CAPACITANCE MEASUREMENT IN A BEARING HOUSING

摘要

A bearing arrangement having a bearing mounted in a housing, wherein a grease lubricant is present within the housing for lubricating the bearing, a support frame at least partly made of an electrically insulating material, arranged in a space within the housing that lies axially between the bearing and a housing seal. The support frame includes at least one electrode pair having first and second electrodes arranged to enable grease lubricant to contact therewith. A capacitance meter provided for measuring a capacitance between the first and second electrodes. The support frame provides a radially oriented surface and a plurality of ribs that extend in a radially inward direction, the ribs having sufficient circumferential spacing to enable grease to flow between adjacent ribs. One of the first and second electrodes is provided on the radially oriented surface of the support frame or on a rib surface that faces an adjacent rib.

主权项

1. A bearing arrangement comprising:
a bearing mounted in a housing, the bearing having an inner ring an outer ring and a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the inner and outer rings; a grease lubricant provided inside the bearing arrangement; and a contamination sensor for detecting a level of contamination of the grease lubricant, the contamination sensor comprising a capacitance meter and a support frame mounted to the housing at an axial side of the bearing, wherein: the support frame is provided with an electrode pair having first and second electrodes that are connected to the capacitance meter and are arranged to be in contact with a portion of the grease lubricant; the support frame provides a radially oriented surface and a plurality of ribs that extend in a radially inward direction, the ribs circumferentially spaced and have a sufficient circumferential spacing to enable grease to flow between adjacent ribs; and at least one of the first and second electrodes is provided on the radially oriented surface of the support frame and on a rib surface that faces an adjacent rib.