BEARING ASSEMBLY WITH INTEGRATED GENERATOR

• US 20180149205A1
• Filed: 11/29/2017
• Published: 05/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABet SKF
• Original Assignee: ABet SKF
• Inventors: Den Haak, Nicolaas Simon Willem, Angelis, Georgo, van Dijk, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,837,494 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/02 for radial load only
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/06 with a single row or balls
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2233/00 Monitoring condition, e.g. temperature, load, vibration
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 23/086 forming a track for rolling elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2380/26 Dynamo-electric machines or combinations therewith, e.g. electro-motors and generators in general H02K
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/00 Other accessories, e.g. devices integrated in the bearing not relating to the bearing function as such
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/004 Electro-dynamic machines, e.g. motors, generators, actuators
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/20 for measuring, monitoring, testing, protecting or switching rectifiers H02K11/04; power electronics H02K11/33
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2203/03 Machines characterised by the wiring boards, i.e. printed circuit boards or similar structures for connecting the winding terminations
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/14 Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1807 Rotary generators H02K7/006 takes precedence

Abstract

A spherical roller bearing having an inner ring, an outer ring, first and second roller sets disposed therebetween, and a guide element for guiding the rollers of at least one roller set. The guide element is rotational about a bearing axis of rotation during bearing operation. The bearing further includes a generator, arranged between the first and second roller sets, which includes a magnetic rotor with alternating polarities in circumferential direction and a stator having at least one stator coil. The magnetic rotor is mounted to the guide element, while the stator is mounted to a common outer raceway of the outer ring, radially opposite from the magnetic rotor. In accordance with the invention, the stator has the form of an annular band. The at least one stator coil is formed by a flat conductor provided on a flexible printed circuit board.

Claims

1. A spherical roller bearing comprising:

an inner ring, an outer ring, first and second roller sets disposed therebetween, and a guide element for guiding the rollers of at least one roller set, the guide element being rotational about a bearing axis of rotation during bearing operation, wherein the bearing further includes a generator for harvesting electrical energy from rotation, and wherein the generator is arranged between the first and second roller sets and provides a magnetic rotor with alternating polarities in circumferential direction and a stator having at least one stator coil, wherein

the magnetic rotor is mounted to the guide element;

the stator is mounted to a common outer raceway of the outer ring, radially opposite from the magnetic rotor, and

the at least one stator coil is formed by a flat conductor provided on a flexible printed circuit board, such that the stator has the form of an annular band.

2. The spherical roller bearing according to claim 1, wherein the flat conductor of the at least one stator coil comprises alternating circumferential and axial portions and extends around the annular band through at least 270°

.

3. The spherical roller bearing according to claim 2, wherein the circumferential portions of the flat conductor have a circumferential length that is essentially equal to a circumferential pole-to-pole distance of the magnetic rotor.

4. The spherical roller bearing according to claim 2, wherein the flat conductor of the at least one stator coil has a number p of circumferential portions and the magnetic rotor has a number q of consecutive magnetic poles, and wherein p=q.

5. The spherical roller bearing according to claim 2, wherein the stator comprises first and second flat conductors, wherein one conductor is arranged radially on top of the other conductor.

6. The spherical roller bearing according to claim 5, wherein axial portions of the first and second conductors overlap each other and wherein circumferential portions of the conductors extend at opposite axial sides of the annular band, at a given circumferential location.

7. The spherical roller bearing according to claim 1, wherein the stator comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced coils, each being formed by a spiral-shaped flat conductor.

8. The spherical roller bearing according to claim 1, wherein the guide element is a bearing cage with pockets for receiving the roller of at least one of the roller sets.

9. The spherical roller bearing according to claim 1, wherein the guide element is a floating guide ring.

10. The spherical roller bearing according to claim 1, wherein the common sphered raceway of the outer ring comprises an annular groove in which the stator is recessed.

11. The spherical roller bearing according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor unit connected to the stator of the generator.

12. The spherical roller bearing according to claim 11, wherein the sensor unit is recessed in an outer circumference of the bearing outer ring or is mounted to a cap or shield that encloses an annular gap between the inner and outer bearing rings.