Patent ID: 9281462
Filing Date: 2016-03-08
CPC Classification: F16C,H01L,H02J

Claim Text:
1. A power generating bearing assembly comprising: a bearing housing comprising: a thermo-generator cavity extending inward from an exterior surface of said bearing housing, said thermo-generator cavity being formed at a location proximate said elevated temperature return segment, said thermo-generator cavity terminating at a cavity end wall; a bearing subassembly retained within said bearing receptacle; and a Thermo-Electric Generator (TEG) located within said thermo-generator cavity, said TEG being in thermal communication with a surface of said cavity end wall, wherein during operation, heat generated by rotation of said bearing subassembly elevates a temperature of said bearing housing, and said TEG converts a thermal difference between said bearing housing elevated temperature at said cavity end wall and an ambient temperature to electric power.