Roller bearing with variable raceway incorporates piezo actor to vary raceway geometry

摘要

The roller bearing (1) has one or more raceways (2) and roller bodies (3) in point contact with a raceway. A piezo actuator element acting in axial direction of the bearing, forms an actor (4) to vary the raceway geometry of the bearing. The element acts independently of a force effective between roller body and bearing ring, to deform the bearing ring. The actor is part of the bearing ring and generates a force to vary the raceway geometry between close and wide contact.