Integrated Encoder Bearing Hub for Protected Rail Wheel Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation and maintenance of externally-mounted encoders on rail vehicles are labor-intensive and prone to damage due to collisions with track features and vegetation, requiring frequent calibration and realignment.
Innovation Solution
A bearing hub assembly with an integrated sensor is mounted on the inside surface of rail wheels, reducing the risk of damage and calibration time, and providing accurate measurements of distance, speed, and direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an encoder is mounted to an outside surface of a rail wheel, then the encoder can measure speed, distance, and direction of the rail vehicle, but the encoder is highly prone to damage from collisions with track features and vegetation
Solution Approach 1:
The encoder is inverted from its conventional external mounting position to an internal mounting position within the bearing hub assembly. This inversion places the encoder in a protected environment inside the wheel, away from external hazards such as track features and vegetation that cause collision damage to externally-mounted encoders.
2Measurement precision
If an encoder is mounted to an outside surface of a rail wheel, then the encoder can measure travel parameters, but installing and aligning the encoder is a difficult and labor-intensive process
Solution Approach 1:
The encoder is merged with the bearing hub assembly into a single integrated unit. The encoder becomes an integral component of the bearing hub assembly, which is then installed as one unit onto the rail wheel. This merging eliminates the separate steps of encoder installation and alignment that are required when mounting an encoder to an external surface.
3Measurement precision
If an encoder is mounted to an outside surface of a rail wheel, then the encoder can measure travel parameters, but the encoder requires frequent calibration and realignment
Solution Approach 1:
The encoder is pre-aligned and pre-calibrated during the manufacturing of the bearing hub assembly. The encoder is positioned and configured correctly before the entire assembly is installed on the rail wheel, eliminating the need for field calibration and realignment that would otherwise be required after installation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure generally relates to a bearing hub assembly of a rail guide wheel apparatus for a rail vehicle. The bearing hub assembly may couple rail wheels to the rail guide wheel apparatus. The rail guide wheel apparatus may be included on a Hi-Rail vehicle or any other vehicle configured to travel along railroad tracks. The bearing hub assembly includes a sensor that is integrally mounted within the bearing hub assembly. The sensor collects information associated with rotation of the rail wheels. Information collected by the sensor may be used to determine a speed, direction, location, and/or distance traveled of the rail vehicle.