ROLLING BEARING HAVING INTEGRATED RELUCTANCE STEPPER MOTOR

1 - 7 . (canceled)

8 . A rolling bearing, comprising

a first bearing ring;

a second bearing ring;

an intermediate element, which acts as a rotor, arranged between the bearing rings in such a way that the intermediate element can move relative to both of the bearing rings; and

at least one pole shoe, which forms a stator, arranged between the bearing rings and having a magnetic field of which can be electrically controlled,

wherein the rotor and the stator and the form a reluctance stepper motor.

9 . The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising a carrier ring secured on one of the bearing rings with the at least one pole shoe is arranged on the carrier ring.

10 . The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 8 , wherein at least two pole shoes are arranged opposite one another in pairs on at least one of the bearing rings.

11 . The rolling bearing as claimed claim 8 , wherein the intermediate element is a rolling contact element.

12 . The rolling bearing as claimed claim 11 , wherein the rolling contact element composed of a soft-magnetic material.

13 . The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the intermediate element is a cage for rolling contact elements, and the cage has a section or sections that has or have an area composed a soft-magnetic material.

14 . The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the intermediate element is a loose distance piece comprised of a soft-magnetic material, which holds adjacent rolling contact elements apart from each other.

15 . The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the bearing rings are preloaded relative to one another.