Wheel support bearing assembly with built-in load sensor
AssigneeNtn Corporation
InventorsTakashi Koike, Tomomi Ishikawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel support bearing assembly comprises a stationary outer member and a rotatable inner member. The to-be-detected parts of angle detection sensors are fixed to the inner member and an outer race of a constant velocity joint connected to the inner member, respectively. Detecting parts of the angle detection sensors are fixed to the outer member in face-to-face relation with the to-be-detected parts. The bearing assembly also includes a load conversion unit detecting a relative angular difference between the inner member and the constant velocity universal joint by comparing the detection signals from the detecting parts to detect the load acting on the bearing assembly.
Claims13
A wheel support bearing assembly with a built-in load sensor, which assembly is operable to support a wheel rotatably relative to a vehicle body and comprises:
- an outer member having an inner peripheral surface formed with double rows of raceway surfaces;
- an inner member having an outer peripheral surface formed with double rows of raceway surfaces in face-to-face relation with the double rows of the raceway surfaces of the outer member;
- double rows of rolling elements interposed between those raceway surfaces of the outer member and the inner member;
- a first angle detecting sensor including a to-be-detected part provided in the inner member and a corresponding detecting part provided in the outer member in face-to-face relation with the to-be-detected part provided in the inner member;
- a second angle detecting sensor including a to-be-detected part provided in an outer race of a constant velocity universal joint that is coupled with the inner member, and a corresponding detecting part provided in the outer race in face-to-face relation with the to-be-detected part provided in the outer race;
- and
- a load conversion unit for comparing respective detection signals from the detecting parts of the first and second angle detecting sensors to detect a relative angular difference between the inner member and the constant velocity universal joint to thereby detect a load acting on the wheel support bearing assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.