearing according to the invention with an electrical circuit,

[0022] FIG. 2 a schematic side view of a part of the roller bearing with another embodiment of an electrical circuit connected to the roller bearing,

[0023] FIG. 3 a perspective view of a roller bearing with an electrical circuit produced on a surface section of the roller bearing,

[0024] FIG. 4 a schematic side view of a part of the roller bearing with another embodiment of an electrical circuit connected to the roller bearing, and

[0025] FIG. 5 an enlarged detail section of the area marked with D in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] For elements in the invention that are identical or have identical actions, identical reference symbols will be used. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only reference symbols that are required for the description of the respective figure are shown in the individual figures. The shown embodiments merely represent examples how the roller bearing with an electrical circuit according to the invention and the production method for an electrical circuit for a roller bearing according to the invention could be configured and thus do not exclusively restrict the invention.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a part of a first embodiment of the roller bearing 1 according to the invention with an electrical circuit 10.

[0028] According to this first embodiment of the invention, a first electrically insulating layer 5 is formed directly on at least one surface section 3 of the roller bearing 1. In FIG. 3, a roller bearing 1 is shown in perspective view. The surface section 3 of the roller bearing 1 is here, for example, a metallic sealing washer 3 on which the first electrically insulating layer 5 is deposited in at least one section. As further shown in FIG. 1, a first electrically conductive layer 7 that forms multiple conductor paths 9 with contact positions 11 for the electrical contacting of electrical components 6a, 6b is provided over the first electrically insulating layer 5. The first electrically insulating layer 5 is preferably formed by a powder coating on the surface section 3. The first electrically conductive layer 7 is then formed by means of an electrochemical metallization on the first electrically insulating layer 5.

[0029] The construction and connections of the electrical components 6a, 6b are realized according to a method known from the prior art for mounting components on surfaces.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a part of the roller bearing 1 with another embodiment of an electrical circuit 10 connected to the roller bearing 1.

[0031] Preferably, the first electrically insulating layer 5 is structured here at a position 19 up to the surface section 3 of the roller bearing 1. At this position 19, an electrical contact element 13 is formed, so that the electrically conductive layer 7 is connected in an electrically conductive way to the roller bearing 1. It is further shown here that the electrical circuit 10 has as electrical components preferably both passive electrical components 6a and also electronic components 6b at the contact positions 11 of the conductor paths 9.

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an electrical circuit 10 produced on a surface section 3 of the roller bearing 1 which has already been described with respect to FIG. 1. To be noted here, however, is that also the opposite surface section 3 of the sealing washer of the roller bearing 1 can also be formed with an electrical circuit 10.

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of a part of the roller bearing 1 with another embodiment of an electrical circuit 10 connected to the roller bearing 1.

[0034] According to this embodiment, a second electrically insulating layer 15 is formed directly on the at least one surface section 3 of the roller bearing 1. The second electrically insulating layer 15 here carries a second electrically conductive and structured layer 17 on which the first electrically insulating layer 5 and the first electrically conductive layer 7 with the conductor paths 9 and the contact positions 11 are formed.

[0035] Through this embodiment, it is guaranteed that the second electrically insulating layer 15 takes over a protective function of the second electrically conductive and structured layer 17 with respect to particles and fluids.

[0036] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged detail section of the area marked with D in FIG. 4.

[0037] As shown here, the first electrically insulating layer 5 is structured at a position 19 up to a surface section 4 of the second electrically conductive layer 17. At this position 19, two electrical contacts 21 are provided that connect the second electrically conductive layer 17 to an electrical conductor path 9 and a contact position 11 of the first conductive layer 7.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0038] 1 Rolling bearing [0039] 3 Surface section of the rolling bearing [0040] 4 Surface section of the second electrically conductive layer [0041] 5 First electrically insulating layer [0042] 6a Passive electrical component [0043] 6b Electronic component [0044] 7 First electrically conductive layer [0045] 9 Conductor path [0046] 10 Circuit [0047] 11 Contact position [0048] 13 Contacting element [0049] 15 Second electrically insulating layer [0050] 17 Second electrically conductive and structured layer [0051] 19 First position of the electrically insulating layer [0052] 21 Electrical contacting