Patent ID: 8578791
Filing Date: 2013-11-12
Classification: B60B,F16C,G01L

Abstract:
1. A sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly for rotatably supporting a vehicle wheel relative to a vehicle body structure, comprising: an outer member having an inner periphery formed with a plurality of rolling surfaces; an inner member having an outer periphery formed with rolling surfaces held in face-to-face relation with the respective rolling surfaces; a plurality of rows of rolling elements interposed between the opposed rolling surfaces; at least one sensor unit including a strain generating member, having two or more contact fixing segments adapted to be held in contact with and fixed to one of the outer and inner members that serves as a stationary member, and a sensor mounted on the strain generating member for detecting a strain occurred in the strain generating member; a correcting section to correct an output signal of the sensor in the sensor unit; and an estimating section to estimate a load, acting on a tire tread of a vehicle wheel tire, or a load, acting on the wheel support bearing assembly, from the output signal which has been corrected by the correcting section, wherein the strain generating member is disposed at a location departing from a line that passes through a center of the rolling elements and extends in a direction defined by a rolling element contact angle and, wherein the strain generating member in the sensor unit is in the form of a thin plate of a generally strip shape when viewed from top, and has a cutout portion defined in a side edge portion thereof.