BEARING AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A BEARING

Abstract

A bearing (1), in particular a rolling bearing or plain bearing, has a first bearing component, such as a bearing ring (2, 3) and/or a rolling element cage (5), and a function module (10) for detecting a measured variable and/or for activating state changes and/or for processing information and/or for providing energy, the functional module (10) being arranged completely enclosed within the first bearing component (2, 3, 5). The bearing may be produced by injection molding or 3D printing.

Claims

1. A bearing comprising: a first bearing component, in particular a bearing ring or a rolling element cage, and a function module for detecting a measured variable and/or for activating state changes and/or for processing information and/or for providing energy, wherein the functional module is arranged completely enclosed within the first bearing component.

2. The bearing according to claim 1, further comprising a second bearing component and a measuring object interacting with the functional module or a further functional module is arranged completely enclosed within the second bearing component.

3. The bearing according to claim 1, wherein the first bearing component is made of plastic and is produced by a plastic injection molding process.

4. The bearing according to claim 1, wherein the first bearing component is produced by a 3D printing process.

5. A method for producing a bearing with a first bearing component, in particular a bearing ring or a rolling element cage, and a function module for detecting a measured variable and/or for activating state changes and/or for processing information and/or for providing energy, the method comprising completely enclosing the functional module within the first bearing component.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the bearing has a second bearing component and a measuring object interacting with the function module or a further function module, the method further comprising completely enclosing the measuring object or further function module within the second bearing component.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising producing the first bearing component by a plastic injection molding process.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the functional module is overmolded.

9. The method according to claim 5, further comprising producing the first bearing component by a 3D printing process.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first bearing component is printed on or around the functional module.

11. A bearing comprising: a first ring; a second ring supported for rotation relative to the first ring; and a function module completely enclosed within the first ring.

12. The bearing of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of roller radially between the first ring and the second ring.

13. The bearing of claim 12 further comprising a cage circumferentially separating the rollers of the plurality of roller from one another.

14. The bearing of claim 11 further comprising a measuring object interacting with the function module and completely enclosed in the second ring.

15. The bearing of claim 11 further comprising a second function module completely enclosed in the second ring.

16. The bearing of claim 11 wherein the first ring and the second ring are plastic.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Further details and advantages will be explained below with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings. Herein:

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a bearing in a schematic sectional view;

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a bearing in a schematic sectional view; and

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a further schematic sectional illustration of the bearing from FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a bearing 1 designed as a rolling bearing. The bearing 1 has as bearing components, among others, an outer bearing ring 2, an inner bearing ring 3 that can rotate relative to the outer bearing ring 2 and rolling elements 4 arranged between the outer bearing ring 2 and the inner bearing ring 3. The rolling elements 4 are arranged in a rolling element cage 5. The interior of the bearing 1, i.e. the space between the outer bearing ring 2 and the inner bearing ring 3 is sealed by means of sealing elements 6, so that a lubricant present in the interior cannot escape unintentionally, but the interior is also not affected by penetrating contaminants.

[0031] The bearing 1 has a plurality of function modules 10 designed as sensor modules, each for recording at least one measured variable, and is also referred to as a sensor bearing. These functional modules 10 can have, for example, a sensor for detecting the temperature, vibrations or the rotational speed of the bearing 1. In order not to increase the required mounting space compared to a bearing without sensors, the outer bearing ring 2 and the inner bearing ring 3 are made of a plastic and the functional modules 10 are arranged completely enclosed within the outer bearing ring 2 and the inner bearing ring 3. This also enables economical production of the bearing and improved protection of the functional modules against environmental influences.

[0032] A plurality of measurement objects 11 are provided as further components of the bearing 1, which interact with one or more of the function modules 10 in order to detect measurement variables. These measuring objects 11 are also referred to as target. A first measuring object 11 is arranged on a sealing element 6 which is connected to the outer bearing ring 2 in a manner fixed against relative rotation. The first measuring object can interact with a function module 10 arranged on the inner bearing ring 3 in order to detect a movement quantity of the movement of the inner bearing ring 3 relative to the outer bearing ring 4, in particular a rotational speed. Furthermore, a second measuring object 11 is arranged on the rolling element cage 5. According to a modification of this exemplary embodiment, one or more of the measurement objects 11 can be arranged completely enclosed within a bearing component, for example within the outer bearing ring 2, the inner bearing ring 3 or the rolling element cage 5.

[0033] A plastic injection molding process is used to produce the outer bearing ring 2 and/or the inner bearing ring 3 and/or the rolling bearing cage 5, which is described below in more detail. According to a modification, the outer bearing ring 2 and/or the inner bearing ring 3 and/or the rolling bearing cage 5 are produced by a 3D printing process. Such a method will also be discussed below.

[0034] A second exemplary embodiment of a bearing 1 is shown schematically in FIGS. 2 and 3. This bearing 1 also has an outer bearing ring 2 and an inner bearing ring 3, both of which are made of plastic. Any rolling elements or a rolling element cage are not shown in these representations for the sake of clarity. In this bearing 1, a functional module 10 is arranged entirely within the outer bearing ring 2. The functional module 10 is completely enclosed by the material of the outer bearing ring 2 and does not protrude beyond the outer contour of the outer bearing ring 2, so that the bearing 1 can replace a conventional bearing without a functional module 10 without requiring additional mounting space. The functional module 10 can comprise, for example, a sensor for determining the temperature or vibrations.

[0035] To manufacture the bearing 1 described above, at least the outer bearing ring 2 is made as a first bearing component of plastic. A functional module 10 is arranged such that it is completely enclosed within the outer bearing ring 2. The inner bearing ring 3 is also made of plastic.

[0036] According to a first variant of this manufacturing process, the outer bearing ring 2 is produced by a plastic injection molding process. An injection mold, which is adapted to the shape of the outer bearing ring 2, is provided, into which a plastic is injected to form the outer bearing ring 2. Before or during the injection, one or more functional modules 10 are additionally introduced into the injection mold, so that the functional module or modules 10 are overmolded. The outer bearing ring 2 obtained in this way is hardened and can be reworked after removal from the injection mold, for example by grinding or polishing the surfaces. The inner bearing ring 3 and/or the rolling element cage 5 can also be produced by a corresponding plastic injection molding process. One or more additional function modules 10 or a measurement object 11 can optionally be introduced into the respective bearing components 3, 5.

[0037] A second variant of the production method provides that the outer bearing ring 2 is produced by a 3D printing process, the functional module or functions 10 being introduced into the outer bearing ring 2 when it is printed. For example, a first area of the outer bearing ring 2 can first be printed and a functional module 10 can be applied to the first area. In the subsequent printing, the functional module 10 can then be enclosed by a second area of the outer bearing ring 2 and/or the second area can be printed on the functional module 10.

[0038] With the methods described above, a bearing 1 can be produced with a functional module 10, which does not enlarge the mounting space required for the bearing 1 and can be produced with reduced effort, whereby protection against undesired damage to the functional module 10 is improved.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0039] 1 rolling bearing [0040] 2 outer bearing ring [0041] 3 inner bearing ring [0042] 4 rolling elements [0043] 5 rolling element cage [0044] 6 sealing element [0045] 10 function module [0046] 11 counterpart