Patent Application
20250033678
The present disclosure relates generally to rail transportation systems, and more particularly to bearing adapter mounted drivetrains and custom mountable bearing adapters that can be used to equip railway vehicles with various accessories, such as motors, pneumatic systems, battery components.
In rail transport, a train is a series of connected vehicles that run along a railway track and transport people or freight. Trains are typically pulled or pushed by one or multiple locomotives that generate motive force to propel a train toward a destination along the railway track.
Railway vehicles include a variety of components that enable train movement along the railway track, including bogies, couplers, and brakes. Bogies, also sometimes referred to as trucks, provide support for the wheels and axles of the trains. Railway vehicles typically have two or more bogies, each of which may include two or more axles with wheels to enable maneuvering along curves and to support heavy loads. On many railcars, bearing adapters are often used to support the wheelset bearings within the bogie side frames. The bearing adapters fit within the side frame pedestals and provide an interface between the wheelset and the rest of the bogie structure. Additionally, couplers are used to link different railway vehicles within a train together and can include, for example, buffer and chain couplers or Janney couplers. Railway vehicles also utilize brakes to enable the entire train to slow down and stop. Such brakes are often used across multiple wheels on multiple railway vehicles to increase and distribute the available braking.
Trains typically use kinetic energy generated by large locomotive units positioned at the front of a train (a pull configuration), at the rear of a train (a push configuration), at both ends of a train (a push-pull configuration) and occasionally positioned between railway vehicles within the trainset (distributed propulsion). Conventionally, locomotives provide the tractive capability of the train and typically use diesel generators that supply power to electric motors. Factors that influence the power requirements of a train include the number of railway vehicles making up the train, the weight of the train, and gradients in the train's route, among other potential factors. In addition, most railway vehicles utilize braking systems that cause a frictional material (e.g., a brake pad) to clamp the wheels or discs of the railway vehicles. The braking systems could include air brakes that utilize compressed air in a piston/cylinder configuration. These air brake systems are distributed along the length of the train.
The freight rail industry is increasingly being pushed toward adopting new technology and improving service. Adoption of new technology within the existing 200+ year old model of rail transportation, however, can be challenging. Freight movement is still largely driven by traction motors positioned on locomotives that require large amounts of power generation, which limits drivetrain design options. Additionally, the majority of existing railway vehicles are built with traditional braking and wheelset structures, which might make extensive rework or replacement very costly. Thus, there is a need for solutions that can enhance the performance of railway vehicles and trains in general without the high costs associated with complete replacement of railway vehicles.
Example embodiments relate to custom bearing adapters with equipment mounting provisions and techniques for using the bearing adapters to retrofit railway vehicles with motors, pneumatic systems, braking components, batteries, sensors, and other types of accessories that can enhance efficiency and performance of the railway vehicles. Retrofitting a railway vehicle with one or multiple disclosed bearing adapters enables electric motors and other types of accessories to be attached and used with onboard power sources to supplement and/or replace energy typically generated by locomotives in a trainset. Disclosed bearing adapters are custom designed to easily and securely attach onto existing bogies of railway vehicles in a fixed position that allows the railway vehicles to be retrofitted with sensors, motors, and other equipment that are mounted relative to the railway vehicle's axle. The custom mountable bearing adapters also include provisions required to capture and support standard wheelset bearing classes in the same fashion as stock railcar bearing adapters. Additionally, the bearing adapters use standard features for fitment into stock side frame pedestal geometries.
Accordingly, a first example embodiment describes a bearing adapter for coupling an accessory onto a railway vehicle. The bearing adapter includes an upper structure configured to extend over an upper portion of a rail bearing coupled to an axle of the railway vehicle and one or more mounting elements located on the upper structure and configured to enable the accessory to be coupled onto the railway vehicle.
Another example embodiment describes a railcar. The railcar includes a bogie having at least one axle. The at least one axle includes a rail bearing and a set of wheels. The railcar also includes a bearing adapter coupled around the rail bearing. The bearing adapter includes a first structure portion configured to extend around a first portion of the rail bearing coupled to the at least one axle of the railcar and one or more mounting elements located on the first portion and configured to enable one or more accessories to be coupled to the bearing adapter.
An additional example embodiment describes a method for coupling an accessory to a railway vehicle. The method involves coupling a bearing adapter around a portion of a rail bearing. The rail bearing is coupled to an axle of the railway vehicle and the bear adapter includes one or more mounting features. The method also involves coupling the accessory to the one or more mounting features on the bearing adapter such that the accessory is located proximate an end of the axle of the railway vehicle.
The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the figures and the following detailed description.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof. In the figures, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, figures, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the scope of the subject matter presented herein. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated herein.
Example embodiments presented herein relate to equipment mountable bearing adapters and techniques for using such bearing adapters to retrofit and/or customize railway vehicles to include motors, additional braking components, sensors, and/or other types of accessories that can enhance the performance of the railway vehicles. The custom bearing adapters disclosed herein have designs that enable them to be easily retrofitted onto stock truck sets and rail bearings, thereby enabling various types of accessories to be mounted onto and used by existing railway vehicles. For instance, an example bearing adapter can be used to retrofit a motor onto the axle of a railway vehicle, which can then use onboard power sources to supplement and/or replace energy typically generated by locomotives in a trainset. As such, one or multiple bearing adapters can be used on a railway vehicle to add accessories onto one or more axles of the railway vehicle.
The configuration of equipment mountable bearing adapters can differ within example embodiments. For instance, an example bearing adapter includes a structure that can couple around an upper portion of a rail bearing positioned on the axle of a wheel set. The structure includes one or more mounting features that enable one or more accessories to be secured in a fixed position to the bearing adapter relative to the axle. The mounting features can vary within examples and may include clamps, threaded holes, and/or through holes, etc. The accessory or accessories can engage the journal located on the end of the axle. For instance, the accessory or accessories can include one or multiple braking components, gearboxes, air tanks, a drivetrain electric motor, and/or pneumatic system components. In addition, disclosed bearing adapters can serve as a grounding path for the railway vehicle. As a metal structure, high power can discharge through the bearing adapter and into the track through the wheel or wheels on the axle. As such, power systems and lightning can discharge through the bearing adapter into the underlying tracks.
Another example bearing adapter includes an upper structure and a lower structure that couples around a rail bearing positioned on the axle of a wheel set. The upper and lower structures can be secured together via one or multiple fasteners, which can hold the bearing adapter in a fixed position and orientation on the rail bearing (forming a fixed mount), thereby enabling one or multiple accessories to be mounted to the bearing adapter in a fixed position relative to the axle. For instance, an electric motor, sensor(s), braking component(s), or another type of accessory may be coupled to the bearing adapter in a position that allows the accessory to engage the journal located on the end of the axle. As an example, an electric motor can be mounted via the bearing adapter and positioned to supply rotational power to the journal, which rotates the axle and corresponding wheels on the railway vehicle. In another example, a bearing adapter may include multiple portions that couple together securely around the rail bearing or to another part of the bogie in different ways.
In addition, disclosed bearing adapters can be manufactured using various techniques and materials within examples. For instance, bearing adapters can be manufactured via machining techniques, casting, injection molding, three-dimensional (3D) printing, stamping, forging, and/or a combination of techniques. Example materials that can be used include steel, aluminum, titanium, carbon fiber, and ceramics, among others. The particular manufacturing technique or techniques used may depend on the material, complexity, size, and desired production volume of the bearing adapter being produced. In some cases, extensions can be used to further secure an accessory to the bearing adapter and in a position that allows the accessory to perform a desired action. For instance, one or multiple extensions can couple to the adapter to enable a motor to be positioned proximate to the journal located on the end of the axle, which allows the motor to engage and rotate the axle.
In some examples, one or more disclosed bearing adapters are used to modify an existing freight vehicle or another type of railway vehicle to include an electromechanical drive system that can supplement and/or replace motive energy supplied by one or more locomotives. An electromechanical drive system can include one or multiple electric motors that are coupled to the axle of the railway vehicle thereby enabling the motors to rotate the wheels in both directions at various speeds. The electromechanical drive systems may incorporate batteries or other sources of electrical energy onboard that can be used by the motors to supplement and/or replace motive energy typically generated by locomotives for a train. In some examples, one or multiple cameras and/or other types of sensors are coupled to the bearing adapters to capture images or sensor measurements of the track. This set up can be used to map railways and enable real-time track inspection and condition analysis of the railway vehicles.
One or multiple computing systems can be used to operate motive systems implemented on railway vehicles. For example, each railway vehicle may include a computing system and these computing systems may communicate with each other to coordinate actions among different vehicles throughout the train during a route and/or coordinate actions among different accessories coupled to the railway vehicles via disclosed adapters. In addition, computing systems can be positioned remotely from the railway vehicles and can communicate with various sources, such as onboard sensors, databases, route planners, other trains, and local stations, among others. The communication technologies used between components and computing systems can differ within example embodiments. As such, motive systems can perform various operations to enhance the performance of individual railway vehicles as well as the train overall. For instance, a computing system may use sensor data and/or other information to control the applications of drive systems and/or braking systems on railway vehicles in a manner that reduces the power required by locomotives associated with the train and/or the stress forces imparted on couplers that connect railway vehicles.
Referring now to the figures,
Railway vehicle 102 represents any type of vehicle that can transport people and/or cargo on a railway. In some examples, railway vehicle 102 may be a freight car or a flatcar configured to move materials or other types of materials. In particular, railway vehicle 102 is a burdened rail vehicle in some embodiments. Traditional locomotives are unburdened (i.e., not carrying payload) whereas traditional freight railcars are unpowered and serve to carry payloads similar to trailers as burdened vehicles. As such, the size, shape, and configuration of railway vehicle 102 can differ within examples. In addition, the number and types of axles and wheels on railway vehicle 102 can vary. Generally, railway vehicle 102 may include two axles per truck with two trucks per railcar. Railway vehicle 102 may include one or multiple types of couplers that enable railway vehicle 102 to be coupled to other railway vehicles.
Motive system 100 may include propulsion system 104 in some examples. As such, propulsion system 104 may include one or multiple components configured to supply powered motion for railway vehicle 102. For instance, propulsion system 104 may include one or multiple motors that can use power from power system 110 to generate torque to rotate wheels of railway vehicle 102. In some embodiments, propulsion system 104 may include multiple types of engines and/or motors.
Sensor system 106 may include one or multiple types of sensors that can be used to enhance the performance of railway vehicle 102. Generally, sensor system 106 can be utilized to understand the environment of railway vehicle 102, the performance of components of railway vehicle 102, and enable tailoring performance of railway vehicle 102 towards the environment. For instance, sensor system 106 may include one or more radars, lidars, cameras, wind sensors, force sensors, contact sensors, precipitation sensors, light sensors, humidity sensors, strain gauges, thermal imaging, radio navigation units, encoders, resolvers, laser range finding sensors, Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) sensors, gyroscopes and/or magnetometers, accelerometers, magnetic sensors, microphones, strain and weight sensors, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), inertial measurement units (IMUs), passive infrared sensors, ultrasonic sensors, wheel speed sensors, and/or throttle/brake sensors, among other possibilities. Sensor system 106 may also include one or multiple sensors configured to monitor existing components of railway vehicle 102.
Various sensors from sensor system 106 can be placed on different components of railway vehicle 102. For instance, some sensors can be positioned on couplers while others are housed in a particular container positioned near a front or a rear end of railway vehicle 102. Some sensors can measure aspects of couplers positioned on railway vehicle 102. For instance, these sensors can indicate the stress level on couplers, among other information.
In some examples, sensor system 106 may include one or multiple sensors that can detect waypoints positioned along a railway track. Sensor system 106 may also enable railway vehicle 102 to triangulate its position relative to off board radio stations and/or other sources of communication signals, such as 4G or 5G towers. Sensor system 106 can also be used to weigh railway vehicle 102 and adjust performance of electric motors and/or other components located on railway vehicle 102.
In some examples, a motor encoder and/or solver data can be used to detect wheel slipping on railway vehicle 102 due to wet, icy, or debris laden tracks. In response, computing system 114 may then implement effective control strategies. Onboard sensors can be used to detect vandals in some embodiments. Computing system 114 may use cameras and radar to detect potential vandalism and responsively transmit signals to a user and/or authorities to protect cargo and payloads via communication system 108. In addition, sensor system 106 can be used for automated track inspections and to determine rail condition. In some cases, computing system 114 may determine deviation from normal rail characteristics based on sensor data from sensor system 106. For instance, computing system 114 may detect railcar hunting, vibration, and/or other dynamics based on sensor data.
As further shown in
Power system 110 may include one or multiple power sources that can supply power to different components of motive system 100 and/or railway vehicle 102. For instance, power system 110 may include batteries, petroleum-based fuels, gas-based fuels, solar panels, among other types of power generation sources. In some example embodiments, power system 110 may include a combination of batteries, capacitors, and/or flywheels. In some cases, power system 110 may be shared across multiple railway vehicles within a trainset. For instance, direct electrical connections can exist between power systems on different railway vehicles. In addition, multiple power systems can be used to share energy in optimal ways, such as using an overcharged battery pack to kinetically recharge a depleted or lower state of charge battery pack.
Brake system 112 may represent one or multiple supplementary brake systems that motive system 100 may include to further enhance performance of railway vehicle 102. The primary braking system can be pneumatic, with brake airlines pressurized from compressors on board the loco, and used in conjunction with brake system 112. For instance, brake system 112 is a regenerative brake system in some embodiments. As a regenerative system, brake system 112 can serve as an energy recovery mechanism that also slows down the railway vehicle by converting its kinetic energy into a form that can be used immediately or stored until needed. For instance, brake system 112 can convert kinetic energy into energy stored by one or more batteries of power system 110. In some instances, brake system 112 can dissipate the energy as heat, such as when the battery storage on railway vehicle 102 is full.
In some embodiments, brake system 112 can be a regenerative braking system that can be used to feed electricity directly into the electrical grid through overhead catenary lines or other technologies (e.g., third rails used for power). Brake system 112 can also be used during short sections of track without requiring full electrification of the track lines to take advantage of traditional un-electrified rail as well as short electrified sections for recharging and returning power to the grid.
Computing system 114 represents one or multiple computing devices that can perform operations, such as the various operations described herein. Computing system 114 may include one or multiple processors that can execute instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium (e.g., data storage). The instructions can enable computing system 114 to operate with the various subsystems of motive system 100 and other computing devices (e.g., remote computing system 118). In some examples, motive system 100 may use communication system 108 to communicate with remote computing system 118 over a wireless connection 120. In addition, computing system 114 may include one or multiple user interface elements to enable users to provide instructions and/or receive information from motive system 100. For instance, computing system 114 may include one or more input/output devices, such as a touchscreen, speaker, and microphone, etc.
In some embodiments, computing system 114 is designed to be self-redundant in order to offer duplex or triplex redundancy in case of a partial system failure. This allows for computing system 114 to continue operations in case of a failure as well as to have a redundant system verifying and validating sensor inputs received from sensor system 106.
Control system 116 can include one or multiple components designed to assist in the operations of railway vehicle 102. For instance, control system 116 can include components that enable control of other components of motive system 100.
Remote computing system 118 represents a computing system that may provide information and/or control instructions to motive system 100 and/or railway vehicle 102. For instance, remote computing system 118 may be a smartphone, server, laptop, and/or another type of device that enables inputs to different components within motive system 100.
Motive system 100 can include other pneumatic elements for auxiliary services, such as dump, gate, or door actuation. These systems can be actuated via solenoids remotely or manually. Gate or door actuation can be supplied from the same compressors or completely separate air systems from the brake air infrastructure. In addition, motive system 100 can also include additional systems, such as a cooling system that can service the needs of other systems. For instance, the cooling system can cool onboard battery storage, electric motors, inverters using liquid or air cooled subsystems in order to keep the components in satisfactory operating temperatures. In some implementations, compressors and air drying/treating equipment for pneumatic systems can use a cooling system. As such, cooling systems could link between other systems on a single loop, in series or parallel. In other cases, each system may have its own subsystem for cooling. A combination of a master cooling system and additional cooling subsystems can be used in other examples.
In the example embodiment shown in
Processor 202 may be one or more of any type of computer processing element, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a co-processor (e.g., a graphics processor), a digital signal processor (DSP), a network processor, and/or a form of integrated circuit or controller that performs processor operations. As such, processor 202 may be one or more single-core processors and/or one or more multi-core processors with multiple independent processing units. In addition, processor 202 may also include register memory for temporarily storing instructions being executed and related data, as well as cache memory for temporarily storing recently-used instructions and data.
Memory 204 may be any form of computer-usable memory, including but not limited to random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), and non-volatile memory. This may include flash memory, hard disk drives, solid state drives, rewritable compact discs (CDs), rewritable digital video discs (DVDs), and/or tape storage, as just a few examples. Computing system 200 may include fixed memory as well as one or more removable memory units, the latter including but not limited to various types of secure digital (SD) cards. As an example result, memory 204 can represent both main memory units as well as long-term storage. Memory 204 may store program instructions and/or data on which program instructions may operate. By way of example, memory 204 may store these program instructions on a non-transitory, computer-readable medium, such that the instructions are executable by processor 202 to perform any of the methods, processes, or operations disclosed in this specification or the accompanying drawings.
As shown in
Input/output unit 206 may facilitate user and peripheral device interaction with computing system 200, sensors, and/or other computing systems, such as computing systems on other railway vehicles and/or positioned remote from a train. Input/output unit 206 may include one or more types of input devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, one or more touch screens, sensors, biometric sensors, and so on. Similarly, input/output unit 206 may include one or more types of output devices, such as a screen, monitor, printer, speakers, and/or one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs). Additionally or alternatively, computing system 200 may communicate with other devices using a universal serial bus (USB) or high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port interface, for example. In some examples, input/output unit 206 can be configured to receive data from other devices. For instance, input/output unit 206 may receive sensor data from sensors, such as sensors positioned on a railway vehicle. As shown in
Network interface 208 may take the form of one or more wireline interfaces (e.g., Ethernet) and/or enable communication over one or more wireless interfaces, such as IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), BLUETOOTH®, global positioning system (GPS), 3G, 4G, 5G, or a wide-area wireless interface. In addition, other forms of physical layer interfaces and other types of standard or proprietary communication protocols may be used over network interface 208.
In the example embodiment, railway vehicle 302 is shown as a freight vehicle designed to carry materials and other cargo between locations. As shown, railway vehicle 302 includes bogies 309 (or trucks) that enable movement on wheels 310. As such, motive system 300 can involve installation of one or multiple components (e.g., electric motors, braking systems) on bogies 309 via one or more bearing adapters and other components of railway vehicle 302. Railway vehicle 302 can have alternative configurations within other embodiments. In addition, railway vehicle 302 can be part of a train that includes one or multiple railway vehicles equipped with motive systems 300.
Motive system 300 can be implemented as motive system 100 shown in
Railway vehicle 402 is similar to railway vehicle 302 shown in
In the example embodiment, railway vehicle 502 has a flat design to enable one or multiple containers (e.g., shipping container 504) to be positioned on top. Motive system 500 implemented on railway vehicle 502 includes front component 506 and rear component 508. One or both of front component 506 and rear component 508 can include various components of motive system 500, such as sensors, energy storage (e.g., batteries), etc. In addition, the bogies of railway vehicle 502 can similarly include components of motive system 500, such as regenerative brakes, motors, etc. Motive system 500 can also be designed for standard coupling interfaces and may use one or multiple bearing adapters disclosed herein.
In the example embodiment shown in
Bearing adapter 600 has a design that enables it be efficiently retrofitted onto standard truck side frame classes and rail bearing classes. As such, a railway vehicle can include one or multiple drivetrain bearing adapters to enable multiple accessories to be mounted on the railway vehicle. In some examples, the accessories may communicate with each other and/or a central controller (e.g., a computing device) to enable coordinated control and performance. For instance, multiple motors and/or braking components can be mounted onto a railway vehicle and controlled in a coordinated manner by a computing system positioned onboard and/or remote from the railway vehicle.
As shown in
In other embodiments, bearing adapter 600 can include a single structure, such as upper structure 602. Upper structure 602 can have a configuration that fits with stock side frames and roller bearings. As such, accessories can be coupled to upper structure 602 and secured in a fixed location relative to the end of the axle 603.
Different types of fasteners can be used to connect upper structure 602 and lower structure 604 together, such as mechanical fasteners, adhesives, or a combination. In general, a fastener is a hardware component that is used to join or secure two or more objects together. As such, fasteners that can be used to connect upper structure 602 and lower structure 604 and other components to bearing adapter 600. Example fasteners include screws, bolts, nails, rivets, anchors, and clips.
In the example embodiment, upper structure 602 includes through-hole 608A and through-hole 608B, which can be aligned with through-hole 610A and through-hole 610B that are located on lower structure 604 to allow fasteners 612A, 612B to hold upper structure 602 and lower structure 604 together around rail bearing 606 in a fixed position. As further shown in the illustrated example, fasteners 612A, 612B are a combination of screws and nuts that can tightly secure upper structure 602 and lower structure 604 in a fixed, mounted position around rail bearing 606. In particular, fastener 612A is shown extending through and connecting through-holes 608A. 610A and fastener 612B is shown extending through and connecting through-holes 608B, 610B. Other types of fasteners can be used. In some examples, adhesives may also be used to connect upper structure 602 and lower structure 604 in a manner that enables axle 603 to rotate.
In some embodiments, fasteners 612A, 612B can include one or multiple spacers (not shown). A spacer is a component used in fastening systems to create a gap between two objects that are being fastened together and can be made of various materials, such as metal, plastic, or rubber. In addition, the spacers can differ in shape and size. Spacers can be used to provide a uniform distance between the two objects being fastened (e.g., upper structure 602 and lower structure 604), which can help prevent distortion or damage to the objects. In addition, spacers can be used to distribute the load or stress placed on fasteners 612A, 612B more evenly, which can help to prevent fasteners 612A, 612B from loosening or failing over time.
In some examples, spacers and/or shims can be included between upper structure 602 and lower structure 604 at the bolted connection in order to create a gap between the cup of lower structure 604 and the bearing race. In this arrangement, the housed bearing is only contacted by upper structure 602 during operation, which aids to keep bearing temperatures cooler, while lower structure 604 provides additional rigidity and mounting provisions.
In the isometric view and side views of bearing adapter 600 shown in
Each flange is shown with mounting features 615. In the example embodiment shown in
As further shown in
In addition,
In the example embodiment, rail bearing 606 allows wheel 642A to rotate freely around axle 603. Rail bearing 606 is designed to withstand the high forces and loads that are generated by the weight of the railcar and its cargo, as well as the forces from the rail track itself. Bolster springs 644 are part of a suspension system that consists of a series of springs and shock absorbers that help absorb the vibrations and shocks that are generated during rail travel. The suspension system also helps keep the wheels in contact with the track, which is important for maintaining traction and stability. The flanges on the wheels keep the train on the track, while the suspension system helps to cushion the railcar from the forces generated by the track.
As shown in
The isometric view illustrated in
As shown, retrofitting bogie 726 may involve initially coupling bearing adapter 700 around a rail bearing similar to standard mount 721. Bearing adapter 700 is coupled relative to side structure 722. Extensions 742A, 742B, 742C, 742D are shown used in
In addition, in some examples, additional suspension and dampening components can be implemented on bearing adapter 700 or extensions 742A-742D to reduce transmission of shock load and vibrations to the mounted accessories (e.g., accessory 740).
As shown in
The isometric view illustrated in
Retrofitting bogie 822 may involve initially coupling bearing adapter 800 around rail bearing 820 in a position that is similar to standard mount 826. Bearing adapter 800 is coupled relative to side structure 828 of bogie 822. One or multiple extensions can connect to bearing adapter 800 to further couple one or more accessories to bearing adapter 800 in a manner that provides stability during travel. For instance, multiple extensions can connect to bearing adapter 800 at multiple points on both sides of the side structure of bogie 822. This way, the weight of the accessory can be balanced by having multiple points of connection to bearing adapter 800.
In some examples, bearing adapter 800 can be used for mounting lighter weight or smaller equipment. In addition, railways may also have hot box detectors for monitoring bearing temperatures positioned near the track below the bearings. Line of sight may be needed to read bearing temperatures. As such, bearing adapter 800 has a configuration that enables the line of sight for measurements.
Those skilled in the art will understand that the flowchart described herein illustrates functionality and operations of certain implementations of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block of the flowchart may represent a module, a segment, or a portion of program code, which includes one or more instructions executable by one or more processors for implementing specific logical functions or steps in the process. The program code may be stored on any type of computer readable medium, for example, such as a storage device including a disk or hard drive.
In addition, each block may represent circuitry that is wired to perform the specific logical functions in the process. Alternative implementations are included within the scope of the example implementations of the present application in which functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrent or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as may be understood by those reasonably skilled in the art.
At block 902, method 900 involves coupling a bearing adapter around a portion of a rail bearing that is coupled to an axle of a railway vehicle. The bearing adapter includes one or more mounting features.
In some examples, the bearing adapter includes at least one flange having one or more mounting features that enable the accessory to be coupled in a fixed orientation to the upper structure and/or lower structure, respectively. The mounting features can include one or more slots, clamps, clearance holes, and/or threaded holes.
At block 904, method 900 involves coupling an accessory to the one or more mounting features on the bearing adapter such that the accessory is located proximate an end of the axle of the railway vehicle. The accessory or accessories attached to the mounting features can differ within examples. For instance, the accessory can be a sensor, an electric motor, a battery module, and/or one or more braking components, among other options. Other example accessories can include gear boxes, belts, cooling systems, fuel cell equipment, generators, communication equipment (e.g., Wi-Fi, LTE equipment), control systems, antenna, battery storage systems, different types of transmissions, internal combustion generators, hydrogen fuel equipment, wireless charger access points, direct current (DC) to DC converter, additional braking components, hot bearing detectors, bad bearing detectors that can increase torque to the system, thermal measurement sensors, GPS equipment, radar, lidar, inertial measurement unit (IMU), Bluetooth equipment, gravimetric meters to measure gravity, and/or cameras, among others.
In some examples, coupling the bearing adapter around the portion of the rail bearing involves coupling a first structure portion of the bearing adapter around a first portion of the rail bearing and coupling a second structure portion of the bearing adapter around a second portion of the rail bearing. The first structure portion and the second structure portion can then be coupled together via a set of fasteners to form the bearing adapter in a fixed position around the rail bearing. One or more spacers can be included as part of the set of fasteners.
In some examples, the first structure portion and/or the second structure portion includes a pair of flanges aligned in parallel and a side frame interface extending between the pair of flanges. In addition, the first structure portion and/or the second structure portion can include a curved portion with a degree of curvature that is based on a diameter of a stock rail bearing. For instance, the curved portion can have a degree of curvature that further includes clearance diameters cut into it to allow clearance for standard axle end caps and baking rings of bearing assemblies.
In some examples, the bearing adapter may include embedded thermocouples, thermistors, or other devices to actively monitor bearing temperature. The bearing temperature can be used to determine if a railcar needs maintenance or if the wheelset requires new bearings.
The above detailed description describes various features and functions of the disclosed systems, devices, and methods with reference to the accompanying figures. While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope being indicated by the following claims.
It should be understood that arrangements described herein are for purposes of example only. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other arrangements and other elements (e.g. machines, apparatuses, interfaces, functions, orders, and groupings of functions, etc.) can be used instead, and some elements may be omitted altogether according to the desired results. Further, many of the elements that are described are functional entities that may be implemented as discrete or distributed components or in conjunction with other components, in any suitable combination and location.
