US6347265B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Railroad track geometry defect detector
Assignee: Andian Technologies Ltd
•
Filing: 2000-06-15
•
Granted: 2002-02-12
•
Expires: 2020-06-15
Abstract
Abstract A track analyzer included on a vehicle traveling on a track includes a vertical gyroscope for determining a grade and an elevation of the track. A rate gyroscope determines a curvature of the track. A speed determiner determines a speed of the vehicle relative to the track. A distance determiner determines a distance the vehicle has traveled along the track. A computing device, communicating with the vertical gyroscope, the rate gyroscope, the speed determiner, and the distance determiner, a) identifies a plurality of parameters as a function of the grade, elevation, and curvature of the track, b) determines in real-time if the parameters are within acceptable tolerances, and, c) if the parameters are not within the acceptable tolerances, generates corrective measures.
Inventors
- 👤 Andre C. Bidaud
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 22:22
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61K; B61K9/00; B61K9/08; B61L; B61L23/00; B61L23/04; B61L23/042; B61L23/047; B61L27/00; B61L27/50; B61L27/53; B61L2205/00; B61L2205/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
A track analyzer included on a vehicle traveling on a track, the track analyzer comprising: a vertical gyroscope for determining a grade and an elevation of the track; a rate gyroscope for determining a curvature of the track; a speed determiner for determining a speed of the vehicle relative to the track; a distance determiner for determining a distance the vehicle has traveled along the track; and a computing device, communicating with the vertical gyroscope, the rate gyroscope, the speed determiner, and the distance determiner, for a) identifying a plurality of parameters as a function of the grade, elevation, and curvature of the track, b) determining in real-time if the parameters are within acceptable tolerances, and, c) if the parameters are not within the acceptable tolerances, generating corrective measures.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
A track analyzer included on a vehicle traveling on a track, the track analyzer comprising: a vertical gyroscope for determining a grade and an elevation of the track; a rate gyroscope for determining a curvature of the track; a speed determiner for determining a speed of the vehicle relative to the track; a distance determiner for determining a distance the vehicle has traveled along the track; and a computing device, communicating with the vertical gyroscope, the rate gyroscope, the speed determiner, and the distance determiner, for a) identifying a plurality of parameters as a function of the grade, elevation, and curvature of the track, b) determining in real-time if the parameters are within acceptable tolerances, and, c) if the parameters are not within the acceptable tolerances, generating corrective measures.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The track analyzer as set forth in claim 1 , further including: a video display device communicating with the computing device, the corrective measures including messages displayed on the video display device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The track analyzer as set forth in claim 1 , further including: an analog-to-digital converter for converting analog signals from the vertical gyroscope, the rate gyroscope, the speed determiner, and the distance determiner into respective digital signals which are transmitted to the computing device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The track analyzer as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the vertical gyroscope includes: an inner gimbal; an outer gimbal; and a spin motor creating an inertial force, the grade and the elevation of the track being determined by motions of the inner and outer gimbals against the inertial force.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The track analyzer as set forth in claim 4 , wherein: the inner gimbal determines the grade of the track; and the outer gimbal determines the elevation of the track.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The track analyzer as set forth in claim 1 , further including: a look-up table, communicating with the computing device, for storing the acceptable tolerances.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The track analyzer as set forth in claim 6 , wherein: the acceptable tolerances identify urgent defects and priority defects; the corrective measures include actions to be implemented substantially immediately for urgent defects; and the corrective measures include actions to not be implemented substantially immediately for priority defects.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The track analyzer as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the acceptable tolerances include curve elevation tolerances and maximum allowable runoff tolerances.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The track analyzer as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the speed determiner includes: a toothed gear having teeth passing a sensor for inducing a voltage in a coil, a frequency of the voltage being proportional to a speed of the vehicle relative to the track.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for analyzing a track on which a vehicle is traveling, comprising: determining a grade and an elevation of the track; determining a curvature of the track; determining a speed of the vehicle relative to the track; determining a distance the vehicle has traveled along the track; identifying a plurality of parameters as a function of the grade, elevation, and curvature of the track; determining in real-time if the parameters are within acceptable tolerances; and if the parameters are not within the acceptable tolerances, generating corrective measures.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for analyzing a track on which a vehicle is traveling, comprising: determining a grade and an elevation of the track; determining a curvature of the track; determining a speed of the vehicle relative to the track; determining a distance the vehicle has traveled along the track; identifying a plurality of parameters as a function of the grade, elevation, and curvature of the track; determining in real-time if the parameters are within acceptable tolerances; and if the parameters are not within the acceptable tolerances, generating corrective measures.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method for analyzing a track on which a vehicle is traveling as set forth in claim 10 , further including: displaying the corrective measures on a video display device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method for analyzing a track on which a vehicle is traveling as set forth in claim 10 , further including: an inner gimbal for determining the grade; an outer gimbal for determining the elevation; and a spin motor creating an inertial force, the grade and the elevation of the track being determined by motions of the inner and outer gimbals against the inertial force.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method for analyzing a track on which a vehicle is traveling as set forth in claim 10 , further including: accessing the acceptable tolerances from a look-up table.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method for analyzing a track on which a vehicle is traveling as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the acceptable tolerances identify urgent defects and priority defects, further including: identifying the corrective measures as actions to be implemented substantially immediately for urgent defects; and identifying the corrective measures as actions to not be implemented substantially immediately for priority defects.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method for analyzing a track on which a vehicle is traveling as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the step of accessing the acceptable tolerances includes: accessing acceptable curve elevation tolerances and acceptable maximum allowable runoff tolerances.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
114 words
The method for analyzing a track on which a vehicle is traveling as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the step of determining the distance includes: producing light from a first source; passing the light through a plurality of slots in a first plate which rotates as a function of the distance the vehicle travels relative to the track, a spacing between the slots being known; producing first electrical pulses when light from the first source passes through the slots and is received by a first detector; and determining the distance the vehicle has traveled along the track as a function of a number of the first pulses received by the first detector.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
126 words
The method for analyzing a track on which a vehicle is traveling as set forth in claim 16 , further including: producing light from a second source; passing the light from the first and second sources through a plurality of slots in a the first plate and a second plate, respectively, which rotate as a function of the distance the vehicle travels relative to the track, the slots in the first plate being offset a predetermined amount from the slots in the second plate; producing second electrical pulses when light from the second source passes through the slots and is received by a second detector; and determining a direction the vehicle is traveling along the track as a function of the first and second electrical pulses.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR561705A
Cited
US3638482A
Cited
US4005601A
Cited
US4691565A
Cited
US4793577A
Cited
US4880190A
Cited
US4741207A
Cited
US5440923A
Cited
US5956664A
Cited
US5987979A
Cited
US6044698A
Cited
US6125311A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-02-11 | 2005-08-13 | 2006-02-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-02-11 | 2009-08-13 | 2010-02-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-02-11 | 2013-08-13 | 2014-02-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |