Rolling bearing comprising an electric circuit, and method for producing an electric circuit for a rolling bearing

Abstract

A rolling bearing with an electrical circuit is disclosed. The rolling bearing includes a first electrically insulating layer, at least one second electrically insulating layer deposited directly on at least one surface section of the rolling bearing, a first electrically conductive layer provided over the first electrically insulating layer, conductor paths with contact positions adapted for electrical contacting of electrical components, and at least one second electrically conductive layer. The at least one second electrically conductive layer is structured and supported on the at least one second electrically insulating layer. The first electrically insulating layer and the first electrically conductive layer with the conductor paths and the contact positions are deposited on the at least one second electrically conductive layer.

Claims

1. A rolling bearing with an electrical circuit, comprising: a first electrically insulating layer, a second electrically insulating layer deposited directly on at least one surface section of the rolling bearing, a first electrically conductive layer provided over the first electrically insulating layer, the first electrically conductive layer including conductor paths with contact positions adapted for electrical contacting of electrical components, and a second electrically conductive layer, the second electrically conductive layer being structured and supported on the second electrically insulating layer, and the first electrically insulating layer and the first electrically conductive layer are deposited on the second electrically conductive layer.

2. The rolling bearing according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of passive electrical components or passive 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 a surface section of the second electrically conductive layer and at least one electrical contact is provided that connects the second electrically conductive layer to at least one of the conductor paths or the contact positions of the first electrically conductive layer.

4. A production method for an electrical circuit on at least one surface section of a rolling bearing, the method comprising: depositing a base electrically insulating layer on which a base electrically conductive and structured layer is provided on at least one surface section of a rolling bearing; forming a top electrically insulating layer on the at least one surface section of the rolling bearing; forming a top electrically conductive layer on the top electrically insulating layer; structuring the top electrically conductive layer, so that conductor paths are formed in the top electrically conductive layer; forming contact positions on the conductor paths.

5. The production method according to claim 4, wherein the top electrically insulating layer and the top electrically conductive layer are deposited by an electrostatic powder coating.

6. The production method according to claim 4, wherein the top electrically insulating layer is structured in at least one position up to a surface section of the base electrically conductive layer, so that at least one electrical contact is provided, through which the base electrically conductive layer is connected to at least one of the conductor paths or the contact positions of the top electrically conductive layer.

7. The production method according to claim 4, further comprising mounting at least one of passive electrical components or passive electronic components over the contact positions of the conductor paths of the top electrically conductive layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) 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:

(2) 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,

(3) 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,

(4) FIG. 3 a perspective view of a roller bearing with an electrical circuit produced on a surface section of the roller bearing,

(5) 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

(6) FIG. 5 an enlarged detail section of the area marked with D in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) 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.

(8) 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.

(9) 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.

(10) 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.

(11) 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.

(12) 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.

(13) 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.

(14) 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.

(15) 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.

(16) 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.

(17) FIG. 5 shows an enlarged detail section of the area marked with D in FIG. 4.

(18) 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

(19) 1 Rolling bearing 3 Surface section of the rolling bearing 4 Surface section of the second electrically conductive layer 5 First electrically insulating layer 6a Passive electrical component 6b Electronic component 7 First electrically conductive layer 9 Conductor path 10 Circuit 11 Contact position 13 Contacting element 15 Second electrically insulating layer 17 Second electrically conductive and structured layer 19 First position of the electrically insulating layer 21 Electrical contacting