Abstract: A machine arrangement, including at least one bearing ring, wherein a glass fiber is connected with the machine arrangement. To allow a proper measurement of stresses even at curved surfaces of the machine arrangement as it is typical in the case of bearing rings, the connection between the glass fiber and the machine arrangement is established by a metallic material which metal material is connected by material bonding with the machine arrangement as well as with the glass fiber.

Abstract: The invention provides a load determining system including a sensorized rolling element bearing in a hub unit for wheels. The bearing includes a first ring and a second ring as an inner ring and an outer ring. Either one of the first and second ring may be the inner ring, the other ring being the outer ring. The system includes at least one magnetic sensor attached to the first ring that interacts with a target wheel attached to the second ring. Further, the system includes a signal processing unit configured to receive the magnetic sensor output of the at least one magnetic sensor. The signal processing unit is configured to determine at least axial forces acting on the bearing based on the amplitude of the magnetic sensor output. It is proposed that a pitch wavelength of the target ring is 4 mm or less.

Abstract: A method of onboard determination of vehicle wheel alignment is provided. In a first step, a lateral acceleration signal is generated, using an accelerometer mounted on the vehicle wheel. In a second step, a first lateral acceleration value ay Acc is derived from a first portion of the lateral acceleration signal, which is during a longitudinal acceleration a0 of the vehicle. In a third step, a second lateral acceleration value ay CS is derived from a second portion of the lateral acceleration signal, which is measured when the longitudinal acceleration has ceased and the vehicle is travelling at constant speed. In a fourth step, the magnitude of the longitudinal acceleration a0 associated with the first portion of the lateral acceleration signal is measured.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bearing assembly that provides a magnetic sensor; a shaft; and a bearing. One of the shaft and the bearing is provided with a surface having a bearing steel and including a magnetic pattern disposed thereon for indicating a rotation of the shaft relative to the bearing. The magnetic pattern is provided by the microstructure of the surface; and the sensor is arranged to sense the pattern and output a signal indicative of a rotation of the shaft relative to the bearing.

Abstract: The mechanical load on a rolling element bearing is determined from the deformation of the rolling element bearing. The local deformation caused by the rolling contact forces is used to determine an average contribution to the mechanical load in order to average out the effect on the deformation as a result of the spread in diameter of the rolling elements of the bearing. The global deformation of the rolling element bearing is determined to calculate a dynamic contribution to the mechanical load. The dynamic contribution takes into account the variations of the mechanical load on the relevant time-scales that have been omitted from the average contribution as a result of the averaging operation. The total mechanical load is the sum of the average contribution and the dynamic contribution.

Abstract: A sensor assembly for use in sensor bearings, the sensor assembly comprising at least two sensor units configured to be arranged on a ring of the sensor bearing in different angular positions with regard to the rotation axis of the bearing. Each of the sensor units includes at least one hall sensor plate. At least two hall sensor plates of different sensor units are wired in an antiparallel orientation in order to compensate offset voltages of the hall sensor plates.

Abstract: A slip control system for vehicles having at least one wheel provided with a brake. The slip control system includes at least one sensor and a control device configured to determine a wheel slip of the wheel based on the signals of said sensor. The sensor can be a load sensor provided in a bearing of the wheel.

Abstract: An apparatus (1000) comprises a first physical component (1004), a second physical component (1006) and a sensor arrangement. The first and second physical components move relative to one another in operational use of the apparatus. The sensor arrangement senses a relative kinematic state of the first and second physical components. The sensor arrangement comprises a magnet (110) and a sensor (112). The sensor senses a property of a magnetic field of the magnet at a location of the sensor. The sensor is mounted stationary with respect to the first physical component. The sensor arrangement comprises a target object (114), mounted stationary with respect to the second physical component. The target object is configured for affecting an attribute of the property in dependence on the relative kinematic state. According to the invention target object (114) comprises a plurality of interlocking, segments.

Abstract: A machine arrangement, comprising at least one carrier, wherein a glass fiber is connected with the machine arrangement. To allow a proper measurement of stresses even at curved surfaces of the machine arrangement, as it is typical in the case of a carrier being attached to bearing rings, the connection between the glass fiber and the machine arrangement is established by a metallic material which metal material is connected by material bonding with the machine arrangement as well as with the glass fiber.

Abstract: An accelerometer (102) senses acceleration in a specific direction through the voltages produced by multiple piezoelectric sensors (114, 302, 304) electrically arranged in parallel in response to the acceleration. The main axes of sensitivity of the piezoelectric sensors are aligned and point in the same direction. The parallel arrangement enables to control the thermal noise level of the output signal of the accelerometer that originates in a bias resistor (116) connected in parallel to the parallel arrangement of the piezoelectric sensors.

Abstract: A machine arrangement, including at least one bearing ring, wherein a glass fiber is connected with the machine arrangement. To allow a proper measurement of stresses, even at curved surfaces of the machine arrangement as it is typical in the case of bearing rings, the connection between the glass fiber and the machine arrangement is established by a glass material. The glass material is connected by material bonding with the machine arrangement as well as with the glass fiber.

Abstract: A method of onboard determination of vehicle wheel alignment is provided. In a first step, a lateral acceleration signal is generated, using an accelerometer mounted on the vehicle wheel. In a second step, a first lateral acceleration value ay Acc is derived from a first portion of the lateral acceleration signal, which is during a longitudinal acceleration a0 of the vehicle. In a third step, a second lateral acceleration value ay CS is derived from a second portion of the lateral acceleration signal, which is measured when the longitudinal acceleration has ceased and the vehicle is travelling at constant speed. In a fourth step, the magnitude of the longitudinal acceleration a0 associated with the first portion of the lateral acceleration signal is measured.

Abstract: A machine arrangement, including at least one bearing ring, wherein a glass fiber is connected with the machine arrangement. To allow a proper measurement of stresses even at curved surfaces of the machine arrangement as it is typical in the case of bearing rings, the connection between the glass fiber and the machine arrangement is established by a metallic material which metal material is connected by material bonding with the machine arrangement as well as with the glass fiber.

Abstract: A sensor arrangement is operative to sense a relative kinematic state of a magnet (110) and a Hall-effect sensor (202) with respect to each other. The Hall-effect sensor has a Hall plate (204) and is accommodated in a surface-mount device. The magnet is configured for generating a magnetic field having an orientation primarily parallel to the Hall plate. The sensor arrangement comprises magnetic-field collecting means (206) for changing the orientation of the magnetic field to be primarily perpendicular to the Hall plate.

Abstract: The present invention resides in a method of providing a mark on a surface of a metal component, where the mark comprises a symbol (301) representing a first entity of information and the method comprises a step of laser marking, in which a controllable laser beam is used to form the symbol (301) from two or more separate line segments (33 1-334), each line segment (33 1.334) having at least one point of overlap with another line segment. According to the invention, the method further comprises a step of embedding a second entity of information within the mark by modifying a sequence in which the two or more separate line segments (33 1-334) are formed.

Abstract: The present invention defines a strain sensor for measuring strains induced on a component surface (34). The strain sensor comprises a strain gauge (31) and a support member (32), whereby the support member is attached to the component surface only at first and second attachment places. The support member comprises a beam portion (39) that is adapted to bend in response to a relative displacement of the first and second attachment places, and the strain gauge is integrated on a surface (33) of this beam portion. To ensure a strong and stable bending response of the beam portion, the attached support member comprises at least one flexure hinge (45).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a bearing component, in which a visible identification mark is created on a surface of the component using a laser beam. The laser marking creates an oxidized layer on the component surface and, in an underlying region, alters the microstructure of the bearing steel from which the component is made. According to the invention, the mark is then rendered visually undetectable with the naked eye, by removing at least the oxidized surface layer of the mark. This exposes the altered microstructure, which is revealable by applying an etchant to the visually undetectable mark.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a bearing component, in which a visually undetectable identification mark is created on a surface of the component by means of laser marking performed in a protective gas environment. The protective gas environment prevents the formation of a visible oxide layer, while the temperatures induced at the component surface and below the component surface, due to the laser marking, are sufficient to alter the microstructure of the bearing steel from which the component is made. The altered microstructure is revealable by applying an etchant to the visually undetectable mark, thereby allowing authentication of the bearing component.

Abstract: An apparatus (1000) comprises a first physical component (1004), a second physical component (1006) and a sensor arrangement. The first and second physical components move relative to one another in operational use of the apparatus. The sensor arrangement senses a relative kinematic state of the first and second physical components. The sensor arrangement comprises a magnet (110) and a sensor (112). The sensor senses a property of a magnetic field of the magnet at a location of the sensor. The sensor is mounted stationary with respect to the first physical component. The sensor arrangement comprises a target object (114), mounted stationary with respect to the second physical component. The target object is configured for affecting an attribute of the property in dependence on the relative kinematic state. According to the invention target object (114) comprises a plurality of interlocking, segments.

Abstract: The mechanical load on a rolling element bearing is determined from the deformation of the rolling element bearing. The local deformation caused by the rolling contact forces is used to determine an average contribution to the mechanical load in order to average out the effect on the deformation as a result of the spread in diameter of the rolling elements of the bearing. The global deformation of the rolling element bearing is determined to calculate a dynamic contribution to the mechanical load. The dynamic contribution takes into account the variations of the mechanical load on the relevant time-scales that have been omitted from the average contribution as a result of the averaging operation. The total mechanical load is the sum of the average contribution and the dynamic contribution.