System and method for train position sensing
First Claim
1. A rail transport system for conveying bulk materials, the system comprising:
- a plurality of cars for forming a train, each of the plurality of cars having a pair of side plates and at least one of the plurality of cars having a car detection element associated therewith;
a drive station for engaging the side plates of at least some of the plurality of cars to impart motion thereto; and
a position sensing arrangement associated with the drive station, the position sensing arrangement being configured to determine position information including at least one of a train position and a position of the at least one of the plurality of cars;
wherein the position sensing arrangement includes a position sensing unit having at least one position sensor and a controller in signal communication with the position sensing unit to determine the position information based on input from the position sensing unit;
wherein each of the plurality of cars has a car detection element, each car detection element having a substantially identical length in a travel direction of the plurality of cars;
wherein the at least one position sensor includes;
a first position sensor responsive to the presence and absence of each of the plurality of car detection elements; and
a second position sensor responsive to the presence and absence of each of the plurality of car detection elements and separated from the first position sensor in the travel direction by a first sensor spacing, the first sensor spacing being less than the detection element length;
wherein the position sensing unit further includes a third position sensor responsive to the presence and absence of each of the plurality of car detection elements, separated by the second position sensor in the travel distance by a second sensor spacing and separated from the first position sensor by a third sensor spacing equal to the sum of the first and second sensor spacings, the second sensor spacing being less than the detection element length; and
wherein the third sensor spacing is greater than the detection element length.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Train position is sensed using a position sensing unit having plurality of position sensors arrayed in the direction of train travel. The sensors respond to the presence and absence of a detection element on each train car, the detection element being longer than the spacing between adjacent position sensors. A confirmed count of a train car passing the position sensing unit requires detection of a series of related position sensor activations and deactivations. Alternately, the position sensing unit senses data tags on the train cars, reading unique identifiers therefrom. A list of identifiers corresponding to the car order is stored and compared to the identifiers read in order to determine train position.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A rail transport system for conveying bulk materials, the system comprising:
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a plurality of cars for forming a train, each of the plurality of cars having a pair of side plates and at least one of the plurality of cars having a car detection element associated therewith; a drive station for engaging the side plates of at least some of the plurality of cars to impart motion thereto; and a position sensing arrangement associated with the drive station, the position sensing arrangement being configured to determine position information including at least one of a train position and a position of the at least one of the plurality of cars; wherein the position sensing arrangement includes a position sensing unit having at least one position sensor and a controller in signal communication with the position sensing unit to determine the position information based on input from the position sensing unit; wherein each of the plurality of cars has a car detection element, each car detection element having a substantially identical length in a travel direction of the plurality of cars; wherein the at least one position sensor includes; a first position sensor responsive to the presence and absence of each of the plurality of car detection elements; and a second position sensor responsive to the presence and absence of each of the plurality of car detection elements and separated from the first position sensor in the travel direction by a first sensor spacing, the first sensor spacing being less than the detection element length; wherein the position sensing unit further includes a third position sensor responsive to the presence and absence of each of the plurality of car detection elements, separated by the second position sensor in the travel distance by a second sensor spacing and separated from the first position sensor by a third sensor spacing equal to the sum of the first and second sensor spacings, the second sensor spacing being less than the detection element length; and wherein the third sensor spacing is greater than the detection element length. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17)
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13. A rail transport system for conveying bulk materials, the system comprising:
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a plurality of cars for forming a train, each of the plurality of cars having a pair of side plates and at least one of the plurality of cars having a car detection element associated therewith; a drive station for engaging the side plates of at least some of the plurality of cars to impart motion thereto; a position sensing arrangement associated with the drive station, the position sensing arrangement being configured to determine position information including at least one of a train position and a position of the at least one of the plurality of cars; and a pair of spaced apart rails forming a track for the plurality of cars, the position sensing unit being arranged between the rails such that the train passes thereover wherein the position sensing arrangement includes a position sensing unit having at least one position sensor and a controller in signal communication with the position sensing unit to determine the position information based on input from the position sensing unit; wherein each of the plurality of cars has a car detection element, each car detection element having a substantially identical length in a travel direction of the plurality of cars; wherein the at least one position sensor includes; a first position sensor responsive to the presence and absence of each of the plurality of car detection elements; and a second position sensor responsive to the presence and absence of each of the plurality of car detection elements and separated from the first position sensor in the travel direction by a first sensor spacing, the first sensor spacing being less than the detection element length; wherein each of the plurality of car detection elements is a metal member extending under a respective one of the plurality of cars; and wherein each of the position sensors is a proximity detector responsive to the presence and absence of each metal member. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A rail transport system for conveying bulk materials, the system comprising:
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a plurality of cars for forming a train, each of the plurality of cars having a pair of side plates and at least one of the plurality of cars having a car detection element associated therewith; a drive station for engaging the side plates of at least some of the plurality of cars to impart motion thereto; and a position sensing arrangement associated with the drive station, the position sensing arrangement being configured to determine position information including at least one of a train position and a position of the at least one of the plurality of cars; wherein the position sensing arrangement includes a position sensing unit having at least one position sensor and a controller in signal communication with the position sensing unit to determine the position information based on input from the position sensing unit; wherein each of the plurality of cars has a car detection element, each car detection element having a substantially identical length in a travel direction of the plurality of cars; wherein the at least one position sensor includes; a first position sensor responsive to the presence and absence of each of the plurality of car detection elements; and a second position sensor responsive to the presence and absence of each of the plurality of car detection elements and separated from the first position sensor in the travel direction by a first sensor spacing, the first sensor spacing being less than the detection element length; wherein the position sensing unit further includes a third position sensor responsive to the presence and absence of each of the plurality of car detection elements, separated by the second position sensor in the travel distance by a second sensor spacing and separated from the first position sensor by a third sensor spacing equal to the sum of the first and second sensor spacings, the second sensor spacing being less than the detection element length; and wherein the first and second sensor spacings are unequal. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification