Method of adjusting a height of a car floor plane of a railroad car and height adjustment system

Abstract

There is provided a method of adjusting a height of a car floor plane of a railroad car relative to a platform of a train station. The method includes, using a height adjusting system mounted to an exterior side of the railroad car adjacent the car floor plane, emitting a first ultrasonic beam towards the platform of the train station and monitoring a reflection of the first ultrasonic beam; and generating a first signal based on said monitoring the reflection of the first ultrasonic beam. The method includes, using a processor, operating an actuator of a suspension system of the railroad car to adjust the height of the car floor plane to a height of the platform of the train station based on the generated first signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of adjusting a height of a car floor plane of a railroad car relative to a platform of a train station, the method comprising:
 using a height adjusting system mounted to an exterior side of the railroad car adjacent the car floor plane,
 emitting a first ultrasonic beam towards the platform of the train station and monitoring a reflection of the first ultrasonic beam; 
 generating a first signal based on said monitoring the reflection of the first ultrasonic beam; and 
   using a processor, operating an actuator of a suspension system of the railroad car to adjust the height of the car floor plane to a height of the platform of the train station based on the generated first signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said emitting the first ultrasonic beam further comprises emitting the first ultrasonic beam outwardly from the railroad car and parallel to the car floor plane. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said emitting the first ultrasonic beam further comprises emitting the first ultrasonic beam parallel to and below the car floor plane, the car floor plane and a first plane of the first ultrasonic beam having a first vertical offset below or equal to an eighth of an inch. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first signal is indicative of a first distance value between the height adjustment system and an object that appears in a line of sight of the first ultrasonic sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said adjusting further comprises lowering the height of the car floor plane until the first distance value is equal or smaller than an expected distance threshold value. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, using the height adjustment system, emitting a second ultrasonic beam along a second plane parallel to and above the car floor plane and towards the platform of the train station, monitoring a reflection of the second ultrasonic beam; and generating a second signal based on said monitoring the reflection of the second ultrasonic beam, wherein said adjusting is further based on the second signal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second ultrasonic beams each have a beam angle of below 30°, preferably below 6° and most preferably below 5°. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the second signal is indicative of a second distance value between the height adjustment system and an object that appears in a line of sight of the second ultrasonic sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said adjusting further comprises increasing the height of the car floor plane when the second distance value is equal or smaller than an expected distance threshold value. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said emitting, monitoring, generating and adjusting are performed upon receiving of instructions to adjust the height of the car floor plane. 
     
     
         11 . A height adjustment system to be mounted to an exterior side of a car body of a railroad car, the height adjustment system comprising:
 a housing having a back face being removably mountable to the exterior side of the car body and an opposite front face;   at least one ultrasonic sensor mounted to the front face of the housing, the at least one ultrasonic sensor being configured to emit an ultrasonic beam away from the front face of the housing and outwardly from the car body when the housing is mounted to the exterior side of the car body; and   at least one electrical connector mounted to the back face of the housing and electrically connected to the at least one ultrasonic sensor.   
     
     
         12 . The height adjustment system of  claim 11 , further comprising a processor being enclosed in the housing and in communication with the at least one ultrasonic sensor and the at least one electrical connector. 
     
     
         13 . The height adjustment system of  claim 11 , further comprising a heater mounted to the front face of the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The height adjustment system of  claim 11 , wherein the base face is removably mountable to the exterior side of the car body via the at least one electrical connector. 
     
     
         15 . A method of adjusting a height of a car floor plane of a railroad car relative to a platform of a train station, the method comprising:
 using a height adjusting system mounted to an exterior side of the railroad car adjacent the car floor plane,
 emitting a first ultrasonic signal towards the platform of the train station; and 
 monitoring a reflection of the first ultrasonic signal against the platform, including generating an electromagnetic signal indicative of whether or not the reflection is detected; and 
   using a processor to receive the electromagnetic signal and operate an actuator of a suspension system of the railroad car to adjust the height of the car floor plane based on the electromagnetic signal received.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of operating the actuator includes lowering the height of the car floor plane when the reflection is not detected and until the reflection is detected. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising emitting a second ultrasonic signal towards the platform of the train station, the second ultrasonic signal being emitted parallel and higher than the first ultrasonic signal, and monitoring the reflection of the second ultrasonic signal; wherein the step of using a processor comprises operating the actuator to raise the height of the car floor plane if the reflection of both the first ultrasonic signal and the second ultrasonic signal are detected.