System and method for rail scanning using electromagnetic engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12246762-B2
Application number	US-202117790754-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2021
Priority date	Feb 13, 2020
Publication date	Mar 11, 2025
Grant date	Mar 11, 2025

Abstract

A system and method for scanning and evaluating a portion of rail operable for travel by a wheeled bogie having a plurality of electromagnetic engines. The electromagnetic engines are generally operable to generate an electromagnetic field that is operable to penetrate a rail. A resulting eddy current may be generated that is further operable to penetrate the rail. As the electromagnetic engines travel along the rail, readings from the electromagnetic field and resulting eddy current may be used to detect differences in the rail as measured with respect to a nominal rail. The defects detected may be head checks, cracks, corrosion, etc. Further, a treated rail section may be utilized to strengthen the rail itself without compromising non-destructive evaluation. The disclosed system and method may be embodied as a computer program product.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic engine configured to being mounted on a wheeled bogie assembly, the bogie assembly being configured to operate on a rail, the electromagnetic engine comprising:
a first electromagnetic sensor, the first electromagnetic sensor being disposed along a first axis;
a second electromagnetic sensor, the second electromagnetic sensor being disposed along a second axis;
a third electromagnetic sensor, the third electromagnetic sensor being disposed along a third axis;
a plurality of electromagnetic coils comprised of a first electromagnetic coil, a second electromagnetic coil and a third electromagnetic coil, the plurality of electromagnetic coils being configured to generate an electromagnetic field, the electromagnetic field being configured to penetrate the rail, the electromagnetic field being further configured to generate an eddy current when the electromagnetic engine is in motion, the first coil and the third coil being disposed along a fourth axis, the second coil being disposed along a fifth axis, the fourth axis being disposed below the fifth axis;
and
a controller, coupled with a memory, the controller configured to:
measure, at the first electromagnetic sensor, a first reading of the generated electromagnetic field and the generated eddy current;
measure, at the second electromagnetic sensor, a second reading of the generated electromagnetic field and the generated eddy current;
measure, at the third electromagnetic sensor, a third reading of the generated electromagnetic field and the generated eddy current; and
triangulate the first reading, the second reading, and the third reading to form a first signature.

2. The electromagnetic engine of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive a first signal, the first signal indicating the controller is in a calibration mode; and
store, in the memory, the first signature as a calibration signature, the calibration signature being generated from a nominal section of the rail and being configured for comparison with a second signature.

3. The electromagnetic engine of claim 2 , wherein the storing is performed on a cloud computing platform, the cloud computing platform being remote from the electromagnetic engine.

4. The electromagnetic engine of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive a second signal, the second signal indicating the controller is in an operation mode;
store, in the memory, the first signature as a first operation signature, the first operation signature being generated from a first operating section of the rail and being configured for comparison with a first calibration signature;
compare the first operation signature with the first calibration signature to form a third signature, the third signature being configured to classify a first difference in the rail; and
store, in the memory, the third signature.

5. The electromagnetic engine of claim 4 , wherein the first difference is a defect being a head check, a crack, a deformation, a missing portion of material, a missing clip, a damaged clip, a longitudinal profile defect, or a combination thereof.

6. The electromagnetic engine of claim 1 , wherein the first electromagnetic sensor, the second electromagnetic sensor, and the third electromagnetic sensor are each selected from the group consisting of: a Hall-effect sensor, an electromagnetic coil, and a magneto-resistive device.

7. The electromagnetic engine of claim 1 , wherein the rail further comprises:
a treated portion, the treated portion being disposed proximal to a rail head, the treated portion further being of a different metallurgical profile than a second portion of the rail, the second portion of the rail being different than the treated portion.

8. The electromagnetic engine of claim 7 , wherein the treated portion is manufactured by heat treatment, metal alloying, mechanical treatment, or a combination thereof.

9. The electromagnetic engine of claim 8 , wherein the treated portion is associated with a real-world location, further wherein the controller is further configured to:
detect the treated portion having a real-world location associated therewith;
store, in the memory, additional data related to the detection of the treated portion, the additional data including time, velocity of the electromagnetic engine, or a combination thereof.

10. The electromagnetic engine of claim 8 , wherein the treated portion contains a plurality of glyphs, the plurality of glyphs being associated with a message.

11. The electromagnetic engine of claim 1 , wherein the first electromagnetic sensor, the second electromagnetic sensor, and the third electromagnetic sensor are collectively disposed in an array of electromagnetic sensors, the array being substantially lateral to a direction of travel along the rail, further wherein the controller is further configured to form a time-based image of the rail based on measurements gathered by the array of electromagnetic sensors.

12. A method for an electromagnetic engine configured to being mounted on a wheeled bogie assembly, the wheeled bogie assembly being configured to operate on a rail, the method comprising:
controlling, at a controller, a first electromagnetic sensor, the first electromagnetic sensor being disposed along a first axis, the controller being coupled to a memory;
controlling, at the controller, a second electromagnetic sensor, the second electromagnetic sensor being disposed along a second axis;
controlling, at the controller, a third electromagnetic sensor, the third electromagnetic sensor being disposed along a third axis;
controlling, at the controller, a plurality of electromagnetic coils comprised of a first electromagnetic coil, a second electromagnetic coil and a third electromagnetic coil, the plurality of electromagnetic coils being configured to generate an electromagnetic field, the electromagnetic field being configured to penetrate the rail and being configured to generate an eddy current when the electromagnetic engine is in motion, the first coil and the third coil being disposed along a fourth axis, the second coil being disposed along a fifth axis, the fourth axis being disposed below the fifth axis;
measuring, at the first electromagnetic sensor, a first reading of the generated electromagnetic field and the generated eddy current;
measuring, at the second electromagnetic sensor, a second reading of the generated electromagnetic field and the generated eddy current;
measuring, at the third electromagnetic sensor, a third reading of the generated electromagnetic field and the generated eddy current; and
triangulating the first reading, the second reading, and the third reading to form a first signature.

13. The method of claim 12 , the method further comprising:
receiving, at the controller, a first signal, the first signal indicating a calibration mode; and
storing, in the memory, the first signature as a calibration signature, the calibration signature being generated from a nominal section of the rail and being configured for comparison with a second signature.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the storing is further performed on a cloud computing platform, the cloud computing platform being remote from the electromagnetic engine.

15. The method of claim 12 , the method further comprising:
receiving a second signal, the second signal indicating an operation mode;
storing, in the memory, the first signature as an operation signature, the operation signature being generated from an operating section of the rail and being configured for compari

Assignees

• Hyperloop Tech Inc

Inventors

• Hilgers Andy Alexander
• Lambert Timothy Nicholas Leslie

Classifications

• B61L13/047

  controlling inductively or magnetically · CPC title

• B61L11/08

  using electrical or magnetic interaction between vehicle and track · CPC title

• B61L11/083

  Magnetic control · CPC title

• B61L15/0058

  On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation · CPC title

• B61L15/0081

  On-board diagnosis or maintenance · CPC title