Patents by Inventor Florian AUER

Florian AUER 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).

  • Patent number: 12214815
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a position of a rail vehicle, moving on a track, by means of an optical measuring system comprising a stereo camera system and an evaluation device, wherein by means of the stereo camera system an image pair is recorded from a reference point in a lateral environment of the track and wherein by means of photogrammetry the position of the rail vehicle is determined in relation to the reference point. The position of the rail vehicle is additionally detected by means of a radio-based measuring system for real-time locating by means of anchor modules attached to the rail vehicle and by means of transponders attached to several reference points, wherein position data of the two measuring systems are compared by means of a central system unit. In this way, two independent measuring systems are used to generate position data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: PRODES GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schuster, Gottfried Schuster, Florian Auer, Bernhard Antony
  • Patent number: 12195926
    Abstract: A method for compacting a ballast bed, on which railroad ties and track rails secured thereto are supported, uses a work assembly which is arranged on a track construction machine that can be moved on the track. During a compaction process, a signal is detected and a characteristic variable is derived therefrom by an analysis device in order to evaluate the quality of the ballast bed. The work assembly contains an electric drive, by which the compaction process is at least partly carried out. At least one operating variable of the electric drive is supplied to the analysis device, and a ballast bed characteristic variable is derived from the operating variable by the analysis device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Philipp, Harald Daxberger, Florian Auer
  • Publication number: 20250012017
    Abstract: A method operates a tamping machine on a track. The tamping machine contains a tamping unit, a lifting and lining unit, a measuring system with a measuring value transducer, and a control/regulating device. The lifting and lining unit being actuated by the control/regulating device as a function of a track position recorded by the measuring system in such a way that a treated track section is lifted to a target level during a lifting time. At least two controllers set up in the control/regulating device are selected in such a way that the first controller is activated in a first lifting mode for standard operation and that the second controller is activated in a second lifting mode for turnouts. The respective controller is optimized for the assigned controlled line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Publication date: January 9, 2025
    Inventors: Marc Demml, Harald Daxberger, Milos Jelic, Christian Koczwara, Johann Halbartschlager, Florian Auer
  • Patent number: 12157978
    Abstract: A method for stabilizing a track having sleepers supported on a track ballast and rails secured to the sleepers, includes using a stabilizing unit which is connected to a machine frame that can be moved on the rails and has a vibration exciter and rollers that can roll on the rails. The vibration exciter generates in particular horizontal vibrations which run transversely to the track longitudinal direction. The course of a force exerted onto the track by the stabilizing unit is recorded over a vibration path during a vibration cycle by sensors. At least one parameter is derived from the course by an evaluation device and is used to evaluate the stabilizing procedure and/or the quality of the track ballast. A device for implementing the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Antony Bernhard, Florian Auer, Fritz Kopf, Krzysztof Wilczek
  • Publication number: 20240318386
    Abstract: The invention relates to an on-track maintenance machine for maintaining a superstructure with a track panel formed of sleepers and rails fixed thereon that is supported on a ballast bed, comprising a lifting and lining unit for track lifting and lining and a tamping unit for track tamping. In the invention, at least one rail treatment unit for continuous reprofiling of the rails is arranged on a machine frame. The elimination of rail defects contributes to a higher durability of the corrected track position, as after re-opening the treated track section, the rails can be used again trouble-free.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Applicant: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventors: Johannes MAX-THEURER, Florian AUER, Michael KLEMENT
  • Publication number: 20240271371
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for correcting vertical position defects of a track after a lifting-tamping process, with a stabilizing process carried out by means of a dynamic track stabilizer in which a stabilizing unit acts on the track at a forward-moving working point in a working direction, with track position data of the untreated track being recorded before the lifting-tamping process, and with track position data of the tamped track being recorded after the lifting-tamping process at a measuring point located in front of the stabilizing unit in the working direction. In this case, additional track position data of the stabilized track are recorded at an post-measuring point located behind the stabilizing unit in the working direction, with the dynamic track stabilizer being actuated during the stabilizing process as a function of track position data of the untreated and the tamped track at the working point and of track position data of the stabilized track at the post-measuring point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Applicant: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventors: Harald DAXBERGER, Markus PROELL, Florian AUER
  • Publication number: 20240240409
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machine for compacting a ballast bed of a track with a machine frame supported on rail-based running gears and a height-adjustable stabilising unit connected thereto, comprising a vibration drive and an axle with wheel flange rollers movable on rails of the track, whose distance to each other extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the machine can be varied by means of a spreading drive, as well as a roller clamp that can be pressed against the rails by means of clamping drives. The spreading drive and/or the clamping drives are set up to apply a predefined variable horizontal load force to the rails, whereby a measuring device is arranged to detect a rail head deflection and/or track gauge change caused by the variable load force. In this way, it can be determined by means of the stabilising unit whether the track panel is intrinsically stable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Applicant: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventors: Florian AUER, Bernhard ANTONY, David BUCHBAUER
  • Patent number: 11981362
    Abstract: A method for determining an actual geometry of a track by a track inspection vehicle which is movable on the track, wherein reference points positioned in a lateral environment of the track are automatically recorded by a non-contacting recording system arranged on the track inspection vehicle and their respective actual distance from the track is determined. A three-dimensional trajectory of the track is recorded by an inertial measuring system arranged on the track inspection vehicle, wherein the trajectory is divided by a computing unit into trajectory sections each having a section starting point related to a first reference point and a section end point related to a second reference point, wherein a virtual longitudinal chord is defined for each trajectory section in relation to the assigned reference points, and wherein actual distances between the trajectory and the respectively defined longitudinal chord are calculated for each trajectory section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: TRACK MACHINES CONNECTED GESELLSCHAFT M.B.H.
    Inventors: Florian Auer, David Buchbauer, Martin Bürger, Bernhard Metzger, Fabian Hinterberger
  • Publication number: 20240043048
    Abstract: A measuring system for measuring the elasticity of an overhead line of a track includes a non-contacting sensor for detecting the position of a measuring point of the overhead line and an evaluation device for calculating the elasticity. A mechanical excitation device sets the overhead line into vibration through active excitation. The sensor is set up to detect a vibration progression and the evaluation device is set up to derive mechanical properties of the overhead line from the vibration progression. The mechanical properties, such as the elasticity of the overhead line, are derived from characteristics of the corresponding vibration curves in the evaluation device. A method for measuring the elasticity of an overhead line of a track and a track construction vehicle are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Florian Auer, Martin Bürger, Gerald Zauner
  • Patent number: 11834081
    Abstract: A track recording vehicle for detecting the resilience of a rail track has a machine frame supported on two rail-mounted undercarriages. A first measuring system detects a vertical distance of the rail track under load and a second measuring system detects a vertical distance of the rail track under no load or with reduced load. The first measuring system is coupled to an evaluation device for calculating the course of a first vertical sine and the second measuring system determines a course of a second vertical sine, relative to a common reference base defined by two outer measuring points under load, at an interposed central measuring point without or with reduced load. The evaluation device calculates a subsidence of the rail track under load from the two vertical sines. The track recording vehicle detects a subsidence of the rail track under load in a single measuring run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Florian Auer
  • Publication number: 20230383476
    Abstract: A method detects vibrations transmitted in the area of a track, with the track being vibrated during a work process by a work unit of a track maintenance machine travelling along the track. The vibrations being transmitted via the track are measured by a sensor distanced from the work unit and with measuring data of the sensor being evaluated in an evaluation device. In that, a position of the sensor with respect to the work unit is given to the evaluation device, with a correlation between a vibration effect of the work unit detected with the sensor and a distance between the work unit and the sensor being calculated in the evaluation device. The method has the advantage that the vibration effect of the work unit can be detected in real time at the location of the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Florian Auer, Bernhard Antony, Fritz Kopf
  • Patent number: 11821147
    Abstract: A method for compaction of a track ballast bed uses a tamping unit including two oppositely positioned tamping tools which are actuated with vibrations and are lowered into the track ballast bed during a tamping operation and moved towards one another with a squeezing motion. A progression of a force acting upon the tamping tool over a path covered by the tamping tool is recorded during a vibration cycle by sensors disposed at the tamping unit for at least one tamping tool. At least one characteristic value is derived therefrom and used to carry out an evaluation of the tamping operation and/or of a quality of the track ballast bed. The tamping unit is thus used as a measuring apparatus during operative use. A device for performing the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Fritz Kopf, Dietmar Adam, Bernhard Antony, Florian Auer, Olja Barbir, Johannes Pistrol
  • Publication number: 20230365170
    Abstract: A method for determining a target geometry of a track for correcting the geometry of the track. An actual geometry of the track is detected first on a track section by a measuring system and the target geometry is calculated on the basis of the actual track geometry afterwards by way of a computing unit. Actual position points of the track are detected along the track section by a position detection system, with at least one actual position point being given to the computing unit as a point of restraint, and with the target geometry being calculated by the computing unit such that the target geometry is adapted to the actual geometry as a sequence of geometric track alignment design elements and is placed through the preset point of restraint. The method achieves a significant increase in quality compared to the known compensation method using pre-measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Florian Auer, Michael Berghuber, Fabian Hinterberger, Bernhard Metzger, Krzysztof Wilczek
  • Patent number: 11613852
    Abstract: The invention relates to a mobile device for correction of a vertical position of a pre-measured track, in particular for a track maintenance machine, including a measuring system which comprises a moving chord as reference base, and including a lifting device for lifting the track to a target level prescribed at a work location by means of the moving chord. In this, the moving chord is defined at two reference locations as to its position relative to a non-corrected area of the track, wherein the work location is arranged behind the reference locations in a working direction. In this manner, the position of the moving chord is defined unambiguously and precisely at all times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Florian Auer
  • Publication number: 20230022877
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a position of a rail vehicle, moving on a track, by means of an optical measuring system comprising a stereo camera system and an evaluation device, wherein by means of the stereo camera system an image pair is recorded from a reference point in a lateral environment of the track and wherein by means of photogrammetry the position of the rail vehicle is determined in relation to the reference point. The position of the rail vehicle is additionally detected by means of a radio-based measuring system for real-time locating by means of anchor modules attached to the rail vehicle and by means of transponders attached to several reference points, wherein position data of the two measuring systems are compared by means of a central system unit. In this way, two independent measuring systems are used to generate position data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventors: Wolfgang SCHUSTER, Gottfried SCHUSTER, Florian AUER, Bernhard ANTONY
  • Publication number: 20220403605
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machine for stabilising a track with a ballast bed, comprising a machine frame supported on rail-based running gears and a stabilising unit which can be rolled on rails of the track by means of work unit rollers, and which comprises a vibration exciter for generating a dynamic impact force as well as a loading device for generating a load acting on the track. Therein, the loading device is coupled with a control device for periodically changing the load during a stabilising process. The periodic change of the load alternately influences the near and far range of the load application. This leads to improved compaction effectiveness compared to a constant load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventors: Bernhard ANTONY, Florian AUER, Fritz KOPF
  • Publication number: 20220266881
    Abstract: A method for determining an actual geometry of a track by a track inspection vehicle which is movable on the track, wherein reference points positioned in a lateral environment of the track are automatically recorded by a non-contacting recording system arranged on the track inspection vehicle and their respective actual distance from the track is determined. A three-dimensional trajectory of the track is recorded by an inertial measuring system arranged on the track inspection vehicle, wherein the trajectory is divided by a computing unit into trajectory sections each having a section starting point related to a first reference point and a section end point related to a second reference point, wherein a virtual longitudinal chord is defined for each trajectory section in relation to the assigned reference points, and wherein actual distances between the trajectory and the respectively defined longitudinal chord are calculated for each trajectory section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Applicant: TRACK MACHINES CONNECTED GESELLSCHAFT M.B.H.
    Inventors: Florian AUER, David BUCHBAUER, Martin BÜRGER, Bernhard METZGER, Fabian HINTERBERGER
  • Publication number: 20210395953
    Abstract: A method for compacting a ballast bed, on which railroad ties and track rails secured thereto are supported, uses a work assembly which is arranged on a track construction machine that can be moved on the track. During a compaction process, a signal is detected and a characteristic variable is derived therefrom by an analysis device in order to evaluate the quality of the ballast bed. The work assembly contains an electric drive, by which the compaction process is at least partly carried out. At least one operating variable of the electric drive is supplied to the analysis device, and a ballast bed characteristic variable is derived from the operating variable by the analysis device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: THOMAS PHILIPP, HARALD DAXBERGER, FLORIAN AUER
  • Publication number: 20210395954
    Abstract: A method for stabilizing a track having sleepers supported on a track ballast and rails secured to the sleepers, includes using a stabilizing unit which is connected to a machine frame that can be moved on the rails and has a vibration exciter and rollers that can roll on the rails. The vibration exciter generates in particular horizontal vibrations which run transversely to the track longitudinal direction. The course of a force exerted onto the track by the stabilizing unit is recorded over a vibration path during a vibration cycle by sensors. At least one parameter is derived from the course by an evaluation device and is used to evaluate the stabilizing procedure and/or the quality of the track ballast. A device for implementing the method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: ANTONY BERNHARD, FLORIAN AUER, FRITZ KOPF, KRZYSZTOF WILCZEK
  • Patent number: 11174598
    Abstract: A method for the correction of vertical position error of a track by a track tamping machine and a dynamic track stabilizer. Starting from a registered actual position, an over-lift value is prescribed for a treated track location with which the track is lifted into a preliminary over-lift track position and tamped. The track is subsequently lowered by dynamic stabilization into a resulting final track position. In this, a smoothed actual position course is formed from a course of the actual track position, wherein an over-lift value is prescribed for the treated track location in dependence of the course of the actual track position with regard to the smoothed actual position course. In this way, only short-wave track faults are treated with an over-lift value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Plasser & Theurer Export von Bahnbaumaschinen Gesellschaft m.b.H.
    Inventor: Florian Auer