Device for measuring bearing data

A device for using ultrasound for measuring the distance or variation in distance between a stationary raceway or housing and a rotating raceway or shaft in a bearing, comprising

• a) at least one ultrasonic transmitting unit disposed on the stationary raceway or housing and which transmits ultrasonic energy at a frequency of greater than 100 kilohertz, p1 b) a reflection surface on the rotating raceway of the bearing,
• c) at least one receiving unit on the stationary raceway or housing and which receives the ultrasound reflected from the reflection surface;
• and
• d) an evaluating electronic system for determining the variation in distance or the distance based on the phase difference, or resonance mode locking or propagation time between the reference signal and the received signal.

A bearing including:

• a housing;
• a bearing outer ring at the housing and having a stationary raceway;
• a bearing inner ring inward of the outer ring and having a rotating raceway;
• bearing rolling elements between and engaging the outer and inner rings;
• and
• a device for measuring small displacements between the stationary rotating rings of the bearing, the device comprising:
• a sensor for being fitted to the stationary raceway or the housing of the bearing,
• a reflection surface arranged on the rotating raceway of the bearing,
• a measuring unit comprising at least one stationary ultrasonic energy transmitting unit, and a respective at least one ultrasonic receiving unit located on the stationary raceway or the housing, the reflection surface being arranged between the transmitting and receiving units and on the rotating raceway for reflecting the ultrasonic energy from the transmitting unit to the receiving unit;
• the measuring unit being adapted to determine the variation in distance via the phase difference or the resonance mode locking or the propagation time between the received signal and a reference signal, which is equivalent to the transmitted signal.