Axle temperature monitor

• US 6,286,992 B1
• Filed: 02/12/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meritor Heavy Vehicle Systems, LLC (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Original Assignee: Meritor Heavy Vehicle Systems, LLC (Meritor, Inc. (Nevada))
• Inventors: Kyrtsos, Christos
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERBITSKY, GAIL KAPLAN
• Application Number:
  US09/248,958
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 374/141, 374/45, 374/4, 374/101, 374/102, 374/103, 374/104, 374/106
• US Class Current: 374/45
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/06 by detecting or indicating heat radiation from overheated axles
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes

Abstract

A method of monitoring the temperature of an axle includes the steps of reading temperatures from an axle of a vehicle, comparing the read temperatures with expected temperatures, and sending warning signals when necessary. A temperature sensor may be used to read temperatures of the axle and send temperature signals to a control to perform computations and compare the computations with expected temperatures. Furthermore, the control may send warning signals to a display to indicate that a problem may exist.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring temperatures of an axle to determine if the axle is experiencing a problem, the method comprising:

a. reading a plurality of temperatures of the axle taken over period of time;

b. comparing said read temperatures with an expected temperature information of said axle wherein said expected temperature information includes a threshold temperature, a threshold number, a threshold mean temperature, a threshold standard deviation, a threshold moving average, and a threshold peak temperature of said axle; and

c. if said read temperatures differ from said expected temperature, then indicating said axle is experiencing a problem.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said indicating of step c relates to a display in a vehicle cab.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of reading further includes:

storing temperature signals representing said read temperatures; and

retrieving said stored temperature signals.

4. A method of motoring temperatures of an axle to determine if the axle is experiencing a problem, the method comprising:

a. reading a plurality of temperatures of the axle;

b. counting the number of times a threshold temperature is reached by said read temperatures;

comparing the number of times said threshold temperature is reached with a threshold number;

if the number of times said threshold temperature is reached is greater than said threshold number, then setting a first warning; and

c. if said read temperatures differ from an expected temperature information, then indicating said axle is experiencing a problem.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, further including the steps of:

f. calculating a mean temperature of said read temperatures;

g. comparing said mean temperature to a threshold mean temperature;

if said mean temperature is greater than said threshold mean temperature, then;

determining whether said first warning is set;

if said first warning is set, setting a second warning.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, further including the steps of:

h. calculating a standard deviation of said read temperatures;

i. comparing said standard deviation of said read temperatures with a threshold standard deviation;

if said standard deviation is greater than said threshold standard deviation, then setting a third warning.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, further including the steps of:

j. calculating a moving average of said read temperatures;

k. comparing said moving average of said read temperatures with a threshold moving average;

if said moving average is greater than said threshold moving average, then;

determining whether said first warning is set;

it said first warning is set, then setting a fourth warning.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, further including the steps of:

l. determining a peak temperature from said read temperatures;

m. comparing said peak temperature with a threshold peak temperature;

if said peak temperature is greater than said threshold peak temperature, then;

determining whether said first warning is set;

if said first warning is set, then signaling said read temperatures differ from said expected temperature information;

if said first warning is not set, then;

determining whether said third warning is set;

if said third warning is set, then signaling said read temperatures differ from said expected temperature information;

determining whether said second warning is set;

if said second warning is set, then signaling said read temperatures differ from said expected temperature information;

if said second warning is not set, then;

determining whether said fourth warning is set;

if said fourth warning is set, then signaling said read temperatures differ from said expected temperature information; and

n. determining whether any warning is set;

if both first and third warnings are set, then signaling said read temperatures differ from said expected temperature information;

if both second and fourth warnings are set, then signaling said read temperatures differ form said expected temperature information.

9. A method of monitoring temperatures of an axle to determine if the axle is experiencing a problem, the method comprising:

a. reading a plurality of temperatures;

b. comparing said read temperatures with an expected temperature information of said axle; and

c. if said read temperatures differ from said expected temperature information, then determining a number of differences between said read temperatures and said expected temperature information, and indicating said axle is experiencing a problem which is a low oil problem or a physical damage problem;

wherein said read temperatures are monitored and used to discriminate between the low oil problem and the physical damage problem.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said method includes the steps of identifying the range of read temperatures, and making the determination of whether the problem is a low oil problem or a damage problem at least in part by reviewing the standard deviation of the read temperatures.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the comparing step includes defining a threshold number of occurrences within a predetermined period of time, and eliminating read temperatures which differ from said expected temperature information if said number of differences does not exceed the threshold number within a predetermined period of time to eliminate an anomaly being used as an indication of the problem.