Patent · US10093022B2 · B2 · US

Control system and method for brake bleeding

(11) Publication number

US10093022B2

(21) Application number

15/058,494

(22) Filing date

2016-03-02

(30) Priority date

2015-12-18

(43) Publication date

2018-10-09

(45) Date of grant

2018-10-09

(51) IPC

B25J 11/00; B25J 13/00; B25J 13/08; B25J 19/02; B25J 9/16; B60T 15/04; B60T 15/54; B60T 7/16; G06T 7/00

(52) CPC

B25J Manipulators; chambers provided with manipulation devices: 13/003, 11/00, 13/085, 19/021, 19/023, 9/1612, 9/162, 9/1661, 9/1664, 9/1666, 9/1679, 9/1694, 9/1697
B60T Vehicle brake control systems or parts thereof; brake control systems or parts thereof, in general; arrangement of braking elements on vehicles in general; portable devices for preventing unwanted movement of vehicles; vehicle modifications to facilitate cooling of brakes: 15/048, 15/54, 7/16
G05B Control or regulating systems in general; functional elements of such systems; monitoring or testing arrangements for such systems or elements: 2219/40039, 2219/40586, 2219/40613
G06T Image data processing or generation, in general: 7/004, 7/70
H04N Pictorial communication, e.g. television: 23/54, 7/181
Y10S Technical subjects covered by former uspc cross-reference art collections [xracs] and digests: 901/01

(73) Assignee

General Electric Co

(72) Inventors

Omar AL ASSAD; Douglas Forman; Charles Theurer; Balajee Kannan; Huan Tan

(54) Title

Control system and method for brake bleeding

(57) Abstract

A robotic system validates brake bleeding by detecting one or more forces generated by a machine assembly acting to move a brake lever of a vehicle in order to open a valve of an air brake system of the vehicle. The system also detects displacement of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever, monitors one or more sounds generated one or more of during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever, and determines that the brake lever has been moved to a position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more forces that are detected, the displacement that is detected, and/or the one or more sounds that are monitored.

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Claims (20)

A system comprising: a force sensor detecting one or more forces generated by a machine assembly acting to move a brake lever of a vehicle in order to open a valve of an air brake system of the vehicle; an encoder detecting displacement of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; an acoustic sensor monitoring one or more sounds generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; and a controller determining that the brake lever has been moved to a position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more forces that are detected, the displacement that is detected, and the one or more sounds that are monitored.
The system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor includes a torque sensor.
The system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor includes a strain gauge sensor that detects the one or more forces based on a measured strain.
The system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor detects the one or more forces based on an electric current supplied to one or more motors that move the machine assembly.
The system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve by determining whether both the displacement exceeds a designated force threshold and the one or more forces exceed a designated force threshold.
The system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve by determining whether the one or more sounds indicate air flowing out of the valve of the brake system.
The system of claim 1, wherein the controller also determines whether a latch of the brake system has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the one or more sounds that are monitored.
The system of claim 7, wherein the controller directs the machine assembly to release the brake lever responsive to determining that the latch has not moved to engage the valve, the acoustic sensor monitors one or more additional first sounds generated subsequent to directing the machine assembly to release the brake lever, and the controller determines that the latch has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the one or more additional first sounds.
The system of claim 8, wherein the controller directs the machine assembly to again act to move the brake lever, the force sensor detects one or more additional forces generated by the machine assembly acting to move the brake lever, the encoder detects additional displacement of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever, the acoustic sensor monitors one or more additional second sounds generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever, and the controller determines that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more additional forces that are detected, the additional displacement that is detected, and the one or more additional second sounds that are monitored.
A method comprising: detecting one or more forces using a force sensor, generated by a machine assembly acting to move a brake lever of a vehicle in order to open a valve of an air brake system of the vehicle; detecting displacement using an encoder, of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; monitoring one or more sounds using an acoustic sensor, generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; and determining using a controller, that the brake lever has been moved to a position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more forces that are detected, the displacement that is detected, and the one or more sounds that are monitored.
The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve includes determining whether both the displacement exceeds a designated position threshold and the one or more forces exceed a designated force threshold.
The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve includes determining whether the one or more sounds indicate air flowing out of the valve of the brake system.
The method of claim 10, further comprising determining using the acoustic sensor, whether a latch of the brake system has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the one or more sounds that are monitored.
The method of claim 13, further comprising: directing the machine assembly to release the brake lever responsive to determining that the latch has not moved to engage the valve; monitoring one or more additional first sounds generated subsequent to directing the machine assembly to release the brake lever; and determining that the latch has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the one or more additional first sounds.
The method of claim 14, further comprising: directing the machine assembly to again act to move the brake lever; detecting one or more additional forces generated by the machine assembly acting to move the brake lever; detecting additional displacement of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; monitoring one or more additional second sounds generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; and determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more additional forces that are detected, the additional displacement that is detected, and the one or more additional second sounds that are monitored.
A method comprising: detecting one or more of: a force using a force sensor, generated by a machine assembly acting to move a brake lever of a vehicle in order to open a valve of an air brake system of the vehicle; displacement using an encoder, of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; or sound using an acoustic sensor, generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; and determining using a controller, that the brake lever has been moved to a position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on one or more of the force, the displacement, or the sound that is detected.
The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve is based on all of the force, the displacement, or the sound that is detected.
The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve includes determining whether both the displacement exceeds a designated position threshold and the force exceeds a designated force threshold.
The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve includes determining whether the sound indicates air flowing out of the valve of the brake system.
The method of claim 16, further comprising determining using the acoustic sensor, whether a latch of the brake system has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the sound that is monitored.

Description

The subject matter described herein relates to systems that bleed brakes of a vehicle, such as air brakes of a vehicle.

Some vehicles include brake systems that operate based on pressure differentials in fluid disposed in the brake systems. For example, air brakes in some vehicles (e.g., rail vehicles) may disengage when the air pressure in the air brakes is decreased. The air brakes in such vehicles may be released in certain environments in order to perform operations on the vehicles. The air brakes in rail vehicles, for example, may be disengaged while in a rail yard in order to more freely roll the rail vehicles around within the rail yard.

In order to disengage the air brakes of vehicles, a human operator may pull on a lever that opens a valve of the air brakes. The valve is opened and the air within the brake system is bled (e.g., the air flows out of the brake system) to reduce the pressure within the brake system and disengage the air brakes. Use of human operators in a rail yard, however, is not without problems. The operations taking place in a rail yard pose safety risks to the human operators. Additionally, the use of human operators can involve increased cost relative to automated systems.

But, automated systems pose problems as well. Although applicant is unaware of any automated system that can bleed air brakes of a vehicle, such an automated system that pulls on a brake lever to disengage a brake system may be unreliable due to the wide variances in the brake systems among several different vehicles.

Citations (11)

US4317988A
WO1994007729A1
US6425282B2
US6578679B2
US8924117B2
US8880314B2
US9085080B2
US20140371911A1
CN204314083U
US20170178485A1
US9799198B2

Record as JSON

{
  "publication_number": "US10093022B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Control system and method for brake bleeding",
  "abstract": "A robotic system validates brake bleeding by detecting one or more forces generated by a machine assembly acting to move a brake lever of a vehicle in order to open a valve of an air brake system of the vehicle. The system also detects displacement of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever, monitors one or more sounds generated one or more of during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever, and determines that the brake lever has been moved to a position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more forces that are detected, the displacement that is detected, and/or the one or more sounds that are monitored.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system comprising: a force sensor detecting one or more forces generated by a machine assembly acting to move a brake lever of a vehicle in order to open a valve of an air brake system of the vehicle; an encoder detecting displacement of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; an acoustic sensor monitoring one or more sounds generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; and a controller determining that the brake lever has been moved to a position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more forces that are detected, the displacement that is detected, and the one or more sounds that are monitored.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor includes a torque sensor.",
    "3. The system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor includes a strain gauge sensor that detects the one or more forces based on a measured strain.",
    "4. The system of claim 1, wherein the force sensor detects the one or more forces based on an electric current supplied to one or more motors that move the machine assembly.",
    "5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve by determining whether both the displacement exceeds a designated force threshold and the one or more forces exceed a designated force threshold.",
    "6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller determines that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve by determining whether the one or more sounds indicate air flowing out of the valve of the brake system.",
    "7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller also determines whether a latch of the brake system has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the one or more sounds that are monitored.",
    "8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller directs the machine assembly to release the brake lever responsive to determining that the latch has not moved to engage the valve, the acoustic sensor monitors one or more additional first sounds generated subsequent to directing the machine assembly to release the brake lever, and the controller determines that the latch has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the one or more additional first sounds.",
    "9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller directs the machine assembly to again act to move the brake lever, the force sensor detects one or more additional forces generated by the machine assembly acting to move the brake lever, the encoder detects additional displacement of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever, the acoustic sensor monitors one or more additional second sounds generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever, and the controller determines that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more additional forces that are detected, the additional displacement that is detected, and the one or more additional second sounds that are monitored.",
    "10. A method comprising: detecting one or more forces using a force sensor, generated by a machine assembly acting to move a brake lever of a vehicle in order to open a valve of an air brake system of the vehicle; detecting displacement using an encoder, of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; monitoring one or more sounds using an acoustic sensor, generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; and determining using a controller, that the brake lever has been moved to a position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more forces that are detected, the displacement that is detected, and the one or more sounds that are monitored.",
    "11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve includes determining whether both the displacement exceeds a designated position threshold and the one or more forces exceed a designated force threshold.",
    "12. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve includes determining whether the one or more sounds indicate air flowing out of the valve of the brake system.",
    "13. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining using the acoustic sensor, whether a latch of the brake system has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the one or more sounds that are monitored.",
    "14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: directing the machine assembly to release the brake lever responsive to determining that the latch has not moved to engage the valve; monitoring one or more additional first sounds generated subsequent to directing the machine assembly to release the brake lever; and determining that the latch has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the one or more additional first sounds.",
    "15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: directing the machine assembly to again act to move the brake lever; detecting one or more additional forces generated by the machine assembly acting to move the brake lever; detecting additional displacement of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; monitoring one or more additional second sounds generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; and determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on the one or more additional forces that are detected, the additional displacement that is detected, and the one or more additional second sounds that are monitored.",
    "16. A method comprising: detecting one or more of: a force using a force sensor, generated by a machine assembly acting to move a brake lever of a vehicle in order to open a valve of an air brake system of the vehicle; displacement using an encoder, of the machine assembly as the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; or sound using an acoustic sensor, generated during or after the machine assembly acts to move the brake lever; and determining using a controller, that the brake lever has been moved to a position to open the valve of the air brake system to release the air brake system based on one or more of the force, the displacement, or the sound that is detected.",
    "17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve is based on all of the force, the displacement, or the sound that is detected.",
    "18. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve includes determining whether both the displacement exceeds a designated position threshold and the force exceeds a designated force threshold.",
    "19. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the brake lever has been moved to the position to open the valve includes determining whether the sound indicates air flowing out of the valve of the brake system.",
    "20. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining using the acoustic sensor, whether a latch of the brake system has moved to engage the valve to hold the valve open based on the sound that is monitored."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The subject matter described herein relates to systems that bleed brakes of a vehicle, such as air brakes of a vehicle.\n\nSome vehicles include brake systems that operate based on pressure differentials in fluid disposed in the brake systems. For example, air brakes in some vehicles (e.g., rail vehicles) may disengage when the air pressure in the air brakes is decreased. The air brakes in such vehicles may be released in certain environments in order to perform operations on the vehicles. The air brakes in rail vehicles, for example, may be disengaged while in a rail yard in order to more freely roll the rail vehicles around within the rail yard.\n\nIn order to disengage the air brakes of vehicles, a human operator may pull on a lever that opens a valve of the air brakes. The valve is opened and the air within the brake system is bled (e.g., the air flows out of the brake system) to reduce the pressure within the brake system and disengage the air brakes. Use of human operators in a rail yard, however, is not without problems. The operations taking place in a rail yard pose safety risks to the human operators. Additionally, the use of human operators can involve increased cost relative to automated systems.\n\nBut, automated systems pose problems as well. Although applicant is unaware of any automated system that can bleed air brakes of a vehicle, such an automated system that pulls on a brake lever to disengage a brake system may be unreliable due to the wide variances in the brake systems among several different vehicles.",
  "cpc": [
    "B25J 13/003",
    "B25J 11/00",
    "B25J 13/085",
    "B25J 19/021",
    "B25J 19/023",
    "B25J 9/1612",
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    "G05B 2219/40039",
    "G05B 2219/40586",
    "G05B 2219/40613",
    "G06T 7/004",
    "G06T 7/70",
    "H04N 23/54",
    "H04N 7/181",
    "Y10S 901/01"
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    "B25J 11/00",
    "B25J 13/00",
    "B25J 13/08",
    "B25J 19/02",
    "B25J 9/16",
    "B60T 15/04",
    "B60T 15/54",
    "B60T 7/16",
    "G06T 7/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "General Electric Co"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Omar AL ASSAD",
    "Douglas Forman",
    "Charles Theurer",
    "Balajee Kannan",
    "Huan Tan"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-03-02",
  "publication_date": "2018-10-09",
  "grant_date": "2018-10-09",
  "priority_date": "2015-12-18",
  "application_number": "US-201615058494-A",
  "family_id": "59064870",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US4317988A",
    "WO1994007729A1",
    "US6425282B2",
    "US6578679B2",
    "US8924117B2",
    "US8880314B2",
    "US9085080B2",
    "US20140371911A1",
    "CN204314083U",
    "US20170178485A1",
    "US9799198B2"
  ]
}

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