# US 11,893,726 B2 · Imaging system for assessing integrity of metal motive parts in industrial plants > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,893,726 B2 - Document ID: US11893726B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/299,738 - Filed: 2019-09-17 - Published: 2022-01-20 - Granted: 2024-02-06 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-05 - Applicants: Jason Shumka; Thomas Shumka - Inventors: Jason Shumka; Thomas Shumka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11893726B2 ## CPC - G06T 7/001: {using an image reference approach} - G01M 13/021: Gearings - G01N 21/952: Inspecting the exterior surface of cylindrical bodies or wires (G01N21/956 takes precedence) - G06T 7/13: Edge detection - H04N 23/51: Housings - G01N 21/8803: {Visual inspection (measuring projectors G01B9/08)} - G06T 2200/24: involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs] - G06T 2207/10048: Infrared image - G06T 2207/30164: Workpiece; Machine component - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An installation, for use with a computer, for inspecting pinion gear teeth, the installation comprising: an enclosure, the enclosure including a back, a top, a bottom, sides and a front, which includes an opening, to define an interior; a transparent window, the transparent window separating at least a part of the interior from an ambient environment; at least one door operatively connected to the enclosure and retractably separating the transparent barrier from the ambient environment; a programmable logic controller which is housed in the enclosure behind the transparent window; a thermal imager which is housed in the enclosure behind the transparent window, is directed to the transparent window and is in electronic communication with the programmable logic controller; a visible light camera which is housed in the enclosure behind the transparent window, is directed to the transparent window and is in electronic communication with the programmable logic controller; and an air blade blower which is attached to the enclosure and is positioned to provide an air blade in front of the transparent window. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An installation, for use with a computer, for inspecting surfaces of a pinion gear of a girth gear set operating under standard operating conditions in situ, the installation comprising: an enclosure, the enclosure including a back, a top, a bottom, sides and a front, which includes an opening, to define an interior; a transparent window, the transparent window separating at least a part of the interior from an ambient environment; at least one door operatively connected to the enclosure and retractably separating the transparent window from the ambient environment; a programmable logic controller housed in the enclosure behind the transparent window; a thermal imager housed in the enclosure behind the transparent window, is directed to the transparent window and is in electronic communication with the programmable logic controller; a visible light camera housed in the enclosure behind the transparent window, is directed to the transparent window and is in electronic communication with the programmable logic controller; and an air barrier blower attached to the enclosure and is positioned to provide an air barrier in front of the transparent window. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The installation of claim 1, wherein the thermal imager is an infrared camera. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The installation of claim 2, further comprising a user interface which is in electronic communication with the programmable logic controller. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The installation of claim 3, further comprising the computer, which is in electronic communication with the programmable logic controller and the user interface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The installation of claim 4, wherein the user interface and computer are remote to the enclosure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The installation of claim 5, further comprising at least one nozzle attached to the enclosure and directed to the girth gear set. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The installation of claim 6, wherein the transparent window is releasably retained in the enclosure. ### Claim 8 A method of autonomously inspecting surfaces of a pinion gear of a girth gear set under standard operating conditions in situ, the pinion gear comprising a plurality of teeth, the method comprising: selecting an installation that includes a housing, a thermal imager housed in the housing, a machine vision camera housed in the housing, a computer, a user interface, a programmable logic controller in electronic communication with the thermal imager, the machine vision camera, the computer and the user interface, and an air barrier blower attached to the housing; instructing the air barrier blower to produce an air barrier between an ambient environment and both the thermal imager and the machine vision camera with the programmable logic controller; instructing the thermal imager to take thermal images of each tooth and the machine vision camera to take stop action visual light images of each tooth with the programmable logic controller; collecting the images with the programmable logic controller; and displaying the images with the user interface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising generating a raw data set from the images with the computer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising archiving the raw data set with the computer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising analyzing the raw data with the computer set to produce an analyzed data set. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising archiving the analyzed data set with the computer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the girth gear set is operating under normal operating conditions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the girth gear set is under full load. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising utilizing the computer to generate computer vision edge detection to detect an edge of the tooth of the pinion gear. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising comparing the edge of the tooth to an edge of a new pinion gear tooth with the computer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising utilizing the computer to pass or fail the pinion gear on the basis of the comparison. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the inspecting is continuous. ### Claim 19 A system for housing in an enclosure in a gear guard for a girth gear set at an industrial site, the system comprising a programmable logic controller; a thermal imager in electronic communication with the programmable logic controller; a visible light camera in electronic communication with the programmable logic controller; and an air blade blower in electronic communication with the programmable logic controller and is positioned to produce an air blade between the gear set and both the thermal imager and the visible light camera.