Control system and method for brake bleeding

• US 10,093,022 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Al Assad, Omar, Forman, Douglas, Theurer, Charles, Kannan, Balajee, Tan, Huan
• Primary Examiner(s): Schoenholtz, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US15/058,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20170174199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/00 Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/003 by means of an audio-responsive input audible safety signals B25J19/061
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/085 Force or torque sensors B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/021 Optical sensing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1612 characterised by the hand, wrist, grip control
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/162 Mobile manipulator, movable base with manipulator arm mounted on it
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1661 characterised by task planning, object-oriented languages
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1664 characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1666 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1679 characterised by the tasks executed
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 15/048 Controlling pressure brakes of railway vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 15/54 for controlling exhaust from triple valve or from brake cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/16 operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40039 Robot mounted or sliding inside vehicle, on assembly line or for test, service
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40586 6-DOF force sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40613 Camera, laser scanner on end effector, hand eye manipulator, local
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 : Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot

Abstract

A robotic system validates brake bleeding by detecting one or more forces generated by a machine assembly acting to move a brake lever of a vehicle in order to open a valve of an air brake system of the vehicle. The system also detects displacement of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever, monitors one or more sounds generated one or more of during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever, and determines that the brake lever has been moved to a position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more forces that are detected, the displacement that is detected, and/or the one or more sounds that are monitored.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a force sensor detecting one or more forces generated by a machine assembly acting to move a brake lever of a vehicle in order to open a valve of an air brake system of the vehicle;

an encoder detecting displacement of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever;

an acoustic sensor monitoring one or more sounds generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; and

a controller determining that the brake lever has been moved to a position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more forces that are detected, the displacement that is detected, and the one or more sounds that are monitored.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor includes a torque sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor includes a strain gauge sensor that detects the one or more forces based on a measured strain.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor detects the one or more forces based on an electric current supplied to one or more motors that move the machine assembly.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve by determining whether both the displacement exceeds a designated force threshold and the one or more forces exceed a designated force threshold.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve by determining whether the one or more sounds indicate air flowing out of the valve of the brake system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller also determines whether a latch of the brake system has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the one or more sounds that are monitored.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller directs the machine assembly to release the brake lever responsive to determining that the latch has not moved to engage the valve, the acoustic sensor monitors one or more additional first sounds generated subsequent to directing the machine assembly to release the brake lever, and the controller determines that the latch has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the one or more additional first sounds.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller directs the machine assembly to again act to move the brake lever, the force sensor detects one or more additional forces generated by the machine assembly acting to move the brake lever, the encoder detects additional displacement of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever, the acoustic sensor monitors one or more additional second sounds generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever, and the controller determines that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more additional forces that are detected, the additional displacement that is detected, and the one or more additional second sounds that are monitored.

10. A method comprising:

detecting one or more forces using a force sensor, generated by a machine assembly acting to move a brake lever of a vehicle in order to open a valve of an air brake system of the vehicle;

detecting displacement using an encoder, of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever;

monitoring one or more sounds using an acoustic sensor, generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; and

determining using a controller, that the brake lever has been moved to a position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more forces that are detected, the displacement that is detected, and the one or more sounds that are monitored.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve includes determining whether both the displacement exceeds a designated position threshold and the one or more forces exceed a designated force threshold.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve includes determining whether the one or more sounds indicate air flowing out of the valve of the brake system.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining using the acoustic sensor, whether a latch of the brake system has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the one or more sounds that are monitored.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

directing the machine assembly to release the brake lever responsive to determining that the latch has not moved to engage the valve;

monitoring one or more additional first sounds generated subsequent to directing the machine assembly to release the brake lever; and

determining that the latch has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the one or more additional first sounds.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

directing the machine assembly to again act to move the brake lever;

detecting one or more additional forces generated by the machine assembly acting to move the brake lever;

detecting additional displacement of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever;

monitoring one or more additional second sounds generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; and

determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more additional forces that are detected, the additional displacement that is detected, and the one or more additional second sounds that are monitored.

16. A method comprising:

detecting one or more of;

a force using a force sensor, generated by a machine assembly acting to move a brake lever of a vehicle in order to open a valve of an air brake system of the vehicle;

displacement using an encoder, of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever;

or

sound using an acoustic sensor, generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; and

determining using a controller, that the brake lever has been moved to a position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on one or more of the force, the displacement, or the sound that is detected.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve is based on all of the force, the displacement, or the sound that is detected.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve includes determining whether both the displacement exceeds a designated position threshold and the force exceeds a designated force threshold.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve includes determining whether the sound indicates air flowing out of the valve of the brake system.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining using the acoustic sensor, whether a latch of the brake system has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the sound that is monitored.