System and method for analyzing rolling stock wheels

• US 8,289,526 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wabtec Control Systems Pty. Ltd. (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lynxrail Corporation (Lynx Engineering Consultants Pty Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kilian, Krzysztof, Mazur, Vladimir, Hall, Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Tarifur
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKANBI, ISIAKA O
• Application Number:
  US12/175,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20090040503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 356/601, 3562371-2375
• US Class Current: 356/601
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/12 Measuring or surveying wheel-rims measuring techniques G01
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/57 for vehicles or trains, e.g. trackside supervision of train conditions

Abstract

An exemplary system and method for analyzing rolling stock wheels helps allow a wheel to be analyzed at speed, reducing any need for manual inspections or other related delays. An exemplary system may include one or more strobe lights and one or more high-speed cameras to capture images of the rolling stock wheel(s) at speed. The images may include one or more markers to assist in analyzing various parameters of the rolling stock wheel. The exemplary system may include one or more backface illumination plates to assist in illuminating the rolling stock wheel(s) and/or the one or more marker(s).

Claims

1. A system for capturing, measuring and analyzing rolling stock wheel parameters, comprising:

a first flange camera provided between a first rail and a second rail, wherein the first flange camera is positioned to capture an image of at least a portion of a first wheel above the first rail, said first wheel having a flange provided between said first rail and said second rail;

a first inside rim camera provided between said first rail and said second rail, wherein the first inside rim camera is positioned to capture an image of at least a portion of said first wheel;

a first outside rim camera provided outside the area between said first rail and said second rail, wherein the first outside rim camera is positioned to capture an image of at least a portion of said first wheel including at least a portion of an internal diameter of said first wheel;

at least one strobe light positioned to illuminate at least a portion of said first wheel; and

at least one backface illumination plate provided between said first rail and said second rail and positioned to reflect light toward said first wheel.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor in communication with at least one of the first flange camera, first inside rim camera and first outside rim camera; and

at least one marker positioned to be at least partially included in an image of at least a portion of the first wheel captured by at least one of the first flange camera, first inside rim camera and first outside rim camera.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data processing unit in communication with at least one of the first flange camera, first inside rim camera and first outside rim camera.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising;

a second flange camera provided between said first rail and said second rail, wherein the second flange camera is positioned to capture an image of at least a portion of a second wheel above the second rail, said second wheel having a flange provided between said first rail and said second rail;

a second inside rim camera provided between said first rail and said second rail, wherein the second inside rim camera is position to capture an image of at least a portion of said second wheel;

a second outside rim camera provided outside the area between said first rail and said second rail, wherein the second outside rim camera is positioned to capture an image of at least a portion of said second wheel including at least a portion of an internal diameter of said second wheel;

at least one strobe light positioned to illuminate at least a portion of said second wheel; and

at least one backface illumination plate provided between said first rail and said second rail and positioned to reflect light toward said second wheel.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

at least one sensor in communication with at least one of the first flange camera, first inside rim camera, first outside rim camera, second flange camera, second inside rim camera and second outside rim camera; and

at least one marker positioned to be at least partially included in an image of at least a portion of the first wheel captured by at least one of the first flange camera, first inside rim camera, first outside rim camera, second flange camera, second inside rim camera and second outside rim camera.

6. The system of claim 4, further comprising a data processing unit in communication with at least one of the first flange camera, first inside rim camera, first outside rim camera, second flange camera, second inside rim camera and second outside rim camera.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the first flange camera includes a camera lens, and the camera lens is aimed at a non-orthogonal angle to the first wheel, where the non-orthogonal angle is formed between two legs, the first leg is the first rail and the second leg is an imaginary line from the first wheel to the first flange camera lens;

the first inside rim camera includes a camera lens, and the camera lens is aimed at a non-orthogonal angle to the first wheel, where the non-orthogonal angle is formed between two legs, the first leg is the first rail and the second leg is an imaginary line from the first wheel to the first inside rim camera lens;

the first outside rim camera includes a camera lens, and the camera lens is aimed at a non-orthogonal angle to the first wheel, where the non-orthogonal angle is formed between two legs, the first leg is the first rail and the second leg is an imaginary line from the first wheel to the first outside rim camera lens;

the second flange camera includes a camera lens, and the camera lens is aimed at a non-orthogonal angle to the second wheel, where the non-orthogonal angle is formed between two legs, the first leg is the second rail and the second leg is an imaginary line from the second wheel to the second flange camera lens;

the second inside rim camera includes a camera lens, and the camera lens is aimed at a non-orthogonal angle to the second wheel, where the non-orthogonal angle is formed between two legs, the first leg is the second rail and the second leg is an imaginary line from the second wheel to the second inside rim camera lens; and

the second outside rim camera includes a camera lens, and the camera lens is aimed at a non-orthogonal angle to the second wheel, where the non-orthogonal angle is formed between two legs, the second leg is the second rail and the second leg is an imaginary line from the second wheel to the second outside rim camera lens.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first flange camera includes a camera lens, and the camera lens is aimed at a non-orthogonal angle to the first wheel, where the non-orthogonal angle is formed between two legs, the first leg is the first rail and the second leg is an imaginary line from the first wheel to the first flange camera lens;

the first inside rim camera includes a camera lens, and the camera lens is aimed at a non-orthogonal angle to the first wheel, where the non-orthogonal angle is formed between two legs, the first leg is the first rail and the second leg is an imaginary line from the first wheel to the first inside rim camera lens; and

the first outside rim camera includes a camera lens, and the camera lens is aimed at a non-orthogonal angle to the first wheel, where the non-orthogonal angle is formed between two legs, the first leg is the first rail and the second leg is an imaginary line from the first wheel to the first outside rim camera lens.

9. A method of capturing, measuring and analyzing rolling stock wheel parameters, comprising:

reflecting light toward a first wheel utilizing a backface illumination plate provided between a first rail and a second rail;

capturing an image of at least a portion of said first wheel above the first rail having a flange provided between said first rail and said second rail with a first flange camera provided between said first rail and said second rail;

capturing an image of at least a portion of said first wheel above the first rail with a first inside rim camera provided between said first rail and said second rail; and

capturing an image of at least a portion of said first wheel above the first rail, including at least a portion of an internal diameter of the first wheel, with a first outside rim camera provided outside the area between said first rail and said second rail.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sensing the presence of the first wheel above the first rail with a sensor in communication with at least one of the first flange camera, first inside rim camera and first outside rim camera; and

positioning at least one marker to be at least partially included in at least one of the image captured by the first flange camera, the image captured by the first inside rim camera and the image captured by the first outside rim camera.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting at least one of the image captured by the first flange camera, the image captured by the first inside rim camera and the image captured by the first outside rim camera, to a data processing unit.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

reflecting light toward a second wheel with a backface illumination plate provided between said first rail and said second rail;

capturing an image of at least a portion of said second wheel above the second rail having a flange provided between said first rail and said second rail with a second flange camera provided between said first rail and said second rail

capturing an image of at least a portion of said second wheel above the second rail with a second inside rim camera provided between said first rail and said second rail; and

capturing an image of at least a portion of said second wheel above the second rail, including at least a portion of an internal diameter of the second wheel, with a second outside rim camera provided outside the area between said first rail and said second rail.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sensing the presence of at least one of the first wheel above the first rail and the second wheel above the second rail with a sensor in communication with at least one of the first flange camera, first inside rim camera, first outside rim camera, second flange camera, second inside rim camera and second outside rim camera; and

positioning at least one marker to be at least partially included in at least one of the image captured by the first flange camera, the image captured by the first inside rim camera, the image captured by the first outside rim camera, the image captured by the second flange camera, the image captured by the second inside rim camera and the image captured by the second outside rim camera.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting at least one of the image captured by the first flange camera, the image captured by the first inside rim camera, the image captured by the first outside rim camera, the image captured by the second flange camera, the image captured by the second inside rim camera and the image captured by the second outside rim camera, to a data processing unit.

15. A method of providing a system for capturing, measuring and analyzing rolling stock wheel parameters, comprising:

positioning and orienting a first flange camera between a first rail and a second rail to capture an image of at least a portion of a first wheel above said first rail having a flange provided between said first rail and said second rail;

positioning and orienting a first inside rim camera between said first rail and said second rail to capture an image of at least a portion of said first wheel above said first rail;

positioning and orienting a first outside rim camera outside the area between said first rail and said second rail to capture an image of at least a portion of said first wheel above said first rail;

positioning and orienting at least one strobe light, such that the at least one strobe light illuminates at least a portion of said first wheel; and

positioning and orienting at least one backface illuminate plate between said first rail and said second rail to reflect light from the strobe light toward said first wheel.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing at least one sensor, which is in communication with at least one of the first flange camera, first inside rim camera and first outside rim camera; and

positioning at least one marker, such that the at least one marker is at least partially visible in an image of at least a portion of the wheel captured by at least one of the first flange camera, first inside rim camera and first outside rim camera.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a data processing unit, which is in communication with at least one of the first flange camera, first inside rim camera and first outside rim camera.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

positioning and orienting a second flange camera between said first rail and said second rail to capture an image of at least a portion of a second wheel above said second rail having a flange provided between said first rail and said second rail;

positioning and orienting a second inside rim camera between said first rail and said second rail to capture an image of at least a portion of said second wheel above said second rail;

positioning and orienting a second outside rim camera outside the area between said first rail and said second rail to capture an image of at least a portion of said second wheel above said second rail;

positioning and orienting at least one strobe light, such that the at least one strobe light illuminates at least a portion of said second wheel; and

positioning and orienting at least one backface illuminate plate between said first rail and said second rail to reflect light from the strobe light toward said second wheel.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing at least one sensor, which is in communication with at least one of the first flange camera, first inside rim camera, first outside rim camera, second flange camera, second inside rim camera and second outside rim camera; and

positioning at least one marker, such that the at least one marker is at least partially visible in an image of at least a portion of the wheel captured by at least one of the first flange camera, first inside rim camera, first outside rim camera, second flange camera, second inside rim camera and second outside rim camera.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing a data processing unit, which is in communication with at least one of the first flange camera, first inside rim camera, first outside rim camera, second flange camera, second inside rim camera and second outside rim camera.