Patents by Inventor Erik Karl Frohberg

Erik Karl Frohberg has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Apparatus and method for wear detection of railroad vehicle wheels
    Patent number: 11926351
    Abstract: A railroad wheel impact load detection test panel includes a secondary instrumentation rail proximate a field side of a primary or running rail of a section of railroad track, and elevated a prescribed distance so that the wheels of a rail car traverse the instrumentation rail within the test panel. The instrumentation rail includes an optical strain gauge to sense the wheel impact load. The sensed impact data is correlated with wheel damage signatures to identify wheels to be restored or replaced before failure occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Hark Braren, Erik Karl Frohberg
  • Apparatus and method for wear detection of railroad vehicle wheels
    Patent number: 11926352
    Abstract: A railroad wheel impact load detection test panel includes a secondary instrumentation rail proximate a field side of a primary or running rail of a section of railroad track, and elevated a prescribed distance so that the wheels of a rail car traverse the instrumentation rail within the test panel. The instrumentation rail includes an optical strain gauge to sense the wheel impact load. The sensed impact data is correlated with wheel damage signatures to identify wheels to be restored or replaced before failure occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Hark Braren, Erik Karl Frohberg
  • APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR WEAR DETECTION OF RAILROAD VEHICLE WHEELS
    Publication number: 20230365171
    Abstract: A railroad wheel impact load detection test panel includes a secondary instrumentation rail proximate a field side of a primary or running rail of a section of railroad track, and elevated a prescribed distance so that the wheels of a rail car traverse the instrumentation rail within the test panel. The instrumentation rail includes an optical strain gauge to sense the wheel impact load. The sensed impact data is correlated with wheel damage signatures to identify wheels to be restored or replaced before failure occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Hark Braren, Erik Karl Frohberg
  • APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR WEAR DETECTION OF RAILROAD VEHICLE WHEELS
    Publication number: 20220063685
    Abstract: A railroad wheel impact load detection test panel includes a secondary instrumentation rail proximate a field side of a primary or running rail of a section of railroad track, and elevated a prescribed distance so that the wheels of a rail car traverse the instrumentation rail within the test panel. The instrumentation rail includes an optical strain gauge to sense the wheel impact load. The sensed impact data is correlated with wheel damage signatures to identify wheels to be restored or replaced before failure occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Hark Braren, Erik Karl Frohberg