Force measuring device

Claim 1

A device for measuring forces including: a ball or roller bearing having concentric inner and outer rings for accommodating at least first and second rows of rolling elements therebetween, first and second resistance strain gauges on said ball or roller bearing mounted at first (1) and second (3) measuring positions proximate said first row for sensing cyclic strains applied thereto, a third resistance strain gauge mounted on said ball or roller bearing at a third measuring position (2) proximate said second row for sensing cyclic strains applied thereto, said ball or roller bearing being adapted to absorb radial and axial forces applied thereto, said first, second and third strain gauges being adapted to change resistance and provide a signal in response to cyclic strains applied to said respective measuring positions, first (17) and second (18) and third (14) amplifiers coupled to the output of said first, second and third strain gauges, respectively, first (19), second (20) and third (16) rectifiers coupled to the outputs of said first, second and third amplifiers, respectively, a compensator (15) coupled between the output of said third amplifier (14) and the input of said third rectifier (16) for compensating for bearing ratio percentages, and the apparent axial force resulting therefrom, with only radial forces acting on said first and second rows of rolling elements, said compensator being adapted to reinforce the weaker signal of the signals proceeding from the first and third measuring positions, to which the radial forces are applied in the same direction, until said apparent axial force is eliminated, and a subtractor (22) for subtracting said compensated signal at the output of said third rectifier (16) from the signal at the output of said first rectifier (19) to provide a different signal U A corresponding to actual applied axial force.

Claim 2

A device for measuring forces including: a ball or roller bearing having concentric inner and outer rings for accommodating at least first and second rows of rolling elements therebetween, first and second resistance strain gauges on said ball or roller bearing mounted at first (1) and second (3) measuring positions proximate said first row for sensing cyclic strains applied thereto, a third resistance strain gauge mounted on said ball or roller bearing at a third measuring position (2) proximate said second row for sensing cyclic strains applied thereto, said ball or roller bearing being adapted to absorb radial and axial forces applied thereto, said first, second and third strain gauges being adapted to change resistance and provide a signal in response to cyclic strains applied to said respective measuring positions, first (17) and second (18) and third (14) amplifiers coupled to the output of said first, second and third strain gauges, respectively, first (19), second (20) and third (16) rectifiers coupled to the outputs of said first, second and third amplifiers, respectively, a compensator (15) coupled between the output of said third amplifier (14) and the input of said third rectifier (16) for compensating for bearing ratio percentages, and the apparent axial force resulting therefrom, with only radial forces acting on said first and second rows of rolling elements, said compensator being adapted to reinforce the weaker signal of the signals proceeding from the first and third measuring positions, to which the radial forces are applied in the same direction, until said apparent axial force is eliminated, and a subtractor (22) for subtracting said compensated signal at the output of said third rectifier (16) from the signal at the output of said first rectifier (19) to provide a different signal U A corresponding to actual applied axial force.

Claim 4

A device according to claims 1 or 2 wherein said compensator (15) is a rectifier.

Claim 6

A device for measuring forces including: a ball or roller bearing having concentric inner and outer rings for accommodating at least first and second rows of rolling elements therebetween, first and third resistance strain gauges mounted on said ball or roller bearing at first (24) and third (26) measuring positions proximate said first row, second and fourth resistance strain gauges mounted on said ball or roller bearing at second (25) and fourth (27) measuring positions proximate said second row, first (28), second (29), third (30) and fourth (31) amplifiers coupled to the outputs of said first, second, third and fourth strain gauges respectively, first (22), second (33), third (34) and fourth (35) rectifiers coupled to the outputs of said first, second, third and fourth amplifiers, respectively, a first adder (39) for adding signals from the outputs of said first and third rectifiers, a second adder (40) for adding signals from the outputs of said second and fourth rectifiers, and a first subtractor (41) for subtracting signals from the outputs of said first and second adders to provide a difference signal U A corresponding to actual axial forces.

Claim 7

A device for measuring forces including: a ball or roller bearing having concentric inner and outer rings for accommodating at least first and second rows of rolling elements therebetween, first and third resistance strain gauges mounted on said ball or roller bearing at first (24) and third (26) measuring positions proximate said first row, second and fourth resistance strain gauges mounted on said ball or roller bearing at second (25) and fourth (27) measuring positions proximate said second row, first (28), second (29), third (30) and fourth (31) amplifiers coupled to the outputs of said first, second, third and fourth strain gauges respectively, first (22), second (33), third (34) and fourth (35) rectifiers coupled to the outputs of said first, second, third and fourth amplifiers, respectively, a first adder (39) for adding signals from the outputs of said first and third rectifiers, a second adder (40) for adding signals from the outputs of said second and fourth rectifiers, and a first subtractor (41) for subtracting signals from the outputs of said first and second adders to provide a difference signal U A corresponding to actual axial forces.

Claim 9

A device according to claims 1 or 5, characterized in that all measuring positions (1, 2, 3 and 24-27) and the longitudinal axis (13) of the bearing (8) are essentially located in one plane.

Claim 10

A device according to claims 1 or 5, characterized in that the length (1) of the gratings of the resistance strain gauges (4) arranged at the measuring positions is at most equal to the length of the rolling elements (11) projected onto the measuring position.

Claim 11

A device according to claims 1 or 5, characterized in that at each measuring position (24, 25; 47, 48) two resistance strain gauges (4) are arranged.