Apparatus and method for monitoring shaft cracking or incipient pinion slip in a geared system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for monitoring shaft cracking or incipient pinion slip in an operating system, the apparatus comprising:
- a controller adapted to determine, at a first time, a first characteristic natural frequency of a first assembly of the operating system and a second characteristic natural frequency of a second coupled assembly of the operating system;
the controller adapted to determine, at a second time, the first characteristic natural frequency of the first assembly and the second characteristic natural frequency of the second coupled assembly; and
the controller adapted to compare the first and second characteristic natural frequencies determined at the first time to the first and second characteristic natural frequencies determined at the second time to detect a shift in the first and second characteristic natural frequencies in response to at least one of shaft cracking and incipient pinion slip.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A diagnostic technique for monitoring shaft cracking or incipient pinion slip involves monitoring a shift in a characteristic natural frequency of an operating system such as a geared system of a locomotive. The technique involves monitoring a shift in the characteristic natural frequency or resonance of a shaft for detecting shaft cracking. The technique also involves monitoring a shift in the characteristic natural frequency of one or more assemblies of the operating system which include a pinion and detecting a shift in the one or more characteristic natural frequencies of the assemblies. A vibration sensor or measurement of current changes of a motor of the operating system can be used to detect vibrations to monitor the characteristic natural frequencies. Torsional oscillations or measurement of current and voltage changes of a motor of the operating system, can also be used to monitor the characteristic natural frequencies.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for monitoring shaft cracking or incipient pinion slip in an operating system, the apparatus comprising:
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a controller adapted to determine, at a first time, a first characteristic natural frequency of a first assembly of the operating system and a second characteristic natural frequency of a second coupled assembly of the operating system;
the controller adapted to determine, at a second time, the first characteristic natural frequency of the first assembly and the second characteristic natural frequency of the second coupled assembly; and
the controller adapted to compare the first and second characteristic natural frequencies determined at the first time to the first and second characteristic natural frequencies determined at the second time to detect a shift in the first and second characteristic natural frequencies in response to at least one of shaft cracking and incipient pinion slip. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for monitoring shaft cracking or incipient pinion slip in an operating system, the method comprising:
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determining, at a first time, a first characteristic natural frequency of a first assembly of the operating system and a second characteristic natural frequency of a second coupled assembly of the operating system;
determining, at a second time, the first characteristic natural frequency of the first assembly and the second characteristic natural frequency of the second coupled assembly; and
comparing the first and second characteristic natural frequencies determined at the first time to the first and second characteristic natural frequencies determined at the second time to detect a shift in the first and second characteristic natural frequencies in response to at least one of shaft cracking and incipient pinion slip. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for monitoring shaft cracking or incipient pinion slip in an operating system, the apparatus comprising:
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means for determining, at a first time, a first characteristic natural frequency of a first assembly of the operating system and a second characteristic natural frequency of a second coupled assembly of the operating system;
means for determining, at a second time, the first characteristic natural frequency of the first assembly and the second characteristic natural frequency of the second coupled assembly; and
means for comparing the first and second characteristic natural frequencies determined at the first time to the first and second characteristic natural frequencies determined at the second time to detect a shift in the first and second characteristic natural frequencies in response to at least one of shaft cracking and incipient pinion slip.
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22. An article of manufacture comprising:
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at least one computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing the monitoring of shaft cracking or incipient pinion slip in an operating system, the computer readable program code means in the article of manufacture comprising;
computer readable program code means for determining, at a first time, a first characteristic natural frequency of a first assembly of the operating system and a second characteristic natural frequency of a second coupled assembly of the operating system;
computer readable program code means for determining, at a second time, the first characteristic natural frequency of the first assembly and the second characteristic natural frequency of the second coupled assembly; and
computer readable program means for comparing the first and second characteristic natural frequencies determined at the first time to the first and second characteristic natural frequencies determined at the second time to detect a shift in the first and second characteristic natural frequencies in response to at least one of shaft cracking and incipient pinion slip.
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Specification