BEARING ARRANGEMENTS, AND MODULE CARRIER FOR THEM

Abstract

A bearing arrangement includes two bearing rings which can be rotated with respect to one another about a common axis, an annular module carrier, an encoder, and at least one sensor module. The module carrier is arranged axially on one of the two bearing rings. The encoder is arranged on the other one of the two bearing rings. The at least one sensor module is arranged in the module carrier. In some embodiments, the module carrier has a cut-out on at least one of its axial side surfaces. through which a lubricant can be introduced into the bearing. The cut-out is arranged circumferentially in the region away from the sensor modules. In other embodiments, the module carrier has at least one predetermined break point for configuring a cut-out.

Claims

1. A bearing arrangement comprising: two bearing rings which can be rotated with respect to one another about a common axis; a ring-shaped module carrier, which is arranged on a lateral face of a first of the two bearing rings; an encoder, which is arranged on a second of the two bearing rings, opposite the module carrier; and at least one sensor module, which is arranged on the module carrier, wherein the module carrier has an opening in at least one of its axial lateral faces, wherein the opening, in the circumferential direction, is arranged at a different circumferential location than the at least one sensor module.

2. The bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the module carrier has an opening in both axial lateral faces.

3. The bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of sensor modules and/or functional modules are arranged circumferentially on the module carrier.

4. The bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein an electrical connection between the plurality of modules on the module carrier is realized by means of an electrical conductor.

5. The bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor module on the module carrier is cast in a potting compound.

6. The bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein the potting compound forms a ring in which the at least one sensor module is located, wherein a gap is formed between the ring of potting compound and the encoder.

7. The bearing arrangement comprising: two bearing rings which can be rotated with respect to one another about a common axis; a ring-shaped module carrier, which is arranged on a lateral face of a first of the two bearing rings; an encoder, which is arranged on a second of the two bearing rings, opposite the module carrier; and at least one sensor module, which is arranged in the module carrier, wherein the module carrier has at least one predetermined breaking point on at least one of its axial lateral faces, which, after being broken open, forms an opening in the module carrier through which a lubricant can be introduced into the bearing, wherein the predetermined breaking point is arranged in a region in which a sensor module is not located.

8. The bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the module carrier has two to six predetermined breaking points on an axial lateral face.

9. A module carrier for a bearing, which enables the flow of lubricant, comprising a plurality of receiving means, between which module positions each adapted to receive a module are formed, wherein the module carrier has an opening or a predetermined breaking point for forming an opening at one of its axial lateral faces.

10. The bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the opening is arranged between two adjacent sensor modules of the at least one sensor module.

11. The bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 7 wherein the predetermined breaking point is arranged between two adjacent sensor modules of the at least one sensor module.

12. The bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor module on the module carrier is cast in a potting compound.

13. The bearing arrangement as claimed in claim 12, wherein the potting compound forms a ring in which the at least one sensor module is located, wherein a gap is formed between the ring of potting compound and the encoder.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Further details, advantages and further developments are revealed in the description below of preferred embodiments, with reference to the drawing, which shows:

[0034] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a bearing arrangement;

[0035] FIG. 2 a perspective view of a module carrier for the bearing arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a bearing arrangement 01. The bearing arrangement 01 comprises an inner bearing ring 02, an outer bearing ring 03, a module carrier 04 and an encoder ring 06. The inner bearing ring 02 and the outer bearing ring 03 are arranged with respect to one another about an axis of rotation (not shown). The inner bearing ring 02 can be rotated about the axis of rotation. The encoder ring 06 is arranged in a torsion-resistant manner on a lateral face (not shown) of the inner bearing ring 02. The module carrier 04 is arranged in a torsion-resistant manner on the outer bearing ring 03, opposite the encoder ring 06. The module carrier has an opening 08. The opening 08 is arranged in an axial lateral face 09 (c.f. FIG. 2), wherein this axial lateral face 09 of the module carrier 04 is opposite the lateral face of the outer bearing ring 03 against which the module carrier 04 abuts. The module carrier 04 is shown in FIG. 2, in which its construction is detailed more clearly. The bearing arrangement 01 furthermore comprises an electrical connection 11 for connection to a measuring device or a control unit (not shown). The opening 08 in the module carrier 04 serves for the flow of lubricant through the bearing arrangement 01, whereby the bearing rings 02, 03 do not run dry, become worn and possibly cause the bearing to fail.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a module carrier 04 for the bearing arrangement 01. The module carrier 04 has receiving means 12 between which module positions 13 are formed. The module carrier 04, as illustrated, has six module positions 13. The receiving means 12 serve for receiving and securely holding modules 14, in particular sensor modules 14. In FIG. 2, four sensor modules 14 are arranged on the module carrier 04. The sensor modules 14 are electrically connected to one another by means of an electrical conductor 16. The electrical conductor 16 is connected to the electrical connection 11. The opening 08 in the module carrier 04 is formed at one of the module positions 13. The opening 08 serves for the flow of lubricant. Predetermined breaking points (not shown) can be formed at the module positions 13 for forming openings 08 as a result of breaking open the predetermined breaking points. To protect the sensor module 14, these can be overmolded with potting compound.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0038] 01 Bearing arrangement

[0039] 02 Inner bearing ring

[0040] 03 Outer bearing ring

[0041] 04 Module carrier

[0042] 05 -

[0043] 06 Encoder ring

[0044] 07 -

[0045] 08 Opening

[0046] 09 Axial lateral face of the module carrier 04

[0047] 10 -

[0048] 11 Electrical connection

[0049] 12 Receiving means

[0050] 13 Module position

[0051] 14 Sensor-/Module

[0052] 15 -

[0053] 16 Electrical conductor