US 12,409,874 B2
System and method for detecting axle body and filet cracks in rail vehicles
Hark Braren, Fort Worth, TX (US)
Assigned to BNSF Railway Company, Fort Worth, TX (US)
Filed by BNSF Railway Company, Fort Worth, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/354,456.
Application 18/354,456 is a continuation of application No. 17/933,549, filed on Sep. 20, 2022, granted, now 11,713,064.
Prior Publication US 2024/0092408 A1, Mar. 21, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01C 1/00 (2006.01); B61L 27/57 (2022.01); G01B 11/275 (2006.01); B61L 27/40 (2022.01)
CPC B61L 27/57 (2022.01) [G01B 11/2755 (2013.01); B61L 27/40 (2022.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system configured to provide in-service inspection of rail car axles, comprising:
a projector configured to transmit a plurality of objects onto different points of a surface of a wheel at a first point in a revolution of the wheel about an axle;
a data collector configured to collect data associated with objects projected onto the surface of the wheel by the projector at any point of the revolution of wheel; and
a server, operably coupled to the data collector, and configured to measure the camber angle of the wheel based on the data and determine whether a defect is present in the axle based on the measured camber angle of wheel, wherein determining whether a defect is present in the axle includes determining whether the camber angle of the wheel at a first of the at least one point in the revolution of the wheel is larger than a predetermined threshold angle.