| 摘要 |
A bearing assembly (A) which couples a road wheel (W) to a suspension system component (C) on an automotive vehicle includes a hub (12) to which the wheel (W) is attached and a housing (14) which is attached to the suspension system component (C). The housing (14) has two tapered raceways (58) which surround raceways (42) on cones (40) that are fitted to the hub (12). Organized in two rows between the raceways (42 & 58) of the housing (14) and cones (40) are tapered rollers (54) which roll along the raceways (42 & 58) when the wheel (W) rotates. The rollers (54) as they pass over the outer raceway (58) impart minute flexures to the housing (14) and these flexures are monitored by multiple strain sensors (M) on the housing (14). The strains - and the signals produced by the sensors (M) - reflect conditions at the region of contact between a tire on the road wheel (W) and the road surface over which the tire rolls. When the bearing assembly (A) is used in industrial applications, such as rolling mills or machine tools, the electrical signals generated by the sensors (M) provide indications usable by electronic processors and controllers which analyze these signals to determine the loads placed upon various components within a system which incorporates the bearing assembly (A). |
