US 12,145,637 B2
Device, system, and method for monitoring a distance between rail cars during coupling
Joseph W. Gorman, Springville, IA (US); Christopher John Claussen, Cedar Rapids, IA (US); and Jeffrey D. Kernwein, Cedar Rapids, IA (US)
Assigned to Transportation IP Holdings, LLC, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed by Transportation IP Holdings, LLC, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed on Dec. 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/544,316.
Application 17/544,316 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/222,260, filed on Dec. 17, 2018, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2022/0089202 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. B61L 15/00 (2006.01); B61G 3/00 (2006.01); B61G 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC B61L 15/0058 (2024.01) [B61G 3/00 (2013.01); B61G 7/00 (2013.01); B61L 15/0081 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a sensor configured to detect positioning data indicative of a position of a first coupler of a first vehicle system and positioning data indicative of a position of a second coupler of a second vehicle system during a coupling event of the first vehicle system and the second vehicle system; and
a controller comprising one or more processors configured to receive the positioning data of the first coupler and the positioning data of the second coupler,
the controller configured to determine whether the first coupler is misaligned with the second coupler based on a comparison of the position of the first coupler and the position of the second coupler, wherein the first coupler is prohibited from coupling with the second coupler while the first and second couplers are misaligned,
the controller configured to initiate at least one action of one or more of the first coupler, the second coupler, the first vehicle system, or the second vehicle system responsive to determining that the first coupler is misaligned with the second coupler to change a position of one or more of the first coupler, the second coupler, the first vehicle system, or the second vehicle system, wherein changing the position of the one or more of the first coupler, the second coupler, the first vehicle system, or the second vehicle system aligns the first coupler with the second coupler,
wherein the first coupler is determined to be misaligned with the second coupler based on a difference between the position of the first coupler and the position of the second coupler being outside a determined alignment threshold, wherein the determined alignment threshold comprises a radial position threshold.