초록 ▼

A method and apparatus are disclosed for sensing the temperature of bearings of vehicles traveling along a track, the apparatus including a linear-array infrared detector positioned adjacent to the track. The output from the linear-array infrared detector is scanned at a scanning rate that is regula

A method and apparatus are disclosed for sensing the temperature of bearings of vehicles traveling along a track, the apparatus including a linear-array infrared detector positioned adjacent to the track. The output from the linear-array infrared detector is scanned at a scanning rate that is regulated according to the vehicle\s velocity, and this output is compared to predetermined thresholds to indicate excessive heat produced by the wheels and/or bearings.

대표청구항 ▼

Apparatus for inspecting a wheel or bearing of a railroad car while the railroad car moves along a track, wherein the apparatus detects the presence of an abnormal temperature condition in the wheel or bearing, the apparatus comprising: a first linear-array infrared detector located adjacent to a tr

Apparatus for inspecting a wheel or bearing of a railroad car while the railroad car moves along a track, wherein the apparatus detects the presence of an abnormal temperature condition in the wheel or bearing, the apparatus comprising: a first linear-array infrared detector located adjacent to a track on which the railroad car is moving, wherein the first infrared detector has an elongated, generally vertically oriented field of view, and wherein the first infrared detector is positioned such that its field of view is traversed by the wheel or bearing of the railroad car; a first scan controller that repeatedly reads the first linear-array infrared detector to produce a succession of scan signals at a prescribed scanning rate, each scan signal representing the infrared energy emitted by any objects located in the first detector\s field of view, such that while the wheel or bearing of the railroad car moves through the detector\s field of view, the succession of scan signals represent the infrared energy emitted by a two-dimensional area of the wheel or bearing, wherein the scanning rate is regulated according to a velocity that the railroad car is traveling along the track; and a first processor that receives the successive scan signals from the first infrared detector and detects any abnormally high temperature condition in any wheel or bearing passing through the first infrared detector\s field of view.