Full-electronic module box type railway signal cable insulation tester

Abstract

The invention discloses a full-electronic box type railway signal cable insulation tester, which realizes high-efficiency insulation performance detection of a railway signal cable through a modular box structure, a multi-path parallel test channel and a double-voltage mode design. The tester maximally supports the synchronous test of 256 core wires, the withstand voltage of a test terminal is 4000 VAC, the tester is adaptive to the safety operation and maintenance requirements in a complex environment, and the tester has the advantages of high integration level, low cost and easy maintenance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of rail transit signal cable maintenance, and in particular relates to a fully electronic modular box-type railway signal cable insulation tester. Background Art

[0002] In railway signaling systems, the insulation performance of signal cables to the ground is a key factor in ensuring stable, reliable, and safe signal transmission. However, traditional testers for signal cable insulation performance testing have many shortcomings:

[0003] First, they're too bulky. The structural design of traditional testers makes them bulky and difficult to integrate into standard signal distribution cabinets. This not only requires additional space and increases installation complexity, but also makes subsequent maintenance costs high.

[0004] Second, testing efficiency is low. Traditional testers are limited in the number of cables they can test at a time, typically no more than 32. However, railway signal cables often feature high-density redundancy, and traditional testers are unable to meet this demand. This results in time-consuming and labor-intensive testing, making it difficult to improve efficiency.

[0005] Third, safety is poor. The test terminals of traditional testers have a low withstand voltage rating, typically not exceeding 1500VAC. In actual testing environments, they are easily damaged by surges. This not only increases equipment repair costs but can also disrupt testing operations and even threaten the safety of testers.

[0006] Fourth, they have limited functionality. Traditional testers only support a single test voltage, such as the common 500VDC test voltage. However, in different test scenarios, such as testing cables equipped with lightning protection devices, low-voltage rapid testing is required, and traditional testers cannot meet such diverse testing needs. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this application is to provide a fully electronic modular box-type railway signal cable insulation tester that combines high-density testing, multi-voltage configuration and high safety, so as to overcome at least one of the above-mentioned deficiencies.

[0008] To achieve the above application objectives, the technical solutions adopted in this application are as follows:

[0009] The present invention provides a fully electronic modular railway signal cable insulation tester, comprising: expandable circuit board slots, supporting up to 20 boards, including a main control board and 16 routing boards, interconnected via a backplane bus; each routing board integrates 16 test channels, supporting testing of up to 256 cable cores;

[0010] The main control board has a built-in dual test voltage module and a main control chip. The dual test voltage module includes a first power supply circuit for outputting a 48VDC test voltage and a second power supply circuit for outputting a 500VDC test voltage. The main control chip is used to control the second power supply circuit to shut down and the first power supply circuit to turn on when the test return value is empty or the test delay exceeds the preset value.

[0011] In some embodiments, the first power supply circuit includes: a first switch and a first boost power supply module; the second power supply circuit includes: a second switch and a second boost power supply module;

[0012] The first boost power module is used to convert the 24VDC voltage into a 48VDC test voltage, and the second boost power module is used to convert the 24VDC voltage into a 500VDC test voltage.

[0013] In some embodiments, the overall size of the fully electronic modular railway signal cable insulation tester is 850mm*173mm*120mm, occupying the space of a single railway signal standard combination cabinet, and the outer shell adopts a composite design of a metal frame and an insulating panel.

[0014] In some embodiments, the acquisition terminals are arranged with a 7.5mm wide pitch, each line is equipped with an independent fuse and current-limiting resistor, and the voltage resistance reaches 4000VAC.

[0015] In some embodiments, a bus interface is also provided, including an RS485 communication interface and a CAN communication interface, which are used to connect multiple group boxes and support multi-device cascading and centralized monitoring.

[0016] In some embodiments, a high-precision 16-bit ADC (with a resolution of 0.0015mA) is integrated with a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 core MCU. Adaptive range switching and temperature compensation algorithms achieve acquisition accuracy across a wide dynamic current range of 2mA to 6mA. The system integrates Σ-Δ secondary sampling technology, combined with hardware-level electromagnetic shielding, to effectively suppress complex electromagnetic interference within railway signal cabinets, maintaining a resolution of 0.5μA even in low-frequency noise environments. The ARM platform is equipped with real-time signal processing firmware, supports a synchronous sampling rate of 1kSps, and enables high-speed data acquisition via SPI+DMA.

[0017] In some embodiments, the insulation test range is 500 kΩ to 40 MΩ, with an accuracy of ±1% FS.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present application are:

[0019] The fully electronic modular railway signal cable insulation tester provided in this embodiment is compatible with the installation requirements of standard railway signal cabinets and offers advantages such as miniaturization and high integration. Its modular modular design, multiple parallel test channels, and dual-voltage mode enable efficient insulation testing of railway signal cables. The device supports simultaneous testing of up to 256 core wires, with test terminals rated at 4000VAC. This device meets the safety and maintenance requirements of complex environments, offering advantages such as high integration, low cost, and ease of maintenance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or descriptions of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0021] Figure 1 A stereoscopic view of a fully electronic modular box-type railway signal cable insulation tester provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0022] Figure 2 A front view of a fully electronic modular box-type railway signal cable insulation tester provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0023] Figure 3 The figure shows a schematic diagram of a dual voltage mode switching circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by this application more clearly understood, this application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0025] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being “fixed on” or “disposed on” another element, it may be directly on the other element or indirectly on the other element. When an element is referred to as being “connected to” another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element.

[0026] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0027] The embodiment of the present application provides a fully electronic modular box-type railway signal cable insulation tester, specifically a railway signal cable-to-ground insulation tester based on a modular box-type structure, suitable for insulation performance monitoring and fault location of high-density cable core wires.

[0028] This fully electronic modular cassette-type railway signal cable insulation tester is designed specifically for testing the insulation of rail transit signal cables to ground. Combining the advantages of a small, general-purpose safety relay, this device boasts a compact size, high voltage resistance, and low cost, making it ideal for use in railway signaling systems. Its modular design allows for easy installation within standard railway signaling cabinets, facilitating installation and maintenance.

[0029] In order to illustrate the technical solution described in this application, specific embodiments are provided below.

[0030] See also Figures 1 to 3 As shown, this embodiment of the application provides a fully electronic modular railway signal cable insulation tester. Measuring 850mm*173mm*120mm, it occupies the space of a standard railway signal cabinet. The enclosure utilizes a composite design of a metal frame and insulating panels. The device can be installed within a standard railway signal cabinet, facilitating installation and maintenance.

[0031] The fully electronic modular railway signal cable insulation tester features expandable circuit board slots, supporting up to 20 boards, including a main control board and 16 routing boards, interconnected via a backplane bus. The main control board is responsible for routing data acquisition and communication. Each routing board integrates 16 test channels, supporting simultaneous testing of up to 256 cable cores, increasing test capacity. Optionally, this application utilizes a small safety relay as the routing relay, significantly reducing costs compared to signal relays.

[0032] The data acquisition terminals feature a 7.5mm wide pitch layout, each equipped with an independent fuse and current-limiting resistor. With a withstand voltage of 4000VAC, they meet requirements for protection against creepage and surges. These independent fuses and current-limiting resistors prevent damage to the device due to misconnection, effectively improving the device's ability to withstand high voltage, surges, and misconnection.

[0033] The main control board features a built-in dual test voltage module and main control chip (not shown), supporting an insulation resistance measurement range of 500kΩ to 40MΩ with an accuracy of ±1% FS. It utilizes a high-precision 16-bit ADC (with a resolution of 0.0015mA) in conjunction with a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 core MCU. Through adaptive range switching and temperature compensation algorithms, it achieves acquisition accuracy within a wide dynamic current range of 2mA to 6mA. The system integrates Σ-Δ secondary sampling technology, combined with hardware-level electromagnetic shielding design, to effectively suppress complex electromagnetic interference within railway signal cabinets, maintaining a resolution of 0.5μA even in low-frequency noise environments. The ARM platform is equipped with real-time signal processing firmware, supports a synchronous sampling rate of 1kSps, and achieves high-speed data acquisition via SPI+DMA, ensuring safety during testing.

[0034] The fully electronic modular railway signal cable insulation tester also features bus interfaces, including RS485 and CAN, for connecting multiple modular cables. The communication interfaces support isolated RS485 / CAN, allowing multiple modular cables to be connected per bus, complying with the GB / T 24338.5 electromagnetic compatibility standard.

[0035] The working environment is adapted to 0℃~+45℃, humidity ≤90%, and altitude ≤3000 meters.

[0036] Specifically, the dual test voltage module includes a first power supply circuit for outputting a 48VDC test voltage and a second power supply circuit for outputting a 500VDC test voltage. The main control chip is used to control the second power supply circuit to shut down and the first power supply circuit to turn on when the test return value is empty or the test delay exceeds a preset value.

[0037] For example, Figure 3 As shown, the first power supply circuit includes: a first switch Q1 and a first boost power supply module U9; the first boost power supply module U9 is used to convert the 24VDC voltage into a 48VDC test voltage.

[0038] Specifically, the first power supply circuit also includes an optocoupler U7, a resistor R17, a capacitor C15, a capacitor C19, a diode D5, and a resistor R22. As an example, the model of the first boost power module U9 is B2448S-2W. As an example, the main control chip controls the on and off of the first switch Q1 via the optocoupler U7.

[0039] The second power supply circuit includes: a second switch Q2 and a second boost power supply module U11; the second boost power supply module U11 is used to convert the 24VDC voltage into a 500VDC test voltage.

[0040] Specifically, the second power supply circuit also includes an optocoupler U8, a resistor R18, a capacitor C13, a diode D6, resistors R23, R24, and R25. As an example, the model of the second boost power module U11 is GSA24500HS-4. As an example, the main control chip controls the on and off of the second switch Q2 via the optocoupler U8.

[0041] How to use the above-mentioned fully electronic box-type railway signal cable insulation tester:

[0042] (1) Equipment installation: Insert the group box into the railway signal standard combination cabinet and power it with a 220VAC power supply. When connected to 220VAC, a power converter is designed inside the main control board to convert it into 24VDC, so as to provide 24VDC voltage to the first power circuit and the second power circuit.

[0043] (2) Cable connection: The core wires of the cable to be tested are connected to the terminals on the back, and each wire has an independent number.

[0044] (3) Mode selection: Set the test voltage (500V / 48VDC) and current threshold (2mA~6mA) through the main control board.

[0045] (4) Test execution: Start automatic scanning, the main control board selects the routing board channels in turn, collects insulation resistance data and uploads it to the centralized monitoring system.

[0046] (5) Fault handling: If an abnormal insulation value is detected, the system triggers an audible and visual alarm and records the fault location.

[0047] (6) Mode switching: When the test return value is null or the test delay exceeds the preset value, the main control board switches the first power circuit and the second power circuit through the main control chip, switching the test voltage from 500VDC to 48VDC. For example, the second power circuit outputs 500VDC by default. When the test return value is null or the test delay exceeds the preset value, the main control board controls the second power circuit to be turned off and the first power circuit to be turned on through the main control chip.

[0048] In summary, the fully electronic modular railway signal cable insulation tester provided in the embodiments of the present application has the following beneficial effects:

[0049] (1) High-density testing capability: A single device supports up to 256 tests, which increases the testing capacity.

[0050] (2) Flexible dual voltage adaptation: The 48VDC mode supports rapid testing without disconnecting lightning protection devices, reducing operation and maintenance downtime; the device provides 500VDC and 48VDC dual test voltage designs to meet the needs of different test scenarios.

[0051] (3) High safety: 4000VAC withstand voltage terminals and independent fuse design reduce equipment failure rate.

[0052] (4) Low-cost deployment: Uses small safety relays (costing 20% ​​of traditional signal relays), and the modular box structure reduces the complexity of on-site wiring.

[0053] Therefore, the fully electronic box-type railway signal cable insulation tester is a special equipment with powerful functions, stable performance, easy installation and maintenance, which is suitable for ground insulation testing of rail transit signal cables.

[0054] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present application, and should all be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. Fully electronic box-type railway signal cable insulation tester, characterized by: include: Expandable circuit board slots, supporting up to 20 boards, including a main control board and 16 routing boards, interconnected via a backplane bus; each routing board integrates 16 test channels, supporting up to 256 cable core wire tests; The main control board has a built-in dual test voltage module and a main control chip. The dual test voltage module includes a first power supply circuit for outputting a 48VDC test voltage and a second power supply circuit for outputting a 500VDC test voltage. The main control chip is used to control the second power supply circuit to turn off and the first power supply circuit to turn on when the test return value is empty or the test delay exceeds a preset value.

2. The fully electronic modular railway signal cable insulation tester according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first power supply circuit includes: a first switch and a first boost power supply module; the second power supply circuit includes: a second switch and a second boost power supply module; The first boost power module is used to convert the 24VDC voltage into a 48VDC test voltage, and the second boost power module is used to convert the 24VDC voltage into a 500VDC test voltage.

3. The fully electronic modular railway signal cable insulation tester according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fully electronic modular railway signal cable insulation tester has an overall size of 850mm*173mm*120mm, occupying the space of a single railway signal standard modular cabinet. The outer shell adopts a composite design of a metal frame and an insulating panel.

4. The fully electronic modular railway signal cable insulation tester according to claim 1, characterized in that: The acquisition terminals adopt a 7.5mm wide pitch layout, each channel is equipped with an independent fuse and current limiting resistor, and the voltage resistance reaches 4000VAC.

5. The fully electronic modular railway signal cable insulation tester according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also has a bus interface, which includes an RS485 communication interface and a CAN communication interface, which is used to connect multiple group boxes and support multi-device cascading and centralized monitoring.

6. The fully electronic modular railway signal cable insulation tester according to claim 1, characterized in that: It uses a high-precision 16-bit ADC with a resolution of 0.0015mA and a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 core MCU collaborative architecture. Through adaptive range switching and temperature compensation algorithms, it achieves acquisition accuracy within a wide dynamic current range of 2mA to 6mA. The system integrates Σ-Δ secondary sampling technology, combined with hardware-level electromagnetic shielding design, to effectively suppress complex electromagnetic interference in railway signal cabinets. It can still maintain 0.5μA resolution in low-frequency noise environments. The ARM platform is equipped with real-time signal processing firmware, supports a synchronous sampling rate of 1kSps, and realizes high-speed data acquisition through SPI+DMA.

7. The fully electronic modular railway signal cable insulation tester according to claim 1, characterized in that: Insulation test range: 500kΩ~40MΩ, accuracy: ±1%FS.

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