Patent ID: 7878713

Claim:
A sensor-incorporated wheel support bearing assembly for rotatably supporting a wheel relative to an automotive body structure, which assembly comprises: an outer member having an inner peripheral surface formed with a plurality of raceways; an inner member having an outer peripheral surface formed with a plurality of raceways in face-to-face relation with the raceways in the outer member; a plurality of rows of rolling elements interposed between the raceways in the outer member and the raceways in the inner member, respectively; and a sealing device for sealing an end of a bearing space delimited between the outer member and the inner member, wherein one of the outer member and the inner member, which serves as a stationary member, is fitted with a ring member on a peripheral surface or an end face thereof, the ring member having at an intermediate portion thereof a first non-contact ring portion not in contact with the stationary member, at one end a first contact ring portion in contact with the stationary member, and at the other end either of the following portions (A) or (B): (A) a second non-contact ring portion not in contact with the stationary member and having a wall thickness greater than that of the first non-contact ring portion; (B) a second contact ring portion in contact with the stationary member; and wherein in the case of (A), the first contact ring portion is fitted with a sensor for measuring a strain on the ring member, and in the case of (B), the sensor for detecting a strain on the ring member is fitted to one of the first non-contact ring portion and the first contact ring portion, which has the smallest wall thickness.