Cabled Bearing Angled Cable Exit Recess
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cables attached to bearings, particularly those carrying optical or electrical signals, face strain and damage during lubricant flow and handling due to their orientation and protruding parts, making them cumbersome and susceptible to damage during transportation and installation.
Innovation Solution
A rolling element bearing design with a recessed socket on the bearing ring for the cable connector, allowing the cable to exit at an angle that aligns with the circumferential direction of the bearing, reducing transverse strain and incorporating a swiveling connector for easy handling and reversible orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the cable exits the bearing in a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, then the cable connection is simple, but the cable experiences high strain from lubricant flow during bearing operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the cable exit direction from radial (perpendicular to rotation axis) to axial (parallel to rotation axis). This dimensional change in the cable's spatial orientation allows the cable to align with the lubricant flow direction, transforming the harmful transverse strain into minimal longitudinal strain while the cable remains protected within the bearing structure.
2Ease of operation
If the cable connector protrudes from the bearing surface, then the cable can be easily connected, but the bearing becomes cumbersome and susceptible to damage during transportation and installation
Solution Approach 1:
The cable connector is nested within a recess in the bearing's outer ring, with only the cable itself protruding slightly from the bearing surface. This nesting approach protects the fragile connector from damage during handling while maintaining cable accessibility for connection, as the cable can still be routed out through the recess opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing structure is modified locally by creating a recess in the outer ring that accommodates the cable connector. This localized structural change provides protection where needed (at the connector location) while maintaining the overall bearing integrity and minimizing impact on the bearing's mechanical properties.
3Ease of manufacture
If the cable runs transverse to the lubricant flow, then the cable connection is straightforward, but the cable experiences increased strain and potential damage during bearing operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reorients the cable from a radial arrangement (transverse to lubricant flow) to an axial arrangement (parallel to lubricant flow). This dimensional reorientation changes the cable's relationship with the lubricant flow from perpendicular to parallel, dramatically reducing the strain experienced by the cable during bearing operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A rolling element bearing having first and second bearing rings and at least one row of rolling elements disposed between raceway surfaces of the bearing rings. The bearing further includes at least one sensor provided on a sensing surface of the first bearing ring, and a signal-carrying cable in connection with the sensor. The cable provides a cable connector, which fits into a socket. The socket is integrated in a recess provided in an external surface of the first bearing ring. The recess is in communication with the sensing surface and a signal coupling is provided between the sensor and the socket. One of the cable connector and the socket has an angled body section angled with a first angle α relative to a longitudinal axis of the recess, such that the cable is guided out of the recess at an angle to a normal of the external surface.