Patent ID: 8346490

Claim:
A sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly for rotatably supporting a vehicle wheel relative to an automotive vehicle body, comprising: an outer member having an inner periphery formed with a plurality of rolling surfaces defined therein; an inner member having an outer periphery formed with rolling surfaces opposed to the rolling surfaces in the outer member; a plurality of rows of rolling elements interposed between those rolling surfaces; a strain amplifying mechanism to amplify a strain in a stationary member served by the outer member, which strain occurs when the rolling elements pass by; a strain sensor element fixed to the strain amplifying mechanism to detect the strain amplified by the strain amplifying mechanism; and a calculator to calculate, from an output of the strain sensor element, a load acting on the bearing assembly or a load acting between the vehicle wheel and a road surface, wherein the outer member has an outer peripheral surface formed with a thin walled area, in the form of a groove extending axially, having a wall thickness smaller than that of a proximity thereof, the strain amplifying mechanism includes a bridge piece provided across the groove with opposite ends of the bridge piece being secured to opposite open edge portions of the groove, and a leg piece protruding from the bridge piece and fixed to or held in contact with the bottom surface of the groove, and the strain sensor element is fixed to a cutout that is provided in the bridge piece.