JP4493569B2 - Wheel bearing with sensor - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sensor-equipped wheel bearing with a built-in load sensor for detecting a load applied to a bearing portion of the wheel.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a wheel bearing provided with a sensor for detecting the rotational speed of each wheel for safe driving of an automobile. Conventional measures to ensure driving safety of general automobiles are performed by detecting the rotational speed of the wheels of each part, but the rotational speed of the wheels is not sufficient, and it is further safer by using other sensor signals. It is required that the surface can be controlled.

  Therefore, it is conceivable to control the posture from the load acting on each wheel during vehicle travel. For example, a large load is applied to the outer wheel in cornering, and the load applied to each wheel is not uniform. In addition, even when the load is uneven, the load applied to each wheel is uneven. For this reason, if the load applied to the wheel can be detected at any time, the suspension control etc. is controlled in advance based on the detection result, thereby controlling the attitude during vehicle travel (preventing rolling during cornering, preventing the front wheel from sinking during braking, It is possible to prevent subsidence due to uneven load capacity. However, there is no appropriate installation location of a sensor that detects a load acting on the wheel, and it is difficult to realize posture control by load detection.

  In addition, when steer-by-wire is introduced in the future, and the system is such that the axle and the steering are not mechanically coupled, it is required to detect the axle direction load and transmit the road surface information to the handle held by the driver.

As a response to such a demand, a wheel bearing has been proposed in which a strain gauge is attached to the outer ring of the wheel bearing to detect the strain (for example, Patent Document 1).
Special table 2003-530565 gazette

An outer ring of a wheel bearing has a rolling surface and is a component that requires strength, and is a bearing component that is produced through complicated processes such as plastic working, turning, heat treatment, and grinding. Therefore, when a strain gauge is attached to the outer ring as in Patent Document 1, there is a problem that productivity is poor and the cost for mass production is high. Also, it is difficult to detect the outer ring distortion with high sensitivity.
Therefore, an attempt was made to improve productivity and detection sensitivity by attaching a sensor unit equipped with a strain gauge to the peripheral surface of the outer ring. In that case, regarding the member that attaches the strain gauge to the outer ring in the sensor unit, how to attach the strain gauge to the outer ring accurately and accurately detect the deformation of the outer ring, and what shape is good It becomes a problem.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to install a sensor for detecting a load in a compact manner in a vehicle, to detect a load applied to the wheel with high sensitivity, and to reduce the cost at the time of mass production. Is to provide.

The sensor-equipped wheel bearing of the reference proposal example includes an outer member in which a double-row rolling surface is formed on the inner periphery, and an inner member that forms a rolling surface opposite to the rolling surface of the outer member; And a double-row rolling element interposed between both rolling surfaces, and a sealing means for sealing an end between the outer member and the inner member, and for a wheel that rotatably supports the wheel with respect to the vehicle body. In the bearing, a ring member is attached to a peripheral surface of a fixed side member of the outer member and the inner member, and a sensor for measuring distortion of the ring member is attached to the ring member, and the ring member and the fixed side The fixing to the member is performed using either a bolt or an adhesive, or a combination of both.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in the reference proposed example , the sensor-equipped wheel bearing is configured such that the ring member is attached to a peripheral surface of a fixed-side member of the outer member and the inner member, and the ring member is crossed. The surface shape has a contact ring part and a non-contact ring part that are in contact with and non-contact with the peripheral surface of the stationary member, and the part of the non-contact ring part that is far from the contact ring part is more than other parts. Also, a sensor for measuring the axial strain of the ring member is provided between the contact ring portion and the thick portion of the ring member.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wheel bearing with sensor according to the reference proposal example , wherein the ring member is attached to a peripheral surface of a fixed side member of the outer member and the inner member, and the crossing of the ring member is performed. The surface shape has a contact ring portion and a non-contact ring portion that are in contact with and non-contact with the peripheral surface of the fixed side member, and a flange portion is provided at a location far from the contact ring portion of the non-contact ring portion. A sensor for measuring the axial strain of the ring member is provided between the contact ring portion and the flange portion of the ring member.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the wheel bearing with sensor according to the reference proposal example , wherein the ring member is attached to a peripheral surface of the fixed side member of the outer member and the inner member, and the ring member is crossed. The surface shape includes a pair of contact ring portions that are axially separated from each other and contact the fixed side member, and a non-contact ring portion that is connected between the contact ring portions and does not contact the fixed side member. The portion is thinner than the contact ring portion, and a sensor for measuring the axial strain of the ring member is provided in the non-contact ring portion.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the wheel bearing with sensor according to the reference proposal example , wherein the ring member is attached to a peripheral surface of the fixed side member of the outer member and the inner member, and the ring member is crossed. The surface shape is a shape having a pair of contact ring portions that are axially separated from each other and contact the fixed side member, and a non-contact ring portion that is connected between the contact ring portions and does not contact the fixed side member. The contact ring part is thinner than the other contact ring part and the non-contact ring part, and a sensor for measuring the bending strain of the ring member is provided on the contact ring part with the reduced thickness. .

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the sensor-equipped wheel bearing includes an outer member having a double-row rolling surface formed on the inner periphery, and a rolling surface facing the rolling surface of the outer member. An inner member, a double-row rolling element interposed between both rolling surfaces, and a sealing means for sealing an end portion between the outer member and the inner member, the wheel being rotatable with respect to the vehicle body In the supporting wheel bearing, a sensor unit comprising a sensor attachment member and a strain sensor attached to the sensor attachment member is attached to a peripheral surface of a fixed side member of the outer member and the inner member, and the sensor attachment member Has at least two contact fixing portions with respect to the fixed side member, and has at least one notch portion between adjacent contact fixing portions, and the strain sensor is disposed in the notch portion. Yes, the sensor mounting member and the fixed side member And wherein the performing performed or a combination of both, using any of the bolts and adhesives.

In the first to fifth inventions, for example, when the outer member is a stationary member and the inner member is a rotating member, the ring member or the sensor unit is attached to the outer member.

In the first to fifth inventions, when a load is applied to the rotation side member as the vehicle travels, the fixed side member is deformed via the rolling elements, and the deformation causes distortion of the ring member or the sensor mounting member. The strain sensor provided on the ring member or the sensor mounting member detects the strain of the ring member or the sensor mounting member. If the relationship between strain and load is obtained in advance through experiments and simulations, the load applied to the wheel can be detected from the output of the strain sensor. That is, the external force acting on the wheel bearing, the acting force between the tire and the road surface, or the preload amount of the wheel bearing can be estimated from the output of the strain sensor. Further, the detected load or the like can be used for vehicle control of the automobile.
In this sensor-equipped wheel bearing, a strain sensor is attached to a ring member or a sensor attachment member that is attached to a fixed member, so that a load sensor can be installed in a compact vehicle. Since both the ring member and the sensor attachment member are simple parts that can be attached to the fixed side member, attaching a strain sensor to the ring member and the sensor attachment member can provide excellent mass productivity and reduce the cost.

In the first to fifth aspects of the invention, the ring member or sensor mounting member and the fixed side member are fixed using either a bolt or an adhesive, or a combination of both. The attachment member can be firmly fixed to the fixed side member. Therefore, the ring member or the sensor mounting member is not displaced with respect to the fixed side member, and the deformation of the fixed side member can be accurately transmitted to the ring member or the sensor mounting member.

In particular, in the first invention, among the non-contact ring parts, the part far from the contact ring part is a thick part thicker than the other parts, so the rigidity is high and the part is not easily deformed. Therefore, the distortion generated between the thick wall portion and the contact ring portion is obtained by transferring and expanding the radial distortion of the stationary member.
In the second invention, since the flange portion is provided in a portion of the non-contact ring portion far from the contact ring portion, the rigidity of the flange portion is high and hardly deformed. Therefore, the distortion generated between the flange portion and the contact ring portion is a transfer and enlargement of the radial distortion of the stationary member.
Therefore, both the first and second inventions can detect the distortion of the stationary member with high sensitivity, and can improve the detection accuracy.

Further, in the third invention, the ring member includes a pair of contact ring portions that are axially separated from each other and contact the fixed side member, and a non-contact ring portion that is connected between the contact ring portions and does not contact the fixed side member. The contact ring portion is thicker than the non-contact ring portion and has high rigidity and is difficult to deform, but the non-contact ring portion has low rigidity and is easily deformed. Therefore, although the axial distortion occurs in the non-contact ring portion, this distortion is a transfer and enlargement of the axial distortion of the stationary member. Therefore, the deformation of the outer member can be detected with high sensitivity by the sensor provided in the non-contact ring portion, and the detection accuracy can be increased.

Also in the fourth invention, the ring member includes a pair of contact ring portions that are axially separated from each other and contact the fixed side member, and a non-contact ring portion that is connected between the contact ring portions and does not contact the fixed side member. Although it has a shape, one of the contact ring parts is thinner than the other contact ring part and non-contact ring part. In this case, the contact ring portion having a reduced thickness is deformed in accordance with the deformation of the stationary member, but the other contact ring portion and the non-contact ring portion are highly rigid and difficult to deform. Therefore, a bending strain is generated in the contact ring portion having a reduced wall thickness, and this strain is an enlargement of the axial strain on the peripheral surface of the outer member. Therefore, the deformation of the outer member can be detected with high sensitivity by the sensor provided in the contact ring portion having a reduced thickness, and the detection accuracy can be increased.

In the fifth invention, the sensor mounting member has at least two contact fixing portions with respect to the fixed side member, and has at least one notch portion between adjacent contact fixing portions. Since the strain sensor is arranged in the notch, the strain sensor placement location of the sensor mounting member causes a greater strain than the fixed side member due to a decrease in its rigidity, and detects the strain of the fixed side member with high sensitivity. Can do.

When the fixed side member is an outer member, the ring member or the sensor mounting member is disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the outer member, and the ring member or the sensor mounting member and the outer member are fixed outward. It can be done with a bolt inserted from the outer periphery side into the bolt insertion hole that communicates the inner peripheral side and the outer peripheral side of the member, and in that case, a gap generated between the bolt and the outer member with the bolt inserted into the bolt insertion hole It is preferable to provide a gap sealing means for sealing.
As described above, when fixing the ring member or the sensor mounting member with the bolt inserted into the bolt insertion hole that communicates the inner peripheral side and the outer peripheral side of the outer member, the bolt is inserted into the bolt insertion hole as it is. Then, muddy water or the like may flow into the wheel bearing through the gap formed between the bolt and the outer member. However, if the gap is sealed with a gap sealing means, muddy water or the like can be prevented from flowing into the wheel bearing.
As the gap sealing means, for example, an annular member made of a soft material may be provided in the gap, and this may be used as the gap sealing means. Further, it is conceivable that a resin mold is applied to the outer peripheral end portion of the bolt and the outer member outer peripheral surface of the peripheral portion, and this is used as a gap sealing means.

The sensor-equipped wheel bearing according to the present invention includes an outer member having a double row rolling surface formed on the inner periphery, an inner member having a rolling surface facing the rolling surface of the outer member, A wheel bearing comprising a double row rolling element interposed between both rolling surfaces and a sealing means for sealing an end between the outer member and the inner member, and rotatably supporting the wheel with respect to the vehicle body. In the above, a ring member or a sensor mounting member is mounted on a peripheral surface of a fixed side member of the outer member and the inner member, and a plurality of sensors for measuring distortion of the ring member or the sensor mounting member are connected to the ring member or Since it is attached to the sensor attachment member, the load sensor can be installed compactly in the vehicle. Since both the ring member and the sensor mounting member are simple parts that can be mounted on the fixed side member, by attaching a sensor for measuring distortion to the ring member and the sensor mounting member, the ring member and the sensor mounting member can be excellent in mass productivity, and the cost can be reduced .
Et al is, in the invention of the first to fifth, can the shape of the ring member or the sensor mounting member, convey the distortion of the fixed-side member and amplifies the mounting position of the strain sensor in the ring member or the sensor mounting member Since it has a shape, it is possible to detect the distortion of the stationary member with high sensitivity.

A reference proposal example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. This reference proposal example is a third generation inner ring rotating type, which is applied to a wheel bearing for driving wheel support. In this specification, the side closer to the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle when attached to the vehicle is referred to as the outboard side, and the side closer to the center of the vehicle is referred to as the inboard side.
This sensor-equipped wheel bearing includes an outer member 1 having a double row rolling surface 3 formed on the inner periphery, an inner member 2 having a rolling surface 4 opposed to each of the rolling surfaces 3, and these It is comprised by the double row rolling element 5 interposed between the rolling surfaces 3 and 4 of the outer member 1 and the inner member 2. This wheel bearing is a double-row angular ball bearing type, and the rolling elements 5 are made of balls and are held by a cage 6 for each row. The rolling surfaces 3 and 4 are arc-shaped in cross section, and each rolling surface 3 and 4 is formed so that the contact angle is outward. Both ends of the bearing space between the outer member 1 and the inner member 2 are sealed by sealing means 7 and 8, respectively.

The outer member 1 is a fixed side member, and has a flange 1a attached to a knuckle in a suspension device (not shown) of a vehicle body on the outer periphery, and the whole is an integral part. The flange 1a is provided with vehicle body mounting holes 14 at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction.
The inner member 2 is a rotating side member, and includes a hub wheel 9 having a hub flange 9a for wheel mounting, and an inner ring 10 fitted to the outer periphery of the end portion on the inboard side of the shaft portion 9b of the hub wheel 9. And become. The hub wheel 9 and the inner ring 10 are formed with the rolling surfaces 4 of the respective rows. An inner ring fitting surface 12 having a small diameter with a step is provided on the outer periphery of the inboard side end of the hub wheel 9, and the inner ring 10 is fitted to the inner ring fitting surface 12. A through hole 11 is provided at the center of the hub wheel 9. The hub flange 9a is provided with press-fitting holes 15 for hub bolts (not shown) at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction. In the vicinity of the base portion of the hub flange 9a of the hub wheel 9, a cylindrical pilot portion 13 for guiding a wheel and a brake component (not shown) protrudes toward the outboard side.

  A sensor unit 21 is provided on the inner periphery of the outer member 1 on the outboard side end. The axial position of the sensor unit 21 is between the sealing means 7 and the rolling surface 3. The sensor unit 21 includes a ring member 22 and a plurality of strain sensors 23 that are attached to the ring member 22 and measure the strain of the ring member 22. The strain sensors 23 are equally distributed at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction of the ring member 22. In this example, the strain sensors 23 are provided at four locations corresponding to the upper and lower sides and the left and right sides of the wheel bearing.

  The cross-sectional shape of the ring member 22 is rectangular, and as shown in FIG. 3B, a strain sensor 23 is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the ring member 22 with an adhesive or the like. Moreover, as shown in FIG.3 (c), the volt | bolt screwing hole 40 of the radial direction by which the internal thread was formed in the four places of the ring member 22 is provided. The position in the circumferential direction is an intermediate position between the locations where the strain sensors 23 are attached. The outer member 1 is formed with four bolt insertion holes 41 corresponding to the bolt screwing holes 40 so that the inner peripheral side and the outer peripheral side of the outer member 1 communicate with each other.

  As shown in FIG. 4, after the sensor unit 21 press-fits the ring member 22 into the inner periphery of the outer member 1, the bolt 42 is inserted into the bolt insertion hole 41 from the outer periphery side of the outer member 1, and the bolt The external thread 1 is fixed to the outer member 1 by screwing the male screw portion 42a of 42 into the bolt screw hole 40. At that time, an annular member 43 made of a soft material such as rubber is fitted to the outer periphery of the bolt 42 at a large diameter portion 41 a formed at the outer peripheral end of the bolt insertion hole 41. The gap 44 formed between the bolt 42 and the outer member 1 is sealed.

In this example, the gap sealing means for sealing the gap between the bolt and the outer member is the annular member 43, but the gap sealing means is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a resin mold 45 may be applied to the outer peripheral end portion of the bolt 42 and the outer peripheral surface of the outer member 1 at the peripheral portion, and this may be used as a gap sealing means.
Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a sleeve 46 made of a soft material such as rubber may be attached to the outer periphery of the bolt 42, and this may be used as a gap sealing means. When this bolt 42 is inserted into the bolt insertion hole 41, the sleeve 46 seals the gap 44. Instead of attaching the sleeve 46 to the bolt 42, even if a tape-like packing is wound around the bolt 42 or a liquid packing agent is applied to the bolt 42, the same effect as described above is obtained.

  Further, the ring member 22 and the outer member 1 may be fixed to the outer member 1 with an adhesive without using bolts. Furthermore, the ring member 22 may be fixed to the outer member 1 by using a bolt and an adhesive together.

  The ring member 22 preferably does not undergo plastic deformation at the time of press-fitting and does not undergo plastic deformation at the expected maximum value of the external force acting on the wheel bearing or the acting force between the tire and the road surface. As the material thereof, a metal material such as copper, brass and aluminum can be used in addition to the steel material.

  The inboard side sealing means 8 includes a seal 8a made of an elastic body such as rubber with a core attached to the inner peripheral surface of the outer member 1, and the seal 8a attached to the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 10. The slinger 8b is in contact with the slinger 8b. The slinger 8b is provided with a magnetic encoder 16 for rotation detection, which is composed of a multipolar magnet having magnetic poles alternately in the circumferential direction. A magnetic sensor (not shown) is attached to the outer member 1 so as to face the magnetic encoder 16.

  As shown in FIG. 7, an external force calculating means 31, a road surface acting force calculating means 32, a bearing preload amount calculating means 33, and an abnormality determining means 34 process the output of the strain sensor 23 to detect a load or the like. The system is configured. These means 31 to 34 may be provided in an electronic circuit device (not shown) such as a circuit board attached to the outer member 1 or the like of the wheel bearing, or may be an electric control unit of an automobile. (ECU) may be provided.

  The operation of the sensor-equipped wheel bearing with the above configuration will be described. When a load is applied to the hub wheel 9, the outer member 1 is deformed via the rolling elements 5, and the deformation is transmitted to the ring member 22 attached to the inner periphery of the outer member 1, and the ring member 22 is deformed. To do. Since the ring member 22 is fixed to the outer member 1 by the bolt 42, the ring member 22 is not displaced with respect to the outer member 1, and the deformation of the outer member 1 is accurately transmitted to the ring member 22. . The strain of the ring member 22 is measured by the strain sensor 23.

  Since the strain changes depending on the direction and magnitude of the load, if the relationship between the strain and the load is obtained in advance through experiments and simulations, the external force acting on the wheel bearing or the acting force between the tire and the road surface is calculated. be able to. The external force calculating means 31 and the road surface acting force calculating means 32 each act on the wheel bearing by the output of the strain sensor 23 based on the relationship between the strain and the load obtained and set in advance through experiments and simulations. The external force and the acting force between the tire and the road surface are calculated.

The abnormality determining unit 34 outputs an abnormality signal to the outside when it is determined that the external force acting on the wheel bearing calculated in this way or the acting force between the tire and the road surface exceeds a set allowable value. . This abnormal signal can be used for vehicle control of an automobile.
If the external force calculating means 31 and the road surface acting force calculating means 32 output the external force acting on the wheel bearing in real time or the acting force between the tire and the road surface, finer vehicle control becomes possible.

  Further, a preload is applied to the wheel bearing by the inner ring 10, and the ring member 22 is also deformed by the preload. For this reason, if the relationship between strain and preload is obtained in advance through experiments and simulations, the preload state of the wheel bearing can be known. The bearing preload amount calculation means 33 outputs the bearing preload amount by the output of the strain sensor 23 based on the relationship between the strain and the preload obtained and set in advance through experiments and simulations as described above. Further, by using the preload amount output from the bearing preload amount calculation means 33, it becomes easy to adjust the preload when the wheel bearing is assembled.

8 to 10 show the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the shape of the ring member 22 constituting the sensor unit 21 is different from that of the reference proposal example , but other configurations are the same as those of the reference proposal example. Omitted.
As shown in FIG. 10, the cross-sectional shape of the ring member 22 of this embodiment has a contact ring portion 22a and a non-contact ring portion 22b that are in contact and non-contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer member 1, respectively. In the non-contact ring portion 22b, a portion far from the contact ring portion 22a is formed into a thick portion 22c that is thicker than other portions.
On the outer peripheral surface of the non-contact ring portion 22b between the contact ring portion 22a and the thick portion 22c (the bottom of the concave groove shape portion between the contact ring portion 22a and the thick portion 22c), A strain sensor 23 for measuring axial strain is attached.

Further, a bolt screw hole 40 is provided in the contact ring portion 22a. The bolt screw hole 40 is bored from the outer peripheral end surface of the contact ring portion 22a toward the center in the radial direction, and is a solid hole having an internal thread formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof. The bolt screw holes 40 of the third to sixth embodiments described later are also solid holes similar to the bolt screw holes 40 of the first embodiment.
In the ring member 22, the bolt 42 is inserted into the bolt insertion hole 41 from the outer peripheral side of the outer member 1, and the male screw portion 42 a of the bolt 42 is inserted into the bolt screwing hole 40 of the ring member 22, as in the reference proposal example. The outer member 1 is fixed by screwing.
In this example, the ring member 22 is fixed to the outer member 1 using a bolt, but the ring member 22 may be fixed to the outer member 1 using either a bolt or an adhesive. You may fix to the outer member 1 together using both adhesives.

  Also in this embodiment, when a load is applied to the hub wheel 9 as described above, the outer member 1 is deformed via the rolling elements 5, and the deformation is attached to the inner periphery of the outer member 1. It is transmitted to the ring member 22 and the ring member 22 is deformed. Since the ring member 22 is fixed to the outer member 1 with bolts 42 or the like, the ring member 22 is not displaced with respect to the outer member 1, and the deformation of the outer member 1 is accurately applied to the ring member 22. It is transmitted. The strain of the ring member 22 is measured by the strain sensor 23. In this case, since the non-contact part 22b of the part far from the contact ring part 22a of the ring member 22 is a thick part 22c thicker than other parts, this part has high rigidity and is difficult to deform. Therefore, the distortion generated between the thick wall portion 22c and the contact ring portion 22a is obtained by transferring and expanding the radial distortion of the outer member 1. Thereby, the deformation of the outer member 1 can be detected with high sensitivity by the strain sensor 23, and the strain measurement accuracy is increased.

11 to 13 show a second embodiment, and the shape of the ring member 22 constituting the sensor unit 21 is different from the reference proposal example, the first embodiment. Since other configurations are the same as those of the reference proposal example and the first embodiment, common portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.
As shown in FIG. 13, the cross-sectional shape of the ring member 22 of this embodiment has a contact ring portion 22a and a non-contact ring portion 22b that are in contact and non-contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer member 1, respectively. The point is the same as that of the first embodiment, but differs in that an inward flange portion 22d is provided in a portion far from the contact ring portion 22a in the non-contact ring portion 22b. In this case, the shaft of the ring member 22 is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the non-contact ring portion 22b between the contact ring portion 22a and the flange portion 22d (the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion between the contact ring portion 22a and the thick portion 22c). A strain sensor 23 for measuring a directional strain is attached.
This embodiment also shows an example in which the ring member 22 is fixed to the outer member 1 using the bolts 42. However, the ring member 22 is fixed to the outer member 1 using either a bolt or an adhesive. Alternatively, both the bolt and the adhesive may be used together and fixed to the outer member 1.

In the case of this embodiment, as described above, when a load is applied to the hub wheel 9, the outer member 1 is deformed via the rolling elements 5, and the deformation is a ring attached to the inner periphery of the outer member 1. It is transmitted to the member 22 and the ring member 22 is deformed. In the sensor unit 21 of this embodiment, since the inward flange portion 22d is provided in a portion of the non-contact ring portion 22b far from the contact ring portion 22a, the rigidity of the flange portion 22d is high and hardly deformed. Therefore, the distortion generated between the flange portion 22d and the contact ring portion 22a is a transfer and enlargement of the radial distortion of the outer member 1, and high-precision distortion measurement is expected as described above.
Also in this embodiment, the output of the strain sensor 23 can be processed in the same manner as described above by the load detection system shown in FIG.

14 to 16 show a third embodiment. This embodiment also has the same configuration as the reference proposal example and the first and second embodiments except for the ring member 22 constituting the sensor unit 21. Omitted.
As shown in FIG. 16, the cross-sectional shape of the ring member 22 of this embodiment is such that the contact ring portions 22aA and 22aB and the non-contact ring portion 22b are in contact and non-contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer member 1, respectively. The non-contact ring portion 22b constitutes a bottom wall portion of the groove shape, and the contact ring portions 22aA and 22aB constitute side wall portions on both sides of the groove shape. The contact ring portions 22aA and 22aB on both sides are thicker than the non-contact ring portion 22b. The thickness mentioned here is the thickness in the radial direction for the non-contact ring portion 22b, and the thickness in the axial direction for the contact ring portions 22aA and 22aB.
A strain sensor 23 for measuring the axial strain of the ring member 22 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the non-contact ring portion 22b, that is, the inner bottom surface of the ring member 22.
This embodiment also shows an example in which the ring member 22 is fixed to the outer member 1 using the bolts 42. However, the ring member 22 is fixed to the outer member 1 using either a bolt or an adhesive. Alternatively, both the bolt and the adhesive may be used together and fixed to the outer member 1.

Also in this embodiment, when a load is applied to the hub wheel 9, the outer member 1 is deformed via the rolling elements 5, and the deformation is applied to the ring member 22 attached to the inner periphery of the outer member 1. The ring member 22 is deformed. The strain of the ring member 22 is measured by the strain sensor 23. In this case, the non-contact ring portion 22b is deformed according to the deformation of the outer member 1 mainly in the axial direction. On the other hand, since the contact ring portions 22aA and 22aB are thicker than the non-contact ring portion 22b, these portions are highly rigid and difficult to deform. Therefore, although the axial distortion occurs in the non-contact ring portion 22b, this distortion is a transfer and enlargement of the axial distortion of the inner periphery of the outer member 1, thereby measuring the distortion by the sensor 23. Increases accuracy.
Also in this embodiment, the output of the strain sensor 23 can be processed in the same manner as described above by the load detection system shown in FIG.

17 to 19 show a fourth embodiment. This embodiment also has the same configuration as the reference proposal example and the first to third embodiments except for the ring member 22 constituting the sensor unit 21, and the same reference numerals are given to the common parts and the description thereof will be given. Omitted.
As shown in FIG. 19, the cross-sectional shape of the ring member 22 of this embodiment is such that the contact ring portions 22aC and 22aD and the non-contact ring portion 22b are in contact and non-contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer member 1, respectively. It is the same as that of 3rd Embodiment in having a groove shape. However, in the ring member 22 of this embodiment, among the contact ring portions 22aC and 22aD on both sides, the thickness of one contact ring portion 22aC is thicker than that of the other contact ring portion 22aD, and the thickness of the non-contact ring portion 22b. The thickness is made even thicker than these.
A strain sensor 23 for measuring the strain in the bending direction of the ring member 22 is attached to the inner surface of the thinner contact ring portion 22aD, that is, the surface facing the contact ring portion 22aC. .
This embodiment also shows an example in which the ring member 22 is fixed to the outer member 1 using the bolts 42. However, the ring member 22 is fixed to the outer member 1 using either a bolt or an adhesive. Alternatively, both the bolt and the adhesive may be used together and fixed to the outer member 1.

Also in this embodiment, when a load is applied to the hub wheel 9, the outer member 1 is deformed via the rolling elements 5, and the deformation is transmitted to the ring member 22 attached to the inner periphery of the outer member 1. The ring member 22 is deformed. In the sensor unit 21 of this embodiment, the contact ring portion 22aD to which the strain sensor 23 is attached is deformed mainly according to the axial deformation of the outer member 1, but the one contact ring portion 22aC and the non-contact ring Since the thickness of the portion 22b is increased, the portion 22b is highly rigid and hardly deformed, and bending strain is generated in the thinner contact ring portion 22aD. This distortion is obtained by transferring and expanding the axial distortion of the inner periphery of the outer member 1. As a result, similar to the second embodiment, highly accurate strain measurement is expected.
Also in this embodiment, the output of the strain sensor 23 can be processed in the same manner as described above by the load detection system shown in FIG.

20 to 22 show a fifth embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first to fourth embodiments in the configuration of the sensor unit 21, and the sensor unit 21 is attached to the sensor attachment member 24 attached to the outer member 1 and the sensor attachment member 24. It consists of a strain sensor 23 that measures the strain of the sensor mounting member 22. Other than that, the configuration is the same as that of the reference proposal example and the first to fourth embodiments.
As shown in FIG. 22, the sensor mounting member 24 has a substantially arc shape elongated in the circumferential direction along the inner peripheral surface of the outer member 1, and contact fixing portions 24a projecting to the outer peripheral side of the arc at both ends thereof. 224 is formed. In addition, a notch 24c that opens to the outer peripheral side of the arc is formed at the center of the sensor mounting member 24, and the strain sensor 24 is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the arc located on the back of the notch 24c. Yes. The cross-sectional shape of the sensor mounting member 24 is, for example, a rectangular shape, but can be various other shapes.

  The sensor unit 21 is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the outer member 1 by the contact fixing portions 24 a and 24 b of the sensor mounting member 24 so that the longitudinal direction of the sensor mounting member 24 faces the circumferential direction of the outer member 1. . The contact fixing portions 24a and 24b are fixed to the outer member 1 by using either a bolt or an adhesive, or by using both the bolt and the adhesive in combination. In the illustrated example, the sensor attachment member 24 is fixed using bolts 42. At locations other than the contact fixing portions 24 a and 24 b of the sensor mounting member 22, a gap is generated between the sensor mounting member 22 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer member 1.

  In the case of this embodiment, the sensor units 21 are provided at two locations in the circumferential direction on the inner circumferential surface of the outer member 1. In the first sensor unit 21 (1), one contact fixing portion 24 a of the sensor mounting member 24 is located right above the entire circumference of the outer member 1, and the other contact fixing portion 24 b is several from the directly above position. It is arranged so as to be located 10 degrees below. In the second sensor unit 21 (2), one contact fixing portion 24a of the sensor mounting member 24 is located immediately below the entire circumference of the outer member 1, and the other contact fixing portion 24b is several from the position immediately below. It is arranged so as to be positioned 10 degrees upward. The positions directly above and below the entire circumference of the outer member 1 are locations where the outer member 1 is deformed the largest in the radial direction by a load acting on the outer member 1, and is several tens of degrees below the position immediately above. The position at a position several tens of degrees above the position and the position just below is a place where there is less deformation in the radial direction than the position just above and the position just below.

  In the case of this embodiment, when a load is applied to the hub wheel 9, the outer member 1 is deformed via the rolling elements 5, and the deformation is applied to the sensor mounting member 24 mounted on the inner periphery of the outer member 1. The sensor mounting member 24 is deformed. The strain of the sensor mounting member 24 is measured by the strain sensor 23. At this time, the sensor mounting member 24 is deformed in accordance with the radial deformation of the fixing portion of the sensor mounting member 24 in the outer member 1, but the sensor mounting member 24 has an arc shape compared to the outer member 1 and has a notch portion. Since 24c is provided and the rigidity is reduced at the position of the notch 24c, a strain larger than the strain of the outer member 1 appears at the strain sensor mounting portion of the sensor mounting member 24. For this reason, even a slight distortion of the outer member 1 can be accurately detected by the distortion sensor 23.

Of the two contact fixing portions 24 a and 24 b of the sensor mounting member 24, one contact fixing portion 24 a is a portion where the outer member 1 is deformed most in the radial direction due to a load acting on the outer member 1. The other contact fixing portion 24b is located directly above or directly below a certain circumference, and the other contact fixing portion 24b is located several tens of degrees below or several tens of degrees above directly above and slightly below the diametrical direction. Therefore, when the contact fixing portion 24a is largely deformed with the contact fixing portion 24b as a fulcrum, the attachment portion of the strain sensor 23 of the sensor attachment member 24 is further distorted. For this reason, the strain of the outer member 1 can be detected with high sensitivity by the strain sensor 23.
Also in this embodiment, the output of the strain sensor 23 can be processed in the same manner as described above by the load detection system shown in FIG.

Each of the above embodiments has been described with respect to the case where the outer member is a fixed side member, but the present invention can also be applied to a wheel bearing in which the inner member is a fixed side member. 21 is provided in the surrounding surface used as the outer periphery of an inner member.
Moreover, although each said embodiment demonstrated about the case where it applied to the bearing for 3rd generation type wheels, this invention is for 1st or 2nd generation type wheels from which a bearing part and a hub become mutually independent components. A bearing or a fourth generation type wheel bearing in which a part of the inner member is constituted by an outer ring of a constant velocity joint can also be applied. Further, the wheel bearing can be applied to a wheel bearing for a driven wheel, and can also be applied to a tapered roller type wheel bearing of each generation type.

It is sectional drawing of the wheel bearing with a sensor concerning the example of a reference proposal . It is a fragmentary sectional front view which shows the outward member and sensor unit of the wheel bearing with a sensor. (A) is a front view of the sensor unit, (b) is a sectional view taken along line IIIb-IIIb, and (c) is a sectional view taken along line IIIc-IIIc. It is sectional drawing of a sensor unit attachment part. It is sectional drawing of a different sensor unit attachment part. It is sectional drawing of a different sensor unit attachment part. It is a block diagram of a load detection system. It is sectional drawing of the bearing for wheels with a sensor concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional front view which shows the outward member and sensor unit of the wheel bearing with a sensor. (A) is a cross-sectional view of the sensor unit, (b) is an enlarged view of the main part, and (c) is an enlarged view of a different main part. It is sectional drawing of the bearing for wheels with a sensor concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional front view which shows the outward member and sensor unit of the wheel bearing with a sensor. (A) is a cross-sectional view of the sensor unit, (b) is an enlarged view of the main part, and (c) is an enlarged view of a different main part. It is sectional drawing of the bearing for wheels with a sensor concerning 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional front view which shows the outward member and sensor unit of the wheel bearing with a sensor. (A) is a cross-sectional view of the sensor unit, (b) is an enlarged view of the main part, and (c) is an enlarged view of a different main part. It is sectional drawing of the wheel bearing with a sensor concerning 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional front view which shows the outward member and sensor unit of the wheel bearing with a sensor. (A) is a cross-sectional view of the sensor unit, (b) is an enlarged view of the main part, and (c) is an enlarged view of a different main part. It is sectional drawing of the wheel bearing with a sensor concerning 5th Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the outward member and sensor unit of the wheel bearing with a sensor. (A) is a front view of the sensor unit, and (b) is a bottom view thereof.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Outer member (fixed side member)
2 ... Inward member (rotary member)
3, 4 ... rolling surface 5 ... rolling elements 7, 8 ... sealing means 21 ... sensor unit 22 ... ring mounting members 22a, 22aA, 22aB, 22aC, 22aD ... contact ring portion 22b ... non-contact ring portion 23 ... strain sensor 24 ... Sensor mounting members 24a and 24b ... Contact fixing part 41 ... Bolt insertion hole 42 ... Bolt 43 ... Annular member (gap sealing means)
44 ... gap 45 ... resin mold (gap sealing means)
46 ... Sleeve (sealing means)

Claims (9)

An outer member in which a double row rolling surface is formed on the inner periphery, an inner member having a rolling surface opposite to the rolling surface of the outer member, and a double row interposed between both rolling surfaces A rolling bearing, and a sealing means for sealing an end portion between the outer member and the inner member, and a wheel bearing for rotatably supporting the wheel with respect to the vehicle body,
A ring member is attached to the peripheral surface of the fixed side member of the outer member and the inner member, and the cross-sectional shape of the ring member is a contact that is in contact with or not in contact with the peripheral surface of the fixed side member. A ring portion and a non-contact ring portion, and a portion of the non-contact ring portion that is far from the contact ring portion is a thicker portion thicker than other portions, and the contact ring portion in the ring member A sensor for measuring the axial strain of the ring member is provided between the thick part and the thick member, and the fixing of the ring member and the fixed side member is performed using either a bolt or an adhesive, Or a bearing for a wheel with a sensor, characterized by performing both in combination. An outer member in which a double row rolling surface is formed on the inner periphery, an inner member having a rolling surface opposite to the rolling surface of the outer member, and a double row interposed between both rolling surfaces A rolling bearing, and a sealing means for sealing an end portion between the outer member and the inner member, and a wheel bearing for rotatably supporting the wheel with respect to the vehicle body,
A ring member is attached to the peripheral surface of the fixed side member of the outer member and the inner member, and the cross-sectional shape of the ring member is a contact that is in contact with or not in contact with the peripheral surface of the fixed side member. A ring portion and a non-contact ring portion are provided, and a flange portion is provided in a portion of the non-contact ring portion far from the contact ring portion, and the ring member is provided between the contact ring portion and the flange portion in the ring member. A sensor for measuring the axial strain of the ring member is provided, and the ring member and the fixed side member are fixed using either a bolt or an adhesive, or a combination of both. Wheel bearing with sensor. An outer member in which a double row rolling surface is formed on the inner periphery, an inner member having a rolling surface opposite to the rolling surface of the outer member, and a double row interposed between both rolling surfaces A rolling bearing, and a sealing means for sealing an end portion between the outer member and the inner member, and a wheel bearing for rotatably supporting the wheel with respect to the vehicle body,
A ring member is attached to the peripheral surface of the fixed member of the outer member and the inner member, and the cross-sectional shape of the ring member is a pair of contact ring portions that are axially separated from each other and contact the fixed member And a shape having a non-contact ring portion that is connected between these contact ring portions and does not contact the fixed side member, the non-contact ring portion is thinner than the contact ring portion, and the non-contact ring portion, A sensor for measuring an axial strain of the ring member is provided, and the ring member and the stationary member are fixed using either a bolt or an adhesive, or a combination of both. Bearing for wheel with sensor. An outer member in which a double row rolling surface is formed on the inner periphery, an inner member having a rolling surface opposite to the rolling surface of the outer member, and a double row interposed between both rolling surfaces A rolling bearing, and a sealing means for sealing an end portion between the outer member and the inner member, and a wheel bearing for rotatably supporting the wheel with respect to the vehicle body,
A ring member is attached to the peripheral surface of the fixed member of the outer member and the inner member, and the cross-sectional shape of the ring member is a pair of contact ring portions that are axially separated from each other and contact the fixed member And a non-contact ring portion that is connected between these contact ring portions and does not contact the fixed side member, and one of the contact ring portions is thinner than the other contact ring portion and the non-contact ring portion. A sensor for measuring the bending strain of the ring member is provided on the contact ring portion having a reduced thickness, and the ring member and the fixed side member are fixed using either a bolt or an adhesive. Or a bearing for a wheel with a sensor, characterized in that it is performed in combination of both. An outer member in which a double row rolling surface is formed on the inner periphery, an inner member having a rolling surface opposite to the rolling surface of the outer member, and a double row interposed between both rolling surfaces A rolling bearing, and a sealing means for sealing an end portion between the outer member and the inner member, and a wheel bearing for rotatably supporting the wheel with respect to the vehicle body,
A sensor unit comprising a sensor mounting member and a strain sensor mounted on the sensor mounting member is mounted on a peripheral surface of a fixed side member of the outer member and the inner member, and the sensor mounting member is mounted on the fixed side member. In contrast, it has at least two contact fixing portions, and has at least one notch portion between adjacent contact fixing portions, and the strain sensor is disposed in the notch portion, and the sensor mounting member and The sensor-equipped wheel bearing according to claim 1, wherein the fixing side member is fixed using either a bolt or an adhesive, or a combination of both. In any one of claims 1 to 5, the sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly the stationary member is the outer member. 7. The ring member or sensor mounting member according to claim 6 , wherein the ring member or sensor mounting member is disposed on an inner peripheral surface of the outer member, and the ring member or sensor mounting member and the outer member are fixed to each other on the inner peripheral side and outer periphery of the outer member. With a sensor provided with a gap sealing means that seals the gap that occurs between the bolt and the outer member when the bolt is inserted into the bolt insertion hole with the bolt inserted from the outer periphery side into the bolt insertion hole communicating with the side Wheel bearing. 8. The wheel bearing with sensor according to claim 7 , wherein an annular member made of a soft material is provided in the gap, and this is used as a gap sealing means. 8. The sensor-equipped wheel bearing according to claim 7 , wherein a resin mold is applied to an outer peripheral end portion of the bolt and a peripheral surface of the outer member at the peripheral portion, and the resin mold is used as a clearance sealing means.

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