Sensor bearing assembly with cover mounted sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9243976-B2
Application number	US-201213677903-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2012
Priority date	Nov 15, 2012
Publication date	Jan 26, 2016
Grant date	Jan 26, 2016

Abstract

A sensor bearing assembly for supporting a rotatable shaft includes a bearing having an inner ring disposable about the shaft, an outer ring disposed about the inner ring, and rolling elements between the rings. An annular detection member is coupled with the bearing inner ring and has an outer circumferential surface and a circular cover is configured to enclose the axial end of the shaft when the bearing assembly is mounted on the shaft. The cover includes a rim coupled with the bearing outer ring, a radially-extending end wall spaced axially from the shaft end, and an annular side wall extending axially between the end wall and the rim. A sensor is mounted to the cover side wall, has an inner end spaced radially outwardly from the detection member outer circumferential surface, and is configured to sense angular displacement of the detection member about the shaft central axis.

First claim

We claim:

1. A sensor bearing assembly for supporting a shaft, the shaft being rotatable about a central axis and having a shaft axial end, the sensor bearing assembly comprising:
a bearing including an outer ring and an inner ring, the inner ring having first and second axially extending surfaces which face the outer ring and are separated by a radially extending surface such that a portion of the inner ring forms a step, the inner ring configured to be disposable about the shaft to mount the sensor bearing assembly upon the shaft, the outer ring disposed about the inner ring, and a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the inner and outer rings;
a detection member coupled with the inner ring and having an outer circumferential surface, the detection member being generally annular and having a radial shoulder on an inner circumferential surface configured to abut the radially extending surface of the step of the inner ring;
a cover being generally circular and configured to enclose the shaft axial end when the sensor bearing assembly is mounted on the shaft, the cover including a rim coupled with the outer ring, a cover end wall spaced axially from the shaft axial end and being generally radially-extending, and a cover side wall being generally annular and extending generally axially between the cover end wall and the rim; and
at least one sensor mounted to the cover side wall, having an inner end spaced radially outwardly from the outer circumferential surface of the detection member such that a radial innermost portion of the at least one sensor has a first radial distance from the central axis that is greater than a second radial distance as measured from the central axis to the outer circumferential surface of the detection member, and the at least one sensor being configured to sense angular displacement of the detection member about the central axis of the shaft.

2. The sensor bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the cover end wall is generally circular and has a circular outer perimeter, the cover side wall is generally tubular and has a first axial end connected with the circular outer perimeter of the cover end wall and an opposing second axial end, and the rim includes at least one flange extending radially outwardly from the opposing second axial end of the cover side wall.

3. The sensor bearing assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein the outer ring has a radially-outwardly extending annular flange and at least a portion of the at least one flange of the cover is attached to the radially-outwardly extending annular flange of the outer ring.

4. The sensor bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the cover side wall has an inner circumferential surface defining a cavity, an opposing outer circumferential surface, an installation opening extending between the inner and outer circumferential surfaces and having an outer end, and
a mounting surface section defined in the outer circumferential surface of the cover side wall and located adjacent to the outer end of the installation opening, the at least one sensor being removably attached to the mounting surface section such that a portion of the at least one sensor extends through the installation opening and the inner end of the at least one sensor is disposed within the cavity and is positioned generally aligned with the outer circumferential surface of the detection member.

5. The sensor bearing assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein the detection member is disposed within the cavity, the installation opening and the mounting surface section each being located on the cover such that the inner end of the at least one sensor is generally centered between first and second detection member axial ends and is spaced radially from the outer circumferential surface of the detection member by a predetermined distance when the at least one sensor is attached to the mounting surface section.

6. The sensor bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a generally circular end cap connectable with the shaft axial end and at least partially disposed within the detection member, wherein the inner end of the at least one sensor comprises first and second sensor axial ends that are both configured to be located between first and second detection member axial ends, the generally circular end cap configured to directly contact the inner ring and the first detection member axial end, the first detection member axial end being spaced from the second detection member axial end in a direction axially away from the plurality of rolling elements such that the first and second detection member axial ends are located on opposite sides of the radially extending surface of the step of the inner ring.

7. The sensor bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the cover defines an internal cavity, the inner ring has an axial end portion disposed within the internal cavity, and the detection member is disposed about the axial end portion of the inner ring.

8. The sensor bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor has an outer end spaced radially outwardly from the inner end and a centerline extending generally radially between the inner and outer ends, the centerline generally intersecting the central axis of the shaft.

9. The sensor bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein: the detection member has a plurality of indicators spaced circumferentially about the outer circumferential surface, each of the plurality of indicators corresponding to a separate angular position of the detection member about the central axis; and
the at least one sensor is configured to generate an output when any one of the plurality of indicators is disposed adjacent to a sensing face.

10. The sensor bearing assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein the plurality of indicators includes one of a plurality of pairs of north and south magnetic poles, a toothed wheel, and an optical pattern of alternating transparent and opaque areas.

11. The sensor bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the cover includes upper and lower portions and the cover side wall has at least one sensor mount configured to position the at least one sensor with respect to the detection member, the at least one sensor mount being located on the lower portion of the cover, the at least one sensor being removably attached to the at least one sensor mount.

12. The sensor bearing assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the cover further includes a plurality of ribs extending radially outwardly from the cover side wall and generally axially between the cover end wall and the rim, the plurality of ribs being spaced circumferentially about the central axis so as to define a separate pocket between each pair of adjacent ribs, the at least one sensor being mounted to the cover side wall within one of the pockets.

13. A sensor bearing assembly for supporting a shaft, the shaft being rotatable about a central axis and having a shaft axial end, the sensor bearing assembly comprising:
a bearing including an inner ring disposable about the shaft to mount the sensor bearing assembly upon the shaft, an outer ring disposed about the inner ring, and a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the inner and outer rings;
a detection member coupled with the inner ring and having an outer circumferential surface, the detection member being generally annular;
a cover being generally circular and configured to enclose the shaft axial end when the sensor bearing assembly is mounted on the shaft, the cover including a rim coupled with the outer ring, a cover end wall spaced axially from the shaft axial end and being generally radiall

Assignees

• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Klinglmair Erich
• Pichler Andreas
• Grove Frans

Classifications

• G01M13/04 Primary

  Bearings · CPC title

• F16C33/586

  outside the space between the races, e.g. end faces or bore of inner ring · CPC title

• F16C33/7869

  mounted with a cylindrical portion to the inner surface of the outer race and having a radial portion extending inward · CPC title

• F16C19/26

  with a single row of rollers · CPC title

• F16C41/007

  Encoders, e.g. parts with a plurality of alternating magnetic poles · CPC title