Load sensing system for a railway truck assembly
AssigneeAmsted Rail Company, Inc.
InventorPaul Steven Wike
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A truck assembly for a rail vehicle includes at least one side frame including at least one lightener hole. At least one strain gage is disposed within the lightener hole(s). The strain gage(s) is configured to detect forces exerted into or onto the truck assembly. A method of detecting forces exerted into or onto a truck assembly of a rail vehicle includes disposing at least one strain gage within at least one lightener hole of at least one side frame of a truck assembly of the rail vehicle, and detecting the forces by the strain gage(s).
Claims23
A truck assembly for a rail vehicle, the truck assembly comprising:
- at least one side frame including at least one lightener hole defined by at least one rim including at least one recessed pocket;
- and
- at least one strain gage disposed within the at least one lightener hole, wherein the at least one strain gage is secured to the at least one recessed pocket, and wherein the at least one strain gage is configured to detect forces exerted into or onto the truck assembly.
A method of detecting forces exerted into or onto a truck assembly of a rail vehicle, the method comprising:
- disposing at least one strain gage within at least one lightener hole of at least one side frame of a truck assembly of the rail vehicle, wherein said disposing comprises securing the at least one strain gage to least one recessed pocket of the at least one lightener hole;
- and
- detecting the forces by the at least one strain gage.
A truck assembly for a rail vehicle, the truck assembly comprising:
- a first side frame having a first inboard lightener and a second inboard lightener hole;
- a second side frame having a third inboard lightener hole and a fourth inboard lightener hole;
- a first strain gage disposed within the first inboard lightener hole;
- a second strain gage disposed within the first inboard lightener hole, wherein the first strain gage and the second strain gage are symmetrically disposed in relation to a first longitudinal plane of the first side frame;
- a third strain gage disposed within the second inboard lightener hole;
- a fourth strain gage disposed within the second inboard lightener hole, wherein the first strain gage and the second strain gage are symmetrically disposed in relation to the first longitudinal plane of the first side frame;
- a fifth strain gage disposed within the third inboard lightener hole;
- a sixth strain gage disposed within the third inboard lightener hole, wherein the fifth strain gage and the sixth strain gage are symmetrically disposed in relation to a second longitudinal plane of the second side frame;
- a seventh strain gage disposed within the fourth inboard lightener hole;
- an eighth strain gage disposed within the fourth inboard lightener hole, wherein the seventh strain gage and the eighth strain gage are symmetrically disposed in relation to the second longitudinal plane of the second side frame, wherein the strain gages are configured to detect forces exerted into or onto the truck assembly;
- and
- at least one force analysis control unit in communication with the strain gages, wherein the at least one force analysis control unit is disposed on or within the truck assembly, and wherein the at least one force analysis control unit is configured to analyze force signals received from the strain gages.
A truck assembly for a rail vehicle, the truck assembly comprising:
- at least one side frame including at least one lightener hole;
- at least one strain gage disposed within the at least one lightener hole, wherein the at least one strain gage is configured to detect forces exerted into or onto the truck assembly;
- and
- at least one force analysis control unit in communication with the at least one strain gage, wherein the at least one force analysis control unit is configured to analyze at least one force signal received from the at least one strain gage, and wherein the at least one force analysis control unit is disposed on or within the truck assembly.
A method of detecting forces exerted into or onto a truck assembly of a rail vehicle, the method comprising:
- disposing at least one strain gage within at least one lightener hole of at least one side frame of a truck assembly of the rail vehicle;
- detecting the forces by the at least one strain gage;
- disposing at least one force analysis control unit within the at least one lightener hole;
- communicatively coupling the at least one force analysis control unit with the at least one strain gage;
- and
- analyzing, by the at least one force analysis control unit, at least one force signal received from the at least one strain gage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.