# US 11,731,673 B1 · Wheel-mounted sensor ring apparatus for determining anomalies associated with a railcar wheelset, or a railcar bogie assembly that the railcar wheelset is part of, or a track > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,731,673 B1 - Document ID: US11731673B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/952,787 - Filed: 2022-09-26 - Granted: 2023-08-22 - Earliest claimed: 2022-09-26 - Assignees: Balanced Engineering Solution, LLC - Applicants: Balanced Engineering Solution, LLC - Inventors: Stephen T. Buchanan; Eric L. Canfield - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11731673B1 ## CPC - B61L 15/0081: {On-board diagnosis or maintenance} - B61F 15/20: Details - B61K 9/08: Measuring installations for surveying permanent way - B61K 9/12: Measuring or surveying wheel-rims - B61L 23/042: {Track changes detection} - G01M 13/045: Acoustic or vibration analysis - G01M 17/10: Suspensions, axles or wheels - B61L: GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC (brakes or auxiliary equipment B61H, B61K; point or crossing construction E01B) - B61F: RAIL VEHICLE SUSPENSIONS, e.g. UNDERFRAMES, BOGIES OR ARRANGEMENTS OF WHEEL AXLES; RAIL VEHICLES FOR USE ON TRACKS OF DIFFERENT WIDTH; PREVENTING DERAILING OF RAIL VEHICLES; WHEEL GUARDS, OBSTRUCTION REMOVERS OR THE LIKE FOR RAIL VEHICLES (for vehicles in general B60; axles or wheels B60B; vehicle tyres B60C) - B61K: AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR RAILWAYS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A wheel-mounted sensor ring is configured to be removably attachable to a hub portion of a railcar wheel of a railcar wheelset for use in determining anomalies associated with the railcar wheel, or a railcar bogie assembly that the railcar wheelset is part of, or a track, during motion of the railcar wheelset on a track. The sensor ring includes one or more sensors, such as inertial measurement units (IMU's), mounted thereto to measure parameters that are used for determining the anomalies during motion of the railcar wheel on the track. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus configured to be removably attachable to a hub portion of a railcar wheel of a railcar wheelset for use in determining anomalies associated with the railcar wheel, or a railcar bogie assembly that the railcar wheelset is part of, or a track, during motion of the railcar wheelset on a track, the apparatus comprising: (a) a first semicircular portion having distal ends, the first semicircular portion having a half-ring shape, and having an outer sidewall surface and an inner sidewall surface; (b) a second semicircular portion having distal ends, the second semicircular portion having a half-ring shape, and having an outer sidewall surface and an inner sidewall surface; (c) a fastener located at each of the distal ends of the first semicircular portion, and a fastener located at each of the distal ends of the second semicircular portion, the fasteners allowing the first semicircular portion and the second semicircular portion to attach to each other at their respective distal ends to form a circular ring; (d) one or more magnets fixedly attached to the inner sidewall surface of the first semicircular portion, and one or more magnets fixedly attached to the inner sidewall surface of the second semicircular portion, the magnets allowing for the apparatus to be removably attached to the hub portion of the railcar wheel; and (e) one or more sensors mounted to the first semicircular portion, and one or more sensors mounted to the second semicircular portion, the sensors being configured to measure parameters that are used for determining the anomalies during motion of the railcar wheel on the track. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fastener located at one of the distal ends of the respective first and second semicircular portions is a hinge which joins one of the distal ends of the respective first and second semicircular portions to each other, the hinge allowing the first and second semicircular portions to pivot open and closed so as to removably attach the apparatus to the hub portion of a railcar wheel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fastener located at the other one of the distal ends of the respective first and second semicircular portions are magnets of opposite poles which face each other, the magnets securing the other one of the distal ends of the respective first and second semicircular portions to each other when the first and second semicircular portions are pivoted to a fully closed position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the hinge is a single hinge. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the hinge is a single hinge pin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensors are inertial measurement units (IMU's). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fastener located at both of the distal ends of the respective first and second semicircular portions are magnets of opposite poles which face each other. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hinge forms part of the circular ring and has two ends, the fastener including a first hinge pin and a second hinge pin, wherein the hinge is attached at one end to a distal end of the first semicircular portion by the first hinge pin, and is attached at the other end to a distal end of the second semicircular portion by the second hinge pin, wherein the first and second hinges allow the first and second semicircular portions to pivot open and closed so as to removably attach the apparatus to the hub portion of a railcar wheel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second semicircular portions each include one or more recesses for receiving the sensors mounted thereto. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes three sensors, each sensor being mounted in a location on the first or second semicircular portion so as to be 120 degrees apart from an adjacent sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the anomalies are vibrational anomalies associated with railcar wheels of the railcar wheelset, or the railcar bogie assembly that the railcar wheelset is part of.