System and method for detecting wheel bearing condition

• US 9,518,947 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2014
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Services Corporation (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Progress Rail Services Corporation (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: O'Connell, Roland F., Bartonek, Mark J., Arndt, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr, Fadey
• Assistant Examiner(s): INGRAM, THOMAS P
• Application Number:
  US14/512,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20160103083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61F 15/20 Details
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/04 Detectors for indicating the overheating of axle bearings and the like, e.g. associated with the brake system for applying the brakes in case of a fault
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 9/06 by detecting or indicating heat radiation from overheated axles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0022 for sensing the radiation of moving bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/08 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/48 Thermography; Techniques using wholly visual means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/72 Investigating presence of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 Infrared image

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a method for detecting a condition associated with a wheel bearing on a train car. The method may include detecting a size and a location of the wheel bearing. The method may also include detecting a temperature associated with the wheel bearing based at least in part on the size and the location of the wheel bearing. The method may further include determining a wheel bearing condition based on the detected temperature.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a condition associated with a wheel bearing on a train car, the method comprising:

generating a thermal image with a sensor;

determining with a processor a size and a location of the wheel bearing based on the thermal image;

determining with the processor a temperature associated with the wheel bearing based at least in part on the size and the location of the wheel bearing and based on the thermal image;

determining with the processor a wheel bearing condition based on the temperature; and

selectively implementing with the processor a control action associated with the train car based on the wheel condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the temperature associated with the wheel bearing includes extracting thermal imaging data based on the size and the location of the wheel bearing and using the thermal imaging data to determine the temperature associated with the wheel bearing.

3. The method of claim 1, further including spatially filtering the thermal image to determine the size and the location of the wheel bearing.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein implementing the control includes implementing the control action only when the temperature associated with the wheel bearing is greater than a threshold temperature.

5. The method of claim 1, further including determining whether an obstruction is located a predetermined distance from the wheel bearing.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein implementing the control further includes implementing the control action only when no obstruction is located the predetermined distance from the wheel bearing.

7. The method of claim 5, inhibiting implementation of the control action when the obstruction is located the predetermined distance from the wheel bearing.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the obstruction includes a portion of the train car that covers at least part of the wheel bearing.

9. A system for detecting a condition associated with a wheel bearing on a train car, the system comprising:

at least one sensor configured to generate at least one thermal image; and

a processor configured to;

determine a size and a location of the wheel bearing based on the at least one thermal image;

determine a temperature associated with the wheel bearing based at least in part on the at least one thermal image and the size and the location of the wheel bearing;

determine a wheel bearing condition based on the detected temperature; and

implement a control action associated with the train car based on the wheel bearing condition.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to extract thermal imaging data based on the size and the location of the wheel bearing, and use the thermal imaging data to determine the temperature associated with the wheel bearing.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to spatially filter the at least one thermal image to determine the size and the location of the wheel bearing.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to implement the control action only when the detected temperature is greater than a threshold temperature.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether an obstruction is located a predetermined distance from the wheel bearing.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to implement the control action only when no obstruction is located the predetermined distance from the wheel bearing.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to inhibit implementation of the control action when the obstruction is located the predetermined distance from the wheel bearing.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the obstruction includes a portion of the train car that covers at least part of the wheel bearing.

17. A method for detecting a condition associated with a wheel bearing on a train car, the method comprising:

receiving at least one thermal image from at least one sensor;

determining a size and a location of the wheel bearing based on the at least one thermal image;

determining a temperature associated with the wheel bearing based at least in part on the at least one thermal image and the size and the location of the wheel bearing;

determining whether an obstruction is located a predetermined distance from the wheel bearing;

determining a wheel bearing condition based on the detected temperature and a location of the obstruction; and

implementing a control action associated with the train car based on the wheel bearing condition.