Undercarriage inspection assemblies and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025088759-A1
Application number	US-202418829199-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 9, 2024
Priority date	Sep 8, 2023
Publication date	Mar 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Assemblies, systems, and methods for inspecting vehicles are disclosed. An assembly can comprise a first angled camera, a second angled camera, an upright camera, lights, and a housing configured to attach to a railway between opposing rails. The first angled camera can be oriented at least partially in a vertical direction and at least partially in a first horizontal direction, and directed to a first target region from a first viewpoint. The second angled camera can be oriented at least partially in the vertical direction and at least partially in a second horizontal direction that is substantially opposite the first horizontal direction, and directed to a second target region from a second viewpoint. The upright camera can be oriented substantially in a vertical direction, and configured to capture images of a third target region from a third viewpoint.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An inspection assembly comprising:
a first angled camera oriented at least partially in a vertical direction and at least partially in a first horizontal direction, the first angled camera being directed to a first target region in a three-dimensional space from a first viewpoint; a second angled camera oriented at least partially in the vertical direction and at least partially in a second horizontal direction that is substantially opposite the first horizontal direction, the second angled camera being directed to a second target region in a three-dimensional space from a second viewpoint; an upright camera oriented substantially in a vertical direction, the upright camera being configured to capture images of a third target region in the three-dimensional space from a third viewpoint; one or more lights; and a housing configured to attach to a railway at a location between opposing rails of the railway.

2 . The inspection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first angled camera is positioned a first distance from the upright camera and the second angled camera is positioned a second distance from the upright camera, at least one of the first distance or the second distance being at least 30 inches.

3 . The inspection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises:
a first shroud covering at least a rear portion of the first angled camera, the first shroud having an upper height proximate a lens of the first angled camera and sloping downwardly in a first direction extending away from a center of the inspection assembly; and a second shroud covering at least a rear portion of the second angled camera, the second shroud having an upper height proximate a lens of the second angled camera and sloping downwardly in a second direction extending away from the center of the inspection assembly.

4 . The inspection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inspection assembly has a length that can extend across at least six rail ties of the railway.

5 . The inspection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more lights comprises a plurality of light arrays, the light arrays being substantially co-planarly arranged around the upright camera to form a light platform configured to distribute light in the vertical direction.

6 . The inspection assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the first target region, the second target region, or the third target region are the same target region.

7 . The inspection assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first angled camera, the second angled camera, and the upright camera are configured to capture images of the same target region substantially simultaneously.

8 . The inspection assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first angled camera, the second angled camera, and the upright camera are configured to capture images of the same target region within one microsecond of one another.

9 . The inspection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inspection assembly is configured to attach to the railway such that an uppermost portion of the inspection assembly is lower than a lowermost top surface of the opposing rails when the inspection assembly is attached to the railway.

10 . The inspection assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more air curtains configured to blow air across a lens of at least one of the first angled camera, the second angled camera, or the upright camera.

11 . The inspection assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first angled camera, the second angled camera, or the upright camera is an area scan camera.

12 . An inspection assembly comprising:
one or more line scan cameras configured to capture images in a generally vertical direction; a first light source configured to emit light in a first direction that extends at least partially in the vertical direction and at least partially in a first horizontal direction extending from the first light source toward the one or more line scan cameras; a second light source configured to emit light in a second direction that extends at least partially in the vertical direction and at least partially in a second horizontal direction extending from the second light source toward the one or more line scan cameras, the second horizontal direction being substantially opposite the first horizontal direction; a housing comprising:
a base configured to at least partially support the one or more line scan cameras, the first light source, and the second light source;
a first shroud located proximate the first light source and sloped downwardly in the second horizontal direction; and
a second shroud located proximate the second light source and sloped downwardly in the first horizontal direction,
wherein the second shroud is spaced apart from the first shroud to thereby form a gap within which the first light source, the second light source, and the one or more line scan cameras are positioned,
wherein the housing is configured to attach to a railway at a location between opposing rails of the railway.

13 . The inspection assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction are approximately parallel to opposing rails of the railway.

14 . The inspection assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first horizontal direction and the second horizontal direction are approximately perpendicular to opposing rails of the railway.

15 . The inspection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inspection assembly has a length that can extend across at least four rail ties of the railway.

16 . The inspection assembly of claim 12 , wherein the inspection assembly is configured to attach to the railway such that an uppermost portion of the inspection assembly is lower than a lowermost top surface of the opposing rails when the inspection assembly is attached to the railway.

17 . The inspection assembly of claim 12 , further comprising one or more air curtains configured to blow air across a lens of a corresponding one of the one or more line scan cameras.

18 . The inspection assembly of claim 12 , further comprising one or more dampening devices, each of the one or more dampening devices being disposed between the housing and a corresponding one of the one or more line scan cameras.

19 . An inspection system comprising:
a first imaging assembly comprising:
a first angled camera oriented at least partially in a vertical direction and at least partially in a first horizontal direction, the first angled camera being directed to a first target region in a three-dimensional space from a first viewpoint;
a second angled camera oriented at least partially in the vertical direction and at least partially in a second horizontal direction that is substantially opposite the first horizontal direction, the second angled camera being directed to a second target region in a three-dimensional space from a second viewpoint;
an upright camera oriented substantially in a vertical direction, the upright camera being configured to capture images of a third target region in the three-dimensional space from a third viewpoint;
one or more lights; and
a first housing configured to attach to a railway at a location between opposing rails of the railway;
a second inspection assembly comprising:
one or more line scan cameras configured to capture images in the vertical direction;
a first light source configured to emit light in a first direction that extends at least partially in the vertical direction and at least partially in the first horizontal direction;
a second light source confi

Assignees

• Norfolk Southern Corp
• Georgia Tech Res Inst

Inventors

• Amouie Mabby Nicholas
• Gebhardt Evan Thomas
• Usher Colin
• Samoylov Alex
• Hoang John
• Thomas Sean
• Mandrekar Parth
• Yeager Brian Thomas
• Fox Thomas Samuel

Classifications

• B61L25/04

  Indicating or recording train identities · CPC title

• H04N23/90 Primary

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title

• B61L25/021 Primary

  Measuring and recording of train speed · CPC title

• B61L27/57

  for vehicles or trains, e.g. trackside supervision of train conditions · CPC title

• B61L25/025

  Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates · CPC title