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US 10,435,052 B2Granted
Broken wheel detection system
AssigneeTetra Tech, Inc.
InventorDarel Mesher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A broken wheel detection system for detecting broken wheels on rail vehicles even when such vehicles are moving at a high rate of speed.
Claims17
A broken wheel detection apparatus for detecting broken wheels on rail cars while a rail car is in motion passing by the broken wheel detection apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
- a first rail sensor assembly comprising a first structured light generator directed toward a first section of a first rail, and a first digital area scan camera directed to a first wheel assessment zone which includes the first section of the first rail;
- and
- a processor in communication with the first rail sensor assembly wherein the processor controls the operation of the first structured light generator and the first digital area scan camera, and wherein the processor includes an algorithm for detecting and recording a defect of a wheel on a rail car as such rail car passes by the broken wheel detection apparatus, the algorithm comprising the steps of:
- a. detecting a passing rail car;
- b. obtaining a first plurality of elevation scan frames of a wheel of the rail car using the first digital area scan camera;
- c. identifying parallel structured light lines in the first plurality of elevation scan frames;
- d. recording on the processor the position, length and orientation of some of the structured light lines in each frame of the first plurality of elevation scan frames;
- and
- e. comparing the position, length and orientation of the recorded structured light lines in each of the first plurality of elevation scan frames to determine whether all recorded corresponding structured light lines maintain the same position, length and orientation for each of the first plurality of elevation scan frames.
6 more elements
A method for detecting broken wheels on rail cars while a rail car is in motion, which comprises:
- a. detecting a rail car in motion before it passes by a broken wheel detection apparatus using a detection device in communication with a processor;
- b. projecting structured light lines toward the rail car as it passes by the broken wheel detection apparatus using a light generator in communication with the processor;
- c. obtaining a first plurality of elevation scan frames of a wheel of the rail car using a first digital area scan camera in communication with the processor;
- d. identifying parallel structured light lines in the first plurality of elevation scan frames using the processor;
- e. recording on the processor the position, length and orientation of some of the structured light lines in the first plurality of elevation scan frames;
- and
- f. comparing the position, length and orientation of the recorded structured light lines in each of the first plurality of elevation scan frames using the processor to determine whether all recorded corresponding structured light lines maintain the same position, length and orientation for each of the first plurality of elevation scan frames.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.